What would the Netherlands do with a modern G3-derived battlecruiser appearing on 1 January 1939?
Short answerIt could cover Britain's fast-capital-ship shortage, change the Bismarck hunt, and then anchor a better-led Allied force in the East Indies.
NotesThe scenario brings a Dutch G3-derived ship from World of Warships into a Dutch harbor on 1 January 1939. Its nine 16.5-inch guns, stated 32-knot speed, and 12- to 14-inch belt are assumptions of the game-based counterfactual. The ship is expected to overmatch Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and threaten German troops operating within reach of its guns. A loan to Britain could cover the shortage of fast capital ships and give Hood an earlier refit, potentially putting a refitted Hood, the Dutch ship, and Prince of Wales into the Denmark Strait action. A surviving force would then be available for deployment to the East Indies. A senior Dutch admiral aboard the flagship could change ABDA's command arrangements, possibly taking charge of the combined surface force while Phillips handled the wider theater. Furious is suggested as supporting carrier because her lifts could accommodate Sea Hurricanes alongside Swordfish. Singapore's large dry dock would provide another reason to bring the Dutch ship into contact with British forces before Japan attacked.