In the Wake of Dreadnoughts…

In the year 1906 a dramatic revolution befell the world’s navies. Great Britain, the world’s preeminent sea power, made her own fleet, and those of her rivals, instantly obsolete by launching HMS Dreadnought. All existing battleships quickly became known as “pre-dreadnoughts,” rendered inferior by an entirely new class of warship ushered in by the British namesake—“dreadnoughts.”

Dreadnought’s instant superiority to all existing ships was accomplished by removing nearly all small-caliber weapons and replacing them with as many 12-inch guns as the ship would hold. This revolutionary armament concept made the ship capable of lofting a larger broadside at distance than any other ship afloat, making her the equivalent of two, or even three, of her rivals. This massive firepower was combined with thicker armor plating to resist enemy shells, and steam turbine engines that gave her an unmatched speed advantage in combat, allowing her to dictate the terms of an engagement with the enemy.

Every seafaring