BlackDragon98
Banned
The Wegener thesis was an alternative strategy proposed between 1915-1929 by Vizeadmiral Wolfgang Wegener. It stated that the only way Germany could defeat the UK at sea was by threatening it's sea lines of of communication with both surface and sub-surface combatants.
The Wegener thesis also stated that a friendly Norway was key to the plan.
OTL the thesis was only partially realized and badly executed as its creator Vizeadmiral Wolfgang Wegener was forced into retirement in 1929 because his thesis conflicted with Grossadmiral Erich Raeder's plans for the Kriegsmarine.
But what if that wasn't the case?
What if he and Donitz had managed to convince Hitler to adopt the Wegener thesis in 1933?
Based on the thesis, I believe something I like to call a Marine Kampfgruppe (MKG) will be created.
The MKG would center around a large surface raider, like a Deutschland-class panzerschiffe, Prinz Eugen-class heavy cruiser or O-class battlecruiser.
It would be accompanied by 2-3 (probably 2) cruisers with heavy flak armament to protect it from enemy carrier planes, the cruiser probably being modified Königsberg-class cruisers. (One rear 15cm turret would be removed along with 2 triple torp tubes and the mines. Scout planes would be removed as well. Instead there would be a load of flak guns.)
There would also be 4-6 destroyers/ASW warships to protect the capital ships from enemy submarines.
Lastly, there would be 6-10 U-Boats that acted as scouts and attack enemy capital ships.
There would have to be 5-6 supply ships to sustain such a flotilla for long periods of time, though enemy merchant ships captured at sea can provide supplies as well.
Operational methods of the MKG are as follows:
-scout planes launched by the large surface raider would look for convoys and enemy ships (attack convoys and avoid enemy ships)
-once a convoy is sighted, the large surface raider will engage the convoy's escorts and probably destroy or cripple them
-U-boat will pick out targets and attack, while flak cruisers and destroyers will do the same or maybe try and convince some merchant ships to surrender so the MKG can loot their cargo
-the MKG has a set attack time, once this time is reached the MKG will form up and flee the area at high speed, to avoid detection by enemy ships
-if weak enemy flotillas are sight then the MKG has a choice to engage or flee
-if enemy carrier planes are sighted then U-boats will dive and scatter while all surface ships will spit as much flak as possible while zig-zagging at flank speed
-if enemy subs detected then large surface raider and cruisers will evade, while ASW ships and U-boats will engage
-if enemy fleet sighted then all ships will flee while a couple U-boat remain, to ambush enemy capital ships
-there are to be no fixed ratio of combatant types for the MKG in order to confuse the enemy
All the types of ships described above would not need very long to construct, and there could be at least 2-3 of these MKGs operating by 1940.
An essential prerequisite however, is the cancellation of all aircraft carriers and the Bismarck and Scharnhorst class.
Because this is precisely what scared the shit out of the RN before the war, the AGNA will probably not get signed.
How do you think formations like this will impact the Kriegsmarine's performance during WW2?
The Wegener thesis also stated that a friendly Norway was key to the plan.
OTL the thesis was only partially realized and badly executed as its creator Vizeadmiral Wolfgang Wegener was forced into retirement in 1929 because his thesis conflicted with Grossadmiral Erich Raeder's plans for the Kriegsmarine.
But what if that wasn't the case?
What if he and Donitz had managed to convince Hitler to adopt the Wegener thesis in 1933?
Based on the thesis, I believe something I like to call a Marine Kampfgruppe (MKG) will be created.
The MKG would center around a large surface raider, like a Deutschland-class panzerschiffe, Prinz Eugen-class heavy cruiser or O-class battlecruiser.
It would be accompanied by 2-3 (probably 2) cruisers with heavy flak armament to protect it from enemy carrier planes, the cruiser probably being modified Königsberg-class cruisers. (One rear 15cm turret would be removed along with 2 triple torp tubes and the mines. Scout planes would be removed as well. Instead there would be a load of flak guns.)
There would also be 4-6 destroyers/ASW warships to protect the capital ships from enemy submarines.
Lastly, there would be 6-10 U-Boats that acted as scouts and attack enemy capital ships.
There would have to be 5-6 supply ships to sustain such a flotilla for long periods of time, though enemy merchant ships captured at sea can provide supplies as well.
Operational methods of the MKG are as follows:
-scout planes launched by the large surface raider would look for convoys and enemy ships (attack convoys and avoid enemy ships)
-once a convoy is sighted, the large surface raider will engage the convoy's escorts and probably destroy or cripple them
-U-boat will pick out targets and attack, while flak cruisers and destroyers will do the same or maybe try and convince some merchant ships to surrender so the MKG can loot their cargo
-the MKG has a set attack time, once this time is reached the MKG will form up and flee the area at high speed, to avoid detection by enemy ships
-if weak enemy flotillas are sight then the MKG has a choice to engage or flee
-if enemy carrier planes are sighted then U-boats will dive and scatter while all surface ships will spit as much flak as possible while zig-zagging at flank speed
-if enemy subs detected then large surface raider and cruisers will evade, while ASW ships and U-boats will engage
-if enemy fleet sighted then all ships will flee while a couple U-boat remain, to ambush enemy capital ships
-there are to be no fixed ratio of combatant types for the MKG in order to confuse the enemy
All the types of ships described above would not need very long to construct, and there could be at least 2-3 of these MKGs operating by 1940.
An essential prerequisite however, is the cancellation of all aircraft carriers and the Bismarck and Scharnhorst class.
Because this is precisely what scared the shit out of the RN before the war, the AGNA will probably not get signed.
How do you think formations like this will impact the Kriegsmarine's performance during WW2?