What if Town, Crown Colony, and County cruisers were designed to accept stored twin 9.2-inch/50 autoloading turrets and additional armour?
Short answerBritain could field a sudden force of exceptionally powerful heavy cruisers and gain transferable autoloader expertise.
NotesIf the barbette rings, structures, stored turrets, and armor packages existed from the start, Town, Crown Colony, and County hulls could be upgraded rapidly. Converting many ships in 1937-39 would suddenly confront treaty eight-inch cruisers with a large force of 9.2-inch opponents. The hulls might ride high before conversion because their reserved weight and volume had not yet been fitted. A working 9.2-inch autoloading system would also provide experience that could scale into more automated handling for larger British capital-ship guns.