Navies normally keep a substantial share of their ships mothballed or outside full active service in peacetime. The campaign's reserve decisions follow that force-management principle even though its fleet numbers are fantastical. Britain retains enough active strength for a possible German war and accepts lower readiness elsewhere. Selling older ships and cutting active upkeep restore a positive monthly balance. The result is selective readiness: a large nominal inventory can be preserved without crewing and operating every hull at once.
Notable Point · 1:16:59-1:20:41
Reserve fleets are normal peacetime force structure
The campaign recovers financially by keeping only the forces needed for the likely German contingency active and placing much of the wider fleet in reserve.