How soon could Renown, Repulse, and Resistance have entered service if designed as enlarged, better-armored Tigers from the outset?
Short answerThey could plausibly arrive with the Revenge class and would resemble smaller proto-Hoods, forcing a more ambitious follow-on Admiral class.
NotesOrdering these ships as battlecruisers from the outset could put them into service alongside the rest of the Revenge class. The suggested design carries four twin 15-inch turrets with Tiger-like protection and a projected speed around 33 knots. Displacement is estimated at roughly 35,000 tons. That would produce something resembling a smaller early Admiral-class design and force the later Admirals to offer a further improvement. Twelve 15-inch guns are suggested as one possible next step, with corresponding pressure on rival designs.