Imperator Nikolai I retained four triple twelve-inch turrets but increased displacement and improved protection around the belt, barbettes, turrets, and conning tower. The changing armor distribution moved toward a more concentrated scheme rather than simply enlarging Gangut. Russian naval architects were producing a credible next step for the Black Sea Fleet. Its non-completion broke continuity that might have given later Soviet designers a stronger domestic starting point.
Chapter · 2:18:32-2:21:18
Imperator Nikolai I showed a maturing Russian battleship design
The unfinished Black Sea flagship combined the familiar twelve-gun battery with heavier protection and a more mature armor scheme.