Q&A · 12:10-14:24

How a Tillman treaty fleet tightens blockade pressure

A counterfactual treaty question weighs 16-inch battleships, carrier numbers, blockade pressure, and what German ships could safely face.

Question

Would a fleet of roughly fifteen 16-inch-gun battleships plus more carriers deter countries from starting wars by making blockade easier?

Short answer

It would make German surface operations much harder, because numerous fast British capital ships and carriers could cover breakout routes and intercept Bismarck- or Scharnhorst-type raiders without relying on the historical pairings.

Notes

The counterfactual begins with a more heavily armed Washington treaty world in which America, Britain, and Japan possess more large battleships. Germany would have to send Bismarck- or Scharnhorst-type raiders against faster and more numerous Royal Navy heavy units. Upgraded Queen Elizabeths, Hood, Renown, and extra carriers could cover more blockade and interception duties. Germany's 30-knot ships would still struggle to break out because British forces only need to cover the exit routes. Treaty limits can shape deterrence long before a battle begins.