The simulation does not reproduce either ship exactly. Lion's belt is rounded from the planned 14.7 inches to 15 inches, while Yamato is strengthened to behave credibly inside the game's damage model. Radar-directed gunnery and a slight modeled range advantage give Lion a viable long-range fight. Yamato's 18-inch shells become much more dangerous as the range closes, yet the game's AI tends to make that tactically poor approach. Only Lion can be ordered to remain farther away, which biases any single result. The conclusion is that Lion could compete with Yamato, with no guarantee of winning every single-ship engagement.
Chapter · 34:44-42:42
Lion versus Yamato: armour, range, and tactical distance
A simulated Lion-Yamato encounter shows why a balanced 16-inch battleship could compete, yet remain vulnerable to 18-inch fire at close range.