With a smart management you can use the ships quite fair: as I remember, preparing for the Oil Crisis,
- I sent the two Italian Battleships to Sicily in the exactly right time. They could guard the way to Malta. The rest was used in North Africa, of course carefully to not let fuel stranding the ships in the open.
- Also preparing for the winter no-air danger, I smuggled the Kriegsmarine ships to the area of the direct invasion of England. While in the meantime repairing the two battleships at the Western ports of France. And a tons of AA. In that way, even the heavy hitters could be refueled at the northern ports of France while actively supporting Sie Lion. Also they could get protection from hostile air power from the AA batteries at the northern shore of France. Of course they can get protected by fighters too - and I do partly - but it is a heavy price as British fighters are getting stronger and stronger...
Of course, taking Baku as fast as possible is also a must to have then a more dynamic Axis navy - right when Torch happens.









