Beyond their four twin 4.5-inch mounts, the ships carried two triple 21-inch torpedo-tube mountings and a useful protective scheme including a three-inch belt, a one-inch deck, and additional protection around magazines and bulkheads. The altered layout left more room for staff and accommodation than a destroyer could offer. That space helped make Scylla attractive for flagship work, including conversion for an escort-carrier squadron and later service as flagship of an Eastern Naval Task Force under Philip Vian. The combination shows that command space and endurance could make a lightly armed cruiser useful even when its main battery earned the sisters the nickname "toothless terrors."
Notable Point · 14:45-18:09
Torpedoes, protection, and room for a flagship staff
The sisters combined cruiser-level space and protection with destroyer-like armament, which later made Scylla useful for command duties.