The Strength of the Wolf is the Pack: U-boat tactics in the Battle of the Atlantic

Peter Lloyd; Niall MacKay; Christopher Price

The Strength of the Wolf is the Pack: U-boat tactics in the Battle of the Atlantic

Peter Lloyd, Niall MacKay, Christopher Price

Mathematics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

In winter 1942-43 unique circumstances gave Germany’s U-boats the possibility of temporary victory in the North Atlantic. At the same time, Royal Navy operational research (OR) considered the possible German adoption of developed stand-off salvo tactics (“browning”), better suited to attacking large, dense convoys than Germany’s existing “ace” tactics of individual commanders infiltrating convoys. We test and verify the RN studies with a simulation, confirming that such tactics would have greatly increased U-boat success. While not denying ultimate Allied victory, “browning” would have increased sinkings, threatened the viability of large convoys, and possibly averted the May 1943 rout, at a critical juncture for Allied strategic decision-making. German lack of OR, Nazi heroic culture and Doenitz’s methods all contributed to the absence of the feared tactical evolution.

Original language	English
Journal	The Northern Mariner
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 28 Aug 2024

Bibliographical note

This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the University’s Research Publications and Open Access policy.

Embargoed Document

Strength of the Wolf
Accepted author manuscript, 1.71 MB
Licence: CC BY
Embargo ends: 31/12/99

Cite this

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title = "The Strength of the Wolf is the Pack: U-boat tactics in the Battle of the Atlantic",

abstract = "In winter 1942-43 unique circumstances gave Germany{\textquoteright}s U-boats the possibility of temporary victory in the North Atlantic. At the same time, Royal Navy operational research (OR) considered the possible German adoption of developed stand-off salvo tactics (“browning”), better suited to attacking large, dense convoys than Germany{\textquoteright}s existing “ace” tactics of individual commanders infiltrating convoys. We test and verify the RN studies with a simulation, confirming that such tactics would have greatly increased U-boat success. While not denying ultimate Allied victory, “browning” would have increased sinkings, threatened the viability of large convoys, and possibly averted the May 1943 rout, at a critical juncture for Allied strategic decision-making. German lack of OR, Nazi heroic culture and Doenitz{\textquoteright}s methods all contributed to the absence of the feared tactical evolution. ",

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AU - Price, Christopher

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N2 - In winter 1942-43 unique circumstances gave Germany’s U-boats the possibility of temporary victory in the North Atlantic. At the same time, Royal Navy operational research (OR) considered the possible German adoption of developed stand-off salvo tactics (“browning”), better suited to attacking large, dense convoys than Germany’s existing “ace” tactics of individual commanders infiltrating convoys. We test and verify the RN studies with a simulation, confirming that such tactics would have greatly increased U-boat success. While not denying ultimate Allied victory, “browning” would have increased sinkings, threatened the viability of large convoys, and possibly averted the May 1943 rout, at a critical juncture for Allied strategic decision-making. German lack of OR, Nazi heroic culture and Doenitz’s methods all contributed to the absence of the feared tactical evolution.

AB - In winter 1942-43 unique circumstances gave Germany’s U-boats the possibility of temporary victory in the North Atlantic. At the same time, Royal Navy operational research (OR) considered the possible German adoption of developed stand-off salvo tactics (“browning”), better suited to attacking large, dense convoys than Germany’s existing “ace” tactics of individual commanders infiltrating convoys. We test and verify the RN studies with a simulation, confirming that such tactics would have greatly increased U-boat success. While not denying ultimate Allied victory, “browning” would have increased sinkings, threatened the viability of large convoys, and possibly averted the May 1943 rout, at a critical juncture for Allied strategic decision-making. German lack of OR, Nazi heroic culture and Doenitz’s methods all contributed to the absence of the feared tactical evolution.

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