What would a 22,000-ton treaty warship be called, and how should it be armed?
Short answerIt would most plausibly be an armoured cruiser with guns in the ten- to twelve-inch range.
NotesThe hypothetical ship falls into an armoured-cruiser role at 22,000 tons. Its guns could range from roughly ten inches up to twelve inches, with the German preference for eleven-inch weapons supplying a middle course. That armament approaches capital-ship firepower on a cruiser label. A new tonnage category would quickly blur the boundary between the two roles.