A lighter shell brings the 18-inch battery's range to about 32.3 kilometres. This is presented as historically plausible because Britain accepted lighter projectiles on Nelson and Rodney, and an interwar capital ship would seek the longest useful engagement range it could obtain. The vessel still carries a 16-inch belt and turret faces with very heavy barbettes. Shell weight, gun range, and armour are therefore traded as one design problem alongside calibre.
Notable Point · 2:01:48-2:02:44
Trading shell weight for interwar gun range
Lighter shells extend the hypothetical 18-inch battery's range while protection remains heavy, echoing Nelson and Rodney's long-range priorities.