Improved minelaying submarines receive priority, and a fleet already approaching 700 boats is still considered capable of using more. The submarines concentrate near the French coast before formal war begins, creating a visible threat to movement through nearby waters. Their mine warfare role supports the wider effort to make the English Channel unsafe for French operations. The force is unusually submarine-heavy, but within the campaign it supplies deterrence and a sea-denial posture that France must consider before choosing war.
Chapter · 2:06:56-2:11:34
Minelaying submarines support a Channel denial strategy
Research and deployment choices build a dense submarine force intended to make the Channel dangerous for France.