Moltkeclass

The Moltke class was a pair of battlecruisers built for the Imperial German Navy before World War I. Named SMS Moltke and SMS Goeben, these ships were an improvement over the earlier Von der Tann class. They were designed to be faster than contemporary battleships and heavily armed, making them potent threats for scouting and commerce raiding.

The Moltke class ships displaced around 22,000 tons and were powered by steam turbines, giving them a top speed of approximately 28 knots. Their armament consisted of ten 11-inch guns mounted in five twin turrets, along with a secondary battery of twelve 5.9-inch guns. Their armor protection was considered adequate for their role, though less substantial than that of a dreadnought battleship.

SMS Moltke saw extensive service in the Baltic and North Seas during the war. SMS Goeben, along with the light cruiser SMS Breslau, famously escaped to the Ottoman Empire in 1914, where they were transferred to the Ottoman Navy and renamed Yavuz Sultan Selim and Midilli, respectively. Both ships participated in naval actions against Russia in the Black Sea. SMS Moltke was present at the Battle of Jutland in 1916, sustaining damage. Both ships ultimately survived the war, though Moltke was interned and later scuttled. Yavuz Sultan Selim was eventually scrapped by Turkey.