In order to provide additional flexibility in future power systems, it could be beneficial to connect existing point-to-point highvoltage direct-current (HVDC) systems at the DC-side into a multiterminal network. Such a network would allow increased operational flexibility, continued operation in case of maintenance, and could reduce the end-to-end losses in the overall system. The protection of such a system, however, poses interesting challenges with constraints which differ slightly from typical HVDC grid protection studies. This paper focuses on the trade-offs surrounding the backup protection strategy following failure of a DC circuit breaker in the primary protection role. For this particular application, where a control retrofit should be avoided, the focus is on enabling quicker recovery rather than attempting to maintain continuous operation on a charged and healthy network. Therefore, the functional requirements on the backup switchgear are in some respects reduced compared to that required for primary protection. The benefits of reduced voltage switchgear for this backup protection application are therefore investigated.