Quality and quantity are not a simple either-or choice. A top-tier ship may defeat many opponents whose capability is only a small fraction of its own, so quality can outweigh large numerical odds when the weaker vessels are genuinely inadequate. The calculation changes when several opponents each provide roughly seventy or eighty percent of the premier ship's fighting value. The useful procurement question is whether a navy can afford enough credible ships to confront several simultaneous threats.
Notable Point · 6:32-7:18
Quality and quantity are relative procurement advantages
The River Plate example leads to a broader rule: a premier warship may crush weak opponents yet still struggle against several ships that are each good enough.