Richelieu: fast and powerful, but constrained by quadruple turrets

Richelieu combines eight 15-inch guns in two quadruple turrets with nine six-inch guns in triple mounts. Its greater capability than Dunkerque still leaves room for criticism of turret reliability and firing arcs. In a hypothetical fight with Littorio's nine 15-inch guns, the preference here is for the Italian ship because of the French quadruples' difficulties. An alternative would use three triple 15-inch turrets, with A and B at the same level and C raised behind them. That arrangement is proposed as a way to obtain another gun and better coverage. Dividing the French quadruples internally into paired groups did not remove the service difficulties described here. The six-inch battery also has less satisfactory coverage than the main guns.