Why choose Scharnhorst as Germany's best wartime naval design?

What was Germany's best naval design of the Second World War?

The preferred choice is the Scharnhorst class for its effectiveness in its assigned role. Type XXI arrived too late and was difficult to build, while Type VII developed older submarine designs.

The Scharnhorst class is the preferred choice because it was effective at the work asked of it. Type XXI had considerable appeal, but its late arrival and complicated construction count against it. Type VII was a good submarine, although its design was essentially a development of First World War ideas. The ranking therefore considers service availability and suitability for the required job alongside the appeal of a design.