HMS Vanguard 1946. The RN anticipated being outnumbered by the combined German and Japanese battleships in the early 1940's, so embarking on the Lion Class battleships. With the construction of the triple 16" turrets would delay until 1943. The RN had enough 15" turrets completed allowing modifications to the design with four 15" turrets to be completed faster. This made the armament of eight BL 15" guns, in four turrets, A, B, X and Y, which could be projected up to 30 miles, whilst supercharged projectiles could go to over 34 miles, at a rate of two rounds per minute.