How much say did a battleship captain have over the ammunition carried and fired?
Short answerThe captain has limited influence over loading: the mission and available stocks largely determine the mix of armor-piercing and high-explosive rounds.
NotesA battleship captain had limited influence over what ammunition was available to load. Battleship shells were produced in smaller quantities than ammunition for more numerous smaller ships, and the assigned mission strongly shaped the allocation. Fighting capital ships called for plenty of armor-piercing ammunition, while bombardment required more high explosive. An amphibious escort could need a mixture for fire support and unexpected surface opposition. Battleship high explosive could devastate cruisers, while an armor-piercing shell might pass through a destroyer or lightly protected cruiser without functioning, although the resulting holes could still cause severe flooding.