Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:14:10-1:16:32

Quick-firing guns disable ships; battleship guns can destroy them

Examples from North Cape and the River Plate distinguish cumulative topside damage from the ship-killing potential of heavy shells.

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Question

Why not protect only vital areas and cover a battleship with many quick-firing guns to disable an opponent's exposed systems?

Short answer

Smaller quick-firing guns can wreck exposed systems but lack the range and destructive effect of a battleship's heavy battery, while also consuming valuable weight.

Notes

Six-inch cruiser fire damaged radar and other exposed systems at North Cape and aboard Admiral Graf Spee. That is valuable combat effect, but a battleship must spend weight carefully and still needs heavy shells capable of penetrating and devastating the enemy. Rapid-fire secondary weapons therefore complement a main battery.