Bismarck Collection
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The Hunt for Bismarck turned out to be one of the most ambitious naval operations in the North Atlantic. Incensed by the loss of Hood, a large British force comprising numerous warships of all types, as well as a number of aircraft formations, pursued Bismarck. Cruisers, battleships, an aircraft carrier and a frenzy of destroyers.
"The Hunt for Bismarck" collection consists of the badges of all major participants of the grand naval operation aimed at destroying the German navy's most powerful raider. |
The Hunt for Bismarck Collection was available during the "The Hunt for Bismarck" campaign between 18 May and 7 June 2017.
Containers and Cost Estimate
The Hunt for Bismarck collection consists of 24 items. You can purchase an item for 4 duplicates. The items are only available via The Hunt for Bismarck containers, available as of June 2021, in the Armory for 1,000 coal each. Each contains 2 items of The Hunt for Bismarck collection. If you're insanely unlucky and get 1 item and every other item you collect is a duplicate, the maximum you can expect to spend is 38k on 38 containers, as you'd have that 1, and need to purchase the 23 remaining collection items with duplicates, so you'd need 4 * 23, or 92 duplicates. This would require purchasing an additional 46 containers, giving you 92 items, plus 1st additional duplicate from the first container. This is incredibly unlikely, but just as a worst-case estimate, 47k coal for 47 containers is the most you'd need to complete the collection. On the lowest end, if you're insanely lucky, getting no duplicates, you could get it with just 12 containers (each having 2 items from the collection 2*12 is 24), costing 12k coal. You're likely to fall somewhere in between.
Collection
The badge of the German battleship Bismarck (commissioned in 1940) originates from the family Coat of Arms of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, whose name the ship bears.
During her only naval operation, Bismarck, escorted by the cruiser Prinz Eugen, was to break through into the Atlantic to attack Allied convoys, but the secretive dash did not go unnoticed: the ships were spotted and later intercepted by the British. On May 24, in the Denmark Strait, a shell from Bismarck struck the British battlecruiser Hood, and the ship exploded. However, Bismarck, too, was damaged and had to abandon her breakthrough mission. During an air raid carried out on May 26–27 by the combined forces of the Royal Navy, Bismarck was immobilized and ultimately sunk with artillery fire.
Prinz Eugen was an Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruiser that entered service in 1940. The ship's badge includes elements from the Coat of Arms of the famous Prince Eugene of Savoy, the Austrian commander of the late 17th–early 18th centuries, whose name the ship bears.
During the Exercise Rhine (May 1941), the cruiser was to escort Bismarck during the breakthrough into the Atlantic to block Allied shipping. On May 24, Prinz Eugen was brought to action along with the battleship in the Denmark Strait, following which she detached from Bismarck to go on a solo raid, but it brought no results.
The badge of Gotland, a seaplane cruiser of the Swedish Navy that entered service in 1934. It depicts elements of the Coat of Arms of the historical province Gotland, whose name the ship bears.
Gotland was the ship that first sighted the Bismarck on May 20, 1941, when the German battleship broke out of the Baltic Sea and relayed the sighting to the Swedish Navy commanders. The British Intelligence Service obtained that information and passed it to the Admiralty in London, which is when the hunt for the battleship began.
The official squadron badge for No. 209 Squadron (RAF). The falling eagle symbolizes the destruction of the legendary Baron Manfred von Richthofen, widely known as the Red Baron, who was credited with the guns of a pilot from No. 209 Squadron in 1918.
It was PBY Catalina, a flying boat piloted by Dennis Briggs and Leonard B. Smith of No. 209 Squadron, which finally relocated Bismarck on the morning of May 26, 1941, after the British had lost contact a day earlier. This allowed the Royal Navy to converge fleets and finally sink the German battleship.
The badge of Photographic Reconnaissance Unit No. 1, a special flying unit of the Royal Air Force, one of the main tasks of which was to track the movements of warships of the German Navy.
On May 21, 1941, a Spitfire PR Mk.VI flown by Flying Officer Michael F. Suckling sighted and photographed the German battleship Bismarck and cruiser Prinz Eugen in Korsfjord, Norway. This way, the fact that the ships went to sea was confirmed, and the Home Fleet began regrouping its forces to intercept the raiders.
The badge of the 825 Naval Air Squadron (formed in 1934), a naval air squadron of the Royal Navy operating ship-based aircraft. The eagle and the Maltese cross symbolize the aircraft carrier Eagle and the island of Malta where the squadron was based in the early years of service.
In May 1941, it was part of the aircraft complement of HMS Victorious. During the night of May 24–25, eight Fairey Swordfish torpedo bomber aircraft operating within a squadron attacked Bismarck, scoring a hit midship and forcing Bismarck to slow down. No aircraft were shot down during the attack and they successfully made it back to the carrier despite their lack of experience with night-time take-off and landing.
HMS Ark Royal was the first British aircraft carrier of the new generation (entered service in 1938). This ship had a significant impact on the development of this ship type in the Royal Navy.
Joined the hunt for Bismarck on May 23, 1941 within Force H from Gibraltar, with an aim to intercept the German raider. The carrier played a key role in the operation. On May 26, her torpedo bombers made a decisive hit on Bismarck, jamming her rudder, which allowed British ships to catch up with and finally sink the battleship.
The badge of HMS Hood, the biggest battlecruiser in the world that entered service in 1920. The ship was named after the 18th–20th-century dynasty of Royal Navy admirals. It features elements from the Coat of Arms of the Hood family and the year in which the first ship named Hood was commissioned.
On May 22, 1941, battlecruiser Hood, flying the flag of Vice-Admiral Holland, was sent to intercept battleship Bismarck that was heading toward the Atlantic. The battle between Holland's units and the German ships occurred on the dawn of May 24 at the exit of the Denmark Strait. Several minutes into the fight, a shell from Bismarck hit Hood's ammunition stores and exploded, sinking the ship with almost all of her crew.
The badge of HMS Dorsetshire, a County-class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy that entered service in 1930. It depicts a lion, one of the main elements of the Coat of Arms of England and Dorset County, after which the cruiser was named.
On May 26, 1941, HMS Dorsetshire was called away from escorting a convoy and rushed for an interception course with the battleship Bismarck. The ship participated in the battle on May 27 in its final stages when she finished the German battleship off with several torpedo hits. HMS Dorsetshire rescued the majority of the survivors from the defeated German raider ship.
HMS Zulu is a Tribal-class destroyer, commissioned in 1938. The ship's badge features elements of the traditional armament of the South African Zulu people.
In late May 1941, HMS Zulu, which, along with the ships of the 4th flotilla of destroyers, escorted one of the convoys, was called away to join the hunt for the battleship Bismarck. During the battle that occurred on the night of May 26–27, the ship attacked the German raider ship with torpedoes despite receiving damage from her guns.
The badge of HMS Norfolk, a County-class heavy cruiser that entered service in 1930. It features elements from the Coat of Arms of Norfolk County whose name the ship bears.
At the beginning of the operation, the ship patrolled the Denmark Strait along with the cruiser Suffolk. On May 23, HMS Norfolk spotted the German ships and radioed their location to the squadron of Vice-Admiral Holland. She pursued the German battleship until May 25 and later participated in the battle of May 27 when Bismarck was sunk.
The badge of HMS Mashona, a Tribal-class destroyer that entered service in 1939. It depicted the Bird of Zimbabwe, a legendary totem of the South African Mashona people.
In May 1941, HMS Mashona served within the escort fleet for one of the Atlantic convoys. On May 24, the ship was recalled to join the hunt for the battleship Bismarck. HMS Mashona and the battleship Rodney had chased the German raider right until May 27, but had to turn back due to a lack of fuel. On the following day, she was sunk by German dive bombers that were sent out to help Bismarck.
HMS Cossack was a Tribal-class destroyer that entered service in 1938. She became famous for boarding German tanker Altmark in Norwegian waters in February 1940 and the associated rescue of 300 British sailors. The ship was named after the Russian Cossack people, a tradition in the British Navy since the middle of the 19th century.
In May 1941, she served as the flagship of Captain Vian, Commander of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla that escorted British battleships. When Bismarck was detected on May 26, Captain Vian, upon his own initiative, rushed to intercept the German raider. During the night of May 26–27, Cossack and other flotilla destroyers launched several torpedo attacks on the battleship and continued to keep her in sight, directing the main fleet forces toward Bismarck.
HMS Suffolk was a County-class heavy cruiser that entered service in 1928. The Castle and Key depicted on the ship's badge are elements of the emblem of the Suffolk Regiment, a motif derived from the battle honor granted following the Regiments' prominent part in the defense of Gibraltar at the end of the 18th century.
In May 1941, the ship patrolled the Denmark Strait along with the cruiser HMS Norfolk. Suffolk made the first sighting report on Bismarck and, while maintaining radar contact with her, kept the fleet of Vice-Admiral Holland updated as to the enemy battleship's whereabouts. She participated in the battle in the Denmark Strait as well as in the hunt for the German battleship right until May 25.
HMS Renown was a battlecruiser of the Royal Navy that entered service in 1916. The classical symbols depicted on the ship's badge—the laurel wreath and the torch of glory—echo the name of the ship.
From May 23, 1941, HMS Renown, under the flag of Vice-Admiral Somerville, took part in the hunt for the battleship Bismarck. On May 26, Force H headed by the battlecruiser appeared to be the only force capable of holding off the raider ship's breakthrough to France. The main task for HMS Renown was to provide cover for the aircraft carrier Ark Royal that had delivered the major blow to the German battleship.
HMS Sheffield was a Town-class light cruiser that entered service in 1937. The design of the ship's badge was derived from the Coat of Arms of Sheffield city, which the cruiser was named after.
On May 23, 1941, HMS Sheffield left Gibraltar with Force H to participate in the operation to destroy Bismarck. On May 26, on the order of Vice-Admiral Somerville, Flag Officer, established radar contact with the German raider ship and radioed her location to Ark Royal's aircraft, which dealt fatal damage to the battleship.
HMS Tartar was a Tribal-class destroyer of the Royal Navy that was commissioned in 1939. The ship was named after the Tartar people living in Russia, a tradition in the Royal Navy since the middle of the 19th century, and the ship's badge echoed her name.
In May 1941, HMS Tartar, along with the battleship Rodney and the destroyers Somali and Mashona, served within one of the escort fleets for an Atlantic convoy. On May 24, the escort was called off to join the hunt for Bismarck. HMS Tartar took off after the German raider and pursued her until the morning of May 27, when the latter was sunk. On the way back to the base, the destroyer fought off an attack from German dive bombers and took onboard the crew of HMS Mashona they sank.
The badge of HMS Rodney, a Nelson-class battleship that was commissioned in 1927. The Eagle depicted on it was one of the elements of the Coat of Arms of the 18th century Admiral George Rodney.
After HMS Hood was destroyed in the Denmark Strait, on May 24, 1941, HMS Rodney was withdrawn from a convoy heading to the U.S. and ordered to go after Bismarck. Rodney had participated in the search and pursuit of Bismarck for three days, having played a crucial role in the battleship's sinking on May 27.
HMS King George V was the lead ship of a series of battleships of the Royal Navy. The ship was first commissioned in 1940. Her badge depicts the monogram of King George V (1865–1936) whom the battleship was named after.
In May 1941, HMS King George V was the flagship of Admiral Tovey, Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet who was put in charge of the operation to intercept and destroy the battleship Bismarck. Participated in the hunt for the German raider ship and her ultimate destruction in action on May 27.
HMS Victorious (entered service in 1941) was one of the Illustrious-class aircraft carriers—innovative ships, the first ships of their class to receive an armored flight deck. The ship's badge depicts Victoria, the ancient Roman goddess of victory.
In May 1941, the newly commissioned aircraft carrier was included in the main forces of the Home Fleet and took part in the hunt for the German battleship Bismarck. During the night of May 24–25, in severe weather conditions the torpedo bombers of 825 Naval Air Squadron carried by HMS Victorious scored a direct hit against Bismarck, flooding several of the ship's compartments.
HMS Maori was a Tribal-class destroyer that entered service in 1939. The main element of the ship's badge was one of the traditional symbols of the indigenous warlike Māori people of New Zealand.
In May 1941, HMS Maori was assigned to the 4th Destroyer Flotilla commanded by Captain Vian. From May 26, the ship took part in the pursuit of Bismarck. During the overnight battle that continued into May 27, Maori made two torpedo attacks on the German battleship, and the next day she rescued some of the survivors from the defeated Bismarck.
HMS Prince of Wales was a King George V-class battleship of the Royal Navy. Entered service in 1941. The ship's badge depicts elements from the Coat of Arms of the Prince of Wales against the background of the Cross of Saint George, the patron saint of England.
On May 22, 1941, as part of Vice-Admiral Holland's combined forces the ship was sent to intercept the German battleship Bismarck. In the battle that occurred on May 24 in the Denmark Strait, Prince of Wales was damaged and had to break off from the action, having delivered a number of successful hits on Bismarck that made the German battleship abandon her raid plans.
HMS Sikh was a Tribal-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. The ship entered service in 1938. HMS Sikh was named after the Sikh people living in Northern India where the lion—Singh—is a cultural symbol. This symbol became the main element depicted on the ship's badge.
In May 1941, HMS Sikh was assigned to the 4th Destroyer Flotilla of the Royal Navy. The ship joined the pursuit of the battleship Bismarck along with the other flotilla ships on May 26. Sikh took part in torpedo attacks on Bismarck overnight into May 27 and subsequently shadowed the battleship until the arrival of the main forces of the Home Fleet.
The naval jack of ORP Piorun, an N-class destroyer laid down in England as HMS Nerissa but later transferred to Poland (1940). The naval jack of the Polish navy is based on a traditional 17th century fighting jack design of a scimitar ready to strike at the enemy.
During the operation to destroy the battleship Bismarck, ORP Piorun was assigned to the 4th Destroyer Flotilla of the Royal Navy. During the night of May 26–27, she was the first to establish visual contact with the battleship and charged at Bismarck by herself. Alone, Piorun exchanged fire with Bismarck with neither side scoring any hits.Rewards
Completing the collection provided the following rewards:
| Icon | Type | Notes |
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The Last Conquest | Alternate permanent camouflage for Bismarck. |
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From the Bottom of the Ocean | Alternate permanent camouflage for Bismarck. |
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Bonus Package | Permanent economic bonuses for Bismarck. |
