Mass, firepower, and the origin of destroyers

Launching a mass of torpedoes could force a battle line into dangerous choices: ships might collide, lose formation, expose themselves to gunfire, or turn away. The British response combined gun-armed torpedo-boat destroyers with the torpedo forces they were built to protect. Scout cruisers and C-class light cruisers could lead those flotillas, suppress opposing destroyers, and help friendly boats reach launch position. The 1936 Tribal class later embodied the same emphasis on gun power against other destroyers. This arms race explains both the destroyer's name and why rapid-firing guns were already a direct counter to the torpedo platform.