Hypothetical early WWI Scenario

marty1 · Post by **marty1** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 3:36 pm

Hypothetical early WWI Scenario.

Let’s suppose The Battlecruiser Australia locates and engages Admiral von Spee’s squadron in the mid-Pacific prior to von Spee's dispatch of the light cruiser SMS Emden to the Indian Ocean. Is Spee’s squadron powerful enough to destroy Australia – or is this a hands down win by Australia?

Regards
Marty

marcelo_malara · Post by **marcelo_malara** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 8:22 pm

I think that if the battlecruiser manages to keep distance using its superior speed, it would be very difficult for the germans to sink it.
On the other hand if Graf Spee divides his ships so the Australia has to concentrate on targets from different bearings, he has a slight chance of closing distance to use his inferior guns. But remember that at the usefull ranges of Graf Spee´s guns, Australia´s 12" guns would wreck havoc in the germans ships.

RF · Post by RF » Wed Oct 04, 2006 1:56 pm

Wouldn't the German ships scatter at max speed fanwise and escape out of the reach of Australias' guns? Use wireless to reassemble later on?

Karl Heidenreich · Post by **Karl Heidenreich** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 4:11 pm

John Campbell´s, in his book about Jutland, recognises that the Germans had a very good chance to face the Grand Fleet and win in the first stages of WWI. It would be interesting to talk about this.

marcelo_malara · Post by **marcelo_malara** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:03 pm

Yes Karl, but he refers to the battle fleet, not Spee´s armoured cruisers.

Karl Heidenreich · Post by **Karl Heidenreich** » Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:49 pm

I know, Marcelo, which make it more interesting. Admiral Spee´s action may be very colorfull but it had no big implications: his squadron was not big enough and the sunken British one wasn´t neither. Everything went to a standstill after the actions.
But a fleet action early in WWI would mean serious changes in the aspect of the war. And that´s interesting.

RF · Post by RF » Thu Oct 05, 2006 8:25 am

Karl Heidenreich wrote:But a fleet action early in WWI would mean serious changes in the aspect of the war. And that´s interesting.

It nearly happened in January 1915 at Dogger Bank - unfortunately the order to ''close with the enemy'' was misunderstood and the enemy taken to be one cruiser only - the Blucher.

Blucher must be the unluckiest name in the history of the German Navy.