The simulated night duel ends with every eight-inch gun on the British ship disabled. Turret protection and weight need another look. At the revised settings, the County-derived 50-calibre guns reach about 17.2 kilometres, while the Zara-style ship's 53-calibre guns reach 18.9 kilometres. The Italian ship's full rear tower also gives it better spotting than the British design's shortened tower. Those differences explain why two similar main batteries perform very differently in the trial.
Notable Point · 29:13-42:48
When the County-Zara trial disables the main battery
The first night trial leaves the British design with every eight-inch gun disabled, forcing a review of turret protection, spotting, and gun range.