Tiger carried a 9-inch belt, about half again as thick as the principal protection on Renown and Repulse but below Hood's 12-inch maximum. Maximum thickness alone does not settle which ship had the better scheme because Tiger's belt covered a different proportion of the hull. Her armor was integrated into the design from the beginning, whereas much of Hood's additional protection entered after construction had started. Tiger also had up to 3 inches of deck armor, and her existing 8-to-9-inch barbettes would be replaced as part of the main-gun conversion. The final protection package would depend on whether the political route allowed an agreed pre-treaty rebuild or secured broader concessions during negotiations.
Notable Point · 42:09-43:55
Armor coverage matters alongside maximum thickness
Tiger's 9-inch belt and original structural integration offer a different protection tradeoff from Hood's thicker but later-added armor.