A German prestige deployment could trigger a Dominion battlecruiser hunt

The Far East branch turns on the Kaiser's response to Dominion and Japanese naval prestige. A German battlecruiser deployment is considered likely on those political grounds, even though it is judged a poor operational choice. Whether the ship would be Moltke or the more prestigious Seydlitz remains open. Sending one could change British planning from dealing with the German overseas force as a manageable threat to actively hunting it with battlecruisers. The proposed British response brings Australia and New Zealand together with available cruisers and other supporting ships. That would leave the German commander facing a difficult pursuit despite his ability.