The convoy is the real target, while the escort's guns and torpedoes are obstacles to be bypassed. The heavy cruiser has left enough separation for an attacker to drive between it and the ships it should protect. That gap defeats the purpose of the screen even if the cruiser is powerful in a direct fight. Convoy defense depends on positioning and access control as much as the escort's raw strength.
Notable Point · 51:57-53:28
Convoy screening and cruiser positioning
A convoy attack highlights why an escorting cruiser cannot drift so far from the convoy that an attacker can pass between them.