Beatty approached from astern and to starboard, accepting a longer closure in exchange for favorable wind. Smoke from German coal and guns then blew toward Hipper's own line, degrading German visibility while leaving British observers a clearer target. The maneuver turned Germany's smokier coal into a tactical disadvantage for Hipper's gunners. Lion opened at roughly 20,000 yards, or about eleven miles, which shows the long gunnery ranges involved. The favorable approach was one of Beatty's successful tactical decisions before the failures that followed.
Notable Point · 41:46-43:17
Beatty uses wind and coal smoke to shape the approach
The British approach placed German funnel and gun smoke in their own sightlines while preserving a clearer view for Beatty's gunners.