A six-inch weapon is strong against destroyers and light cruisers, while the smaller mount has a useful anti-aircraft role. The problem is cumulative: two specialized batteries occupy more space and complicate supply. British and American dual-purpose five-inch solutions accept less specialization in exchange for a larger volume of flexible firepower. The H-class battery shows how individually defensible requirements can combine into an inefficient ship-wide system.
Notable Point · 19:10-22:10
Why split secondary batteries consume a ship
The proposed 5.9-inch anti-surface and 4.1-inch anti-aircraft batteries illustrate the H class's preference for specialized systems over simpler dual-purpose armament.