How could the Royal Navy arm and armour a class of ships based on Great Eastern?
Short answerIt could create a super-Warrior with contemporary iron-and-teak armour and about twice Warrior's armament, though the paddle wheels would divide and complicate the citadel.
NotesGreat Eastern's displacement alone does not provide unlimited fighting capacity. Length, machinery, speed, armour, and protected space all constrain the conversion. Contemporary iron backed by teak could protect the ship on much the same principle as Warrior. The paddle wheels would split the armoured citadel and complicate the layout, but the remaining protected length could support about twice Warrior's gun battery. Machinery arrangement would still dominate the design despite the enormous hull.