Vian places a Tribal at each corner around Bismarck and keeps Piorun ready to replace a disabled ship. Her reserve position explains why she trades gunfire rather than joining the four close torpedo approaches. Piorun also flashes her famous identification as a Polish ship while maintaining that covering station. The assignment made her a critical part of the attack, and her position outside the torpedo runs reflected tactical discipline.
Notable Point · 16:18-18:15
Piorun's reserve role in Vian's box formation
Piorun holds the mobile reserve position behind four corner-positioned Tribals, a role that explains her gun action and shows the trust placed in the Polish destroyer.