The heaviest lower-deck guns were intended to smash into hulls near the waterline, where breaches could admit water. Ship loss follows two basic physical outcomes: uncontrolled flooding or a fire the crew cannot put out. A large explosion becomes lethal when it ruptures structure, breaks a ship's back, and opens the hull to the sea. This links battery placement to the physical damage required to destroy a warship.
Notable Point · 1:44:32-1:45:36
Why warships sink: flooding or uncontrolled fire
Warships are lost through uncontrolled flooding or fire; explosions matter when they rupture the hull or break its structure.