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I assume some variation of the Z-Plan is completed in this universe; and that the resultant German fleet is semi-modernized post-war with modern technologies in the same way that the US Navy and Soviet Navy modernized their WWII and immediate post war heavy warships with missile technologies.
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Correct. Although the Kriegsmarine was just as much about prestige as it was about projecting German naval power onto the world's oceans (irl: the North-Atlantic, Med. etc), so I envisaged larger ships staying on as long as possible (with major over-hauls of the inner workings and the weapons' systems) or being replaced with newer, more modern, models.
The Kriegsmarine (kaiserliche Marine if you are playing with the Kaiserreich set up) serves two primary functions within this project: One, is protecting the Reich's maritime borders; the other is facilitating the projection of the Reich's military power beyond its borders (e.g. in the event of another major conflagration).
Like any major navy it has all the kit needed to accomplish both these tasks and with the better part of European industry at its disposal it also has this kit in abundance.
Now, I like big guns, and I like the idea of being able to carry out amphibious operations with some heavy naval support at one's disposal - whether landing off the coast of North America or in the Persian Gulf - so the OOB reflects this. Those who would prefer using smaller calibre naval support into the current decade (as in real life) can use the lighter naval support options (the pics are not definitive).
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are the German Marines going to have that political influence?
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In a word, yes. Being one of the spearheads in any invasion/police action (the other being the air-landing forces available to the Luftwaffe) where amphibious operations are concerned it has a fair amount of clout. Let us just say that the events in the pacific in these time lines were closely monitored and lessons were learned
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