The simulation result leads into the contributions that different ship types make in a fleet action. An anti-aircraft cruiser may add little in a surface engagement yet become decisive when aircraft are the main threat. Tribal-class destroyers serve as generalists that could perform air-defense, surface, and anti-submarine work without matching a Hunt-class escort destroyer or Black Swan-class sloop in its specialty. Small fleets face a difficult choice because specialist ships may be unavailable when their exact capability is needed, while generalists accept lower peak performance in exchange for flexibility.
Chapter · 49:25-53:35
Specialists, generalists, and fleet composition
Anti-aircraft cruisers and wartime destroyers show why fleets need both high-performance specialists and adaptable ships that can fill several roles.