Q&A · 1:20:13-1:22:28

A fast-battleship alternative to the Admiral class

This design counterfactual links Jutland lessons, triple turrets, ranging salvos, speed, and the emergence of a fast-battleship core.

Question

If Britain built Hood but chose a different follow-on design, what might replace the Admiral-class battlecruiser concept?

Short answer

A roughly 28-knot fast battleship with twelve 15-inch guns, or possibly eight 18-inch guns, would have stronger protection and could allow all four ships to survive the post-Jutland redesign crisis.

Notes

Early analysis of Jutland favored more guns for ranging salvos, making triple turrets and a twelve-gun battery attractive. A design protected as a battleship from the outset would need fewer disruptive revisions than the Admirals and could leave the Royal Navy with four fast capital ships alongside upgraded Queen Elizabeths.