Whaf if Graf Spee had additional battlecruiser in 1914

[Uncle Fritz]

I wonder how events would play out if Ostasienschwadron had one, maybe two, fast battlecruisers of the Moltke Class (maybe they stuck out on some courtesy visit to Tsingtau in July 1914, or something like that). Combined with the firepower of Scharnhorst and Gneisenau they would surely sank the coveted british squadron at Falklands. Or maybe even counter the invasion of Tsingtau and save the colony?

[Tim Smith]

I wonder how events would play out if Ostasienschwadron had one, maybe two, fast battlecruisers of the Moltke Class (maybe they stuck out on some courtesy visit to Tsingtau in July 1914, or something like that). Combined with the firepower of Scharnhorst and Gneisenau they would surely sank the coveted british squadron at Falklands. Or maybe even counter the invasion of Tsingtau and save the colony?

For the Germans, finding enough coal to feed Scharnhorst and Gneisenau was difficult enough. Where are they going to find the coal to feed a much hungrier battlecruiser in addition?

The battlecruiser would likely end up interned in a neutral port, or drifting in mid-ocean out of coal.

[Uncle Fritz]

And what with the oil burning boilers? They weren't adopted by 1914?

[Terry Duncan]

And what with the oil burning boilers? They weren't adopted by 1914?

Not by ships in service in the German navy at that time. Moltke though was somewhat earlier than 1914, so unless you plan to somehow re-engine her at Tsingtao she is a coal burner as built in 1909, with some oil fuel to spray onto the coal iirc.

[Baltasar]

I would be surprised if either of the battlecruisers ever went that far. They would have had to re-coal very often.

[Uncle Fritz]

Hypothetically speaking, if Graf Spee had oil-burning ships, he would have done twice as harm in allies' colonial backyard AND with additional battlecruiser running on oil, he would have probably strike down any hunters sent by vengeful Royal Navy.

Oil offered many benefits. It had double the thermal content of coal so that boilers could be smaller and ships could travel twice as far. Greater speed was possible, and oil burned with less smoke so the fleet would not reveal its presence as quickly. Oil could be stored in tanks anywhere, allowing more efficient design of ships, and it could be transferred through pipes without reliance on stokers, reducing manning. Refueling at sea was feasible, which provided greater flexibility. source: http://www.epmag.com/archives/digitalOilField/5911.htm

It was clearly Tirpitz's oversight that he haven't switched German Navy from coal to oil before 1914. With oil german ships would have larger operational range and Germany could easily obtain oil from Rumania and the Ottomans!

[Baltasar]

And where would the Graf Spee refuel? Being the only oil driven vessel would mean a dual strain on the scarce supply transports available.

[Uncle Fritz]

Graf Spee relied on chain of supply called Etappen which Reichsmarineamt set up just before the war to feed their raiders. When having a network what problem is with replacement of coal with oil? It is easier to set up a dozen of secret hideouts with fuel on the German Pacific, than one such hideout with good quality coal.

[Baltasar]

It's harder when you have to supply both. Another issue would be the introduction of a oil fuel squadron while the rest of the navy kept coal as fuel, simply because it was available at home. If a navy changes to a new technology, it always used that new technology on her main units first. That'd be the capital ships in the main battle fleets, not some far off units on the other side of the world. This is especially true for a war that the navy clearly was not prepared to fight in the first place.

[Uncle Fritz]

I disagree on that point. It was no problem for German representatives in Persia or Ottoman Empire (or any other country on the Southern hemisphere) to acquire demanded quantities of oil for Graf Spee and then simply distribute it using the covert network. Wilhelm Wassmuss and Baron Oppenheim could help here a lot (provided that Ostasienschwadron would have oil burning boilers in 1914).

Besides I assumed that Tirpitz would be fixated on oil instead coal, and that entire German Navy would be using oil in 1914 being ahead of the British, like in so many fields. But even if Ostasienschwadron being experimental oil-only unit, it's still no problem for a local supply network.

[Baltasar]

I disagree on that point. It was no problem for German representatives in Persia or Ottoman Empire (or any other country on the Southern hemisphere) to acquire demanded quantities of oil for Graf Spee and then simply distribute it using the covert network. Wilhelm Wassmuss and Baron Oppenheim could help here a lot (provided that Ostasienschwadron would have oil burning boilers in 1914).

Aquiring in one thing, distribution another. The Germans would need more transport ships to supply their vessels. Where will they come from? And who will turn the crude oil into fuel? If I remember corretly, most of the refineries were in British hands at that time.

Besides I assumed that Tirpitz would be fixated on oil instead coal, and that entire German Navy would be using oil in 1914 being ahead of the British, like in so many fields. But even if Ostasienschwadron being experimental oil-only unit, it's still no problem for a local supply network.

And what exactly would change his mind except wishful thinking? And how on earth would the German navy aquire the oil and fuel neccessary to supply her home fleet? Historically, the coal they had in Germany was just good enough to fill the industrial demands and have some surplus for other means as well. While a oil burning fleet would alleviate that problem a bit, the infrastructure would simply not be there to support such a move. Initially, the Germans wouldn't even have a land connection with Bulgaria.
Worst of all, nobody in the German hirarchy was really planning for a war back then. Hence the assumption that they prepared accordingly is a major divertion from what actually happened.

[glenn239]

I disagree on that point. It was no problem for German representatives in Persia or Ottoman Empire (or any other country on the Southern hemisphere) to acquire demanded quantities of oil for Graf Spee and then simply distribute it using the covert network.

I had looked into this as part of a stillborne exercise of gaming Spee’s cruise. Neither Iran nor the Ottoman Empire would be adequate to supply Spee. The Ottomans simply did not have the infrastructure or the coal. The Iranians were totally dominated by the British and Russians. If the Germans need coal for this BC squadron, they will have to stockpile it in their colonies prior to the war.

[Uncle Fritz]

Yes but don't You think Iran and Ottomans wouldn't be able to provide oil for Spee? As I said, Wassmuss could easily take over the british refinery with tribesmen...

[Baltasar]

They could not. Ottomans didn't have the facilities and Persia was dominated by hostile powers. Taking over refineries is one thing, running them is something else, if the first could be achieved in the first place. It'd be a quite obvious target for the RN anyway, so whatever else you might come up with, it'd draw the attention of the Brits very quickly.

[Uncle Fritz]

Well in that case only option that remains is Tsingtau - with extra marks Reichsmarineamt could erect an oil depot with enough fuel to enable Graf Spee safe voyage (provided he would take a tanker with him).