Was Nelson's all-forward gun arrangement worth it?

Was the Nelson class's all-forward main-battery arrangement worth the trade-off?

Probably, to retain nine 16-inch guns and heavy armour under treaty limits, though a more conventional layout had operational advantages.

The Nelson layout was an understandable treaty-era compromise rather than an ideal solution. Concentrating all three main turrets forward helped fit nine 16-inch guns and substantial armour into the permitted displacement. A more conventional distribution might still have been preferable, even at the cost of somewhat less protection. Treaty design is a negotiation among armament, armour, hull length and firing arcs rather than a search for one perfect arrangement.