Extra beam improved stability as a gun platform, while cleaner firing arcs and heavier anti-aircraft armament reflected service without secure control of the skies. Control of the battle's tempo could shift between opponents, making a more self-sufficient destroyer valuable. If completed, the large Italian ships might have blended into a destroyer screen until their heavier guns began to matter, though that remains a counterfactual judgment. A Tribal-class destroyer would still have enjoyed a higher rate of fire. Actual destroyer fighting across the war moved toward close-range brawls rather than the measured long-range exchanges some navies had expected. The 135 mm battery therefore looks more workable on this enlarged hull than the German use of 5.9-inch cruiser-grade guns on more conventional destroyer proportions.
Chapter · 16:08-19:48
Designing for contested skies and close destroyer combat
More beam and cleaner firing arcs promised steadier gunnery, while heavier anti-aircraft weapons answered contested skies and the 135 mm battery suited close destroyer fighting.