Within France's own cruiser system, the ships were successful rather than failed miniature versions of a generic heavy cruiser. Their central defect remained the plus-or-minus 90-degree main-battery training limit even though the hull layout appeared capable of supporting much wider arcs. Wider arcs approaching 135 degrees on either side would have made far better use of the available hull clearance. The projected Saint-Louis design would have replaced the earlier cruisers with nine eight-inch guns in three improved triple turrets and better training arrangements, suggesting that French designers recognized the opportunity.
Chapter · 1:07:47-1:11:27
A sound cruiser design with one avoidable flaw
The final verdict praises the Suffrens as coherent first-class cruisers but returns to their needlessly restricted main-battery traverse and the better unbuilt Saint-Louis successor.