Royal Navy light-cruiser production tradeoffs

The discussion broadens from the Wichita anti-air proposal into Royal Navy light-cruiser production. Dido and Crown Colony ships appear as wartime attempts to obtain numbers quickly, but cutting down a Town-class design yielded less benefit than expected. Under treaty limits, smaller Arethusas could be justified as a way to maximize cruiser numbers. Without those limits, the preference shifts to a more capable triple-turret Arethusa variant or full Town-class ships. A dual-purpose-gun Tribal destroyer is even favored over a Dido for some tasks, which shows how anti-aircraft specialization competed with general cruiser utility. Belfast's long service illustrates the reserve topweight and growth margin left when a hull designed for quadruple turrets received triples.