Capital ships need escorts, scouts, and supply ships

German light cruisers were spread too thin among capital-ship escort, destroyer support, minelaying, and independent operations. As a planning baseline, each capital ship or carrier would need at least one heavy cruiser, roughly two light cruisers, and two or three destroyer flotillas once maintenance and other duties were considered. A credible German Atlantic group would therefore have required about three Scharnhorst-type capital ships and an aircraft carrier, supported by at least four heavy cruisers, eight light cruisers, three or four destroyer flotillas, and supply ships. These figures show that nominal hull totals do not equal a balanced force able to scout, protect itself from submarines, and remain at sea.