Cruiser trials expose a research-gated stability problem

The Brisbane-class refit begins with a roll value of roughly sixty-five percent, prompting a complete redesign rather than incremental improvement. Fresh light- and armored-cruiser trials cannot combine a plausible armament with acceptable balance and displacement. Earlier versions allowed small early ships that were imperfect but usable. The revised mechanic creates a potential research trap: Britain may be able to fund its way to improved hulls, but Austria-Hungary lacks the same research budget. In this campaign, early cruiser research becomes a gate to basic usability instead of a path to improvement.