How 10-inch guns would reshape treaty cruisers

What would happen if treaty cruisers adopted 10-inch guns?

The treaty displacement would likely rise, several navies would adopt the calibre, Deutschland's 11-inch advantage would shrink, and protection would be sacrificed for speed and firepower.

A 10-inch cruiser standard would probably push treaty displacement toward roughly 12,000 tons and encourage American and Japanese adoption. Against 9.2- or 10-inch opponents, the Deutschland class would gain little from its 11-inch battery. Because cruisers could not carry armor adequate against those shells within the limit, designs would tend toward magazine and machinery protection, high speed, and maximum firepower instead of a comprehensive armor scheme.