Twenty minutes later, Ajax and Achilles turned to starboard to bring all their guns to bear, causing Graf Spee to turn away and lay a smoke screen. At 07:10, the two light cruisers turned to reduce the range from even though that meant that only their forward guns could fire. At 07:16, Graf Spee turned to port and headed straight for the badly-damaged Exeter, but fire from Ajax and Achilles forced her at 07:20 to turn and fire her guns at them, while they turned to starboard to bring all their guns to bear. Ajax turned to starboard at 07:24 and fired her torpedoes at a range of , causing Graf Spee to turn away under a smoke screen. At 07:25, Ajax was hit by a shell that put "X" turret out of action and jammed "Y" turret, causing some casualties. By 07:40, Ajax and Achilles were running low on resources, and the British decided to change tactics and move to the east under a smokescreen. Harwood decided to shadow Graf Spee and try to attack at night, when he could attack with torpedoes, better use his advantages of speed and manoeuvrability and minimise his deficiencies in armour. Ajax was again hit by a shell that destroyed her mast and caused more casualties. Graf Spee continued to the south-west.
twenty minutes later ajax and achilles turned to starboard to bring all their guns to bear causing graf spee to turn away and lay a smoke screen at 0710 the two light cruisers turned to reduce the range from even though that meant that only their forward guns could fire at 0716 graf spee turned to port and headed straight for the badly-damaged exeter but fire from ajax and achilles forced her at 0720 to turn and fire her guns at them while they turned to starboard to bring all their guns to bear ajax turned to starboard at 0724 and fired her torpedoes at a range of  causing graf spee to turn away under a smoke screen at 0725 ajax was hit by a shell that put "x" turret out of action and jammed "y" turret causing some casualties by 0740 ajax and achilles were running low on resources and the british decided to change tactics and move to the east under a smokescreen harwood decided to shadow graf spee and try to attack at night when he could attack with torpedoes better use his advantages of speed and manoeuvrability and minimise his deficiencies in armour ajax was again hit by a shell that destroyed her mast and caused more casualties graf spee continued to the south-west