Yamato concentrated exceptional firepower and protection in very few hulls. The thickest armor may not have solidified consistently through the plate, adding uncertainty to the advantage bought by its weight. Japan's strategic position demanded more deployable ships across a wide ocean. A smaller design with six 18-inch guns, comparable in concept to Renown's three twin turrets, could preserve heavy firepower while allowing more hulls. The comparison asks whether marginal superiority in one battleship was worth the lost fleet coverage.
Notable Point · 2:35:45-2:36:50
Yamato trades fleet numbers for extreme scale
Beyond deterrence, Yamato's extreme armor and nine-gun layout concentrate resources in too few hulls for Japan's strategic needs.