"Boom, boom, boom..."
This is the roar of the 320mm 45x caliber cannon equipped on the "Island" class "Beggars Edition Battleship"!
These warships named after the islands are actually a very special kind of existence. They are usually classified as shallow water heavy artillery ships. However, in fact, these warships do have heavy artillery, but they are not limited to shallow water and offshore areas. In fact, the sources of the hulls of these "Island" class ships are very mixed. Some are indeed designed as shallow-water heavy gunships to guard the offshore waters and are used as floating forts. However, most of them are modified from old battleship hulls.
The 12 "islands" now brought out by Guo Xiaobao from the Kwajalein Atoll are all modified from old battleships. The standard displacement is between 7,000-8,000 tons, and the full displacement is just over 10,000 tons. As shallow-water heavy gunships, they are indeed a bit big. It is appropriate to call them "beggar's version of battleships."
And these "beggar's version battleships" also have a very interesting design. Their twin 320 mm 45-caliber main gun turrets are installed in the rear position amidships, next to the two large chimneys, so they It cannot fire forward, but can only fire in three directions: left, right and rear. As for the gun position on the bow of the ship, a 210 mm 45-caliber cannon is installed.
Of course, whether it is the 210mm gun installed at the bow or the 320mm gun installed amidships, they are all new guns that were finalized during the Taiping years, and they are still very powerful. Otherwise, the B fleet of the British Royal Navy's Australian fleet led by Rear Admiral Dundas would not be forced to dare to approach - even the two most powerful Duke of Edinburgh class in the B fleet cannot withstand the 320 mm A heavy artillery "hammer"! So Major General Dundas only dared to follow from a distance and shoot from a distance with his 9.2-inch cannon... In fact, he didn't want to chase the Ming Dynasty's 12 beggar's battleships, no matter how weak the beggar's battleships were. They are also battleships, and no matter how powerful his 12 armored cruisers are, they are only cruise ships and cannot be used as battleships.
However, His Majesty the Emperor has already sent him a telegram, asking him to follow the Ming Army's squadron until they find their main fleet... Moreover, His Majesty the Emperor also asked him to carry forward the Royal Navy's spirit of destroying the enemy when it sees it, and do so at all costs. Even if you make the greatest sacrifice, you must destroy the enemy!
Regarding the emperor's telegram, Major General Dundas didn't know what to say...Who is commanding the Australian Grand Fleet now? Is it Admiral William Baga, the commander on board the William IV, or King William IV himself at St. James's Palace in London?
And what about destroying the enemy on sight... There are only 12 armored cruisers and 16 destroyers. Why should we destroy 12 beggar-class battleships, 2 hero-class ships, 4 unknown large cruisers, and 6 warriors? level and 30 large and small destroyers?
Can this emperor do math problems? Others have 54 boats, but he only has 28 boats. 54 is much larger than 28... so he is likely to be destroyed!
He was quite speechless about the strength of this Ming navy formation. When he first started following, this formation consisted of 12 beggars' version of a dozen old destroyers, 1 unknown Grand Cruiser, 1 Warrior class and 3 Guard class... I didn't expect that this formation would continue to grow during the run, with cutting-edge ships from the Ming Navy constantly joining in to run together.
Running and running, the Ming Navy fleet has grown from 30 ships to 54 ships...
But luckily, the Ming Dynasty's 12 beggar's battleships have no speed advantage, and the Ming Dynasty's Haohan class and 4 cruisers have no firepower advantage against Dundas's two treasures, the Duke of Edinburgh class. If you don't "cheat" Thunderous words. ….
The British Duke of Edinburgh class is said to be a patrol patrol, but it barely meets the threshold of a battle cruiser. Each Duke of Edinburgh class has 6 9.2-inch cannons. The firepower is not comparable to that of the 4 240 mm Hero class. !
Relying on the firepower of two Edinburgh-class ships and the "cowardice" of the Ming army admiral (more likely to lure the enemy), Major General Dundas and his 28 ships finally followed steadily... ..Although both sides are firing guns from a distance, the distance of more than 20,000 yards has already determined that both sides just listen to the sound and express their thoughts.
But just after 5 p.m., the sea
The situation on the surface suddenly reversed. The Ming Navy formation, which was originally just fighting and retreating, suddenly separated. Among them, 12 beggar battleships and a dozen old-fashioned destroyers protecting them continued to maintain the bombardment formation and course. . However, the other two Haohan-class, 4 Kongming-class, 6 Warrior-class and 16 Guard-class destroyers suddenly accelerated and changed their course. They turned a corner on the sea and began to turn east, seeming to go around the following Ying. Go behind the ship.
At the same time that the Ming Dynasty fleet suddenly changed its formation, the lookout post of the Duke of Edinburgh also discovered dozens of large and small smoke pillars appearing at the intersection of the sea and the sky to the west!
I immediately remembered the ringing phone on the bridge of the Duke of Edinburgh. The navigation staff picked up the phone and asked. His face immediately turned pale and his voice trembled as he said to Rear Admiral Dundas: "Sir, the main force of the Ming Dynasty's Pacific Fleet has arrived. At least there are... Dozens of ships, distance... 50,000 yards!"
Major General Dundas immediately became nervous and even dropped the cigar in his mouth. However, as an elite officer of the Royal Navy, he immediately regained his composure... Wasn't his purpose of following the Ming fleet, which was getting more and more ships, to find their main force? Now that the main force is here, his mission is completed!
"Left full rudder!" Dundas immediately ordered: "We will retreat immediately... send electricity to General Baga and His Majesty the Emperor, saying that we have completed the mission of finding the enemy and now start to lure the enemy."
"Rear Admiral, do you still need to send electricity to His Majesty the Emperor?" The communications officer on the Duke of Edinburgh seemed a little unaware.
Major General Dunstar immediately rolled his eyes: "We must never forget the fact... The Royal Navy is the property of His Majesty the Emperor, and we are all loyal and brave soldiers of His Majesty the Emperor!
Order each ship to start singing "God Save My King William IV" in 15 minutes, and then raise the Z flag... The British Empire and His Majesty the Emperor need us to fight to the end! "
"Yes, General!"
...
"Admiral, the British are turning and seem to be evacuating!"
Inside the "Kongming", Guo Xiaobao was holding up his telescope to watch the British fleet following him. When he heard the reminder from the people around him, he just put down his telescope and said with a smile: "They have completed their mission. The British fleet should be here." Nearby...it's time for us to put on a show! By the way, where is the British fleet?"
"Admiral, according to aircraft reconnaissance, they are about 30 nautical miles away... If nothing happens, the bombardment will begin in 30 minutes."
Guo Xiaobao nodded and ordered: "Let the gunboat formation turn, we need their 320mm guns."
"Admiral, those gunnery ships can't stand up to the old British Emperor-class and Victory-class ships."
Guo Xiaobao smiled and said: "No problem... Our Zhongwang-class, Shihuang-class and Dazhou-class will arrive in time... In addition, there will be carrier-based aircraft to assist! Moreover, we You can also launch torpedoes!"
He paused, "Raise the bloody red flag now... prepare for a firefight in 30 minutes! Also, send power to the Da Zhou and ask them to rush to the battlefield immediately, otherwise we won't be able to hold on for long!"
"Yes, Admiral!".
Daluoluo
