A fleet of twenty or more Tiger Cub successors could concentrate against surface raiders far more quickly than the historical cruiser force. That reduces the appeal of Germany's Deutschland class because a raider could face several faster 9.2-inch cruisers rather than one widely dispersed response ship. Within a 400,000-ton allowance, twenty-two 18,000-ton cruisers might carry nine 9.2-inch guns apiece in three triple turrets. Higher treaty limits would also make faster British battleships possible, while American and Japanese cruiser designs would confront the extra weight of 10-inch armament. If a longer war still led to a naval treaty, unfinished Admiral-class battlecruisers could supply the carrier conversions otherwise associated with Courageous and Glorious. Those names might instead belong to 9.2-inch cruisers in this scenario.
Chapter · 2:16:40-2:21:11
Interwar fleets adapt to a world full of Tiger Cubs
Numerous modern 9.2-inch cruisers make Deutschland-type raiders less compelling and push battleship and cruiser designs into different treaty tradeoffs.