Chapter 258 Tomorrow!

In the temporary office of Krabi Port, Chen Ping pinched the tip of his nose hard at the few pieces of information he had just received.

Fuji, Hachishima, Shikishima, Hatsuse, Mikasa, Chao said.

Six all-British battleships, of which Toyama and Yashima were ordered before the First Sino-Japanese War, so they completely imitated the equipment of the Arctic star battleships, and the weapons and firepower were not much different. However, due to the later construction, there were slight improvements in airworthiness surnames and s.

As for the last four ships, they have been completely built in accordance with the standard of ordering two ships from Britain by the young master, and have completely suppressed the standards of the North Star and even the battleships of various countries in the next five years. Among them, Mikasa and Chaoyu are even the two ships ordered by the Pacific Fleet.

The displacement of 16,000 tons is a little larger than that of 15,400 tons of the Duke class. Four L40/305mm first-class main guns, eight L40/203mm second-class main guns, twelve L45/152mm profile secondary guns, plus six 76mm rapid-fire guns, and 12 40 millimeters. The rice machine gun, in addition to the second-level auxiliary gun barrel is a little shorter than the Duke level due to recoil problems, it is much more than the Duke level in terms of the number of artillery.

And I said that I was obviously very good at learning. The useless torpedo tubes of battleships were cancelled in the Pacific Fleet, and they also made corresponding adjustments.

Four heavy patrols, Asama, Changpan, My Wife and Bayun, are all new large armored cruisers of more than 8,000 tons, and the two British ships in front of them are more than 9,000 tons.

Even if the displacement of the latter two ships built by France is only 8,500 tons, because the French ingeniously installed two double L40/250mm naval guns for the two ships, the power is even greater than that of the first two ships. If it hadn't been for the young master who made a triple mount and greatly reduced the recoil, the updated L45/203mm naval gun, I'm afraid I can't even find a matching warship in my hand.

The remaining four light patrols and twelve destroyers are also very dangerous, especially the twelve destroyers I call the Lei-class and Congyun-class. Although the largest displacement is only 400 tons, the speed can reach 30 knots. Once they break into the battleship and heavy patrol, it will be a disaster!

Coupled with the Samo, Anyun and Izumo trapped in the Tokyo Bay, the two battleships and two heavy cruisers of the Pante, as many as eight battleships and six heavy patrols were made under the crazy ship-building plan. If it hadn't been for the Jinghai class to be quietly in service, I'm afraid that the total tonnage would have surpass itself!

It's not easy to play, it's really not easy to play!

If it hadn't been for the young master's plan to occupy Luzon first, force the Japanese to take a detour after arriving in the Andaman Sea, and lengthen their way back to China infinitely. According to the previous deduction of the staff, to destroy the Japanese capital ships, at least five capital ships would have to pay the price of sinking and several heavy hits!

This heavy cost is difficult for the Pacific Fleet to bear. To put it bluntly, although countries hate the rise of the Pacific Fleet, they are not willing to participate directly in the war. It is because everyone knows that the Pacific Fleet has to face huge losses to be strorn, so the United Kingdom and the United States died to help the same ship. At that time, I pretended to stand by and watch, that is, I was ready to wait until the two families were almost ready to pick peaches.

If more than five capital ships are lost at once, I'm afraid that the United States and the United Kingdom will immediately rush over and bite a few times, not to mention the German fleet that has arrived in Penghu at this moment.

Therefore, in addition to eliminating the Japanese fleet, this battle also needs to reduce its own casualties as much as possible. It is difficult to achieve this tactic of the best of both worlds. Fortunately, the young master put forward a plan that still makes him feel bold.

Seize Luzon, force the returning fleet to change its route, take advantage of the information and intelligence advantages of the fleet fully equipped with the radio, and set up three blocking lines with the Jinghai-level foresight!

The first way is to use the speed of the Jinghai class and a large number of small-caliber main guns to disturb along the way, so that the Japanese fleet is exhausted to deal with it, while killing those extremely fast small warships as much as possible.

The second is to take advantage of the obstruction and delay of the four Jinghai ships to force the returning fleet to enter the pre-selected ambush circle, mainly eight heavy patrols and two battleships, and destroy several of its capital ships.

The third line is the remaining four battleships led by Long Guozhang off the coast of Tokyo, but these three sniper lines do not guarantee the full annihibition of the main ships, because the four main ships in Tokyo Bay will definitely come to help.

However, this is already in the young master's calculation. Who would have thought that he planned to get some trophy for the fleet from the beginning to alleviate the reality of the fleet's aging!

When the few warships left in Japan return to Yokosuka, then! Thinking of this, Chen Ping smiled mysteriously. Qin Shou and Xue Muhua should be ready, right?!

"Report, Lushun telegram, the first battalion of the first regiment of the second division of my predecessor has crossed the Yalu River at 9:00 a.m. today, and has not encountered too strong resistance."

"At present, the construction of the pontoon bridge has begun. Chief Chen said that the construction can be completed before midnight tonight."

"In addition, the Guam radio station received the signal of the Tingfeng ten minutes ago. Tingfeng reported that they were separated after being shelled by the Japanese fleet in the Little Suta Islands. At present, they have been followed by the typhoon."

The fight in Yizhou did not surprise Chen Ping. This was originally part of the plan. He just listened to the news of the wind, but he suddenly stood up and walked into the sea map of the temporary headquarters next door. His fingers quickly found the small group east of Java Island, between the Indian Ocean and the Timor Sea. The island.

"Where are the other reconnaissance ships?"

"The Typhoon is following, and the Tingfeng has retreated to the left wing for 40 nautical miles away. The Agnit is on standby in the Alafra Sea, and the Hurricane and Shunfeng have entered the Coral Sea."

Chen Ping nodded. For this mission, the Admiralty secretly built five thousand-ton reconnaissance ships, the Tingfeng class, more than a year ago, so after hearing the report, he was too worried that the Tingfeng would be in danger. Although the Tingfeng class was only a reconnaissance ship, the firepower was only one 105 gun and two 37 mm speed. The gun, but it is the first warship equipped with steam turbines, even a month earlier than the Jinghai class.

A more economical coal-fired boiler was used, but the speed still reached an amazing 30 knots, and the endurance reached 3,000 nautical miles. When the water was launched and test, Long Guozhang almost hugged the two of them. If it hadn't been for another plan, he would have pestered the young master to replace all the destroyers with steam turbines!

So as long as you listen to the wind and want to run, any Japanese warship can't catch up with it, but there are many islands with complex hydrological on the way. If you can't keep an eye on it and let the other party run away, you will have a headache.

Fortunately, the typhoon has been posted, but the question is what does Yamamoto Quan Bingwei want to do? Why did you shell the reconnaissance ship at this time? Did he get impatient after listening to the surveillance of the wind? Or does he want to cover up something?

Staring at the position of the Little Suda Islands, Chen Ping's eyes flashed coldly. In front of him was the Malugu Islands. Down in a straight line, it was Mindanao Island!

Chen Pingmei's heart beat twice, pulled out a cigarette and shook his head. Although this road can threaten Mindanao Island, it can even threaten the whole Luzon. The sea area is too broken. Once it is bitten by the Pacific Fleet, it can't run away.

So, "It shouldn't be this road!" Chen Ping extinguished the cigarette butt fiercely and asked, "Where is the fleet?"

"The First Light Patrol has arrived in the Caroling Islands and has contacted the protective marines there."

"The second patrol team is also about to arrive."

"The third battleship and heavy patrol have arrived in the Palau Islands." When the staff officer saw Chen Ping's eyes staring at the Malugu Islands, he was also a little anxious and asked, "Chief of Staff, do you want the third formation to retreat first?"

"No!" Chen Ping waved his hand affirmatively: "If Yamamoto was so bold, he would not have been scared by our six capital ships to take a detour."

"The plan remains unchanged!"

"Tell Le Fei to destroy the Japanese destroyer formation as much as possible!"

"Yes!" --

Chen Ping guessed it really well. The reason why the Tingfeng was shelled was not that Yamamoto was ready to escape or surprise attack Mindanao, but that the sailors on the patrol ship Azuma were too nervous. When they saw the dark Tingfeng, they thought it would bring the Pacific Fleet, so the shelling incident occurred.

Although several days have passed, the scene still asked for leave. John Fisher, who insisted on watching the battle in person, frowned, and accompanied him and brought a cruiser to the Far East Fleet commander Phillyteman, who converged with Fisher in the Port of Blair to prepare to watch the battle, also shook his head and smiled bitterly a few years ago. Compared with the Japanese fleet visited, although this new fleet has more warships and more powerful, the quality of its soldiers is really worrying.

In order to separate from the Japanese fleet, the cruiser flying the British flag has been following ten nautical miles away from the Japanese fleet. In addition to it, France, Germany and the United States have also sent a cruiser. Even countries that have not sent warships have stuffed their officers into the four cruisers through diplomatic efforts. Everyone wants to see with their own eyes what the largest naval decisive battle since the ironclad ship will look like.

"It's back again."

Phillipman put down his telescope and handed it to John Fisher beside him. He pointed to the small dark warship in the distance and said, "John, how many do you think they have?"

John Fisher has already seen the strangeness. Although every time such a small warship of more than 1,000 tons appears, it looks the same, all over the body is dark without any logo, but in fact, everyone knows whose warship it is.

From their perspective, they all know that even if more than a thousand tons of warships are full of coal, they can't run so far, so the other party must have adopted the method of relay to follow, and the small black warship must have other partners.

It's just that no one is worried about their appearance, except for the nervous person himself, because everyone knows that even if the small black warship followed all the way back to Japan, it could not send the latest news back. This is at sea, and it is also in the southwest Pacific Ocean with dense islands. There is no telegram to use at all. Even if they can run a speed of 100 knots, they will come here with the main fleet when they send the news back. I'm afraid that the fleet has been thousands of miles away.

Fisher took the telescope and looked at the vertical "iron wires" on the high front and rear masts of the small warship in the camera. Somehow, he always felt a little strange in his heart, but he searched his intestines for a long time these days and didn't figure out what it was.

"Lightning needle?" Fisher shook his head. The mast needed a lightning rod, but it didn't need so much.

Giving up his groundless thinking, Fisher returned the telescope to the guard behind him, looked at the German cruiser next to him, and asked, "Who did the madman William II send?"

"A lieutenant colonel named Ferrantz von Persie heard that he had brought 30 major officers to carry out the cooperation plan between Germany and the Pacific Fleet. If Limer wins, these naval officers will enter the Pacific Fleet for an internship."

After listening to Felitman's words, Fisher, who had long been extremely disgusted with the new German Navy Bill, turned pale and scolded without grace: "Obviously, William II and Li Mo have a very big thing in common. They are both crazy!"

Fisher scolded a few times before turning his head and asking, "Mr. Felitman, do you think Li Mo will wait there?"

Philletman took a breath. From the Yellow Sea Battle, from the Tsushima Strait, the Pacific Fleet chose an ambush in both naval battles. The first one took advantage of the Japanese fleet's eagerness to go home, and the second time, through a series of successful plans to lure the enemy, tricked the Russians into the ambush circle and was finally annihirated.

At this time, Li Mo's combat plan has been initially clear. His choice was to take the lead in fighting in Spain before the war, and sent six capital ships to solve the Spanish Far East Fleet with a powerful firepower advantage, blocking the Strait of Malacca, just to lengthen the way for the return of the fleet. Consume my confidence as much as possible and make them tired.

They even believe that the two fleets had carried out a long-distance race across the island of Sumatra and Java before, but the main force of the Pacific Fleet at this moment turned around and entered the Philippine Sea, or continued to chase to Guinea Island in the east?

Where are the four mysterious warships and the four Russian warships that completely disappeared from sight after modification hiding? Where is the ambush point this time?

Filtman quickly walked to the chart, looked at the messy southwest Pacific Ocean, and shook his head with a wry smile. Judging from the chart, this sea is the best place for an ambush. It has many small islands and broken waterways, which is very conducive to covering the surprise attack of the fleet.

But this is also the most difficult ambush point. The complex hydrological situation and the environment of the islands, coupled with the lack of communication means such as telegraph, the fleet cannot be positioned at all in such a vast range, so.

Felitman stared at a place closer to the Japanese book and pointed a little.

"Ogasawara Islands?"

"Yes."

Filitman nodded: "After the Ogasawara Islands were bought by Li Mo, they have been in a highly closed place. It is almost difficult for the outside world to understand the situation inside, so it is the best hiding place. I believe their eight disappeared warships are waiting there."

"Judging from the previous tactical operations, the Pacific Fleet has always maintained four capital ships to block the Uraga waterway, and now it is strengthened for four battleships, which is afraid of preventing the Japanese fleet from rushing out of the waterway to meet."

"From these actions, I think they will be ambushed near the site of Japan, and the sea near the Ogasawara Islands is the only unavoidable section of the fleet on the way back to the fleet, unless they are willing to go straight to Ryukyu!"

Of course, it is impossible to go straight to Ryukyu. Although Li Mo's main fleet has come out, it does not mean that Ryukyu is so easy to bully. Hundreds of large-caliber shore guns, a large number of small torpedo boats and mines are blocked, enough to submerge the whole inexperienced Japanese fleet!

What's more, this is the most experienced fleet of ironclad ships in the world. I believe they will never let this happen. In the case of insufficient technical means of offshore interception, choosing offshore interception is definitely the best means.

But will the Pacific Fleet really choose the Ogasawara Islands?

Fisher moved the corners of his mouth, and the captain's voice came behind him before he could make a sound: "General, we have entered the Solomon Sea, and it is said that this warship has also begun to add coal. It is expected that it can cross the New Britain Island tomorrow morning." -

Pass through New Britain early tomorrow morning!

Le Fei slowly put down the information about the movement of the Japanese fleet from the bulgo and raised his head. The sky outside was already full of stars.

Beside them, the Cossacks and Dragic, who have completed the mission of protecting the Marines and robbing the islands, have joined the formation. They will undertake the long-distance attack with four Jinghai ships.

The fleet is not fast, only maintaining a medium speed of 16 knots. It's not that Lefei doesn't know how fast these six ships can run, but that he must accumulate strength to make all preparations for the upcoming naval battle.

This is not the Honolulu test ship that can be tossed at will. From the gun to the power, from the observation to the subsystems inside the ship, this is a brand-new warship. Although it has performed perfectly in a few months of tests and has done a comprehensive maintenance not long ago, it is not the time to toss around.

Although the speed was not fast, the whirring sea breeze continued to pour into the bridge along the porthole, blowing away the heat of the day with the cool sea breeze, and also made it seem to give wings to the silent fleet.

Ten capital ships and 16 auxiliary warships are enough to make any captain of the Pacific Fleet drool, but Lefei is also very clear that it is unrealistic to destroy the opponent's battleships and heavy cruisers with the ability of the Jinghai class. Although the new 152mm naval gun has greatly improved its power, it has not reached 10,000 meters to penetrate ten owners. The ability of force ship armor.

If the distance is close to seven kilometers, it will also be heavily shelled by the opponent. Although the hull is huge and the displacement is nearly 10,000 tons, the Jinghai class is not enough to be able to withstand a few 305mm heavy bullets without changing its color.

So he focused on 19 auxiliary warships, four Japanese light cruisers, 12 destroyers and three supply ships, none of which could withstand the indiscriminate bombing of 48 152mm guns and 24 130mm guns!

Of course, he did not forget the four warships that came to watch the battle, and there was a rare smile on the corners of his mouth.

Tomorrow!

All the fog will be revealed. He believes that the whole world will be shocked by the rush of Jinghai ship wind! Those great powers will find that the naval battle mode they adhere to has completely collapsed, and the maritime interception has entered a new era!

With the use of new technologies such as radio, steam turbines and fueling, and with the range of new naval guns getting farther and farther, the fleet has developed from offshore decisive battles to far-sea tactical interception, extending from less than five kilometers of artillery battles to 10,000 meters away.

He believes that the whole world will be scalded by this storm of speed and distance. When they lower their heads and carefully study the naval battle with a magnifying glass, they will find that the Pacific Fleet has quietly stood on the top of this era!

"Light off!"

Le Fei raised his wrist and looked at his watch and gave today's last order. Five minutes later, all the light sources in the six warships that would affect rest were extinguished. Except for the staff on duty, everyone was ordered to climb into bed. No matter if you can't sleep, you must close your eyes!

Everything is for tomorrow!

(to be continued)