The 15in APC Shell is just a bit underwhelming as is.
Especially since it now has to fight much tougher targets.
The fuse timings and fuse sensitivity of this very early AP round makes it very hard to hurt most battleships unless you are Close enough to be hitting their main belt relatively flat, Otherwise the shells either just non pen, or explode before they can do meaningful damage to internal components.
This isn’t a Problem ive had with my Renown, As it gets the later pattern 15in AP rounds, which are a bit better when it comes to plunging fire.
You could easily give it a early pattern APCBC round, or something similar that wouldn’t hurt the fact its meant to be a very early in life QE Class.
As is she is modeled in her post WW1 configuration anyway, she didn’t receive the 76mm secondaries until post war
Given Warspite is near identical at 7.7. 7.3 is doing well
Warspite gets WW2 Era AP with Proper Fuses and Ballistic Caps to help its angled pen and overall ballistics.
Plus Warspite has a reinforced armor profile over Barham, She got heavily upgraded in the 1930s.
Barham basically has Contact fuse AP, that doesn’t go far into ship before its charge goes off, meaning its basically useless at plunging fire.
Warspite is a completely different beast to how She left the slipways in 1916, Barham is modeled as Built.
Meaning it struggles at 7.3 IMO. It can barely stand up to the WW2 Era Upgraded battlecruisers due to its poor AP performance.
I’ve never really had issue with Barhams APC, especially given the relative BR.
Renown-Class at 7.0 with 6x 15"
Barham at 7.3 with WW1 rounds
Warspite at 7.7 with WW2 rounds
I dont think Barham is all too bad at the moment and given the BS nature of trying to play 7.7+ at the moment. Its better than any of our 7.7+