Q&A ยท 1:55:55-1:56:26

Tallboy made stationary warships and shipyards vulnerable

Earlier Lancaster and Tallboy availability would most threaten fixed or immobilised naval targets, while ships under way retained a chance to evade.

Question

How would earlier Lancaster and Tallboy availability affect Axis warships and shipyards?

Short answer

Stationary ships and fixed yards would face a severe threat, while ships already under way would have a better chance to evade.

Notes

This counterfactual makes Lancaster bombers and Tallboy weapons available earlier against Axis naval targets. Ships caught in harbour and fixed shipyard infrastructure would face the greatest danger. A moving warship can manoeuvre away from a predicted impact point, while an immobilised ship or industrial target cannot. Target mobility matters more here than any claim that one weapon would automatically decide the wider naval war.