Interactive History V: Notification

[Mr White]

I would propose to we make some sort of a SWOT-analysis. If someone doesn't know it, it is a management tool used today when drawing out a strategic plan. It gives us a clear view of the situation and the things we have to keep in mind.

SWOT stands for Strenghts, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. If we have our own strengts and weaknesses in black and white we'll always be aware of them and penning down the major threats and opportunities lets us focus on what we have to be carefull of and were the possibilities ly for a possible victory. It isn't a lot of work if we all pitch in and it is very handy.

[King Kurt]

A few thoughts:

The Imperial german Navy was designed for a single purpose - taking on the English fleet in the North Sea. This influenced the design of the ships - they were good gun platforms as they were broader in the beam and could take damage better due to better sub division internally. The thing they sacrificed was range, speed, seaworthyness and, to a certain extent, comfort for the crew. However this did not matter as they only expected to be at sea for a few days at a time.

In contrast the English fleet had to be suitable to face the Germans while carrying a blue water ocean role defending the Empire. Their ships were good sea boats, on the whole better armed (i.e. bigger guns) good crew quarters and faster. However, they were not quite so good gun platforms and did suffer from less internal sub division which made them more prone to damage. The main cause of loss of ships at Jutland was flash cordite fires in the turrets which flashed to the magazine causing a catastrophic explosion. The germans had nearly lost a ship to this early in the war and had made appropiate changes in the turrets, putting in flash proof doors. After Jutland, the english did the same.

So this means that in a classic fleet action, the English would not suffer the catastrophic sudden losses they suffered at Jutland. It would be down to slugging it out and the English numbers coupled with bigger guns (a bigger gun penertrates thicker armour and does more damage) would mean the complete defeat of the german navy.

So, as the IGN we have to be cleverer. Our 1 area of advantage is our U Boat fleet. If we could lure the english fleet on to a trap where we could attack the main battle line with submarines, we could inflict severe damage on it before our main battleline closed with them. The english screening forces - light cruisers and destroyers - are there to protect the main line, so we will have to work on that as well, but it is the beginings of a plan. The other problem will communications, so we should think about that - maybe a use for some Zepplins.

Finally, battlecruisers are a bit of an enigma. Their original use was chasing down crusiers etc and being a bit of a maneouvre force, but I am sure that both sides built so many because the other side was building them, resulting in both sides having argueably more than they needed. The only time they were used in their pure role was the battle of the falklands where they were a stunning sucess hunting down the german heavy cruisers and sinking them. Their final nemisis was the Bismark sinking HMS Hood in WW2. The Hood was the ultimate battlecruiser and was sunk by plunging fire pentrating the thinner deck armour. I have refought the battle as a wargame and the english won easily. If the Hood is not sunk at long range, she closes the range so the German shots are hitting the thicker belt armour. Then, in concert with the King George the Fifth battleship, she makes short work of the Bismark.

So Kraxis, hurry up with the sking and exams - I can't wait to get started!!

[Franconicus]

Did the Zeppelins and the aeroplanes play an important role? I think the German Navy had some? Did they recon or bombing too?

I have some doubts that the submarines will work. They never influenced a naval battle in WW2, did they? They could not save the Bismarck nor screen the landing at Norway.

[King Kurt]

The Zeps and planes are important only as pairs of eyes and communication. The bombs they carried were very small. However the communication side is very important - especially if we are planning something tricky.

As for the subs - they never pulled off a decisive victory on their own, but they often contributed. By WW2 naval battles tended to be over huge areas so it was difficult for a wolf pack to be in a critical place. During WW1, the emphasis was on sinking merchant ships, nobody tried what I am proposing. The English were always worried about subs and, even more, mines, so they always had loads of escorts, so we need a cunning plan to deal with those as well. The advantage is the confined waters of the North Sea and the Channel. Fleet submarine operations were proposed as strategic options between the wars - for example the English looked at such a force based in Hong Kong - but come WW2 technology had moved on, so the targets become the slow merchantmen. But during WW1 these threats could influence things greatly. During the Dardenalles campaign, it was naval losses to mines which resulted in the fleet being withdrawn from close support of the troops who had landed.

By the end of WW1, the IGN has to pull some rabbits out the hat to have a chance, so we have to be creative.

[Franconicus]

Mines Could Zeps or submarines throw mines in front of the English harbors?

[Grey_Fox]

Philip K Masse's book 'Castles of Steel' is a good read if you want to have an idea of what you are meant to do.

[Mr White]

As I read through the information above it appears that the only edge we have are our mines and maybe our subs if used correctly. So I would firstly suggest an extensive use of mines. Secondly we should be very carefull about our submarine force and use it in a way to isolate ships or to use in other cunning plans( as said above).