Wing turrets magnified motion and confused shell dispersion

A wing turret travels through a larger arc as the hull rolls because it sits farther from the ship's centreline. That movement can increase dispersion just when navies expect to fight at longer ranges. Firing forward beside the superstructure or across the deck can also expose the ship itself to blast damage. When a salvo lands, extra movement makes it harder to determine which turret produced a particular hit or miss and therefore harder to correct the next firing solution. Designers could not solve the problem with an extremely broad, stable hull because excessive beam would impose turning, speed, engine-power, and fuel penalties.