Two Bismarck-class battleships were built for the Kriegsmarine. Bismarck was the first, named after the chancellor (Otto von Bismarck). The battleship was laid down in July 1936 and launched in February 1939. She and her sister ship Tirpitz were two of the largest battleships built by a European power, and certainly the largest built by Germany. While the physical power they possessed was enormous, they also inflicted psychological damage on allies. Churchill was determined not to let the two battleships loose on the Atlantic.
However, Bismarck's career was woefully short, spanning just eight months under a single captain, Ernst Lindeman. During this time she took part in only a single offensive action, which lasted only eight days in May 1941. Codenamed Rheinübung, this operation was intended to attempt what the Allies feared, a breakthrough to the Atlantic and a raid on Allied shipping efforts between Britain and North America (along with the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen).
The two ships were spotted off Scandinavia on multiple occasions, prompting Britain to initiate sea blocking maneuvers. In the resulting battle, the Battle of the Denmark Strait, the British ships HMS Hood and HMS Prince of Wales engaged the two ships. Hood was destroyed for her efforts and Prince of Wales suffered damage, forcing a retreat. However, the Bismarck had sustained significant damage to complete her raiding mission.
The Bismarck limped into occupied France for repairs and was pursued by a Royal Navy bent on retaliating for the sinking of HMS Hood. She was attacked by 16 Fairey Swordfish biplane torpedo bombers deployed from HMS Ark Royal. A direct hit rendered Bismarck's steering gear inoperable. The next morning she suffered heavy damage in a battle against two British battleships and two cruisers. She was then sunk by her crew on May 27, 1941 and sank with many dead.
Contains a ship in resin and warlord resin
- Warlord Games: Victory at Sea
