during the first world war, admiral fisher was prevented from ordering an improved version of the preceding s by a wartime restriction that banned construction of ships larger than light cruisers. to obtain ships suitable for traditional battlecruiser roles, such as scouting for fleets and hunting enemy raiders, he settled on ships with the minimal armour of a light cruiser and the armament of a battlecruiser. he justified their existence by claiming he needed fast, shallow-draught ships for his baltic project, a plan to invade germany via its baltic coast.