The battlecruiser's theoretical purpose in economic warfare was to choose its engagements, escape battleships, and annihilate weaker cruisers or raiders. In practice, battlecruisers became the fleet's fast reconnaissance and scouting force, so they often saw action while the main battle fleets tried to avoid an unfavorable engagement. Their global reach also made the Battle of the Falkland Islands a natural example of the type operating as intended. The discussion connects commerce protection to sea control, because a battle fleet concentrated against the enemy cannot also chase every surface raider. A navy therefore needs both the force that secures the sea and fast capital ships able to exploit or defend that control across dispersed routes.
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Battlecruisers link sea control to economic warfare
The battlecruiser began as a cruiser powerful enough to destroy weaker opponents and fast enough to avoid battleships, but fleet scouting soon made it the capital ship most likely to fight.