Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:00:53-1:02:37

Would newer German cruisers make retained Orlandos useless?

A newest-German-versus-oldest-British comparison misses the intended role: retained Orlandos would be secondary force multipliers while newer Royal Navy cruisers met the newest threats.

CruisersForce StructureGermanyOrlando Class Armoured CruisersSurface Raiders
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Question

Would newer German cruisers have made a retained Orlando class useless?

Short answer

No. Old cruisers could serve as secondary force multipliers while newer British cruisers countered the newest German ships.

Notes

A viewer argues that fast, long-ranged German cruisers with 4.1-inch guns could overwhelm an Orlando. This compares the opponent's newest cruiser with Britain's oldest retained one as though they would fight alone. German designs such as Emden and her contemporaries entered service after Fisher's 1904-05 decision, while the Royal Navy also possessed newer cruisers to counter them. An adapted Orlando's purpose would be convoy protection, presence, or another secondary duty, releasing the modern ship for the harder fight. Retention adds a force multiplier without turning the old hull into a first-line answer to every enemy cruiser.