Why four Alaskas overwhelm two Scharnhorsts

How would four Alaska-class large cruisers fare against two Scharnhorst-class ships at midday in clear North Sea conditions?

The Alaskas would be heavily favored; four ships erase most of the Scharnhorsts' armor advantage and make the matchup lopsided under clear conditions.

Four Alaska-class large cruisers have a two-to-one numerical advantage over two Scharnhorst-class ships in clear North Sea conditions. That concentration is decisive even though the German ships have the stronger armor scheme. Multiple American hulls can distribute fire and overwhelm the protection advantage rather than meet each opponent one-for-one. Comparative warship analysis must account for numbers, visibility, sea state, and concentration as well as armor and gun caliber.