Why the Splendid Cats should avoid Scharnhorst

How would modernized Splendid Cat battlecruisers fare against Scharnhorst?

Scharnhorst probably wins, and the better operational choice is to keep the older battlecruisers out of that matchup.

Scharnhorst has the advantage over the Splendid Cats despite the older British ships' appeal. Modern 11-inch shells would pass readily through the battlecruisers' weak distributed protection, while the British ships would struggle against Scharnhorst's armor. Overpenetration might occasionally reduce damage, but it is not a sound defensive plan. Useful older fast capital ships should be assigned where their speed and guns matter without forcing them into a mismatched duel.