original_query: What was the design of the Ekaterina II class battleships?
query: What was the design of the Ekaterina II class battleships?
answer: The Ekaterina II class battleships had an unusual design with main guns on three barbettes arranged in a triangle around a central armored redoubt (two forward, one aft). This maximized firepower forward, particularly useful in the narrow waters of the Bosphorus and during ramming.  Their design evolved during construction, with changes to armor layout and the type of guns used.