But now the German BB is not damaged and is just not doing 7 knots: it´s fully operational and doing 29 knots. Will the Germans disengage and turn, being able to do that because Rodney is too slow? If they do that KGV + cruiser will pursuit leaving Rodney behind butr risking a combat without numerical superiority?Karl Heidenreich wrote:Some time ago, it seems light years ago, I wrote the following hypothetical scenario for a Bismarck + Tirpitz scenario (I reckon that there are some modifications from the original one):
"1. Bismarck + PE steamed from Gotenhafen, via Great Belt, to Norway. Lutjens commands at Bismarck. The Squadron is sighted by the Swedish cruiser and by norwegian resistance. They alert the British. Norfolk and Suffolk go to patrol at the Straits, Hood + PoW steam to Iceland, the KGV + Repulse stay at Scapa FLow.
2. In full coordination the Tirpitz + Hipper had crossed earlier the Kiel Canal and steamed at dusk the same evening the Bismarck and PE are at the Norwegian Fiord.
3. The British air raid find the fiord empty the following morning. Home Fleet began to deploy.
4. Tirpitz + Hipper follow Bismarck + PE some sixty to eighty miles behind: close enough to bring support in case of need but far enough for, in case of being detected, made the enemy thought theere are a sole Squadron.
5. Norfolk and Suffolk sighted Bismarck + PE. At dawn the following day Hood + PoW intercept. As in History: Hood is blown but this time PoW gives a hard fight. In addtidion to the already known hits PoW strikes Bismarck at the Anton turret, blowing it and damaging a Fire Control Dome and the funnel. The Bismarck lists heavy to port and fights several fires. But the PoW 4 gun aft turret jammed. The Bismarck puts her hit at the PoW´s bridge while PE is bussy trying to find a firing solution to spit a couple of torpedoes at her. The Norfolk and Suffolk are ordered to engage to save the British capital ship. And then Suffolk blows sky high as Tirpitz, coming out of the midst and from a "dead" radar coverage, engages. The Hipper runs behind the Norfolk. PE finally gets a firing solution and the PoW stops cold and began to list. The Bismarck gives the PoW´s crew chance to abandon her. Finally the British crew scuttles the doomed ship.
6. Lutjens is aware that Bismarck has heavy damage so he transfer flag to Tirpitz. The Bismarck steams north, via Denmarck Straits, back home. Nobody is going to follow her. The Tirpitz (without damage), the PE (lightly damaged) and the Hipper steam south, southeast without the cruisers shadowing.
7. KGV + Repulse + Victorious scrambles from Scapa FLow. The Rodney is ordered to break convoy escort and join. H-Force is ordered to get out Gibraltar and cover the French waters.
8. In the middle of the night the Ark Royal is suddenly attacked: Schanhorst had left French port the previous evening and had intercept Force H. When it is going to finish the Carrier the Renown gets into the fight and overwhelming the Schanhorst. The German unit finally sinks in a huge explosion. Ark Royal transfer it´s crew to Renown just in time before the CV sinks.
9. Renown re-joins the hunt for the Tirpitz after Ark Royal crew is safe aboard Shefield and a couple of destroyers.
10. Tirpitz + 2 cruisers are sighted by a Catalina. The British change their course in order to intercept. The Swordfish planes of Victorious attack the Germans. This time, with AA support of three ships, the British attack failed completely and some of the aircraft are shot down.
11. The German Squadron is intercepted, finally by the KGV + Rodney + a couple of cruisers. Renown is too far away to matter. "
Now, it´s up to them:
Germans: One BB + two heavy cruisers
British: Two BB + two light cruisers
But now the German BB is not damaged and is just not doing 7 knots: it´s fully operational and doing 29 knots. Will the Germans disengage and turn, being able to do that because Rodney is too slow? If they do that KGV + cruiser will pursuit leaving Rodney behind butr risking a combat without numerical superiority?
Best regards...
I would think so, KGv is more than capable of inflicting serious damage to the German ship at any range, whilst the German cruisers might take part, they will have to deal with the British cruiser as well. I could not envisage a British Admiral refusing to engage and letting the German ships sail off to do untold damage to the convoys. Should the remaining German Battleship be damaged and slowed, Rodney wil be in a good position to make contact and finish the job even if KGv is out of the fight . As for the two German cruisers, they would almost certainly defeat the lone British cruiser, but at what cost to themselves? If they get close enough to KGv to use torpedoes they still risk damage from her secondary armament and, having taken hits from the British cruiser as well these could prove fatal.