Ersatz Yorck was a wartime adaptation of Mackensen

Ersatz Yorck retained Mackensen's beam, machinery and much of its protection while lengthening the hull by less than 20 feet for 15-inch guns. Its greater weight and largely unchanged power plant explain why this was an adaptation of an existing design. Germany needed a prompt response to newer British ships while its army absorbed much of the wartime budget. Naval designers also had fewer industrial and infrastructure options available. British service priorities generally favoured the navy, whereas the German navy faced pressure from the army if its costs rose too far. The comparison extends to Austria-Hungary, whose fewer ships could still embody substantial qualitative advances. Under these constraints, a limited Mackensen revision was a design the navy could justify in both time and money.