Early-war convoys commonly numbered 40 to 60 merchant ships, within a broader rough range of 30 to 70. Major operations such as Torch could assemble substantially larger groups, so convoy size varied with the mission. Germany's early contact and magnetic-influence torpedo pistols gave the Allies a temporary advantage because they often failed outside nearly ideal firing conditions. The sinking of HMS Courageous showed that the weapons could work, though without the reliability a submarine campaign required. By comparison, the British magnetic system is described cautiously as comparatively reliable. U-boats remained dangerous, but technical failure shaped the campaign's opening balance.
Notable Point · 10:48-11:59
Convoy size and Germany's early torpedo problem
Early-war convoys were generally far smaller than later invasion convoys, and unreliable German torpedoes briefly eased the danger.