NABC Chapter 1032 1032: This Is a Trap
Chapter 1032 1032: This Is a Trap
Sorry for only one chapter today, I'm late!
...
Admiral Freddie didn't take those black dots seriously, thinking they were German seaplanes coming to reinforce.
The more important thing was that the fierce battle on the sea had already begun.
The British warships were grouped in sets of 4 to 6, selecting their respective targets and opening fire. The sound of guns was incessant, with smoke drifting everywhere in the air.
(Note: Those grouped are usually ships of the same class, or at least with similar or nearly identical gun models, which is the only way to achieve more accurate firing data with the aforementioned tactics.)
The German fleet's foremost ship, the "Bavaria," was hit by two shells but continued moving forward as if nothing happened.
The "Bavaria" class, as the Germans' most advanced super dreadnought, has a main armor 350 mm thick, 20 mm thicker than the British Army's most powerful battleship, the "Queen Elizabeth" class.
Under this protection, even being hit by medium or small caliber naval gun shells is like a scratch.
Before long, the German fleet suddenly sent out a group of "Thunder Strike Ships," probably more than thirty. They launched high speed operations on both sides of the formation, accelerating towards the British fleet.
Admiral Freddie only laughed lightly when he saw this scene.
An old tactic, as the Germans were always unable to gain advantageous positions, so they always dispatched "Thunder Strike Ships" pinning their hopes on torpedoes for victory.
"Change course," ordered Admiral Freddie.
Under his command, the British fleet spread out like window blinds, presenting their sterns to the German "Thunder Strike Ships," moving while firing.
Previously, Admiral Freddie would have ordered the fleet to move in the same direction as the enemy.
At that time, the British had a numerical advantage and did not fear close combat; in fact, the British firing control system was slightly inferior to the Germans', and close combat increased accuracy, providing some advantages.
But now, without a numerical advantage, Admiral Freddie adopted a more conservative approach: maintaining distance and hitting while moving. As long as the British fleet held advantageous "T" positions, they would remain invincible.
"Boom boom."
"Boom boom boom!"
...
A series of shells fell around the battleship "Barham," kicking up splashes of water several dozen meters away, with some waves even rushing into the bridge.
It puzzled Admiral Freddie as to how the Germans could still retaliate under such disadvantageous positions, and with such concentrated firepower.
He walked out of the bridge, climbed the lookout tower, and raised his binoculars to look back, revealing two German super dreadnoughts pursuing relentlessly from behind.
These two super dreadnoughts ignored the shells aimed at them, chasing after the "Barham" while firing.
Admiral Freddie understood; the British North Sea Fleet had only one "Queen Elizabeth" class battleship, the "Barham," making it easy for the Germans to guess that it was the flagship.
Hence, they aimed to "capture the king to catch the thief."
As long as the "Barham" was damaged or sunk, the British fleet would lose command and morale would plummet.
"Nice idea," Admiral Freddie thought as he put away the binoculars, but his eyes carried a mocking look: "But they seem to have forgotten they can't catch the 'Barham.'"
The "Queen Elizabeth" class battleship's designed speed was 24 knots, an actual speed of 25 knots, and even 26 knots at full power.
The German "Bavaria" actually had a speed of only 22 knots.
Admiral Freddie ordered without hesitation: "Full speed ahead!"
"Full speed ahead!"
"Full speed ahead!"
...
Soon, the "Barham" would escape the range of the "Bavaria" class, easily thwarting the German plan to "capture the king to catch the thief."
Yet Admiral Freddie failed to notice that by ordering full speed ahead, the "Barham" left its own fleet behind, becoming a conspicuous "lone ship."
...
Across from him, Admiral Scheer, on the "Bavaria," wobbling under gunfire, saw the "Barham" accelerate, and a sly smile appeared on his lips.
"Got you, you bastard!" Admiral Scheer said, and then loudly ordered: "Full speed ahead, maintain fire!"
"Boom!" A shell hit the ship, sending out a flash of fire on board, with several soldiers screaming under the shrapnel.
But Admiral Scheer was unmoved.
Everything was worth it, he thought; the British would soon know the price they would have to pay.
...
In the air, Major Condra and his torpedo plane squadron arrived at the battlefield just in time.
This was an elite attack squad personally formed by Admiral Scheer, consisting of 24 "UWD" seaplanes.
Each of these seaplanes carried one torpedo, and the pilots were selected from the cream of the crop and underwent rigorous training. To enrich their combat experience, Admiral Scheer even used merchant ships as practice targets during their exercises.
All this was for today, Major Condra thought, for delivering a lethal blow to the enemy in battle.
The target was clear, the "Queen Elizabeth" class; Major Condra even had a picture of the battleship taped above his head.
If it were mixed with other warships, finding it would be difficult.
Sinking it would be even harder, as other ships would block its flanks, making torpedoes easy to miss.
But now.
The target was right there, solitary, surrounded by splashes raised by shells, making it unmistakable.
Major Condra raised his hand and waved to the sides, and immediately four torpedo planes lowered their altitude, approaching the side of the "Barham."
...
"Barham."
Admiral Freddie took out his pocket watch, checking the time it would take to escape the "Bavaria" range.
The outcome was decided. In ten minutes, the "Bavaria" would have almost no chance of hitting.
Then it would be time for the German fleet to suffer a severe counterattack.
The "Bavaria" couldn't escape, nor could the other two; they would be surrounded by British warships, the hulls riddled with holes, finally being sunk by torpedoes from destroyers into the cold sea.
But at this moment, the panicked shout of a lookout came from above: "Planes, torpedo planes!"
"Torpedo planes?" Admiral Freddie was stunned; the Germans had torpedo planes too?
Admiral Freddie indeed knew that German "torpedo planes" had participating precedence.
But the German "torpedo planes" were few and slow, and British seaplanes could shoot them down, so the British had never taken them seriously.
(Note: German "UWD" seaplanes had speeds between 110 and 120 kilometers per hour.)
Admiral Freddie stepped out of the command cabin, looking up to see over 20 seaplanes, each carrying a torpedo conspicuously shining in the sunlight.
Admiral Freddie looked at the formation he had left far behind, his face turning pale: "Damn it, it's a trap!"