HMS Incomparable as deterrent and white elephant

If HMS Incomparable had been built, would she be overbuilt for cruiser killing but useful for gunboat diplomacy?

Incomparable would be an intimidating gunboat-diplomacy symbol, but her cost, docking demands, and oversized 20-inch armament would also make her a conspicuous white elephant.

Incomparable could serve gunboat diplomacy through her size and heavy armament. Her 20-inch guns and approximately 20,000-nautical-mile endurance suit a global show-the-flag role, although the cost of deploying her for that purpose draws an objection. At roughly 305 metres long, she would demand suitable harbours, docks, and quays despite an estimated displacement of about 46,000 long tons, below Hood's. Building that infrastructure would also ease Hood's docking problems and support much larger future warships. Incomparable would remain an expensive status symbol whose armament exceeded the needs of ordinary cruiser hunting. The same conspicuous guns could encourage rival prestige projects and complicate naval-treaty bargaining.