A single torpedo hit could remove some older battleships for a very long time, while a more heavily hit Littorio might be lost altogether in this model. That matters beyond Taranto because Italian battleship availability shaped how Force H assessed sorties during attempts to reinforce Malta. The scenario illustrates Royal Navy multi-carrier doctrine: when the preferred strike carrier Ark Royal was unavailable, combining carriers could still produce a decisive harbour attack. The projected result depends on actual readiness, battle damage, and the raid's postponed timing.
Chapter · 15:28-19:32
Multi-carrier doctrine and Italian fleet risk
The counterfactual argues that a larger Taranto strike might have left Italy with only one usable battleship, changing the risks facing later Malta resupply operations.