Protecting the battle line's unengaged side

An enemy destroyer commander might try to avoid the main exchange of heavy shells and attack around the battle line's unengaged side. Even an armor-piercing battleship shell that failed to detonate could wreck a lightly built destroyer by passing through it, making the engaged side especially hazardous. A Blonde-class cruiser already stationed on the quieter flank for visual communications could also serve as a local counter-destroyer guard. The example shows how one position supported both command-and-control and tactical protection without assuming that every torpedo attack would come from the safer direction.