How might early Royal Navy triple turrets have changed battlecruiser and battleship layouts?
Short answerThey could free weight and length for armour or speed, but the chosen layout would depend on money, dockyard capacity, and how exceptional the ship was meant to be.
NotesA hypothetical Royal Navy fleet of oil-fired battlecruisers raises the possibility of nine- or twelve-gun Queen Elizabeth and Revenge analogues. Removing one mounting could release length and weight for armour or speed without sacrificing as much broadside firepower. A compact all-forward layout makes sense when a navy cannot fund dockyard enlargement. A Hood-like prestige project could instead prompt Britain to build larger docks around the ship. Turret arrangement, infrastructure, and budget are therefore parts of the same design choice.