The closing verdict ranks Wichita above every other treaty heavy cruiser. More guns alone do not settle the comparison because a ship also has to survive long enough to use them effectively. Wichita combined eight-inch firepower with armor intended to resist the same caliber through much of an approach. In this assessment, an opponent would take damaging fire before reaching a range where it could penetrate Wichita decisively. The conclusion is limited to eight-inch treaty cruisers; the six-inch field is treated as a separate and more competitive comparison.
Chapter · 46:26-47:38
Why Wichita wins the treaty heavy-cruiser comparison
The conclusion ranks Wichita as the best treaty heavy cruiser because her armor let her use eight-inch firepower before rivals could damage her decisively.