Apollo armament and protection support group tactics

The ships combined about 19.75 knots and an 8,000-nautical-mile economical range with two six-inch guns, six 4.7-inch guns, lighter quick-firers, and torpedo tubes. Deck protection, gun shields, and heavy protection over the engine opening gave them more staying power than an unprotected cruiser. Six-pounders helped screen against torpedo boats, while the 4.7-inch battery offered useful theoretical arcs that were harder to realize in practice than a profile drawing suggests. A group of these ships could absorb an enemy's attention, support a capital unit, and inflict damage even when no single Apollo could dominate a larger opponent.