I think there is a distinction to be made between the ships that exist at the start of the game, and those that can be built after game start.
Those that exist at the start of the game can (presumably) be given individual stats to reflect their relative abilities.
So, in the BB category, the Minas Gerais can be a bit of damp squib, and the Nelrods at the opposite end.
In the CL category the Royal Navy alone had the C class, D class, E class, Leanders, and Amphions.
And in the DD category the R/S, V/Ws, A-H classes, and Shakespeare/Scott.
Speed, gunpower, armour, and all the rest can be varied on a ship by ship basis, because they are all part of the starting line up.
Hopefully they can each be allocated a different 2D model as well, for game immersion purposes.
For this reason I see the 1922 category as a catch-all shorthand for "before 1936".
None of these ships or ship classes should be buildable - they are already afloat, but the navies of the world will build new ships, not repeat old ones.
Those that can be built after the start of the game can't be held in the same straight jacket as the existing ships, in order to give the players choice.
So I think that the different ship categories before 1936 can be built into the starting navies, and don't need to be in the tech tree.
I would like to see different 2D models for the different ships in the starting navies, e.g QEs, R class, and Nelrod battleships, and Minekaze and Fubuki destroyers.
I would like the Tech tree to start at '36, and don't see the need for ships prior to that date, as nobody is going to build them.
Like Axe99 I can wait until we see the game, and try it out, before deciding exactly where the changes should go in order to make the naval side more immersive.
However, i'm pretty sure CVLs need to be in the game.
The distinction between CAs and CLs, and indeed cruisers in general, weren't handled well in HOI3.
CAs weren't small battleships, and CLs weren't large destroyers.
I would like to see escort ships (Corvettes, Frigates, Destroyer escorts, etc.) if they can be modded in and handled/balanced by the AI.
And CVEs if they can be handled as well.
What I would like to see for buildable ships is the ability to make decisions about the initial ship in a class, using the new (and excellent) variant system.
So when, for example, the 1940 DD is unlocked the player can decide (by allocating points?) to improve surface guns, TT, speed, ASW, and/or AA.
And for each of those points the build time and cost goes up. Or allocate none of them, and get a cheaper but less capable vessel.
. The beauty of HoI is that it can handle a range of abstraction levels, and the beauty of modding is we can put in any extra detail we'd like that isn't in vanilla (at not point have I suggested that not having these distinctions in vanilla would break the game or anything silly like that).
