addition to the shell, each gun chambered a fore propellant charge in a silk bag and a main charge in a brass case. The guns fired the shells at a muzzle velocity of . The guns were hand-rammed, which required the barrels to be returned to 0 degrees elevation for reloading. Training and elevation was controlled hydraulically. carried a similar secondary battery to the preceding -class design. She mounted twelve SK L/45 quick-firing guns in single casemates along the center of the ship. These guns fired armor-piercing shells at a rate of 4 to 5 per minute. The guns could depress to −7 degrees and elevate to 20 degrees, for a maximum range of , and after the 1916 refit, the range was extended to . The shells weighed and were fired at a muzzle velocity of . The guns were manually elevated and trained. For defense against torpedo boats, the ship was also armed with twelve SK L/45 quick-firing guns, which were mounted in casemates as well. These guns fired at a muzzle velocity of 590 mps (1,936 fps). Their rate of fire was approximately 15 shells per minute; the guns could engage targets out to . The gun mounts were manually operated. Two of these guns were removed in 1916 and replaced with high-angle 8.8 cm Flak L/45 anti-aircraft guns. As was customary for all German capital ships of the time, was equipped with four submerged torpedo tubes. The ship mounted one tube in the bow, one in the stern, and one was on each side of the vessel. The weapons were in diameter, and a total of eleven torpedoes were stored. She was initially equipped with the G6 version, which carried a warhead and could be set at two speeds for different ranges. At , the torpedoes could reach and at , the range fell to . These were replaced beginning in 1913 by the G7 type, which carried a warhead. Their range increased significantly, to at 27 knots and at . Armor As was standard for German warships of the period, used Krupp cemented and nickel steel for her armor plating. The ship had an armored belt that was thick at its strongest area in the citadel, and tapered down to in the bow and stern. The main belt was reinforced by a torpedo bulkhead that was thick. The forward conning tower had of armor on