Eagle turns an improvised conversion into useful air cover

Eagle applied Hermes-era ideas to a dreadnought hull in a hurry, yet the result became a useful carrier. She is rated as an upper-second-tier asset by World War II, with a particularly large hangar and useful fighter capacity. A hypothetical deployment with Force Z illustrates the defensive value: with her fighters overhead, Prince of Wales and Repulse would probably have survived the air attack in this assessment. The Japanese bombers are described as operating near the limit of their range after leaving defensive guns behind. They would also have to fly level to drop torpedoes, making them vulnerable to fighters. This example gives even an older carrier a potentially decisive role in protecting capital ships.