Battlecruiser orders could preserve the battleship programme

The alternate orders could preserve all eight Revenge-class and six Queen Elizabeth-class battleships. Fisher historically argued for pausing battleship construction while pursuing the large light cruisers Courageous, Glorious, and Furious. The claim that cancellations would preserve repair space does not fit hulls already occupying slipways, which were separate from the dock facilities used for repair. In this timeline, three enlarged Tiger-derived ships already satisfy much of Fisher's demand for fast, heavy-gun vessels. Their presence makes it harder to sacrifice conventional battleships for another specialized battlecruiser programme.