The comparison uses an earlier simulated battlecruiser design to explain the limits of paper performance. Hull fouling, maintenance state, and realistic multi-ship operations can erase or dilute a small speed advantage. A freshly maintained opponent could therefore close a nominal four-knot gap that looked decisive in a clean one-on-one simulation. The Royal Navy had reason to value a ship that remained useful across varied conditions rather than one optimized around always being faster.
Notable Point · 4:41-6:35
Why design speed is not a guaranteed tactical advantage
A nominal speed edge can shrink after months of operations, so cruiser design cannot safely trade everything else for an idealized ability to dictate range.