The counterfactual changes the meaning of ships that remain as well as the ships Britain builds. Once the older 13.5-inch battleships disappear, the Revenge class becomes the only 21-knot component of a fleet increasingly organized around faster units. The class was a cheaper secondary line that retained the Queen Elizabeth class's 15-inch battery while giving up speed and therefore cost. That earlier procurement logic now makes the ships a useful reserve but also the obvious obstacle to a common 28-knot battle line and the next candidates for replacement.
Notable Point · 41:05-41:43
Why the Revenge class becomes the slow secondary line
Retiring the 13.5-inch battleships leaves the Revenge class as the fleet's only 21-knot group and clarifies why it would become the next replacement priority.