If the Germans destroy a British task force and mostly get away, can they declare victory?
Short answerThey can claim a tactical victory, but any damage that slows them is likely to let additional British groups turn it into a strategic defeat.
NotesGermany could claim victory after sinking British ships and getting most of its force home, while Britain could still regard two German losses as a favorable exchange. The harder problem is escaping without damage. Every British hunting group now includes a carrier and several capital ships, so defeating one group is likely to leave the German ships slowed or depleted. A torpedoed vessel forces the commander either to abandon it or reduce the whole formation's speed while attempting a tow and defense. That delay gives the other British groups time to converge and destroy the raiders in detail. A clean early disengagement is Germany's only reliable escape.