The historical destroyers at Narvik were trapped partly because the loss of their tanker left them short of fuel for the return passage. Diesel endurance could let them land troops and withdraw, potentially leaving more destroyers available to support Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. The same long range creates a competing risk: cruisers and capital ships may already be dispersed into the Atlantic or Indian Ocean when Germany needs them near Norway. Those distant raiders would draw British heavy ships and carriers away, perhaps keeping carriers out of exposed anti-submarine patrols near Norway. Isolated German units would still face eventual concentration and destruction by the larger Royal Navy.
Notable Point · 1:45:09-1:47:20
Diesel endurance changes Narvik and Germany's opening deployments
Longer-ranged destroyers might escape Narvik without waiting for a tanker, while German heavy ships could begin the war scattered on distant commerce-raiding missions.