Ordering ships for the force needed years ahead

Does keeping shipyard capacity full create too great a penalty for new construction?

Not necessarily: the ships are ordered for a war expected four or five years later, so immediate delivery pressure matters less than building the intended force in time.

A crowded building programme can be tolerable when the force is being assembled for a war expected several years away. These ships will be needed in four or five years, so a modest delivery penalty does not defeat the purpose of ordering them now. The chosen designs suit a preferred way of fighting within the campaign's historical setting rather than the immediate scenario alone. Naval construction has long lead times, so force design must anticipate future operational needs rather than react only to the crisis on screen.