The Armada-era gunnery problem is compared with the later choice between six-inch and eight-inch cruiser guns. A heavier shell could do more damage, while a lighter weapon might fire quickly enough to disable its opponent first at visual range. Surviving carriages from Mary Rose show that more than one arrangement existed and that English practice had already begun to change before 1588. Calibre alone therefore hides the handling, elevation, reloading effort, and sustained output that determined how a battery performed.
Notable Point · 23:32-25:12
Rate of fire could outweigh a heavier shot
A modern cruiser analogy and surviving Mary Rose carriages clarify why a faster-firing lighter gun could matter more than maximum projectile weight at visual range.