[Leandros]

Originally Posted by Marcello

There were a number of reasons why the Kriegsmarine built the fleet it did in the 30's. Political constraints meant that a few capital ships could be built without triggering too many adverse british reactions, while on the other hand a large submarine fleet might not be tolerated to the same extent..

Actually, there were less restrictions on submarine building than surface vessels. They built as many surface vessels they were allowed (untill 1935 when restrictions became much more lenient) but not as many submarines as they were allowed.

Originally Posted by Marcello

A submarine required, ton for ton, a much greater quantity of copper/lead/rubber than a battleship and imports had to be economized even before the war; needless to say an elektroboot required an even greater amount of those materials..

Certainly, there would have to be a weighing between quantity and quality. The U-boats the Germans constructed, and built, before the war were, in principle, little different from those in WW1. That said, I am hard-up to believe that any 30.000 tons surface vessel would require less of anything than a 1.000 ton submarine.

Originally Posted by Marcello

The capture of the Biscay ports could not be relied upon and without those the prospects of a proper tonnage war are dubious..

Which is why they probably should have gone for quality rather than quantity.

Originally Posted by Marcello

in the event at least a minimum of a surface force turned out to be handy for the norwegian campaign.

The Scandinavian campaign was not decided on untill early 1940.

Fred