Battlecruisers were compromises built for speed, running engagements, and manoeuvre against cruisers rather than prolonged action in the battle line. At Jutland, the Grand Fleet already had more dreadnought battleships than the German fleet had battlecruisers, dreadnoughts, and pre-dreadnoughts combined. The British battlecruisers therefore did not need to reinforce the main battle. A more suitable employment would have kept them behind or on the fast wing, ready to sweep around a retreating German force and block its escape. In this interpretation, their losses arose from using known design compromises outside their intended role, rather than from an inherently unsound type.
Notable Point · 34:50-36:50
What battlecruisers were meant to do at Jutland
Battlecruisers traded armour for speed and were best used for running cruiser actions, fast-wing work, and pursuit instead of reinforcing the Grand Fleet in the battle line.