Fleet losses change the Norwegian campaign

Concentrating against the German fleet ties the King George Vs and most modern British carriers to the North Atlantic, leaving fewer ships for Force H and other theatres. If Germany controls all of Norway, its bases make a later Atlantic breakout much harder to contain. That threat gives Britain a stronger reason to preserve a Norwegian foothold rather than accept the campaign's complete collapse. Conversely, the loss of German destroyers at Narvik and major units in a fleet battle could force the invasion onto the defensive and improve Allied prospects ashore. Even the loss of two capital ships would be severe enough to accelerate the next 15-inch ships and encourage conversion of the surviving 11-inch vessel.