Yeah, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau don’t seem to be lucky names for German ships. But I’ve never seen the KGVs referred to as battlecruisers?
I’ve read a few things about RN design evolution and agree on the fast wing/cruiser killer idea. The cruiser killer lends itself to tackling raiders I suppose, so maybe that’s where it comes from? I always assumed the cruisers they were talking about were scouts for an enemy fleet or lighter units of a major power. I’ve never seen anything on raider killer (as in AMCs) but maybe the authors never concentrated on that aspect?
I totally agree, 1900-18 is a really interesting period for ship design. Many of the “terrible” designs need the benefit of hindsight to criticise them.
I have to disagree with your reassessment of Outrageous, Uproarious and Spurious though. The follies were garbage designed for an insane project.
The KGVs were referred to as 'fully armoured battlecruisers' when their ship's covers were opened, continuing the RN practice of referring to any fast capital ship (about 25+ knots) as a battlecruiser. Estimates for Vanguard also referred to her as such.
In one sense, it was a fair description, as they sacrificed firepower for speed (not unlike German Great War BCs)
Jellico missed one role for the battlecruiser, which partly helps to explain the Follies - to provide a heavy scout force for the fleet.
As scouts, they had a distinct advantage - size. In heavy weather, they could outpace smaller cruisers or even AMC liners, and keep up with the battlecruisers.
They could therefore act as a 'scout force for the scout force' - i.e. as a super-cruiser screen for the BCF.
Their origins are also not especially clear-cut, particularly when you consider that Fisher's concept for 'HMS Rhadamanthus' (4-15" guns, 32 knots on about 19,000 tons) predates the Renowns (arguably, it was developed in to Renown, but then he went back to it). Shallow draught also has advantages in torpedo protection, and recent ships (notably the Iron Dukes and QEs) were coming out significantly over their design draught.
Fisher also muddied the waters by suggesting various roles for the ships - partly to get them authorised - although this certainly included his Baltic ideas, particularly in the case of Furious' bizarre armament.
I don't disagree they were rotten ships, but I some criticisms still require hindsight.
Hail of fire. Totally outdated concept by 1920. But in WWI they are fighting German protected cruisers using 4.1" with limited fire control themselves. Once they got stiffened they weren't that bad.
