In another non-historical scenario, the Italians decide the Central Powers will be the winning side. The Italian fleet sails out to challenge the French fleet.
Visibility was 24,000 yards. Wind was north-westerly at 16 knots and the seastate was 3.
The fleets deploy into battle lines, with the Italians (on the right) somewhat more organized. An early French torpedo boat attack has been repulsed with heavy loss.
The four French dreadnoughts and the lead pre-dreadnought take damage from the five Italian dreadnoughts. French ACs (background) attempt to get within torpedo range.
The Italians also take damage, but not nearly as much.
One French dreadnought has been sunk and one has no propulsion. Italian torpedo boats (bottom) close in on the crippled French dreadnoughts to use their short-ranged torpedoes.
The remaining French dreadnoughts are slowed by flooding damage and are overtaken by the pre-dreadnoughts. Several French ACs are quickly sunk when the Italian battle line shifts fire to them.
The Italian battle line evades a torpedo attack by a turn together. One dreadnought has sunk.
The volume of fire of the four Cavour and Duilio class ships was about 50% greater than that of the four Courbet class ships (13 gun vs 10 gun broadsides and a slightly higher rate of fire). The longer range French torpedoes might have evened the odds, but the attacks were stopped or evaded. A decisive victory for Italy and a good test of the code.
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