A proposed torpedo-boat convoy escort exposes a tension in the doctrine. Small attack craft rely on choosing when to strike and withdraw, but escort duty ties them to a predictable objective. Opposing cruisers or destroyers can exploit that constraint, while a tempting enemy battleship may draw escorts away from the merchant ships they were meant to protect. The analogy with light infantry caught under artillery fire explains how a mission can remove the mobility on which an asymmetric force depends.
Notable Point · 37:20-41:20
Convoy escort exposes torpedo boats
Light attack craft lose their freedom of movement when assigned to convoy escort and can be drawn into a fight on an opponent's terms.