How harbor routines could expose German battleships

Properly deployed torpedo nets would obstruct the proposed attack, so its success depends partly on gaps in harbor precautions. Handling nets every time ships moved was laborious, and a base that had never suffered this kind of attack had less incentive to keep them in place. Nets intended to exclude submarines could also encourage confidence that underwater threats were already controlled. German crews normally used accommodation ashore while their ships were in harbor, unlike the British arrangement at Scapa Flow. A holiday attack could therefore catch ships with few men aboard and internal doors open, leaving a poor starting position for damage control.