Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Chapter · 22:34-27:20

Range, protection, and anti-torpedo-boat firepower

Coal endurance, electrical power, armor comparisons, and a dense secondary battery show how the class supported both overseas service and the battle line.

5.9-inch Guns8.3-inch Guns88 mm GunsBraunschweig Class BattleshipsHistorical SourcesNaval ArmourNaval Electrical PowerNaval RangeScharnhorst Class Armoured CruisersSecondary BatteriesTorpedo Boats
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Notes

Up to 2,000 tons of coal gave the ships a stated range of 4,800 nautical miles at 14 knots, while four turbo-generators supplied electrical power. Compared with the Braunschweig-class battleships, their 5.9-inch belt was much thinner than the battleships' 9.8-inch belt. The cruisers' main turrets carried 180 mm of armor, against 250 mm on the battleships, while their protective deck ranged from 1.4 to 2.4 inches compared with the Braunschweig class's 1.6 inches. The technical figures come chiefly from Aidan Dodson and Dirk Nottelmann's Kaiser's Cruisers, identified here as a detailed source on German cruiser statistics. Six 5.9-inch guns, eighteen 88 mm guns, and four torpedo tubes formed the secondary and close-range battery. German planners expected destroyers and torpedo boats to attack a battle fleet already under pressure, so the class could reinforce heavy-gun fire and help defend the line against smaller attackers.