 The bulk of the High Seas Fleet was to have sortied from their base in Wilhelmshaven to engage the British Grand Fleet.Scheer—by now the Grand Admiral ("Großadmiral") of the fleet—intended to inflict as much damage as possible on the British navy in order to obtain a better bargaining position for Germany, despite the expected casualties.However, many of the war-weary sailors felt the operation would disrupt the peace process and prolong the war.