Broadside armament also had disadvantages , which became more serious as ironclad technology developed . Heavier guns to penetrate ever @-@ thicker armor meant that fewer guns could be carried . Furthermore , the adoption of ramming as an important tactic meant the need for ahead and all @-@ round fire . These problems led to broadside designs being superseded by designs that gave greater all @-@ round fire , which included central @-@ battery , turret , and barbette designs .