▁Germany ▁soon ▁respond ed ▁to ▁the ▁competition ▁from ▁the ▁British . ▁From ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁Hamburg ▁America ▁Line ▁completed ▁a ▁tri o ▁of ▁lin ers ▁significantly ▁larger ▁than ▁the ▁White ▁Star ▁Line ' s ▁Olympic - class ▁ships . ▁The ▁first ▁to ▁be ▁completed , ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁was ▁. ▁She ▁was ▁followed ▁by ▁SS ▁Vater land ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 . ▁The ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁third ▁l iner , ▁, ▁was ▁paused ▁by ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁I . ▁ ▁The ▁First ▁World ▁War ▁was ▁a ▁hard ▁time ▁for ▁the ▁lin ers . ▁Some ▁of ▁them , ▁like ▁the ▁Ma ure t ania , ▁Aqu it ania , ▁and ▁Britann ic ▁were ▁transformed ▁into ▁hospital ▁ships ▁during ▁the ▁conflict . ▁O thers ▁became ▁tro op ▁trans ports , ▁while ▁some , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Kaiser ▁Wilhelm ▁der ▁Gros se , ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁war ▁as ▁war ships . ▁Tro op ▁transport ation ▁was ▁very ▁popular ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁lin ers ' ▁large ▁size . ▁Lin ers ▁converted ▁into ▁tro op ▁ships ▁were ▁painted ▁in ▁d azz le ▁cam ou fl age ▁to ▁reduce ▁the ▁risk ▁of ▁being ▁tor ped o ed ▁by ▁enemy ▁sub mar ines . ▁ ▁The ▁war ▁was ▁marked ▁by ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁many ▁lin ers . ▁Britann ic , ▁while ▁serving ▁as ▁a ▁hospital ▁ship , ▁s ank ▁in ▁the ▁A ege an ▁Sea ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁after ▁she