Proving that existing shells are unreliable would affect training as well as procurement. The fleet might seek a greater volume of fire because any one hit is less likely to work, while Jellicoe would still insist that those rounds be placed accurately. That pressure could force an earlier reassessment of battlecruiser gunnery practice. The resulting changes could reach Dogger Bank before the replacement ammunition itself reaches the fleet. Jellicoe, Beatty, and Milne had all advocated better shells before the war, giving an earlier reform programme senior officers who already supported its purpose.
Notable Point · 1:08:32-1:11:42
Earlier shell reform could reshape training before Dogger Bank
See why demonstrated shell defects could push the battlecruiser force toward both higher firing volume and more disciplined accuracy before its first major North Sea clash.