The opening fleet review distinguishes between ships that look odd in a historical battle and ships that suit a specific fleet duty. Six-inch-gun cruisers are kept close to the battle line because their intended job is to intercept the fast torpedo threats that can endanger heavier ships. That role explains why the same cruiser might be poorly suited to a Coronel-style engagement yet valuable beside capital ships. Its screen duty provides the relevant measure of the design, rather than its performance in a line-of-battle action.
Notable Point · 1:32-2:06
Cruisers as a torpedo-boat screen
The campaign uses heavily armed cruisers to keep fast torpedo boats away from capital ships.