Naval History Forums

]Lets transpose again. No one would rationally argue the Scharnhorst could swap places with Renown and attack two Renowns in the same way the Renown attacked two Scharnhorsts. The issue is simple, 14inch shells of the DoY brought Scharnhorst to destruction, the 15 inch shells of the Bismarck would ...

Provided that they can match her range. Could these BCs match Scharnhorst's range at the same or faster speed. If not, then their use as raiders might not be as good. Plus, Scharnhorst carried more guns. Smaller yes, but you dont need 14-15 inch guns to sink merchant ships. Range for a raider is ver...

Facts are being rationally considered. The Scharnhorst had no confidence in engaging ships armed with 15 inch guns. Ships in General were hard to sink especially by gunfire unless they exploded. Scharnhorst according to the reports I have read blew up and then sank the explosion hastening the end w...

Exactly in the real world 14 inch and 15 inch shells could cripple the Scharnhorst that's why they did not fight. You our absolutely correct the Scharnhorst was a greyhound and a fine ship but she was no match for a battleships guns. Like I said against the Bismarck she could blow up just like Hood...

Against the Glorious of course XD But in seriousness, the reason why they didn't engage BBs was that Hitler and the navy didn't want them to engage in battle they will take massive damage. Plus, her 11inch shells are inadequet to pierce the armour of a BB at realisitc ranges. Her advantage compare t...

Towns don't move, and as a long range raider the Courageous was unsurpassed. Like I said the Germans would have broke youtr arm off to have her and would have heralded the convoy system and the dimunation of the Grand Fleet a lot earlier. Light cruisers the Germans had even quick ones like Bremse b...

Umm, two problems with that; 1) The Courageous class had only 4 guns. That isnt a lot of firepower to bare onto the enemy. And it will mean that getting shots at extreme ranges will be quite difficult. And since this tactic requires long range engagements, chances are you wont be hitting a small tar...

As for the much maligned Glourious, like I say its the fastest hull ever put on a capital ship, it was simply a work of art. Nope I'm not going to trade shots with you I can outrun your destroyers your cruiser screen and you. Um, then what is the point of the Courageous if you have to outrun the cr...

Scharnhorst and Alaska's small gun caliber (for BBs anyway), while considered a massive disadvantage, I would rate as one of their advantages. Small enough to have a good rate of fire that can sorta keep up with other CAs, yet large enough to make mince meat of most CAs, if not all. There were many...

The age old problem here is the definition of what a battlecruiser is and what specifically is the role of these ships. My own inclinination is a vessel not specifically designed to engage battleships but a vessel designed to smash groups of opposing heavy and light cruisers, rather like a destroye...

Pretty easy one that, The Hood would have beaten every other battlecruiser on a one on one , operate in any weather and only Alaska , Dunkerque's and Scharnhorst's were faster. As for blowing up it least it got in a position to blow up and if your poorly handled by your Admiral you can't really get...

We all have heard of battlecruisers. Britian's Hood, Repulse, Invincible, German's Von Der Tann, Lutzow, Hindenburg and Japan's Kongo just to name a few. My question is: which one of these battlecruisers are the best for WW1 and which one was best in WW2. List the ships name and reasons why you have...

My guess is that she would've still been sunk, but would've taken more damage and inflict serious damage to the British Battlecruisers. Ultimately however, she would've lost. But that was what battlecruisers were for: hunting and sinking enemy cruisers. Blucher as an armoured cruiser was very good, ...

My guess is that Sydney has some advantages, but nothing that gives it a decisive edge IMO. Honestly, this battle could go either way for both ships.

Or just add the Yamatos. That should even it out a little.