Ships ordered only after a crisis cannot influence the near-term war, so the campaign keeps major construction under way. Battleships already in the pipeline are still about two years from service. Available tonnage then becomes an order for twenty-four standardized light cruisers to replace losses and meet worldwide demand. Strategic requirements have to fit yard capacity, construction time, the repair load, and the savings from repeating an established design.
Notable Point · 2:30:51-2:32:47
Continuous construction keeps cruiser strength recoverable
Within the campaign, a two-year battleship pipeline and a new order for twenty-four light cruisers illustrate why wartime fleet strength depends on construction already under way and spare industrial capacity.