Historically, Germany was an obvious candidate for having one of the world's largest navies, given the Hanseatic League and other Baltic and North Sea adventures. The army was rarely emphasized, and often fell behind, with German Kaisers and Stadtholders often recruiting mercenaries from smaller states like Hesse and Switzerland, rather than investing in a standing army of their own.
What if this wasn't the case, and Germany had been more of a land power, with a weak navy?
For one, St. Petersburg probably wouldn't have been founded, as it only makes sense in context of the Hansa.