The Borodinos paired a very heavy twelve-gun broadside with armour slightly stronger than typical battlecruiser protection. Their 14-inch battery exceeded the number and calibre of guns carried by several contemporaries, while the provision of anti-aircraft guns in a 1912 design was notably forward-looking. Their planned 26.5 knots, however, offered only a narrow margin over the 24-knot Queen Elizabeth class built in the same period. That small advantage might disappear with machinery condition, fuel quality, or other operational friction, undermining the battlecruiser's ability to choose an engagement. The design therefore sits closer to an early fast battleship, having spent weight on armour and exceptional firepower instead of decisive speed.
Chapter · 21:14-27:10
The Borodino class edges toward fast battleships
Russia's Borodino-class design combines twelve 14-inch guns and substantial protection with too little speed margin over contemporary fast battleships.