I don't understand why this is so "good": GB/CB/1907

I really don't understand why this design is so "good" in Springsharp, or why it was so easy to optimize. This is the 12in/50 gunned version of the basic light British battlecruiser type that my friend Cliff designed in 1971. The original two ships were to have 4-12in/45 guns while the follow-on ships were to have 12in/50 guns. I had assumed that they would be larger and could have had better protection.

GB/CB/1907, Great Britain Battlecruiser laid down 1907 (Engine 1914)

Displacement:
 23,503 t light; 24,248 t standard; 25,780 t normal; 27,005 t full load

Dimensions: Length overall / water x beam x draught
 770.00 ft / 770.00 ft x 90.00 ft x 28.00 ft (normal load)
 234.70 m / 234.70 m x 27.43 m  x 8.53 m

Armament:
      4 - 12.00" / 305 mm guns (2x2 guns), 864.00lbs / 391.90kg shells, 1907 Model
   Breech loading guns in turrets (on barbettes)
   on centreline ends, evenly spread, all raised mounts
      9 - 6.00" / 152 mm guns in single mounts, 108.00lbs / 48.99kg shells, 1907 Model
   Quick firing guns in deck mounts with hoists
   on side, all aft, all raised mounts - superfiring
 Weight of broadside 4,428 lbs / 2,009 kg
 Shells per gun, main battery: 90

Armour:
   - Belts:  Width (max) Length (avg)  Height (avg)
 Main: 6.00" / 152 mm 465.00 ft / 141.73 m 17.00 ft / 5.18 m
 Ends: Unarmoured
   Main Belt covers 93 % of normal length
   Main belt does not fully cover magazines and engineering spaces

   - Torpedo Bulkhead:
  1.50" / 38 mm 465.00 ft / 141.73 m 25.00 ft / 7.62 m

   - Gun armour: Face (max) Other gunhouse (avg) Barbette/hoist (max)
 Main: 9.00" / 229 mm 6.00" / 152 mm  9.00" / 229 mm
 2nd: 2.00" / 51 mm       -         -

   - Armour deck: 3.00" / 76 mm, Conning tower: 7.00" / 178 mm

Machinery:
 Oil fired boilers, steam turbines, 
 Direct drive, 4 shafts, 155,110 shp / 115,712 Kw = 33.00 kts
 Range 7,500nm at 12.00 kts
 Bunker at max displacement = 2,757 tons

Complement:
 1,016 - 1,322

Cost:
 £2.124 million / $8.496 million

Distribution of weights at normal displacement:
 Armament: 554 tons, 2.1 %
 Armour: 6,371 tons, 24.7 %
    - Belts: 2,024 tons, 7.9 %
    - Torpedo bulkhead: 645 tons, 2.5 %
    - Armament: 1,085 tons, 4.2 %
    - Armour Deck: 2,484 tons, 9.6 %
    - Conning Tower: 132 tons, 0.5 %
 Machinery: 5,975 tons, 23.2 %
 Hull, fittings & equipment: 10,604 tons, 41.1 %
 Fuel, ammunition & stores: 2,277 tons, 8.8 %
 Miscellaneous weights: 0 tons, 0.0 %

Overall survivability and seakeeping ability:
 Survivability (Non-critical penetrating hits needed to sink ship):
   31,393 lbs / 14,240 Kg = 36.3 x 12.0 " / 305 mm shells or 4.2 torpedoes
 Stability (Unstable if below 1.00): 1.14
 Metacentric height 5.5 ft / 1.7 m
 Roll period: 16.2 seconds
 Steadiness - As gun platform (Average = 50 %): 72 %
   - Recoil effect (Restricted arc if above 1.00): 0.38
 Seaboat quality  (Average = 1.00): 1.45

Hull form characteristics:
 Hull has rise forward of midbreak
 Block coefficient: 0.465
 Length to Beam Ratio: 8.56 : 1
 'Natural speed' for length: 27.75 kts
 Power going to wave formation at top speed: 52 %
 Trim (Max stability = 0, Max steadiness = 100): 50
 Bow angle (Positive = bow angles forward): -2.00 degrees
 Stern overhang: -2.00 ft / -0.61 m
 Freeboard (% = measuring location as a percentage of overall length):
    - Stem:  33.00 ft / 10.06 m
    - Forecastle (72 %): 30.00 ft / 9.14 m
    - Mid (72 %):  30.00 ft / 9.14 m (22.00 ft / 6.71 m aft of break)
    - Quarterdeck (15 %): 22.00 ft / 6.71 m
    - Stern:  22.00 ft / 6.71 m
    - Average freeboard: 28.62 ft / 8.72 m

Ship space, strength and comments:
 Space - Hull below water (magazines/engines, low = better): 117.9 %
  - Above water (accommodation/working, high = better): 184.6 %
 Waterplane Area: 44,763 Square feet or 4,159 Square metres
 Displacement factor (Displacement / loading): 113 %
 Structure weight / hull surface area: 151 lbs/sq ft or 735 Kg/sq metre
 Hull strength (Relative):
  - Cross-sectional: 0.96
  - Longitudinal: 1.53
  - Overall: 1.00
 Hull space for machinery, storage, compartmentation is cramped
 Room for accommodation and workspaces is excellent
 Ship has slow, easy roll, a good, steady gun platform
 Good seaboat, rides out heavy weather easily