"Don't push the other person too far."
This was an order given by Andrea to test the performance of enemy ships. However, it turns out that this last half sentence is not necessary at all. The ships of the Pirate Kingdom approached Andrea at an alarming speed, so much so that Andrea ordered the fleet to move forward at full speed, and the distance between the two sides continued to shorten.
"This terrifying speed... is thirteen knots, no, is it even fifteen knots?"
Depending on the size and model, the Ligurian Republic's ship speed fluctuates around eight to ten knots. The speed of fifteen knots was far beyond Andrea's knowledge.
This made Andrea become a little more serious, raised the crutch and waved it left and right. So, the three ships spread out and sailed in three directions. Seeing this, the Pirate Kingdom's ship also divided into three parts and pursued them in three directions.
Due to the difference in speed, the two sides were getting closer and closer. And this also allowed Andrea to have a clearer view of the Pirate Kingdom ships.
"As I expected, the draft is very shallow. Leading into shallows doesn't seem to work."
Andrea made the ship he was on make a ninety-degree turn. The ships of the Pirate Kingdom followed awkwardly, drawing a much larger arc on the sea.
"I'm not a novice seaman, but I don't seem to have fought any naval battles, and my movements are very clumsy. But the arc is smaller than I thought. Is it because the ship's maneuvering performance is good?"
Andrea directed his ships to continuously make large turns to disrupt the pace of the pirate kingdom.
As if it had been rehearsed many times in advance, it didn't take long for the three ships that had dispersed to gather together again. However, the pursuers of the Pirate Kingdom were no closer to them than before they separated.
During this period of chasing, Andrea's large army was slowly approaching. The ships sent out to chase Andrea were already closer to Andrea's fleet than to Ella's fleet.
"The situation is not right!" Ella ordered hurriedly, "Let our ship come back immediately!"
The ships of the Pirate Kingdom hurriedly turned around and turned back, while Andrea returned to his fleet leisurely.
"Marshal, I'm really surprised." Ansaldo said, "The shipbuilding technology of the Pirate Kingdom seems to have far surpassed ours, which makes me feel like a frog in the well!"
Andrea asked calmly: "So, what do you think our winning rate is now?"
Ansaldo lowered his head and thought for a while: "About 50%."
"Fifty percent? Are you sure?"
"If there is a total of 100%." Ansador replied cautiously, "They should indeed have a 50% chance of winning... No, maybe 60%."
Andrea nodded: "I have the same view, so prepare to attack."
Andrea raised his hand, and a dozen soldiers behind him took out a special wind instrument. The musical instrument was made up of two wooden pipes arranged in a V shape. The soldiers put the two pipes into their mouths at the same time. As they slowly exhaled the air in their stomachs, the long music slid across the sea. reached the ears of soldiers on both sides.
"Is this... the sound of the Avros pipe?"
The aphros pipe is a traditional musical instrument of the Seven Hills Empire. The quiet music was like the pattering of rain, tapping Ella's heart lightly, reminding Ella of the ripples that rippled in the Golden Horn on a rainy day.
"Is there anyone on the other side who is missing the Qiqiu Empire?"
Ella felt a little wet at the corners of her eyes. But before she could wipe away her tears, the music suddenly became sharp and rapid, and the sound of rain turned into a flood that broke through her guard and rushed towards Ella!
Amy shouted from the side: "Your Majesty! The fleet of the Republic of Liguria is rushing towards us at full speed! Order an attack quickly!"
Ella nodded. So there was a soldier holding two flags and waving them. The pirates who saw the flag roared their orders farther away: "Attack! Attack! Attack!"
The ships on both sides began to rush towards each other at full speed.
After entering the range of the bow and arrow, the soldier holding the flag waved the two flags in a different way than before. The pirates who saw the flags roared and passed on the new instructions. With the "Flying Zealander" as the center, the ships of the Pirate Kingdom slightly deflected their bows, and the archers on the ship took the opportunity to throw arrows at the ship of the Republic of Liguria from the side. However, because the ships of the Republic of Liguria are generally a head taller than the ships of the Pirate Kingdom, many arrows are blocked by the hull or fly too high, so the shooting effect is not ideal.
The four trebuchets mounted on the "Flying Zealander" began to hurl stone projectiles at the enemy fleet. Suddenly water splashed everywhere. However, it is much more difficult to hit a fast-moving fleet than a city wall. Although a large number of enemy ships were successfully destroyed, the effect was more of a shock than the lethality.
The long music still continues, but occasionally there will be some bouncing of musical notes.
The navy of the Republic of Liguria showed no fear on its face. They used the ballista on the bow of the ship to fight back intermittently, while the bow of the ship was still facing forward, rushing towards the Pirate Kingdom's fleet at full speed.
Ella was startled by the enemy's actions: "What's going on? The fleet is only a quarter of our size, but it charges so fiercely?"
"Your Majesty! Look at the long collision angles on their bows! Are they trying to rush over and sink us?"
"It's possible... Bows and arrows don't seem to be very effective, even if they get close to the trebuchet. Quick, let our ship turn its hull right around and use the fire of the sea to attack them. Circle around on both sides and surround them!"
The flag commander worked hard to convey Ella's instructions with the flag. But firstly, the order this time was more complicated, and secondly, the pirates were busy shooting arrows, so the flag commander had no choice but to add his own voice: "Face the enemy head-on! Prepare to use ocean fire! Surround with two wings!"
Such orders gradually passed through the two wings through shouts. After a while, Ella's fleet finally turned the bow back with difficulty. At this time, the fleet of the Republic of Liguria had already rushed in front of them!
"Wait a minute! The enemy doesn't seem to know that we have Ocean Fire. Send more ships closer!"
However, Ella's order was too late to be conveyed. Intimidated by the sharp and long collision angle, the pirates on the first few ships panicked and used the ocean fire on the bow. Rolling flames spit out from the mouth of the snake head carved on the bow of the ship, burning the enemy's hull and the soldiers on the ship. For a while, black smoke spread everywhere, and many people jumped into the sea under the burning flames.
But only the four or five ships at the front were hit by the ocean fire. The hundreds of ships behind them slowed down after seeing this scene. In order to hit more enemies, the Pirate Kingdom's fleet rushed towards them frantically.
"General! What should we do?" A soldier shouted towards Andrea in a panic, "It's the ocean fire of the Seven Hills Empire! Our enemy is the Seven Hills Empire!"
