English gun tactics initially failed to break Spanish formation

Evidence

By 1914, it was clear even to the British that despite their grandeur, battleships were not going to prove decisive in battles. They’d been designed to fight other battleships, but such engagements almost never materialized and, as deterrents, they had become obsolete. Although battleships remained a part of naval fleets for many years afterward, their prestigious role as monarch of the seas was over, and the few that remained in service ended up supporting a newer and better weapon, the aircraft carrier. — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 456 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim
• XREF: connects to: On the night of 7 August, English fireships broke the Spanish formation, and Medina Sidonia’s ships ‘scattered in a…’ — British History in depth: Armada Gallery; No Spanish ships were burnt, but the crescent formation had been broken, and the fleet found itself too far leeward of Calais in the rising southwesterly wind. — Spanish Armada; Dominant weapons become obsolete when their intended fights never occur — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 456

Related

• On the night of 7 August, English fireships broke the Spanish formation, and Medina Sidonia’s ships ‘scattered in a…’ (similarity 0.80)
• No Spanish ships were burnt, but the crescent formation had been broken, and the fleet found itself too far leeward of Calais in the rising southwesterly wind. (similarity 0.79)
• Dominant weapons become obsolete when their intended fights never occur (similarity 0.79)
• The Armada achieved a smooth crescent formation that awed experienced English seamen. (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• Dominant weapons become obsolete when their intended fights never occur #expands (0.60) — Emlen, Douglas J, Animal Weapons_ The Evolution of Battle, 456