So the Iowa’s have IDENTICAL torpedo protection and armor package as the South Dakota class but Wargming insists on gimping Iowa for some reason. The Iowas get their speed from the longer waterline and an extra 82,000 horsepower. Funny thing the Iowa and the South Dakota class have an IDENTICAL beam but the Iowa’s are 206 feet longer then the South Dakota’s. The South Dakota’s are 48 feet shorter than the preceding North Carolina class. In order to stay within the 35,000 ton limit of the Washington Naval treaty they are much more compact then the North Carolina class. Their armor protection was designed to protect against a 2250 pound AP shell fired from its guns. This is what brings us to the South Dakota class. So the North Carolina’s were designed with armor to defeat shot from a 14 inch 50 caliber guns making them the first class of US battleships to carry a main battery greater than it’s armors ability to defend against.
However the North Carolina class was too far long in development to change her armor package. When the North Carolina class was being designed they were originally designed to carry 14inch 50 caliber guns but with war looming and the rumors of Japanese super battleships the escalator clause of the Washington naval treaty was enacted and the main battery was increased to the new MK-6 16 inch 45 caliber guns. A little historical background on the South Dakota class battleship.
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