Once Japan has lost a ship, the tactical problem shifts from winning the exchange to preserving British combat power. A seven-to-four advantage makes a one-for-one trade survivable on paper, although no admiral would seek it. The preferred response is to identify the most damaged British ship and send it home while the rest of the force maintains pressure. Japan's remaining squadron has less freedom because Setsu is being boxed in and its two-knot theoretical advantage is too small for an orderly escape. The decision shows how a fleet can use numerical superiority to protect damaged units instead of risking them in pursuit.
Notable Point · 27:19-29:07
Using numerical superiority to protect damaged ships
With a seven-to-four lead, the British force can detach its most damaged battleship instead of accepting an unnecessary one-for-one exchange.