More RTW!
Illnois-class semidreadnought. The Illinois is unusually powerful for a semidread, with a massive battery of 10" secondaries (normally I have couple fewer turrets) and a 10" belt suited to an early dreadnought. I had a thousand more tons than normal to play with. You don't always do a semidread stage depending on when 3 Centerline Turrets becomes a thing; the production run of a predreadnought class is rarely long. This one capped out at three ships, with a fourth canceled on the ways to make room for the Lexington-class.
Oakland-class protected cruiser. The Oakland is a specialized raiding design, 2000 tons heavier than my average cruiser with long rather than medium range, 4" secondaries, slightly heavier 6" battery, and more deck extension and belt extension armor to prevent machinery damage from shell fragments better. I don't always build a specialized raider class, but this one is typical of when I do.
Lexington-class battlecruiser. Typical of my early Badnoughts, it's a battlecruiser rather than a BB, as a BB less than 22k tons is probably terrible in some way. I could have made it bigger, up to 21k tons, but I kept the size down to limit costs. Late in the game these ships can serve as CA-replacements with an engine refit for oil-firing and more speed, but in the 1905/1906 era they're actually reasonably powerful line combatants. They're cheap for what they do and can be built in large numbers, giving you an early numerical lead in dreadnought hulls and tonnage. I usually build several "flights" of Lexingtons with different turret arrangements as superfiring turrets become available. The Brits will eventually catch up, but it can make the difference. If you have to take on a battlecruiser from the 1910s or later, do it in a group of three. If you have to take on a BB from later than 1910 though, kiss your ass goodbye.
