Closing with destroyers after their torpedo attack

In the scenario, the scout cruisers lack the sophisticated sighting gear of the larger battleships and rely on manually aimed, fast-firing guns at short range. Their preferred fight is a gun duel after the destroyers have spent their torpedoes on another target or missed during the approach. The cruisers then close until their fire can stop the attackers quickly. Their escort role is to keep destroyers outside torpedo range of the battleships, so exchanging inaccurate fire from a distance leaves the task unfinished. Even with better fire control, a cruiser faces a small, manoeuvrable target. A six-inch hit may do severe damage, but first it has to land. The simulation models fall of shot better than many alternatives, though it remains imperfect. The action still shows why nominal gun range is a poor guide to effective kill range.