I know that forward gun is there, I just moved it a bit outboard. I agree that on that gun there is little to gain there.
on your current arrangement, you have for example the following problems:
- none that can fire dead ahead
- none that can fire straigth aft.
the above because the structures afe in the way, you cannot fire a grenade just next to an superstructure either.
- 2 guns that interfere with each others firing arc on each side of the ship (the midship mountings)
- 8 5in guns with an firing arc of about 90 degrees, all pointed to the sides.
in my suggestion you have:
- 2 guns which can fire straigth aft
- 2 guns which can fire dead ahead (but not at low or very high angles)
- no 5 in guns interfering with each others firing arcs
- a slight loss of firing arc of the 2nd and 3th 6in turret counting from the bow.
- fields of fire:
* aft guns: 120+ degrees firing arc aft and to the sides
* forward guns: 90+ degrees, a bit more forward oriented (but you already implemented that in your newer version)
* midship guns: 4 turrets with 170 degrees coverage, oriented sideways.
that is the advantage