Q&A ยท 32:06-34:03

What makes an all-big-gun ship a dreadnought?

A six-gun UAD design prompts a comparison between game hull categories and the armament, protection, and machinery of historical dreadnoughts.

Question

How should a UAD design with six centreline 13-inch guns be classified: semi-dreadnought, dreadnought, or super-dreadnought?

Short answer

The uniform heavy battery points to a dreadnought, provided there is no substantial intermediate battery; hull design and protection also matter beyond the game's categories.

Notes

The hypothetical ship is a UAD design with six centreline 13-inch guns. Its uniform heavy battery supports dreadnought classification provided it lacks the substantial intermediate-calibre battery associated with a semi-dreadnought. The historical comparison concerns which battery delivers the main damage, rather than an arbitrary minimum number of guns. HMS Renown provides another example of a capital ship carrying six heavy guns. Armour distribution, hull framing, subdivision, and machinery would also matter when judging an actual vessel, while the game's hull categories are a separate design convention.