Asama's waterline belt ran the full length of the hull and varied from three and a half to seven inches, with the thickest section protecting the central machinery and magazines. A five-inch upper strake extended toward the main deck over the middle of the ship. Armor also closed the central citadel and protected the exposed bow torpedo-tube position. Below and within the hull, 32 double-bottom compartments and another 131 watertight compartments limited the consequences of flooding. The arrangement did not turn the cruiser into a battleship, but it made disabling her far harder than the label 'cruiser' might suggest.
Notable Point · 20:41-22:24
Layered armor and subdivision make Asama hard to disable
A full-length waterline belt, upper armored strake, protected bow torpedo position, and extensive subdivision gave the cruiser unusual resilience.