Q&A · 3:35:22-3:38:12

An extra battlecruiser in the hunt for Scharnhorst and Gneisenau

A hypothetical fourth British battlecruiser could make an early-war pursuit more aggressive and help bring the slower battleships into action.

Question

In a World War I or II task force scenario involving tabletop fictional ships, which ships would fight?

Short answer

Taking a British Second World War scenario, an upgraded additional HMS Revenge would join Repulse and cruisers against Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, with Nelson and Rodney following.

Notes

In a Royal Navy version of the tabletop scenario, the preferred addition is a battlecruiser named HMS Revenge, upgraded during the interwar period. A fourth British battlecruiser would allow Revenge and Repulse to pursue Scharnhorst and Gneisenau together with cruiser support. Sending two 15-inch-gunned battlecruisers forward would be a different proposition from sending Repulse alone. They could damage or slow the German ships, with sinking them also a possibility. Slowing them would give Nelson and Rodney the opportunity to catch up and bring their heavy guns into action.