Q&A: why close coastal bombardments were rare

Why were close-in battleship bombardments of defended coasts so rare?

Because they exposed a valuable capital ship to extreme danger, even though its heavy guns could cause enormous damage once in range.

Close coastal bombardment was rare because it put a capital ship into a high-risk environment. Once the battleship reached firing position, its heavy guns could inflict severe damage on shore targets. The defender therefore had a strong incentive to attack it with every available coastal, air, mine, or small-craft weapon. The tactical reward was large, as was the possibility of losing a scarce and expensive ship in constrained waters.