On the route to Tasmania.
Xie Fang's hastily organized support force was driving the Longyan Yinzhou ships, cutting through the waves and heading towards Tasmania at high speed.
Because it was an emergency mobilization, there were only three warships available.
Carrying Longyan support troops is still a sailing ship in the Age of Discovery, which relies on the wind and is much slower than a steam battleship like the Yinzhou Ship.
Although it was in a hurry, the sailing speed was not fast because of the ships.
All information has now been cut off from Tasmania.
The last time they received news was through the merchant ship of the Chamber of Commerce.
When they drove to the port on Tasmania, they found that the port had been completely blocked. They also saw the flag of the French Army swaying in the wind, and they felt bad.
Escaped in a hurry.
He narrowly escaped death and rushed back to Australia. When he came back, the ship was badly damaged and the crew suffered many injuries due to the attack by the French army.
The captain hurriedly reported the news.
Only then did Xie Fang know that something had happened on Tasmania, and Drew had escaped at this time.
On the Yinzhou ship, Cao Xi, the general sent by Xie Fang, looked at the situation at sea through a telescope.
On the gentle sea level, as time progressed, the flag of France slowly appeared in his eyes.
He frowned suddenly, not expecting to encounter the French fleet so soon.
Cao Xi ordered: "Everyone, prepare to fight!"
It was too late to hide at this distance. Cao Xi could see them, and the other party could naturally see him.
French warships have long blocked this route.
In the past four days, Horn had been fully prepared and had long been prepared for the support of the Long Yan Army.
The news of his request for troops also spread back to the French colonial areas in America.
Their warships are also coming, waiting for an opportunity to launch an attack on the Australian mainland.
At this time, the support force led by Cao Xi encountered the French army.
The opponent has four battleships, and they are all cruisers, a type of steam battleship.
Although the speed cannot be compared with the Yinzhou ship, the power of the artillery can definitely easily destroy the sailboat transporting soldiers behind Cao Xi's fleet.
The speed of those sailing ships was one notch slower than that of steam ships, but the specifications of their artillery were not inferior to those of any steam ships.
But the sturdiness of the ship's hull lags far behind the iron lumps driven by steam engines.
Sailboats were still made of wood, but these steamships had hulls made of iron.
Can withstand more powerful artillery bombardments.
Cao Xi stared calmly at the French warships that were getting closer and closer. His mission was to escort the Long Yan army on those sailing ships to land on the island to fight.
Therefore, the French warships must not be allowed to approach these sailing ships.
"The Yinzhou ships are dispersed and entangled with the French fleet. We must not give them a chance to attack our sailing ships!"
"General, is this too risky? Although our hull is strong, once we get close, we will enter the firing range of the French army."
"The other side outnumbers us, and we're going to take more hits."
Cao Xi glanced at the soldier who was speaking, withdrew his gaze and prepared himself for the approaching French fleet. Cao Xi said in a deep voice: "This is an order."
"Our Yinzhou ship also has powerful artillery power."
The navy on the Yinzhou ship immediately loaded the cannonballs, and the French army attacked Long Yan's Yinzhou ship after observing it.
Just after the French fleet entered the firing range of Longyan Army, the artillery fire boomed.
The Yinzhou ship was the first to attack. They had a higher range than the French fleet, and the shells quickly hit the French fleet.
But these Yinzhou ships in the opponent's hands are just preliminary products designed by Liu Zheng.
Already a little behind.
Although the attack range is super long, it does not have more powerful power.
The successful attack did not cause much damage to the French fleet, which was made of steel.
However, the French fleet is still being beaten.
Without entering the bombardment range, the French fleet had no way to fight the Yinzhou ship.
Although it was the French fleet that was beaten, they looked at the Yinzhou ship with fanaticism in their eyes.
The purpose of their attack on Australia is to obtain the powerful technological power of Long Yan.
The Yinzhou ship can be said to be one of the most perfect battleships in the world.
Its speed is much faster than the French fleet, and its hull is also made of steel.
Under the same specifications, their fleet is much slower than the Yinzhou ship, and even the missile range is not as good as that of the other ship.
The French fleet was holding on to the Yinzhou ship's gunfire, and finally closed the distance with the Yinzhou ship.
After approaching the distance, the French fleet launched a bombardment.
Seven battleships entangled and attacked each other.
At a long distance, the three Yinzhou ships were able to suppress the French fleet.
But as the distance approached, the French fleet's larger number of warships showed its advantage, and their artillery attacks became more intensive.
Even more powerful, the three Yinzhou ships were even somewhat unable to parry.
The sound of artillery fire was loud, but at this time Long Yan's sailboat did not follow General Cao Xi's order to stay away from the battlefield.
Instead, stay closer to the battlefield.
Just as the Yinzhou ship was under heavy fire, the troops on the Long Yan sailing ship directly approached the French fleet.
Seeing this, the French battleship was ecstatic.
Being tightly entangled by three Dragon Flame fleets, they had no ability to attack the Dragon Flame fleet.
But now, the Longyan sailing ship did not withdraw from the battlefield, but approached the battlefield.
Cao Xi was stunned when he saw the Longyan Sailing Ship joining the battlefield. He wanted to protect the Longyan Sailing Ship from leaving, but now, the Longyan Sailing Ship did the opposite.
"General, this..."
Cao Xi pinched his forehead. It was too late to order the sailboat to retreat now.
"Send the order and protect the sailboat with all your strength."
The sailing ship contains a large amount of materials and troops to support Tasmania this time. Once silenced, the mission to support Tasmania will end in failure.
In the short term, Xie Fang was not able to organize a second support team.
At this moment, Cao Xi looked at the signal from the sailboat.
He was suddenly startled.
"What, they want to seize the ship!"
Cao Xi didn't know why the commander in the Longyan sailboat made such a decision, but it was undoubtedly dangerous.
If you want to seize the ship, you need to get close to the French battleship, almost right next to it.
This would expose the sailboat to unimaginable levels of gunfire.
Under such heavy fire, the sailing ship was destined to sink.
Cao Xi would never allow such a thing to happen, and immediately ordered: "All ships, protect the sailboat with all your strength!"
"We must not let the French sink it!"
At this time, the Longyan sailing ship approached the French fleet, and the sailors on the ship swung to the French fleet through the hemp rope on the sailing ship.
A fierce hand-to-hand combat begins!
