Q&A · 20:40-23:14

Would extra speed change fleet tactics?

A challenge to the value of 24 knots separates the strategic benefits of faster ships from what the Grand Fleet could exploit tactically in formation.

Question

Would 24-knot battleships gain anything if they still operated with slower dreadnoughts, and would they change Jellicoe's decision at Jutland?

Short answer

Their main benefit may be strategic rather than tactical, and extra speed alone would not necessarily change Jellicoe's torpedo response.

Notes

The question argues that extra speed is wasted when new battleships must operate with a slower battle line and may not change Jellicoe's torpedo-avoidance decision. The response leaves the Grand Fleet's tactical maturity and the decision at Jutland open for a larger discussion. The design case is narrower: the 24-knot variant is the smallest version considered to offer a meaningful speed advantage while retaining an armour advantage. A faster battleship can improve deployment and force-level choices without guaranteeing a different maneuver in a specific battle.