Nelson and Rodney as close-range night-fighting ships

Nelson and Rodney carried extensive optical redundancy because finding and firing first was decisive at the short ranges imposed by darkness. Even their heavy armour could be vulnerable to cruiser-calibre fire at sufficiently close range, while their own 16-inch shells would be devastating. Cape Matapan and the Battle of the North Cape later demonstrated the British preference to close before opening overwhelming fire. Julian Corbett's history of the Russo-Japanese War also suggested that the first salvo could break morale, leaving a surprised enemy firing at shadows and perhaps endangering its own ships. A Nelson-class ship could approach nearly bow-on and then make a slight turn to bring its full main battery and much of the secondary battery to bear over a narrow frontage. The arrangement was a compromise that left the class dangerous in a close-range ambush while preserving a useful daylight battle-line role.