How British night doctrine might have met Japanese torpedoes

How might Royal Navy night doctrine have fared against early-war Japanese torpedo tactics?

Both sides had real advantages; British manoeuvre and light-force emphasis could have changed the engagement, but the counterfactual remains uncertain.

The Long Lance would still have posed a serious threat to a Royal Navy formation. British ships were less likely to remain in the straight lines that proved vulnerable in several Guadalcanal actions, and Royal Navy doctrine emphasized an active fight by light forces. A close engagement and radical manoeuvres could also have imposed stability problems on top-heavy Japanese destroyers. Both sides possessed genuine advantages, so the absence of a direct historical encounter makes confidence about the outcome unwarranted.