Mines, shells, torpedoes, and the crowded stern

The offset after turrets reflected mine stowage, machinery, shafts, and hull balance. The stern grouped as many as 120 mines with most of the 150 mm ammunition, twelve torpedoes in four triple launchers, and the 88 mm battery. That made the after half unusually close to a floating bomb even by warship standards. All three ships were eventually lost, although the proposed link between those losses and their explosive concentration remains a suspicion rather than a proven cause. Apparent compactness on a plan created a dangerous concentration of hazards in action.