Interwar exercises taught fleets to adapt

The 1920s and 1930s brought a substantial expansion of naval war gaming and large exercises, often with only a loose scenario before opposing fleets were allowed to act. This experience helped prepare the Royal Navy for the unpredictable demands of the Second World War. Jutland exposed what the earlier culture had not rehearsed: both fleets were disappointed because neither could execute its planned battle. One possible German alternative was for Hipper to continue south past the battle line so Scheer could get behind the faster British battlecruisers instead of relying on an implausible tail chase.