Fisher and Tarkin are compared as leaders marked by war who would prefer to secure their aims without fighting. Both value mobile forces and weapons whose apparent power might convince an opponent to concede. Their different fictional and historical settings produce different fleets, but those common preferences make technical superiority the first point of competition. Germany is expected to resemble Italy in the dreadnought era, producing strong ideas and a smaller number of capable ships without matching British scale. Britain must therefore remain ahead of the German threat in technology even before the rivalry expands into a larger numerical arms race.
Chapter · 19:49-21:52
Fisher and Tarkin drive a technology-first arms race
Shared interest in mobility, deterrence, and intimidating weapons makes early Anglo-German competition a race for technical quality before it becomes a race for numbers.