Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:17:09-1:18:05

If the first battlecruisers had failed

A failed Invincible concept might have produced faster battleships and a distinct heavy-cruiser category, although the timing makes the premise difficult.

Alternate HistoryArmoured CruisersBattlecruisersWarship Design
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Question

How would naval design change if the Invincible battlecruiser concept failed and Blucher-like armored cruisers proved preferable?

Short answer

Battleships would likely become faster, while a large heavy-cruiser category might persist, but the early ordering cycle makes a timely rejection of battlecruisers hard to arrange.

Notes

Battleship speed would probably rise sooner, bringing something like the Queen Elizabeth concept forward. Large armored cruisers might survive as a separate heavy-cruiser type near 20,000 tons. Successor battlecruisers were ordered before the first generation entered service, so failure would need an unusually early and persuasive cause.