Why concentrating at Taranto was risky

The plan had been developing from the mid-1930s as Italy concentrated vital fleet strength in a single harbour. The Italian navy could not readily replace losses, so damaging three of six battleships had a deeper and longer-lasting effect than comparable damage to the much larger American fleet. Comparing the raids by proportional effect accounts for that difference. Moonlight, weather, geography, and the Royal Navy's night-strike ability all shaped the timing. Operational success therefore has to be measured against the force and industrial system that was struck.