Early Hedgehog-class battlecruisers serve as light-cruiser hunters, and several converge on the American formation. The night action leaves the cruisers facing 13.5-inch fire and numerous secondary guns while they try to escape. One circles inside a ring of much heavier opponents, where speed no longer offers safety. The encounter also exposes the limits of using heavy ships for scouting: their speed and firepower matter only after they find and catch the target.
Notable Point · 11:21-14:24
Battlecruisers overwhelm isolated light cruisers
A battle against American light cruisers demonstrates why fast capital ships with heavy guns are so dangerous when they catch lighter scouts at close range.