British studies for the Orion, King George V, and Iron Duke generations included heavier ships with more guns and armour than the designs eventually built. Lighter, faster alternatives approached the characteristics of the heavier battlecruiser proposals. Fast battleships offered a combination the Royal Navy needed: the ability to fight peer battleships in the line and the speed to move strength around a global empire. A powerful fleet still had to reach the place where it was required. Most programmes nevertheless chose the middle option, with ten guns, about 21 knots, and the armour that could be accommodated.
Chapter · 25:45-27:25
The Royal Navy's recurring fast-battleship choice
The Royal Navy repeatedly considered fast battleships for imperial deployment but usually selected a ten-gun, 21-knot compromise.