Battlecruisers as a risky second line

Japan's earlier concept used large armoured cruisers to occupy enemy battleships and reduce the numerical disadvantage facing its own battle line. A simulated encounter between Queen Elizabeth-type ships and German battleships and battlecruisers examines a similar German risk-fleet concept. Giving the German battlecruisers enough protection for this work limited them to about 26-26.5 knots, leaving little margin over the Queen Elizabeth class's intended 25 knots. The game's unexpected night setting produces a close-range fight that badly damages the leading battleships. In a normal daytime engagement, even one additional enemy ship could create a substantial firepower advantage, especially if the battlecruisers had to keep station at battleship speed. The smaller differences between battleships and armoured cruisers when Japan developed the concept had become much harder to bridge in the dreadnought era.