How much trouble would a much more heavily armed Royal Navy cause the High Seas Fleet?
Short answerIt would force Germany into a costly choice between fewer more powerful ships and a larger but increasingly outgunned fleet, while intensifying the navy's budget fight with the army.
NotesThe High Seas Fleet cannot solve the problem merely by copying the British battery on paper. Larger guns and more complex turrets raise displacement, yard time, machinery, and budget demands. Building stronger ships therefore risks reducing the number completed, while keeping the existing program leaves each ship at a growing disadvantage. Britain often sought exactly this outcome: construction pressure made the German navy compete with the army for money and political support, a contest the navy was unlikely to win.