Lütjens spent most of his sea-command time in torpedo boats and became very good at directing small craft and light forces. His only command of a large vessel was roughly one year and one world cruise aboard the light cruiser Karlsruhe. Later success in Operation Berlin made him look more brilliant than the record supports, partly because British command errors gave him room to operate. Competence in the small-craft environment did not provide the same preparation as commanding a capital-ship force.
Chapter · 23:47-30:23
A torpedo-boat career shaped Lütjens's command limits
Extensive torpedo-boat service prepared Lütjens for light forces, while his only large-ship command was a single year aboard Karlsruhe.