Other governments could treat Incomparable as a benchmark despite her practical flaws. Dictators might demand something larger, while American negotiators would face a Royal Navy unwilling to surrender both Hood and Incomparable. One anomalous ship then becomes a treaty problem because rivals respond to visible capability and prestige even when naval professionals recognize an inefficient design. The counterfactual produces a less stable arms-control environment before the Second World War.
Notable Point · 28:48-31:10
How Incomparable could disrupt naval limitation
A single spectacular British battlecruiser could encourage prestige competition and make historical naval-limitation bargains harder to sustain.