Like tanks in a combined-arms army, battleships were conspicuous and sometimes decisive, but they did not lead every mission. Reconnaissance, artillery, infantry, cruisers, and sloops could perform the immediate work while heavier forces supported them. A battleship squadron over the horizon could deter interference even when it never entered the local action. That distant influence is a fleet-in-being effect, and it shows why capital-ship value cannot be measured only by battles fought.
Notable Point · 3:28-6:08
Battleships could support operations without being present
A battle fleet could shape smaller-ship operations through distant deterrence as well as direct combat.