What should the First Sea Lord duplicate if a remote could copy Royal Navy warships in 1939?
Short answerThe proposed list includes Ark Royal, modern battleships and battlecruisers, large destroyer classes, Black Swan sloops and Town-class cruisers.
NotesThe hypothetical remote initially leaves uncertainty over whether it supplies ten copies in total or ten with each use. With a tight limit, the preferred choices include at least two Ark Royals, Nelson and Rodney, and either a modernised Warspite or the approaching King George V. The clarification that each use makes ten copies greatly expands the list. Ark Royal, Nelson-class battleships, Hood and King George V are joined by large destroyers in additional flotilla-sized groups. A further prompt adds Black Swan sloops and cruiser possibilities, with Towns preferred among the light-cruiser suggestions. These are choices within a magical duplication scenario, without a worked account of how the enlarged fleet would be manned or sustained.