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Originally Posted by A Very Super Market
Germany's only hope was her land army, the KM was not weak, but the British could easily replace any losses they took, while the KM couldn't afford to lose any. The sinking of the Graf Spee and the Bismarck is a clear example of just what the British ship superiority was like.
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Thats because they were used in a raider role and not in fleet actions
IF the KM heavies plus carrier had sailed together it would have made for some interesting encounters
Convoys would have had to stop or would have been wiped out
But they were always going to be outnumbered by the RN in any situation used and the raider role may have been the best they could be used for
Apart from tying up the RN in port
I think from Donitz's POV the war came about 5 years too soon
If Britain and France hadnt stepped in after Poland then there was no need for a huge navy as the intention was always to grab back land lost after ww1 - most if which they had by then with west Prussia ( Poland ) being almost the last - then go east
The planned expansion of the Km under Z plan would have made it a force to be reckoned with but even if the UK and France hadnt gone to war over over Poland it may have been inevitable in the long run and Britain would have stepped up its own RN expansion watching the Germans expand theirs
No one was going to stand by and watch one nation overun all of eastern europe
All whatifs though
Which is great fun