Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 56:31-57:40

Which historical actions could forward fire have changed?

Forward fire is proposed as especially useful in chase actions, while North Cape's eventual result is expected to remain the same.

Alternate HistoryBattle Of Dogger Bank 1915Battle Of The Falkland IslandsBattle Of The North CapeGerman Battleship BismarckNaval Tactics
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Question

Can you think of historical battleship actions where an all-forward main battery would have affected the result?

Short answer

Several chase actions are suggested. North Cape would probably have ended the same way, with Scharnhorst sunk sooner.

Notes

Chase actions are the main examples where an all-forward battery could change the course of a battle. The suggestions include Mediterranean actions, Bismarck, the Falkland Islands, and Dogger Bank. At North Cape, the proposed change is a quicker sinking of Scharnhorst rather than a different eventual winner. These are conditional judgments about alternative armament arrangements.