The battleship carries numerous six-inch guns backed by three-inch casemate weapons to deal with cruisers and destroyers. The design aims to destroy smaller attackers before they can close far enough to become dangerous. Its heavy secondary battery has a clear tactical purpose beyond adding visible armament. A joke about fitting an eighteen-inch gun to a motor torpedo boat points to the opposite extreme, where weapon size, hull size, and intended target cease to be proportionate.
Notable Point · 17:13-18:27
Heavy secondary batteries against cruisers and destroyers
A battleship's numerous six-inch and three-inch guns illustrate a design preference for overwhelming smaller attackers before they become dangerous.