Improved armor allowed Japanese planners to treat the armored cruisers as a second battle line rather than mere scouts. Their task was to occupy part of a stronger enemy force long enough for Japan's six battleships to defeat their own counterparts and then concentrate. The concept accepted possible cruiser losses while sharply increasing the number and quality of capital ships an attacker needed for confidence of victory. This cost-raising logic resembled Germany's later risk fleet, although Japan tailored it to defensive survival and its own geography.
Chapter · 42:28-45:29
Armored cruisers as the Six-Six Fleet's second battle line
Six powerful armored cruisers compensated for Japan's inability to fund more battleships and raised the force an attacker would need to send.