Icing as a polar-warship hazard

Would battleships have an advantage over cruisers or destroyers in polar combat?

Not necessarily: submarines and ice are major threats, and large ships face their own severe icing problems.

The discussion notes that a larger ship does not escape the special hazards of high-latitude operations. Submarines remain dangerous, but ice itself can be one of the principal threats to combat capability. Spray freezes onto bridgework and other projections, adding weight and obstructing exposed equipment. Large sheets can then break loose and fall onto the deck, sweeping personnel toward the sea. A battleship may ride heavy weather differently from a destroyer, but its extensive superstructure also creates a severe de-icing and safety problem.