Deutschland-Class (Panzerschiffe)
Germany's Treaty-Circumventing "Pocket Battleships" - First capital ships with all-diesel propulsion (10,000 nm range!), built 1931-1936 under Versailles Treaty limits (officially 10,000 tons, actually 16,020 tons = 60% over). 6× 28cm guns, 28 knots. Embodied "faster than anything stronger, stronger than anything faster" concept. Admiral Graf Spee scuttled after Battle of River Plate (Dec 1939, first major WWII naval battle). Admiral Scheer sank 113,223 GRT (highest German capital ship raider total). Deutschland/Lützow torpedoed 1940, limited impact. Revolutionary diesel propulsion proved unsuitable for capital ships (vibration, speed limits).
Specifications
- Displacement (std)
- 13191 t
- Displacement (full)
- 16020 t
- Length
- 418.6 ft
- Beam
- 72.8 ft
- Crew
- 619 (up to 1150 as flagship)
- Ships built
- 3
- Commissioned
- 1933-1936
- Decommissioned
- 1939-1945 (scuttled/sunk)
Performance
- Top speed
- 19.1 kn
- Range
- 10000 nm at 20 knots
Armament
- Main guns
- 6× 28cm (11-inch) SK C/28
- Secondary guns
- 8× 15cm (5.9-inch) SK C/28
- Torpedoes
- 2× quad 53.3cm deck-mounted (stern)
Armor & Systems
- Belt
- 100mm Krupp cemented
- Deck
- 45-70mm
- Fire control
- Manual optical rangefinders
In-Game
- Tier
- T4
- Game power
- 95.51
- Research cost
- 33,620
- Credit cost
- 66,857
Notable
- First large warships with all-diesel propulsion (revolutionary range)
- Treaty circumvention (16,020 tons vs. 10,000-ton Versailles limit, 60% over)
- "Pocket battleship" concept (faster than battleships, stronger than cruisers)
- Battle of River Plate (first major WWII naval battle, Graf Spee vs 3 cruisers)
- Admiral Scheer's 113,223 GRT record (highest German capital ship raider success)