French battleship variety weakened squadron coherence

French ships such as Brennus, Charles Martel, Carnot, and Jauréguiberry followed related ideas without forming a standardized class. Their mixed main batteries, varied speeds, machinery, armor, and handling characteristics made fire control and squadron maneuver difficult. In the broadside comparison used here, a Brandenburg could employ all six 28-centimeter main guns while a French design could bring one 305-millimeter and two 274-millimeter guns to bear. France did not produce a three-ship standardized battleship class until the Charlemagnes laid down in 1894, while Germany was already building successive groups of four. French forces were also divided between Atlantic and Mediterranean stations, which made a coherent fleet harder to assemble. French and Russian construction nevertheless grew quickly enough to overtake the assumptions behind the 1889 program and require further British building.