Dresden

Ballistics

Armor Model

Overview

At the turn of the 20th century, the German naval command considered combating enemy torpedo boats the main task of light cruisers. Accordingly, ships of this class were armed with a large number of rapid-fire small-caliber guns. After three series of small ships with steam engines, Germany proceeded to build ships with turbines. The Dresden type became transitional: the lead ship was equipped with the latest turbines, while the cruiser Emden carried proven triple-expansion steam engines. SMS Dresden, the lead ship of the type, was built at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg. During World War I, Dresden participated in the Battle of Coronel, and in the Battle of the Falkland Islands became the only surviving German ship. In March 1915, the ship was intercepted by British cruisers while attempting internment on the Chilean island of Más a Tierra. In the ensuing battle, the ship was sunk, and the crew was interned in Chile.