A 4.5-inch Dido trades range for volume rather than transforming battles

How would Dido- and Bellona-class cruisers perform with 4.5-inch guns instead of 5.25-inch weapons?

They would lose range but gain volume of fire, so most of their historical battles would change little.

The proposed Dido and Bellona variants would carry eight to ten 4.5-inch dual-purpose guns. That substitution would not rewrite the battles in which the cruisers fought. Their effective engagement envelope would shrink compared with the 5.25-inch battery. In return, the smaller weapons could generate a greater volume of fire, leaving the overall battlefield effect broadly similar.