In this interpretation, the threat of a destroyer torpedo attack helped persuade Littorio to back off. The estimate of up to 23 torpedoes aboard the three remaining destroyers assumes they had launched none beforehand. It does not establish their actual load, the weapons remaining or a salvo fired. As the destroyers closed, the battleship would have less time to turn between the torpedo tracks.
Notable Point · 1:21:25-1:22:20
The torpedo threat to Littorio at Second Sirte
A battleship closing with several destroyers had to account for how many torpedoes they might still have aboard.