How would a King George V-class battleship fare against a Littorio?
Short answerThe duel is competitive, but British doctrine would try to turn it into an unequal fleet action.
NotesThe individual ships are credible opponents because King George V combines effective guns with substantial protection. The more important point is operational: the Royal Navy did not plan around fair one-on-one battles. A Littorio meeting a KGV would probably also face a Queen Elizabeth or another supporting capital ship. Italian readiness problems and Taranto made it difficult to assemble the entire battle fleet, increasing the chance that Britain could create local numerical superiority.