Failed shell bursts spare Seydlitz and Derfflinger

Seydlitz suffers penetrating damage and flash fires before helping destroy Queen Mary, while Derfflinger later absorbs heavy shells that burst too early or create flooding without a decisive internal explosion. In the counterfactual, earlier losses among these German battlecruisers reduce the weight of fire available against British ships at later stages. Queen Mary's fate may therefore change, even though the British battlecruiser force remains tactically vulnerable. The argument remains conditional because smoke, ranges, and target selection still shape every engagement.