Capital ships released from Gibraltar can strengthen the Home Fleet and the hunt for Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, and later German raiders. Britain now divides its main strength between the Home and Mediterranean Fleets rather than maintaining a third capital-ship group at Gibraltar. The Italian fleet still draws modern Queen Elizabeth-class ships toward the Mediterranean because it presents the larger immediate battlefleet threat. Greater overall depth nevertheless improves the chance that a fast British unit is in the right place when a German raider breaks into the Atlantic.
Notable Point · 30:34-32:48
A stronger Home Fleet hunts German surface raiders
Without Force H, Britain divides its major fleet between two primary theaters instead of three.