A Ceylon-based alternative for Force Z

Why send such a small Force Z against Japan, and what deployment would have made more sense?

It was meant to deter, but a carrier-supported group based at Ceylon would have been safer and still able to intervene around Singapore or Australia.

The small force was intended as a deterrent, but exposing it forward without carrier support made that signal fragile. The proposed alternative combines the capital ships with a carrier and bases the group at Ceylon. From there the ships would be harder to reach yet still threaten operations against Singapore or Australia. They could move forward when required and use their heavy guns against an invasion force without sitting inside the enemy's easiest opening target area.