Scharnhorst and Gneisenau suggest a German fast-battleship alternative

The World War I design argument extends into World War II through Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, Bismarck, and Tirpitz. More ships based on the Scharnhorst type, especially with 15-inch guns or another larger battery from the outset, are judged more useful than concentrating resources in Bismarck and Tirpitz. The proposed fast battleship would accept slightly thinner armour or 15-inch rather than 16-inch guns to save weight for machinery and hull length. It should outrun conventional battleships while remaining better armed than the battlecruisers likely to catch it. That balance would suit Germany's limited fleet and might force Britain to answer a German design initiative instead of leaving Germany to react to British advances.