The simulated duels use designs based on British and German battlecruisers, with the German ship more heavily armoured than the real Derfflinger. In repeated one-on-one runs, either side can win, but even the survivor is often so damaged that returning to port is uncertain. That risk is particularly severe for a ship operating alone far from support. With near-peer ships, crew performance and other soft factors can decide the result. Adding a second British ship supplies more firepower and divides the enemy's attention between targets. Concentrating ships changes the practical odds, while engagements outside the ships' intended role expose them to avoidable losses.
Notable Point · 1:29:55-1:35:39
Concentration and soft factors in battlecruiser combat
Repeated simulated duels show that near-peer battlecruiser fights depend heavily on crews and other soft factors, while bringing a second ship transforms the odds.