The new branch of German battleships will soon leave Early Access, so today, following tradition, we're going to talk about the real ships and their projects that served as the basis for the steel giants that have been recreated in World of Warships.
We're going to take a look at their combat service, consider their strengths and weaknesses, and also check how attentive you are. We've prepared a quiz, a selection of photo archives, and a special chain of combat missions!
High Seas Fleet
By the beginning of World War I, the German Navy was one of the strongest in the world—the "Kaiserliche Marine" was inferior only to the British fleet. The German Navy owed its rise to the attention of Wilhelm II and the work of Secretary of State of the German Imperial Naval Office, Alfred von Tirpitz. One of the most famous German battleships would later bear his name.
The ships that inspired us to create the new branch were battlecruisers and high-speed battleship projects that were built and developed just before World War I. The first Kaiserliche Marine battlecruiser, Von der Tann, was built in response to battlecruiser Invincible, built by the Brits.
Since the High Seas Fleet was inferior to the Grand Fleet in terms of raw numbers, it was assumed that, unlike the British ships that were intended exclusively for cruiser functions, the German large cruisers would have to participate in battles alongside battleships. This requirement was taken into account in the design and construction of the new ships—they received reinforced armor and had better survivability than their British counterparts, and they were still faster than battleships.
Consider a comparison of two participants of the Battle of Jutland: British battleship Agincourt hit enemy battleships several times, while German battlecruiser Derfflinger participated in the destruction of two battlecruisers of the Grand Fleet.
The lack of AA defenses on 
V Agincourt was explained by the insignificance of the airborne threat to the dreadnought in the 1910s.
A Look Through Time
Named after Bavarian General Ludwig von der Tann, the battle cruiser was larger than some battleships.
A port broadside view of Imperial German Navy Moltke-class battlecruiser SMS Moltke while underway
The lead ship of the series was named after a field marshal and prominent military figure of the 19th century, Helmuth von Moltke.
Starboard side view of Imperial German Navy battlecruiser SMS Derfflinger while stationary
She was named after Georg von Derfflinger, one of the best cavalry commanders of the 17th century. She was launched in 1914, participated in World War I, and was scuttled by her own crew after her internment at Scapa Flow in 1919.
The ship was named after Field Marshal General August von Mackensen. His wife participated in the ship's christening ceremony.
A direct development of the Mackensen-class ships. Named after Heinrich of Prussia, Grand Admiral and brother of the Emperor of Germany.
Named after Hans Joachim von Zieten, a Prussian general who fought in numerous wars in the 18th century.
Based on the design of a high-speed battleship and named after Rupprecht, Crown Prince of Bavaria.
A battleship with 420 mm guns that retained many features of the German battlecruisers from World War I. Has accurate main and secondary battery guns, but mediocre anti-aircraft guns. Named after Alfred von Schlieffen, a German strategist.
Combat Path
During World War I, Von der Tann participated in shelling British shorelines; in the breakthrough into the Gulf of Riga; and in the Battle of Jutland, during which she suffered severe damage. Moltke also participated in the breakthrough to the Gulf of Riga; in the Battle of Dogger Bank; and in the Battle of Jutland, where she hit HMS Tiger and remained the most efficient ship among German battlecruisers.
Derfflinger was an active combat participant in the First World War. After the Battle of Jutland, the British nicknamed her "Iron Dog" for her staunch resistance and successful combat operations. All three ships survived the war and were interned in Scapa Flow, where they were scuttled by their own crews for fear of them being utilized by the Allies.
SMS Derfflinger sinking at Scapa Flow
Quiz for Attentive Readers
Welcome aboard, {{gettext('Командир')}}! Can't wait to take the German battleships into battle?
It's time to find out what you've learned about these ships. You'll find the answers within this article to every question below. Themed camouflages will be credited to your account for correct answers! Answer carefully though, as wrong answers won't bring home rewards!
An article about the fate of British battleship Barham is scheduled for publication on our website this week. During the Battle of Jutland, Von der Tann and Barham had an artillery duel and exchanged hits. How did this engagement end for Von der Tann?
She sank
She received severe damage
The ship managed to escape a dire fate in 1916.
Correct! At some point in the battle, all of the ship's main turrets were destroyed.
Despite the fact that Von der Tann was classified as a battlecruiser, she exceeded battleship Nassau (her contemporary) in terms of displacement.
A total of two Moltke-class ships were built. Is it true that they did not leave the German Bight until 1918 due to the blockade of the coast by the British fleet?
Yes
No
That's incorrect.
Correct!
Goeben, the second ship of the series, was the last battlecruiser to be scrapped. This happened in the mid-1970s.
Following the principles of historical accuracy, one of the battleships that we mentioned in this article had no AA defenses because they were not necessary at the time. Can 
X Schlieffen boast her anti-aircraft guns?
No, she can’t
Yes, she has strong AA defenses
That is correct. But she has powerful secondary battery guns.
She definitely can’t. But she has powerful secondary battery guns.
The strategic war plan of Germany bears the name of Field Marshal General Alfred von Schlieffen, under whose leadership it was developed. Later, this plan was finalized by Helmuth Johannes Ludwig von Moltke, the nephew of the very same Moltke after whom the battlecruiser was named.
Evaluation of German Battleships and Their Realization
Let's summarize everything. Von der Tann, Moltke, and Derfflinger joined the High Seas Fleet and fought in several battles, including the Battle of Jutland. In World of Warships, the ships have been created as close to their original designs as possible.
Mackensen was laid down and launched, but construction was not completed until the end of the war. In World of Warships, the battleship had been recreated taking certain conventions into account. Let's compare her with another participant in the Battle of Jutland—Queen Elizabeth.
VII Prinz Heinrich, VIII Zieten, IX Prinz Rupprecht, and X Schlieffen are based on real projects from 1916–18 and are named after the existing ships of the German Navy, as well as famous German military and political figures. We invite you to compare the Tier VIII battleship from the new branch with her famous counterpart.
The new ships were implemented as high-speed battleships with good secondary guns and low visibility. At the same time, unlike the historical prototypes that featured reliable armor and anti-torpedo protection, the new branch can't boast of having outstanding survivability.
Combat Mission Chain
Choose the combat mission chain that best fits your fighting style and impressions of the German battleships.
To complete the Breaking the Blockade chain of combat missions, you need to win and deal damage in battles. If you choose the Deceptive Maneuver chain of combat missions, you will need to earn "Defended," "Destroyed," "Captured," and "Assisted in capture" ribbons. You'll receive "Black, White, Red" and Hunter camouflages as rewards.
Breaking the Blockade
Deceptive Maneuver
You can choose your preferred mission chain only once. You can complete the chain of combat missions playing Tier V–X German battleships in Random, Ranked, and Co-op Battles, as well as in Arms Race and Operations.
All photos are courtesy of the U.S. Naval Institute Photo Archive. You can find more thrilling shots related to naval history on the website by following this link.