At the magnitude of over voltages, a lot of what happes with lightning staying "in line" throug a conductor seem to be both a function of the basic installation, the attractive alternate ground sources, and luck.

I think a lot of damage comes from minor hits (not the ones of a photographic event of lightning at the top of Empire State or Handcock Towers, etc.).

The dispation of those minor hits, is just as important to keeping your electronics and electrical wiring system intact. I believe that if you get into middle of a circuit of a maor cloud-sea strike, the a lot of things unexpectedly might happen.

The key to redirecting is probably as much affected by they connectors (and corrosion there) as the wire sizes themselves.