==Conception section== 
 "Antiquity" is vague and we don't have to refer all the way back to the stone age to make the point. Like you have, I prefer to use actual (but not specific) examples, so I'll be restoring the Viking statement: It's a good intro' sentence for the section, it's definitive enough and adds color to the section, while we can keep the important points you've introduced regarding practicality of heavy iron armor per steam power. Also, do we need more than two modern examples? The Vikings example refers to no particular ship or war, as this is the Monitor article. I thought mentioning the French experimenting with Armor during the Napoleonic era (not a particular war or battle) was specific enough.  We need to trim one or both of the specific war and battle examples with specific dates and links. i.e.Your British referral is good.