How would Hood's age and Prince of Wales's incomplete workup affect Denmark Strait if the battle occurred at night?
Short answerBritish night training and radar offer advantages, while muzzle-flash size and color might help correct the mistaken target identification; both sides would depend more heavily on fragile electronic fire control.
NotesBritish night-combat experience offers an advantage, while radar blips plus the size and color of gun flashes could reveal which German ship carried the heavier battery. The darker British propellant flash might also reduce visibility, but the engagement would depend more on electronic aiming systems, including German equipment that already displayed reliability problems during the historical action.