Gun growth was driven by more than a taste for bigger weapons. A heavily armoured but slow ship can be avoided, while a fast ship that sacrifices armour may not survive a stand-up fight. Designers therefore sought the range, accuracy, rate of fire, and striking power needed to damage an opponent before it could return enough effective fire. Armour and speed still mattered, but rapidly suppressing or sinking the enemy offered the most direct protection once battle began.
Notable Point · 11:22-13:19
Why dreadnought designers kept seeking heavier firepower
Larger batteries promise the range, accuracy, rate of fire, and hitting power needed to disable an opponent before its armour and guns can answer.