Q&A · 2:24:46-2:25:34

How did Nelson's armour compare with the other Big Seven?

The comparison distinguishes total armour weight from the way that protection is concentrated and maintained.

Question

How did Nelson and Rodney's armour scheme compare with the other so-called Big Seven battleships?

Short answer

It was on the heavy side of competitive and unusually concentrated, whereas other ships tended to distribute a similar armour weight over more of the hull.

Notes

Nelson and Rodney sat toward the heavily protected end of the Big Seven rather than outside the competitive range altogether. Their distinction was concentration: a large share of available armour covered a compact vital block. Other designs could carry comparable armour weight but spread it over a longer or more extensive area, reducing local density. The later King George V approach instead mounted more plate externally, where battle damage could be reached and replaced more readily at a distant yard. Armour schemes must be compared by distribution, maintenance, and protected volume as well as raw tonnage.