A 40,000-ton F3-layout Nelson

What could an F3-layout Nelson gain on 40,000 tons while retaining 16-inch guns?

The extra displacement would chiefly buy length, four-shaft machinery, and roughly 28 to 30 knots, depending on the balance among speed, range, stores, and accommodation.

The roughly 6,200 added tons would go into a longer hull and a more powerful four-shaft plant. A 30-knot design is possible if bunkerage, stores, and accommodation are sacrificed, while about 28 knots better preserves worldwide cruising capability. The choice exposes the trade between tactical speed and imperial range.