Chapitre 17: chapter 17 Please don't break my new toys
Navalbase Kiel January 4, 1936
"I hereby formally approve Plan Z and, as Führer and Reichskanzler der Deutschen Nation, I order and direct the Kriegsmarine to carry out Plan Z with all diligence. Signed Kiel January 4, 1936." I intone as I sign the document authorizing the expansion of the navy.
Now, Admiral Raeder, General von Blomberg and I have been meeting to provide guidance on the use of these shiny new ships. Now, Leutnant zur See Schweiger has been kind enough to turn our rambling conversations into a succinct report, so if you wish, Leutnant.
"Thank you Herr Führer. On instructions from Reichskriegminister von Blomberg and Admiral Raeder, I have undertaken the task of providing an overview of the directives for the use of the fleet.
Now, most of you will already be familiar with parts or all of this report, but der Furher considers it essential that all admirals and flag officers be fully familiar with his thoughts on this subject.
With that introduction, let me get to the heart of the briefing.
Considering:
1. The Kriegsmarine's true opponent will always be the Royal Navy.
2. The RN battle line could possibly concentrate 108 BL 15-inch and 18 BL 16-inch naval guns into a Grand Fleet. A weight of projectiles that no armor could withstand even divided by four.
3. The maximum theoretical range of the 15-inch BL naval gun is 30,680 meters and while the 16-inch can reach 32,000 meters, these guns have problems with accuracy and light projectiles.
4. Any operation of the RN Subsidy Fleet is expected to be supported by most, if not all, of its 66 Cruisers and 184 Destroyers. This number includes several ships currently under construction, but it is assumed that they will be in service when our battleships enter service.
5. The RN is currently working on or has commissioned 7 aircraft carriers. While these ships have only negligible functionality in the crowded waters of the North Sea, in the expanse of the Atlantic they will be deadly.
It is taken as evident that:
1. Any ship that ventures alone or in small groups will not return. Any surface ship attempting to leave the British Isles will be detected and sunk.
2. That any KM ship that wanders in the 30 km zone around the RN battle line will be sunk.
3. That any ship venturing out without a significant speed advantage over the RN capital ships will be run over and sunk.
4. That any fleet that cannot muster a wide range of light cruiser and anti-destroyer firepower will be overrun and sunk by massive torpedo attacks.
This leads to the following conclusions:
1. Our preferred attack range must exceed 30 km, which requires any anti-capital ship weapon to have a range of more than 30 km. Any action such as engaging the enemy more closely will be strongly contraindicated.
2. Our ships must have a combat speed of more than 30 knots. This is also why there will be no landing on British beaches, being anchored on slow merchant ships or worse still on a beach, will lead to annihilation unless the RN has already been sunk.
3. Our ships must be gathered as far as possible into a single decisive force, otherwise it will only invite defeat in detail. Therefore, the construction and commissioning of capital ships must occur in waves, not series.
This concludes my briefing, any questions?
"Thank you, Lieutenant, that will be all." Raeder fires the young officer....
..."So Lieutenant Schweiger has some prospect of service on the ship." —I ask while waiting for the staff car.
"Yes, Herr Fuhrer, I will be the executive officer of U-27 when it is commissioned in four months, under Oberleutnant Kretschmer, although I understand that he will soon be promoted to Kapitänleutnant."
Donitz "It will be our quietest boat, heh heh."
"Excuse me?"
Donitz "Otto Kretschmer has been nicknamed the silent one, and now with an XO called Schweiger."
"Ha, really quiet then."
Donitz "And to clarify Otto will be promoted in order to take command."
"And Lieutenant, I predict that his second rank is not far in the future, with the new expansion expected rapid promotion and command for all talented officers."
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone