Commerce raiding, the German side.

[borbeck]

1. Did  Germany build any secret supply bases in South America  or any other location?

 

2  How did the navy plan to resupply ships at sea?

 

3  Did the navy have secret supply ships ready before both wars?

 

4  I have a special set of  what if questions.

   You have had since Oct of 37 to get ready. The High Command is finally ready to turn you loose with your fleet. It is Feb 42 , you have the following units:

  

• Bismarck class (42,000 tons, 8 × 380 mm guns)
  • Bismarck, Laid down, 1936, Commissioned 1939, Completed 1941*
  • Tirpitz, Laid Down 1936, Commissioned 1939 Completed 1941*
• Scharnhorst class (32,000 tons, 9 × 280 mm guns), also referred to as battlecruisers
  • Scharnhorst, Laid down 1934, Commissioned 1936, Completed January, 1939*
  • Gneisenau, Laid down 1934, Commissioned 1936, Completed May 1938*

• Deutschland class (12,000 tons, 6 × 280 mm guns)                                                                   
  • Deutschland (renamed Lützow), Laid Down, 1929, Commissioned 1931, Completed 1933*         32knot rebuild
  • Admiral Scheer, Laid down 1931, Commissioned 1933, Completed 1934*                                    32knot rebuild
  • Admiral Graf Spee, Laid down, Commissioned 1934*                                                                    32knot rebuild
• Admiral Hipper class (14,000 tons, 8 × 203 mm guns)
  • Admiral Hipper, Laid down 1935, Commissioned 1937, Completed 1939*
  • Blücher, Commissioned 1937*
  • Prinz Eugen, Laid down 1936, Commissioned 1938, Completed 1940*

• Emden class (6,000 tons, 8 × 150 mm guns)
  • Emden, Laid down 1921, Commissioned 1925*
• Königsberg class (7,200 tons, 9 × 150 mm guns)
  • Königsberg, Commissioned 1927*
  • Karlsruhe, Commissioned 1927*
  • Köln, Laid down 1926, Commissioned 1928, Completed 1930*
• Leipzig class (8,000 tons, 9 × 150 mm guns)
  • Leipzig, laid down 1928, Commissioned 1929, Completed 1931*
  • Nürnberg, Laid down 1934, Commissioned 1935*

Graf Zeppelin class

• Graf Zeppelin, Laid down 1936, commissioned 1938 (85% complete at start of war, never completed)*
• Flugzeugträger B, (Possible name Peter Strasser) Laid Down 1938, never launched, broken up 1940*

 

Your job is to use this force to knock the British out of the war. All ships are in good repair and able to hit at least 30 knots. You have access to shared units like aircraft recon units and  smaller naval units.

 

4.1 How would you use the force? Go head to head or for Commerce raiding?

4.2 How would you resupply the units?

4.3 Where would you base them?

4.4 Would you go for a knock out blow or rotate the ships in and out of dry docks for refits to remain a force in being?

4.5 How would you use the carriers, you only have 2?

.

 

5 The Further has given all the resources the air force and army have in the west if you could deliver a crippling blow to the British surface fleet  in their home waters. It is Oct 42 and you have all the same units. How would you advise the Further on the matter and do you think you could do it?