Wartime service consumes hull and machinery life

Once treaty limits disappear, new cruiser orders must replace ships lost or damaged in aggressive service. Attrition includes more than battle casualties. A peacetime navy can postpone a high-speed run or avoid rough weather to preserve machinery and frames, whereas operational necessity removes that discretion. Gears, engines, and hull structure accumulate wear each time a ship is driven hard again without the recovery periods expected in exercises. Maintenance capacity and replacement construction become part of combat power because operational tempo can consume a fleet even when individual ships survive enemy fire.