German cruiser policy moved from the Deutschland class's six 11-inch guns to eight-inch weapons in the Admiral Hipper class, then contemplated returning to the larger caliber. Three or four triple eight-inch turrets would have used the large hull more effectively and given an outnumbered navy a clearer combat advantage. Reusing a triple-turret pattern would also have created more continuity across German surface-warship development. The Battle of the River Plate shows that heavy shells alone do not guarantee decisive firepower when only two widely separated turrets carry the battery.
Chapter · 11:02-16:42
German cruiser policy kept changing its answer
The shift from Deutschland's 11-inch guns to twin eight-inch turrets, followed by plans to return to 11-inch weapons, reveals an unstable cruiser concept.