The ships of the Pirate Kingdom are basically small paddle boats of the same standard, which can accommodate twenty to fifty people. Before Ella was captured to the pirate kingdom, these ships were only used to transport troops. Except for the bows and arrows in the hands of the pirates, the ships themselves were not equipped with any weapons for naval battles.
In order to resist Ragnar's attack, Ayla equipped these ships with sea fire and defeated Halfdan's navy in the narrow strait. Since then, the ships of the Pirate Kingdom have been equipped with some weapons suitable for naval battles.
Ella has nearly 600 such paddle boats in her hands, and most of them are equipped with ballistae specially prepared for these ships, which can be used to destroy the hulls of enemy ships. Among them, another hundred ships were equipped to see Ocean Fire. In addition, Ayla had transferred all the archers into the navy a few days ago to ensure the firepower of the naval battle.
These ships have all been deployed on the sea by Ella, ready to fight against the navy of the Republic of Liguria.
"It's my fault." Ella stood on the deck of the flying Zealander, feeling annoyed. "I should have ordered the storming of Azov a few days earlier."
Amy looked at Ella worriedly: "Your Majesty, how sure are you of this naval battle?"
Ella looked at the approaching Ligurian navy. Their size is much smaller than Aila's navy, with an initial estimate of about one hundred and fifty ships, but each ship is overall larger than the ships of the Pirate Kingdom.
"Ships are like fortresses. The so-called naval battle is to kill the people in the enemy's fortress under the cover of the fortress, or directly destroy the fortress itself." Aila said, "Technically, we are at an absolute disadvantage, and our weapons and equipment are slightly weaker. , but the performance of the ships should give us an advantage, and the size of the navy gives us an absolute advantage. The overall winning rate... I can only say that it is around 50%."
"Huh? Fifty percent? Does that mean we are evenly matched?" Amy was surprised. "Your Majesty has been so worried these days. I thought we were at a huge disadvantage."
"'Victorious soldiers win first and then seek battle, defeated soldiers fight first and then seek victory' - this is the discussion of the Soldier Saint." Ella nervously watched every move of the enemy in the distance, "50% victory rate... I hate this. battle."
At the same time, the same voice sounded from the flagship of the Republic of Liguria Navy:
"The victorious soldiers win first and then seek battle, and the defeated soldiers fight first and then seek victory. Ansaldo, what do you think our winning rate is this time?"
The speaker was Andrea, and he used this question to test a young general who was following him.
Ansaldo laughed heartily and said: "Marshal, give me three ships. I will test the opponent's strength and come back to answer your questions."
Andrea nodded with satisfaction. Ansaldo's answer suited him quite well.
"What you said is very good. No matter how confident you are in your own strength, don't forget to understand your opponent. Just as you said, use three ships to test the opponent. You will command one of them."
"Only one?" Ansaldo suddenly became anxious, "Then who will be the commander-in-chief? Marshal, I don't want to be called around by other generals..."
Andrea smiled and pointed at her nose: "Let him be the commander-in-chief. Why, don't you want to?"
Ansaldo was stunned for a moment: "Marshal, do you want to do the investigation yourself?"
"See that big ship?"
Andrea pointed to the Flying Zealander in the distance.
The largest battleship under Andrea's command is the one he is currently riding on. This is a three-layer paddle-sail battleship that requires 170 sailors to operate and can also carry 60 soldiers. But even this ship still looks dwarfed by the Flying Zealander. Compared with the "Flying Zealander", the remaining battleships are like little strawberries decorated around a three-layer cake.
"For what reason did the enemy pull such a large ship across the prairie? What kind of mystery does this large ship hold? The soul of the sea is calling me, forcing me to get closer and observe."
Ansaldo nodded understandingly and did not stop Andrea. It’s no secret that Andrea loves everything about boats. More importantly, no one thought that Andrea would be in danger - even if he planned to approach with only three ships for reconnaissance.
Under the command of Andrea, his fleet separated into three light generals. He himself sat in one of the boats and led the three boats closer to Ella's navy. This should be an extremely dangerous act, but Andrea, Ansaldo, and the other sailors on the three ships all seemed calm and composed.
As the navy continued to approach Ella, the shape of the "Flying Zealander" became more and more clear in Andrea's eyes.
"Is it actually a five-layer oar? If the sails are taken away, at least three hundred rowers will be needed to drive it, right? Its cabin looks like it can hold fifteen hundred people... In this case, even if cattle are raised inside, Sheep are no wonder either. How much manpower, material, and financial resources are needed to build such a big ship?"
The navy likes bigger ships, just as fish like wider seas. Andrea seemed to have forgotten that he was on the battlefield and looked straight at the "Flying Zealander", fascinated.
"If I own such a ship, I will have the opportunity to go to the ocean and explore the edges of the world... Ah, Pirate Kingdom, are you really qualified to own this ship?"
A loud noise drew him back to the battlefield. It was the trebuchet mounted on the "Flying Zealander" that was throwing stone projectiles at them. The sea water rolled under the impact of this round of stone bullets, violently shaking the boat Andrea was riding in.
"There is actually a trebuchet on the ship? And this power... is not a low-power version specialized in naval warfare, but a trebuchet directly used for siege? Isn't the Pirate Kingdom afraid of the ship rolling over?"
The flying Zealander still floated steadily on the sea. The recoil of the trebuchet failed to move it in the slightest.
Andrea looked at the "Flying Sealander" and couldn't help but stretched out her hand——
"Ansaldo, do you know who I am thinking of... It's the Seven Hills Empire, the powerful Seven Hills Empire in my dream!"
"Marshal! The Seven Hills Empire is no longer what it used to be!" Ansaldo reminded on another ship, "I heard that even the parliament is discussing the need to sever the affiliation with the Seven Hills Empire!"
"Yeah, it can't be the Qiqiu Empire... But the light of civilization emitted from this ship reminds me of it! Come closer!" Andrea ordered with some excitement, "Let me Look carefully!"
"Marshal, we can't move forward!" Ansaldo reminded on another ship, "The enemy ship is coming towards us!"
Only then did Andrea notice that about twenty ships from the Pirate Kingdom were heading towards his ship. He knocked the crook in his hand to the deck with half interest: "Okay, turn around and drive back. Control the speed and don't throw the opponent too far!"
