Andrew bought a Kreigsmarine fleet seeking gunnery battles in the Atlantic. I bought a Royal Navy fleet to oblige him... and Emilio's Italians while I'm at it. Today our German and British fleets clash in their first engagement.
I haven't played a lot yet but my inexperienced option for s destroyers can attack larger ships at close range, cruisers to protect capitol ships and battleships are battleships but flights trump everything. Aka take flights/carriers.
I have come to appreciate that carriers should only ever be left out if undertaking a scenario that specifies what to take or not take, or a gentleman's agreement to have a certain type of game.