How much advantage did Des Moines gain from rapid fire, and which battleships would be less desirable than the cruiser?
Short answerRapid, radar-directed eight-inch fire makes Des Moines dangerous to a battlecruiser that fails to score early. The answer still favours contemporary battleships because their protection and heavy shells outweigh the cruiser's rate of fire.
NotesA battlecruiser that misses its opening salvo could be overwhelmed by Des Moines' radar-directed volume of fire. The answer nevertheless favours battleships that overlapped the cruiser's service, because they could absorb cruiser-calibre hits while their own heavy shells remained dangerous to her. Even an older ship with 15-inch guns is treated as a serious threat. Most battleships considered weak enough to favour Des Moines had already left service before the cruiser appeared. This is a judgement about unequal protection and gun power, not a prediction that every hit would have the same result.