A hypothetical Soviet battleship creates a force-allocation problem for Germany. Bismarck, Scharnhorst, and other heavy units are easier to send on distant operations when no comparable Soviet capital ship needs to be covered. A credible battleship in Soviet service would therefore exert influence even while remaining in port. Its value would lie partly in tying down German strength, illustrating the strategic effect of a fleet in being.
Notable Point · 3:09:06-3:09:42
How a Soviet battleship could reshape German deployments
Even without fighting, a modern Soviet battleship could have constrained Germany by forcing heavy ships to remain available for a Baltic or northern counter.