Battenberg's Army-Navy experience could delay the fleet assault until troops are ready to attack the Dardanelles forts at the same time. Older battleships could use the interval to fill more compartments with cork, improving buoyancy after mine damage. Simultaneous landings and naval bombardment would divide the defenders' fire and attention; the loss of only a few forts might produce panic and open the route. Success could threaten Constantinople and the Ottoman Empire while restoring a supply line to Russia through the Black Sea. That outcome remains contingent on coordinating the landings and fleet attack. A joint commander would have to put the campaign ahead of interservice rivalry.
Notable Point · 1:47:01-1:50:20
A joint approach to Gallipoli
The Gallipoli counterfactual turns on Battenberg coordinating army landings and naval firepower rather than treating the campaign as a navy-only operation.