The capital-ship pause extended beyond the vessels already near completion to HMS Unicorn, the Implacable class, and the Lion-class battleships. Lion and Temeraire had been laid down before the war and, in this counterfactual, might have entered service in 1942 if construction continued. Paired with fast carriers and King George V-class ships, they would have given James Somerville a much stronger Eastern Fleet against the Kongō class. Their presence could also reduce the number of American heavy units needed in the Atlantic. The argument is not a prediction of victory but an illustration of how one procurement interruption narrowed options across several theatres.
Notable Point · 2:22:18-2:25:14
What the paused Lion class might have changed in the Far East
Continuing two Lion-class battleships could have given the Eastern Fleet fast 16-inch-gun capital ships and reduced American reinforcement demands in the Atlantic.