Q&A · 4:35:08-4:38:58

Eleven Ganguts could reverse Tsushima

Replacing Rozhestvensky's battleships with Gangut-class dreadnoughts gives Russia overwhelming firepower, speed, and range despite retaining the historical crews.

Question

What if Rozhestvensky's battleships became Gangut-class ships while their crews stayed the same?

Short answer

The world would fear the suddenly dominant fleet, and at Tsushima its huge firepower, speed, and range advantage could turn defeat into a Russian victory.

Notes

Eleven Ganguts would bring 132 twelve-inch guns, a speed of about twenty-four knots, and much longer effective gun range than the ships historically sent to Tsushima. Rozhestvensky did manage to form a line and exercise some control over his battered force in the actual battle. With such a material advantage, even the same crews could plausibly defeat or annihilate the Japanese battle fleet, alarming every other naval power along the voyage.