All-forward guns for manoeuvring ship actions

On this interpretation, the forward concentration of guns reflects an implicit judgment that another Jutland-style fleet action was unlikely. The arrangement still retained enough firepower for a battle line, but it became especially useful when only a few ships fought and could manoeuvre freely. The final action against Bismarck involving Rodney and King George V is the sort of engagement in which concentrated forward arcs could be exploited. A commander in such a small action can turn the whole ship instead of maintaining a rigid place in a long battle line. The comparison shows how expected combat shapes weapon layout.