The discussion contrasts a technically neat armour arrangement with the way a ship must actually fight. Putting B turret above A shortened the protected citadel, allowing thicker armour over a smaller area. Firing C turret forward damaged the neighbouring turrets during testing, so the apparent all-forward battery did not deliver its full promise in combat. A somewhat longer hull with a finer length-to-beam ratio could gain speed while permitting all three turrets to engage forward. That alternative would require a longer and possibly thinner belt, but it would offer nine forward-firing 16-inch guns from the ship's narrowest aspect. Standardized 15-inch armament could also simplify a fleet built around common ammunition and upgraded weapons.
Chapter · 2:10:00-2:22:12
Nelson's compact layout and its operational cost
Nelson's all-forward 16-inch battery concentrated armour and magazines efficiently, but the design sacrificed speed and practical forward firepower.