 Design changes were made over the course of the construction program, resulting in slightly differing characteristics of each ship.Commonly referred to as "pocket battleships" due to their heavy armament, all three ships saw service in the non-intervention patrols during the Spanish Civil War in 1936–1938.They served as commerce raiders early in World War II; "Admiral Graf Spee" was scuttled outside Montevideo in December 1939 following the Battle of the River Plate.