Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:20:47-2:21:16

Richelieu in the Denmark Strait approach

The head-on approach used by Hood and Prince of Wales would favor all-forward-gun ships such as Richelieu, Nelson, and Rodney.

Battle Of The Denmark StraitBattleship TacticsGerman Battleship BismarckNelson Class BattleshipsRichelieu Class Battleships
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Question

Would the Denmark Strait approach favor Richelieu, and how much trouble would that cause Bismarck?

Short answer

Yes. Richelieu could use all her forward guns while closing, adding severe pressure to Bismarck.

Notes

Richelieu could bring her entire all-forward main battery to bear while closing. Nelson and Rodney would enjoy the same geometric advantage in the approach used at Denmark Strait. Bismarck would face much heavier pressure if another modern battleship joined the British formation. The answer emphasizes firing arcs and force concentration rather than claiming one ship automatically decides the battle.