British security priorities ran from home waters to the Mediterranean route and then the Far East, but only two Nelson-class ships were available. A class of three might have placed one ship in the Mediterranean, while four could have supported pairs in both the Home and Mediterranean Fleets. Scarcity instead made Nelson and Rodney unusually precious assets whose loss would collapse the capability back to a single hull. Class size and strategic geography can determine basing even before an enemy appears.
Notable Point · 40:10-42:30
Scarcity confined the Nelson class to home waters
With only two 16-inch battleships, Britain protected the home and Atlantic theaters rather than distributing the class across its imperial commitments.