Freebird
Master Sergeant
How many fleet assets can the RN can send for defence on the Rock in '40.
Well, I posted this earlier.
Not even close. Consider the situation in late Oct 1940 at the time of the first Hitler/Franco conference.
Naval power was still measured at this time by Battleships, and in the fall of 1940 the British had 14 BB/BC, + King George V + Prince of Wales launched and almoste complete. The Italians had 6. The Germans had not completed the Bismarck yet, and both of the Scharnhorst Battlecruisers was severely damaged by torpedoes and out of action.
The war between the UK and Germany had been describes as a battle between a Lion a Shark, very apt description. While Germany was running roughshod over all of Europe, they were getting their asses kicked in the Naval war (sorry Adler )
Germany started the war with 2 Battlecruisers, 6 light cruisers and 3 heavy cruisers + 3 "Pocket" BB's
By the fall of 1940, they have both Battlecruisers out of action, 1 pocket BB sunk, 1 Pocket BB out of action, 1 CA sunk, 2 CL sunk and 1 heavily damaged by torpedo, + about 60% of their DD's sunk .
By Oct 1940 the Germans therefore have less than half of their starting naval assets left,
In exchange, the British have lost the BB Royal Oak, and 2 carriers lost (out of 8 ) The British also have a total of 23 CA (of 9,000 tons+) and 44 CL remaining by Oct 1940, and have lost only 1 CA (Effingham) and 2 CL. This does not even include the ships of the Allied navies, Dutch, Australian, Canadian, etc
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In Oct 1940 the Italians have 6 Battleships, but Germany has no capital ships operational. By the time Germany repairs the two BC's, (and assuming that they rush Bismarck into service early) by Christmas 1940, the Italians are down to 3 BB operational.
The British have 3 BB in Egypt, 3 BB at Gibraltar, and 8 more in the UK or in the N. Atlantic. The best the Axis could hope for is about 6 BB vs. 10 or 12 for the RN.
The problem for a June/July scenario is that the Luftwaffe needed German troops (Paratroops, Amphip etc) are all deployed in Northern France waiting for Sealion. It is only with Sealion cancelled that they are ready to mount this operation.
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