Black clouds crush the city.

Hao Desheng, the captain of the Weihai, couldn't help but think of this sentence when he saw the dense enemy warships on the sea in the distance.

Due to the blockade of the Third Fleet of the Silver Wolf Empire Navy, the coastal defense fleet currently has a total of only 8 warships in Xiangshi Harbor.

Including the first formation's two all-steel battleships Weihai and Yanghai, and the second formation's two large armored cruisers Tonghai and Jiehai.

As well as the two all-steel battleships Weijia and Weiyi of the third formation, and the two light cruisers Feiting and Feijie of the special task force.

With such strength, it stands to reason that it is not weak.

However, Hao Desheng found through the telescope that at this time, the Third Fleet of the Silver Wolf Imperial Navy should have gathered 4 all-main gun battleships, 6 all-steel battleships, 5 large armored cruisers, more than 20 light cruisers and destroyers, and six or seven large transport ships on the sea in the distance of Xiangshi Harbor.

Hao Desheng said to the first mate with a solemn face: "Pass my order, once the other party launches an attack, each warship will immediately rush to the shallows on the shore and act as a fixed battery. ”

Hao Desheng's choice was also a helpless move, because Xiangshi Port did not have any natural barriers, if Hao Desheng did not want to destroy the whole army, he could only let 8 warships run aground on the shallows, at least it could be used as a fixed battery.

As for going out to meet the enemy, Hao Desheng didn't think about it at all, after all, the difference in strength between the two sides was too big.

"Captain, in that case, it is likely to cause damage to the bottom of the warship."

"It's better to be injured than to be sunk, which is also what the major general meant."

In the bridge of the battleship Red Horned Eagle of the Third Fleet of the Silver Wolf Empire, Captain Yelk took a glass of wine, took a sip, and then said to the first mate Oss: "Order the battleships to start shelling and clear those obstacles in the harbor." ”

First mate Oss hesitated for a moment and said, "General, does the scope of the shelling include Xiangshi City?" ”

"Of course, our Silver Wolf Empire only needs Xiangshi Island, but we don't need the hundreds of thousands of humans on Xiangshi Island."

"But in Xiangshi City, there should be a lot of Spirit Clan people who do business, and even the people of our Silver Wolf Empire."

Orcs are just the name of humans, and orcs themselves have always called themselves spirits.

Yelk took another sip of wine and said nonchalantly: "It is inevitable that there will be accidental injuries in the war, and in order to reduce future troubles, we can only sacrifice some spirit people."

It is important to understand that the number of casualties is not important to the Admiralty and the Governor's Office, but to the results. ”

"Understood, General."

At 9:15 a.m. on January 26, 1537, four all-main gun battleships and six all-steel battleships of the Third Fleet of the Royal Navy of the Silver Wolf Empire brazenly launched a salvo of main guns at Xiangshi Harbor and Xiangshi Castle, where Xiangshi Harbor was located.

Due to the problem of firing range, only the Weihai and Yanghai were on the side of the coastal defense fleet, and they used their two twin 45-caliber 320-mm main guns to launch a counterattack.

The Jinshui Zhou family also built two forts in Xiangshi Port, equipped with four 35 times the caliber 200 mm coastal defense guns and eight 35 times the caliber 150 mm coastal defense guns.

However, at this time, the 10 battleships of the Third Fleet of the Royal Navy of the Silver Wolf Empire were all more than 10,000 meters away from Xiangshi Port, and the 12 shore defense guns with insufficient range could only act as spectators for the time being, just like the other six warships.

Yelk, the captain of the Red Horned Eagle, learned that the eight warships of the coastal defense fleet rushed to the shoals of Xiangshi Harbor one after another, and couldn't help but admire: "The human generals who command these warships are very smart. ”

First mate Oss frowned and said: "In this case, it will not be easy to completely eliminate the threat of these 8 warships, these 8 warships have almost become fixed batteries. ”

Yerk shook the wine glass in his hand, "Since the other party's 8 warships have been nailed to death in the port of Xiangshi Harbor."

This means that the landing force of the 3rd Marine Division, if it chooses other landing sites, will not encounter any threat from the opposing warships.

Therefore, it was possible to send a telegram to the commander of the 3rd Marine Division, Commander Rofer, and ask the landing force of the 3rd Marine Division to carry out the landing operation as soon as possible from the previously planned second landing site.

I will send a number of warships to provide artillery support for the landing force of the 3rd Marine Division. ”

Just as the 10 battleships of the Third Fleet of the Silver Wolf Empire Navy were shelling Xiangshi Harbor, a large fleet had been assembled in the sea near Jingsheng Harbor.

This huge fleet includes the four all-steel battleships Zhenhai, Canghai, Jinghai, and Longhai of the first formation of the coastal defense fleet.

The five all-steel battleships of the third formation, the Weibing, Weiding, Weiwu, Weiji, and Weigeng.

The 8 battle cruisers of the fifth formation, Wusheng, Wugong, Wude, Wurui, Yongsui, Yongwei, Yongxi, and Yong'an.

The 10 large armored cruisers of the 7th Formation, Haifu, Haichou, Haiwei, Hairong, Haiqiang, Haitong, Seahorse, Seabird, Seal, and Sea Lion.

The 6 all-main gun battleships of the 8th formation, Longjiang, Longwu, Longscale, Longsheng, Longrui, and Longyin.

The two destroyers of the task force were Kuaishun and Lishun.

Due to the relationship of time, Zhou Rui has no time to extract the 2 British Giant-class battleships and 12 German Wiesbaden-class light cruisers newly obtained from the lottery system.

But even so, if you only look at the strength on the surface, this huge fleet gathered is no weaker than the Third Fleet of the Silver Wolf Empire Navy, and even surpasses the other party in terms of the number of capital ships.

However, because there are too many new recruits in the coastal defense fleet, the real combat effectiveness of this huge fleet is much weaker than it seems.

In addition, in this huge fleet, there are 36 freighters.

In addition to carrying two infantry regiments and brigade guard battalions of the 22nd Independent Brigade, three infantry regiments, one baggage regiment and one brigade guard battalion of the 2nd Infantry Brigade of the garrison division, these 36 freighters also carried a large amount of combat materials.

The all-steel capital ship Zhenhai is still the flagship of the coastal defense fleet.

In the bridge of the Zhenhai, Song Limin took the telegram from Xiangshi City and announced to Zhou Rui in a deep voice: "Major General, the Third Fleet of the Silver Wolf Empire Navy has begun to shell Xiangshi Port.

Eight warships, including the Weihai and Yanghai, rushed to the shoals on the shore of the port according to the previous deployment, and now the Weihai and Yanghai are using their main guns to launch a counterattack. ”

This lottery system did not refresh new tasks, but Zhou Rui decided to personally lead the fleet to support Xiangshi Island.

No one is not afraid of death, and Zhou Rui, who has already died once, is even more afraid of death.

However, this expedition can almost determine the future fate of the Zhou family.

Even if Zhou Rui personally leads the team, if he can increase a little morale, Zhou Rui must also come.

Zhou Rui said in a deep voice: "Tell Hao Desheng again, except for the necessary personnel to leave behind the 8 warships to ensure the output of firepower, everyone else must be evacuated."

It doesn't matter if the 8 warships are scrapped, people are the most precious. ”

Song Limin hesitated for a moment and then said: "In addition, the target of the enemy's artillery bombardment has not excluded the residential areas of Xiangshi City, although most of the people in Xiangshi City have been evacuated before, there should be 20,000 or 30,000 people in Xiangshi City who have not had time to evacuate. ”

Zhou Rui's face was cold in an instant, "Write down this feud first, sooner or later, one day, we will find those wolf clansmen and ask for it back." ”

Song Limin asked, "Major General, can we scare off the Third Fleet of the Silver Wolf Empire Navy?" ”

"Old Song, it's man-made.

Even if you can't be scared, I will accompany you and fight hard with the Third Fleet of the Silver Wolf Empire Navy! ”

"Major General, I, Song Limin, am not afraid of working hard, but these all-main gun battleships and battle cruisers of our coastal defense fleet are too precious.

At this time, fighting against the Third Fleet of the Silver Wolf Imperial Navy, these all-main gun battleships and battlecruisers could not play their due combat effectiveness at all, and the training time was too short. ”

"Old Song, since it's here, let's not think too much about it.

When the brave wins when they meet on a narrow road, if they really fight, they can only go out and fight hard. ”