The design begins by rejecting an even faster 39-knot concept, then works through machinery, gun size, range, stability, and secondary armament. The proposal is initially thousands of tons overweight, demonstrating that a fast capital ship cannot simply combine every desirable feature. Reducing the speed target releases weight, but the design still has to find room for protection and a destroyer-defeating secondary battery. The design table shows weight, speed, range, and armament pulling against one another.
Chapter · 2:58:34-3:06:20
Designing a fast battlecruiser within a weight limit
A new battlecruiser design begins with a 36-knot target, heavy guns, and a large weight deficit that must be solved through linked compromises.