The Ottomans identified Averof as the main threat and concentrated fire on her. Her low profile and speed made the task difficult for crews unused to such a target. Kountouriotis also tried to use the gaps between Ottoman ships as protection: an overshooting shell could strike a friendly vessel and make the Ottoman crews hesitate. Such conditions separated practical firing rates from theoretical ones. Averof fired 127 shells and received four heavy hits during the engagement. An estimate of 600 to 700 rounds from fully worked-up and aimed guns illustrates the additional output that better preparation might have allowed.
Notable Point · 1:53:27-2:00:12
Why concentrated Ottoman fire struggled against Averof
Averof's speed, low profile and position complicated Ottoman shooting, while her own shell expenditure shows the difference between practical and theoretical gunnery.