Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 33:54-34:23

How he would group the ships hunting Bismarck

The preferred pairing keeps King George V with Prince of Wales and Rodney with Hood, while concentrating all four capital ships if circumstances allow.

Force StructureGerman Battleship BismarckHMS HoodKing George V Class Battleships (1939)Royal Navy
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Question

How could Hood, Rodney, King George V, and Prince of Wales be grouped against Bismarck?

Short answer

Pair the two King George V-class ships and put Rodney with Hood, but ideally concentrate all four.

Notes

One possible arrangement pairs Hood with King George V and Prince of Wales with Rodney during the Bismarck hunt. The preferred split keeps King George V and Prince of Wales together, with Rodney and Hood forming the other pair. Concentrating all four capital ships in the same place with destroyer support would be stronger than either two-ship arrangement. The counterfactual shows the value of overwhelming local strength against a dangerous opponent.