The counterfactual light cruiser can exceed 31 knots while approaching Deutschland's long range. That makes a 28-knot heavy cruiser with six 11-inch guns a less obvious next step. German designers might seek a faster Deutschland or abandon the historical balance of armament, speed, and endurance altogether. A faster ship might even reach the River Plate earlier, changing the timing of a familiar commerce-raiding episode. Early diesel success changes later requirements rather than merely replacing the engines in every historical hull.
Notable Point · 1:20:23-1:21:40
Faster diesel cruisers challenge the Deutschland design
If German light cruisers already combine speed with 10,000-nautical-mile endurance, the slower Deutschland commerce-raider concept would need to be redesigned.