cause L1 is easier to play and got more damage output than vanny...

vanny on the other hand is been called "UK bismarck" in the game cause of its gameplay, and it got more range than L1 with its 15" mrk IV Ls...

 

Lion 1 is fun to play, armor it and rush at the enemy, make it overheat at 42 knots and troll around making damage here and there from south to north and viceversa. Vanguard is more a line fighter, but you sacrifice firepower for range, theres is not much diference on the range between the 15" Mark IV Ls and the 16" Mark IV Ls, only 1.5 points in your guidelines if i remember right.

Because Vanguard is a stunted H39 and people usually go KM when they feel like killing enemied who drive around superior ships (or more likely getting horribly murdered each game).

I guess because L1 is a better ship for leveling than Vanguard because of its superior firepower output than Vanguard (i.e. more damage, more exp).

Vanguard is not bad, but you won't be able to bring out its full power at lvl 90-100. Putting lvl120 sailors on Vanguard, it can beat the L1 on 1v1, for sure, given Vanguard and L1 players have the same crew level and playing skills. Why? Because Vanguad's 15*2 is a little bit farther than L1's 16*3, as well as less shell hang time in the air. So when Vanguard is playing run-gun with L1, there is no chance for L1 to hit Vanguard.

But in GB, there is no much chance for Vanguard to play run-gun because UK 15*2 range still sucks compared to other nation. Any BB5 can sink Vanguard in 2 salvos even if you play run-gun, and a Vanguard usually needs 4-5 salvos to sink a BB5, or 3-4 salvos to sink a BB4.

L1? L1 can sink most BB5 with 2 salvos so, take your pick.