On the dark ocean, the Zhengde squadron cut through the waves and rushed towards the Japanese Fuso squadron ahead. Suddenly, the radios on each warship rang:
"Torpedo! Distance 5000 meters! Bearing 095!"
The first destroyer's sonar detected the sound of a torpedo and immediately issued a call in plain language. Immediately afterwards, several more destroyers also issued a call:
"Torpedo! Distance 4500 meters! Bearing 100!"
"Torpedo! Distance 4500 meters! Bearing 115!"
"Torpedo! Distance 4000 meters! Bearing 120!"
…
Within half a minute, more than 30 torpedoes were detected, ranging from 5,000 meters to 4,000 meters away. In the end, the high-frequency sound waves of the torpedoes in the sonar were mixed together, and it was basically impossible to identify the specific one.
The torpedoes formed a dense torpedo net and quickly covered the Ming fleet.
This is the Japanese navy's usual method of night battles. It first releases torpedoes from a long distance, and uses the torpedoes to inflict the first wave of damage on the enemy fleet, at least to disrupt the enemy fleet's formation. Then comes the real naval battle. And Japan does have its advantages in doing this.
capital. At this time, Japan’s torpedoes were the most powerful in the world.
Okay. The latest Type 93 torpedo of the Japanese Navy has a maximum speed of 50 knots and can sail 20,000 meters at this high speed. The torpedoes of other countries at the same time generally have a maximum speed of 40 knots, and the mainstream speed is three
More than ten knots, the maximum range is only a few kilometers.
Therefore, this "long-range torpedo net" tactic can only be used by the Japanese Navy. If the current Ming Dynasty fleet also wants to launch a torpedo net, it must at least shorten the distance to less than 5,000 meters.
Logically speaking, it should be easy to avoid torpedoes at a distance of several kilometers, but the approaching speed of these Japanese torpedoes is extremely fast. They are probably the Type 93 torpedoes that were just installed in 2035, and they have a maximum speed of 50 knots. In addition,
It was nighttime, and it was not easy to search for torpedoes on the sea with the naked eye, so the formation of the Ming fleet was immediately chaotic. The fleet commander ordered the evacuation, and each warship was traveling at high speed in the opposite direction. The originally tight battle formation suddenly became chaotic.
Became very scattered.
"Attention all ships, I am the fleet commander," the fleet commander called in plain language. "The Japanese army launched an attack on our army first. Now once the Japanese ships enter the visual range, each ship can attack freely."
Putting down the microphone, the low roar of the automatic bomb hoist was already echoing in the Zhengde's cabin, and the gunnery officer was commanding the entire armament system on the phone.
In the turret, the gunner, wearing an asbestos hood, a large asbestos mask, and asbestos gloves, with only two eyes exposed, pulled the handle hard, rushed a raised cannonball into the barrel, and shouted at the same time:
"No. 1 tube! Shell! Loaded correctly!"
The bomb hoist below was screaming, and it lifted up a large roll of propellant cartridges that looked like giant toilet paper. The gunner pulled the handle again, rushed the propellant into the barrel, and shouted:
"Tube No. 1! Propellant! Loaded correctly!"
Immediately afterwards, the shells and propellant in the No. 2 tube were also lifted up and pushed into the barrel.
The gunner closed the breech, leaned against the armored turret wall, and shouted:
"Turret No. 1, loading completed!!!"
…
Since it is night and the sea is dark, it is not easy to search for torpedo traces with the naked eye. Turning on the searchlight will reveal the specific location of the Ming warships and become a target for the Japanese fleet in the distance. The distance between the two sides is now less than 8,000 meters, even at night
, which is also a very suitable combat distance.
But before the commander finished speaking, a bright orange light penetrated the bridge of the Zhengde. The fleet commander and several staff officers rushed to the portholes and looked in that direction.
In the distance, a destroyer "Wei Yueyan" 800 meters away was engulfed in fire. Thick smoke billowed and the fire illuminated half of the night sky.
At this time, the dull sound of explosions reached my ears.
At this time, the call from Wei Yueyan came:
"I am the Wei Yueyan! Our ship was hit by a torpedo, and water is pouring into the belly of the ship quickly! Asking for permission to abandon the ship! Asking for rescue!"
The captain of the Zhengde picked up the microphone, looked at the fire in the distance, and said in a deep voice:
"Wei Yueyan, I am the fleet commander. You can abandon the ship, and I will send the Doumuxie to the rescue. Repeat, you can abandon the ship, and I will send the Doumuxie to the rescue."
"Weiyueyan received it, I understand."
Immediately afterwards, the captain of the Zhengde asked the communications staff to issue an order to the destroyer Doumu Xie to move closer to the Wei Yueyan and salvage the sailors.
…
At the same time, every Ming warship was staring at the sea nervously and dealing with torpedoes. The fleet commander looked at the burning Wei Yueyan in the distance, picked up the microphone, and ordered:
"Attention all ships, I am the commander. You can judge whether to turn on the searchlight according to the distance between you and the Japanese ship and the density of torpedoes nearby."
A moment later, four ships in the distance turned on their searchlights one after another, searching for torpedoes on the surrounding sea. The bulky Zhengde and Li Guang also turned on their searchlights. Only two destroyers were closest to the Japanese ship, and they were also flexible.
No searchlights were turned on.
But sure enough, a bright light suddenly flashed in the distance to the east. The Japanese fleet opened fire. But at the same time, their position was also exposed.
The fleet commander grabbed the microphone and shouted:
"Attention all ships! The Japanese fleet has opened fire on our army! Every ship is free to fire!"
The two main turrets on the front deck of the Zhengde roared and rotated, mixed with the sound of "click-click" gun barrel hinges. The daunting 15-inch battleship gun barrel slowly rose up, and the black muzzle was pointed forward.
There was a strong vibration and a loud noise as the Zhengde's four forward main guns opened fire.
Almost at the same time, the air above our heads howled, and the first batch of artillery shells from the Japanese fleet flew in.
Tens of meters away from the right rear side of the Zhengde, twelve water columns rose up one after another. The sea water was blasted into the sky and fell down like a white waterfall.
The Zhengde felt a strong shock wave from the sea water, and the entire ship shook.
Although there was no direct hit, the captain of the Zhengde was still surprised, secretly sighing that the Japanese ship was able to hit so accurately in the first round of test firing in an environment with low visibility at night.
Looking around, the Ming fleet turned off their searchlights. However, as far as the eye could see, dense water columns rose up near the cruiser Li Guang. It seemed that the main target of the Japanese bombardment was Zhengde.
Enter No. Li Guang.
The Zhengde's bomb hoist screamed again, continued loading, and fired a second round of shells.
At this time, all the ships of the Ming Army began to flash bright lights and spit flames. Not only the main guns, but also the secondary guns of various calibers participated in the battle.
…
At this moment, a call came from the radio room to the bridge.
"I'm the captain," the captain took the phone and said briefly while scanning the surrounding sea of flames, "What's going on? Speak."
"Captain," the surprised voice of the radio operator came, "the Maritime General Staff Telegram reported that at three o'clock in the morning, the Japanese army launched a surprise attack on our Fengtian garrison! Now that the two countries are at war, all Ming warships at sea are ordered to
Japanese warships can launch attacks! Any Japanese cargo ships and oil tankers encountered must be sunk immediately. Any third-country ships encountered heading toward Japan must be immediately captured at sea and detained! ... Captain!
"
"Got it, keep monitoring."
The captain put down the microphone and stared at the sea, feeling relieved. It was already half past three, so the Japanese army launched an attack on the Ming army's Fengtian garrison half an hour ago. That's why the Japanese fleet now attacked its own fleet without any scruples.