A proposed alternative assumes France remains in the war and Britain can coordinate its available carriers differently. Ark Royal could join Illustrious, with Eagle included if she remained fit for operations. Béarn could then attack Genoa as a diversion while the stronger British carrier force concentrated on Taranto. The comparison treats losing Béarn as less damaging to British striking power than losing one of the principal fleet carriers, while still recognising the cost of any carrier loss. These deployments are counterfactual suggestions, conditional on the ships and command arrangements being available.
Notable Point · 33:06-34:28
French participation and a hypothetical larger carrier strike
One counterfactual combines British carriers at Taranto and assigns Béarn a separate diversion against Genoa.