Torpedo characteristics reveal platform missions

Gun labels can hide overlapping missions. A rapid-fire six-inch weapon can hit destroyers effectively even when its main purpose is overwhelming larger cruisers. The Tribal class provides another example: its rear 4-inch anti-aircraft guns could punish light German craft that approached the ship's stern. Torpedoes in this period have the narrower purpose of sinking ships, so their range and performance expose doctrine more directly. Shorter-ranged cruiser weapons can finish damaged opponents, while longer-ranged torpedoes can deter a stronger ship by making it fear an attack before the cruiser closes. Very long range suggests participation in a massed strike, where volume creates the chance of a hit rather than a single cruiser relying on one spread.