A long-range cruiser-killer built for presence and trade protection sits differently on the spectrum from a ship optimized to fight other battlecruisers. Moving toward a battleship usually means more armour and internal subdivision, bought with less speed, range, or cruising comfort. Gun calibre cannot settle the label because an industrially constrained navy might build a fast battleship with smaller weapons than it wants. Conversely, somewhat heavier armour does not automatically turn a battlecruiser into a fast battleship when its subdivision and mission remain those of a cruiser.
Notable Point · 5:19-8:31
Classifying battlecruisers by role and protection
Battlecruiser and fast-battleship labels form a spectrum of mission, speed, armour, subdivision, range, and habitability rather than gun calibre alone.