The Italian ships' positions shaped the attack as much as the number of British aircraft. Reaching Giulio Cesare meant flying past other ships, cruisers, barrage balloons, and destroyers, so nearer targets naturally drew more attacks. In the proposed larger raid, later waves would face defences that had already expended much of their anti-aircraft ammunition. Strike density and sequencing could therefore alter the result even while Giulio Cesare remained difficult to reach.
Notable Point · 14:12-15:24
Target geometry and the third-wave advantage
The harbor layout made the nearer Italian battleships more exposed, while obstacles and anti-aircraft fire made Giulio Cesare a much harder target; repeated waves could also exhaust defences.