propelled at a velocity of . A 277-lb 'light' shell had a maximum range of when fired at an elevation of 15° with smokeless powder. The rate of fire was one round every minute or two. The eight Model 1877 35-caliber guns were mounted on broadside pivot mounts. Four were fitted between the 9-inch guns and had could traverse a total of 100°. The others were mounted at each end of the ship where they could fire directly ahead or astern. Each gun had an arc of fire of 130°. The guns could elevate to a maximum of 12° and depress 8°. They fired a 'heavy' shell that weighed at a velocity of or a 'light' shell that weighed with a muzzle velocity of . A 'light' shell had a maximum range of when fired at an elevation of 12°. They could fire one round per minute. The ten Hotchkiss revolving cannon were mounted in hull embrasures of the ship, between the nine and six-inch guns to defend against torpedo boats. They fired a shell at a muzzle velocity of at a rate of 30 rounds per minute to a range of . Four Hotchkiss revolving cannon were mounted in each fighting top. They fired a shell at a muzzle velocity of at a rate of 32 rounds per minute to a range of . Imperator Aleksandr II carried five above-water torpedo tubes, two in the bow, two broadside tubes that could traverse 70° and a tube in the stern. Smaller torpedo tubes could be mounted in four of the ship's cutters. 36 mines could be carried. Imperator Nikolai I had six torpedo tubes were that were arranged differently. Only one was in the bow, four were on the broadside, two forward and aft, and the usual stern tube. Protection Compound armor was used throughout the Imperator Aleksandr II-class ships. The main waterline belt had a maximum thickness of abreast the machinery spaces and was high on Imperator Aleksandr II. of this was supposed to extend above the waterline at design displacement, but only was actually above the waterline as actually completed. The belt tapered to at the lower edge and thinned in stages. It was 12 inches thick abreast the magazines and thinned down to at the bow and at the stern. It was backed by of wood. The configuration of the waterline belt in Imperator Nikolai I differed