The 11-inch gun was the largest naval weapon Germany could produce readily during the early rebuilding period. A cruiser with three triple turrets could have threatened trade and forced capital-ship responses without consuming the resources of a full battleship. A third turret would also let the ship divide its main battery across more than one pursuing cruiser, a practical requirement for commerce raiding. Four twin 11-inch mounts would be better than two triples, although three triples remain the preferred arrangement. An all-forward Nelson-style layout could offer another efficient alternative. Repeating one mature gun, turret, and hull family would reduce the development and support burden that Germany incurred across the Deutschland, Hipper, Scharnhorst, and Bismarck programs.
Chapter · 8:12-16:48
The strategic choice behind Germany's 11-inch cruisers
The opening argument asks whether Germany should have standardized on a nine-gun 11-inch cruiser instead of dividing resources among Deutschlands, Hippers, and battleships.