World of Warships brings people into naval history, though its ship models should not be treated as historical assessments. An arcade game must make vessels competitive and enjoyable inside its own rules, which can diverge sharply from the missions and constraints that shaped the originals. The small España-class dreadnoughts are the example: placed directly into the game's combat system, they would repeatedly be overwhelmed. Poor performance in a game may reveal the model's design priorities rather than prove that a historical ship was useless in the context for which it was built.
Notable Point · 1:42:35-1:45:34
Why arcade balance can misrepresent historical warships
Comments on World of Warships and the España class explain why a successful arcade game can introduce naval history while still rewarding qualities unlike those required by historical service.