Royal Navy and Japanese night-fighting doctrines at Guadalcanal

Would the Royal Navy have performed better in the night battles around Guadalcanal?

It depends on who gained surprise: Japan preferred long-range torpedo attacks, while the Royal Navy sought a close, aggressive gun-and-torpedo fight.

Japanese doctrine aimed to launch Long Lance torpedoes from distance and manoeuvre for repeated long-range attacks. Royal Navy doctrine favoured closing to medium or short range and combining gunfire with torpedoes. Either approach could be decisive if it secured the first effective blow, making reconnaissance, surprise, and command more important than a simple national ranking.