JerseyJohn Posted January 12, 2003 Share Posted January 12, 2003 Liam Germany's whole idea of capital ships as commerce raiders was strange. Why send ships with 11 inch or 15 inch guns out to sink freighters? In the case of the "pocketbattleships" they had a tremendous range, not much speed (26 knots) for a ship so light (10-11,000 tons) and 11" guns that were overkill for merchant ships and too small for fighting battleships. Cruisers were too fast for her to catch and so on. The only role I can see is for such a ship to move in and scatter a convoy's escorts, making attacks by light cruisers or heavy destroyers on the undefenced merchant men something of a massacre. But the Germans didn't use them that way, they sent them out individually. The Scharnhorst and Gnaisenau, with their eleven inch gun fall into the same categor except, being three and a half times as large carrying the same comparatively small main gun seems a bit rediculous. Bismark and Tirpitz -- these were true battleships and the two of the best ever built. Why waste them as commerce raiders and who needs fifteen inch shells for freighters! Sure the idea was to go in close and use the six inch turrets, but why not send accompanying heavy destroyers and/or light cruisers for the gritty freight elimination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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