Surface raiding becomes a task-force challenge

The proposed German formation combines one or two capital ships, cruisers, and destroyer flotillas with the range to operate from Norway into the Atlantic. A sortie such as Operation Berlin could not simply replay with different engines because German and British operating patterns would both change. Long-ranged destroyers and cruisers could fan out across trade routes before regrouping around the heavy units. Such formations would tie down British capital ships, destroyers, and carriers in multiple balanced hunting groups, adding to the burden on training. Britain might lose ships in the short term, yet would probably hunt these formations down before they could return safely.