A fleet with four F3s and four older battlecruisers would possess something close to two distinct battle lines. The conventional battle fleet could hold concentrated positions while fast ships formed task groups able to move between theaters. Availability matters as much as the headline total: the larger pool makes it realistic to have two or three fast capital ships at sea and another two or three available in port despite training and refit demands. Even the less expansive seven-ship version would generate substantial deployable strength. The difference between 15-inch and 16-inch guns matters less in this argument than the number of heavy, fast hulls an opponent must account for.
Notable Point · 58:57-1:00:58
Two battle lines give Britain worldwide task-group depth
Seven or eight fast capital ships create a second operational battle line with enough depth for simultaneous deployment, maintenance, and deterrence.