Type XXI: A Game changer?

Axeman3d · 12-03-10, 06:47 AM

I think the real game changer early in the Battle of the Atlantic would have been either numbers or radar.

Having a fast boat with 6 tubes and better submergence times would not change the fact that the Atlantic is bloody huge and boats cant see very far, no matter how good their batteries. If you cant find the enemy, you cant kill them, and without good radar sets or a ton of boats to string across the supply routes, your fancy subs are no better than Type VIIs. If Doenitz had his 300 subs in 1939, then Britain would have been in dire straits indeed, without the need for more advanced tech. In fact it would be a hinderance, since it would be far easier to nail together a load of Type VIIc boats than a couple of XXIs.

As for Russia, remember that they were getting convoys of kit from the US and UK sent to them to help them out, since they were basically an agrarian 19th century country and it was taking a lot of time for them to get their production up to speed. U-boats made a dent in those convoys as well. With no UK in the game (assuming the U-boats starve the UK into a cease fire of some sorts) then Russia is going it alone and the two front war becomes just Axis v Russia for the title, with the US sitting in the sidelines unable to take the fight to Europe as they have no base without the UK. Makes for an interesting scenario.

12-03-10, 06:47 AM	#13
Axeman3d Machinist's Mate Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Central Scotland Posts: 127 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 0	I think the real game changer early in the Battle of the Atlantic would have been either numbers or radar. Having a fast boat with 6 tubes and better submergence times would not change the fact that the Atlantic is bloody huge and boats cant see very far, no matter how good their batteries. If you cant find the enemy, you cant kill them, and without good radar sets or a ton of boats to string across the supply routes, your fancy subs are no better than Type VIIs. If Doenitz had his 300 subs in 1939, then Britain would have been in dire straits indeed, without the need for more advanced tech. In fact it would be a hinderance, since it would be far easier to nail together a load of Type VIIc boats than a couple of XXIs. As for Russia, remember that they were getting convoys of kit from the US and UK sent to them to help them out, since they were basically an agrarian 19th century country and it was taking a lot of time for them to get their production up to speed. U-boats made a dent in those convoys as well. With no UK in the game (assuming the U-boats starve the UK into a cease fire of some sorts) then Russia is going it alone and the two front war becomes just Axis v Russia for the title, with the US sitting in the sidelines unable to take the fight to Europe as they have no base without the UK. Makes for an interesting scenario.