The counterfactual moves Phillips away from Singapore and concentrates Prince of Wales, Repulse, two Revenge-class battleships, eight light cruisers, and eleven destroyers at Ceylon. Light cruisers and destroyers employed on Indian Ocean convoy duty have orders to assemble when war with Japan begins, leaving routine escort work to sloops. The arrangement concentrates the major warships instead of distributing them among peacetime tasks. It also removes the immediate pressure on Phillips to sail Force Z against the first report of a landing in Malaya.
Chapter · 20:00-20:43
Concentrate the battle fleet and convoy escorts at Ceylon
Tom Phillips's capital ships wait at Ceylon, where Indian Ocean cruisers and destroyers are ordered to assemble once war with Japan begins.