Dogger Bank: speed, fire control, and a confused target order

Only months after entering service, Tiger joined the pursuit of the German First Scouting Group and opened fire at about 18,000 metres. The initial cycle of aiming, firing, observing the fall of shot, and recalculating explains why 17 minutes elapsed before a British hit without implying thirty rapid salvos. The Germans opened fire only after that hit and concentrated on Lion, although Tiger carried newer fire control and Pelly brought battleship gunnery experience. Beatty's order to engage corresponding ships could be read in more than one way because the British had five capital ships against four German vessels and their lines did not align neatly. Pelly reasoned that Indomitable already covered the slower Blücher and selected Seydlitz, but Lion also engaged Seydlitz and left Moltke unopposed. Tiger officially recorded only two hits from 355 shells, but her crew apparently used a stricter standard and counted only hits they saw themselves.