Q&A · 45:17-49:14

Eight fast Queen Elizabeths at Jutland

Eight Queen Elizabeths capable of 26 to 27 knots could reinforce Beatty earlier and add heavily armed ships to the fast force sent south from Jellicoe's fleet.

Question

How would Jutland and the postwar naval balance change if Canada funded three more Queen Elizabeths and all eight could make 26 to 27 knots?

Short answer

Earlier reinforcement and eight fast 15-inch ships could put much heavier pressure on the German scouting forces and potentially check the High Seas Fleet before Jellicoe's main force arrived.

Notes

With eight faster Queen Elizabeths, one proposed allocation gives four to Beatty and four to Jellicoe. Their effectiveness depends on where they have trained: rotation from the Grand Fleet preserves the gunnery standard assumed in the scenario, while prolonged service with Beatty raises concerns about training space. The first group could arrive earlier to support the battlecruisers. Jellicoe's four could accompany the Invincibles south, bringing eight fast 15-inch ships into the fighting before the full Grand Fleet arrived. That concentration might blunt the High Seas Fleet's advance or force it to turn away.