Cumulative damage and speed loss changed how a fleet could fight

The tables accumulated non-vital 15-inch hits differently for older and newer battleships, so many hits could erode fighting power before a ship was treated as destroyed. They also included the Lewis gun and 3-inch anti-aircraft weapons then in service and pointed toward the imminent move to the 4-inch high-angle gun. Torpedo allowances began from official outfit figures, even though destroyers might carry extra weapons in wartime. After deciding the number of hits, an umpire imposed either a speed reduction or a loss of fighting efficiency. The penalties had different operational effects: speed loss constrained formation maneuver, while reduced fighting efficiency cut combat power in the next engagement. The model treated damage as an operational problem rather than simple hull survival.