Royal Sovereign's absence from Jutland tests a familiar explanation for placing British battlecruisers in the battle line. If the Grand Fleet desperately needed every increment of heavy firepower, leaving a modern 15-inch-gun battleship behind because her crew was inexperienced would be difficult to explain. The battlecruisers' placement instead reflected the practical problem of coordinating a very large fleet, finding a place for the ships, and managing the personalities involved. Raw gun count alone did not determine the fleet's order of battle. Availability also did not automatically make a ship suitable for service in the battle line.
Notable Point · 8:38-9:44
Why battlecruisers entered the Jutland battle line
Royal Sovereign's absence challenges the claim that every available heavy gun was needed and redirects attention to fleet coordination and command personalities.