Hearing Xiang Tao mention that he wanted to catch the female elves in the elf army and be concubines for the soldiers of the border guards, Zhou Rui couldn't help but smile and said to Xiang Tao: "I think, you want to catch a few female elves as concubines!" ”

Xiang Tao immediately said: "Hehe, handsome, a few female elves are not enough, I have to have more than a dozen beautiful female elf concubines." ”

Zhou Xiaorong couldn't help but joke to Xiang Tao at this time: "You kid can be more leisurely, I heard that your kid's wives and concubines are almost a hundred, don't die on a woman's belly one day." ”

Xiang Tao smiled: "The peony flower dies, and it is also romantic to be a ghost."

If I can die on a woman's belly, then my life will be perfect. ”

Then Xiang Tao suddenly changed his words and said to Zhou Rui: "Marshal, if war breaks out, I suggest that on the Western Continent, still choose to defend in the north and attack in the south."

Concentrate superior forces and take the initiative to launch a full-scale attack on the Red Tiger Empire's Via Province and Chesla Province, and strive to solve the 6 provinces of the Red Tiger Empire first! ”

The Red Tiger Empire has a land area of about 13 million square kilometers in this world, divided into 6 provinces, of which the two largest provinces are the Via Province and Chesla Province, bordering Tongzhou Town, Lianzhou Town, and Dazhou Town under the jurisdiction of the Tongzhou Military Region.

After the departure of 150 million human civilians in the six provinces of the Red Tiger Empire, the Red Tiger Empire relocated about 20 million Tiger people and sheep people dependent on the Tiger people to the six provinces, bringing the population of the six provinces to almost 100 million.

Among the 100 million people, the number of Red Tiger troops accounts for more than 8 million, of which the army is about 7 million, and the navy and air force are about 1 million.

Zhou Rui asked, "Can you break through the border defense line of the Red Tiger Army in Via Province and Chesla Province?" ”

Xiang Tao said confidently: "With the army and air force of our Tongzhou Military Region alone, it is enough to take down the Via Province and Chesla Province of the Red Tiger Empire.

If the other beast countries and the three elven countries do not reinforce the Red Tiger Empire, our Tongzhou Military Region is even confident that all the six provinces of the Red Tiger Empire will be defeated! ”

At present, the border guards of the Han and Tang Empires have a total of nine military regions, among which the Tongzhou Military Region and the Jingzhou Military Region are located on the western continent, so the number of land and air forces is much more than that of the other seven military regions.

For example, the Tongzhou Military Region, where Xiang Tao is located, has 20 group armies, 90 garrison brigades, and 10 air force divisions, with a total strength of more than 4.7 million.

If necessary, the Tongzhou Military Region can also make use of the personnel of the army reserve to quickly expand 180 garrison divisions with a strength of 40,000 troops, with 90 garrison brigades as the backbone.

Zhou Rui pondered for a while and said: "The Tongzhou Military Region and the Jingzhou Military Region immediately carry out second-level combat readiness, and if necessary, I don't mind preemptively." ”

According to the combat readiness standards formulated by Zhou Rui, the second-level combat readiness requires each garrison brigade to recruit a part of the reservists and start to form a garrison division.

Zhou Xiaorong then suggested: "Marshal, I suggest that the other seven military regions also enter the state of second-level combat readiness, and send some additional army units and air divisions to the Tongzhou Military Region and the Jingzhou Military Region.

With the participation of the three elven countries, this war, I'm afraid it will be difficult for our Zhou family to dodge. ”

Zhou Rui nodded, "It's good that the other seven military regions have entered the second-level combat readiness, since they can't dodge, then our Zhou family can only face it!" ”

With the nine military regions of the Han and Tang Empire frontier armies entering the second level of combat readiness, the Han and Tang Empire border fleets directly entered the first level of combat readiness, all the holidays of all officers and soldiers were canceled, and the 12 main formations and 36 garrison fleets all entered the wartime state.

On the afternoon of June 1, 1549, a large fleet was sailing on the sea, and this huge fleet was the eighth formation of the border fleet of the Han and Tang Empires.

In the bridge of the Huarong battleship, Liu Ergou, the commander of the eighth formation, asked Wang Kedong, the captain of the Huarong, in a deep voice: "Which country is the fleet discovered by the radar?" ”

The Huarong full-main gun battleship is the flagship of the eighth formation, which belongs to the Iowa-class all-main gun battleships of the United States, and is a "Hua" class full-main gun battleship in the sequence of the border fleet of the Han and Tang Empires.

In the process of reorganizing the border fleet of the Han and Tang Empires, the commanders of the 12 main formations were adjusted, and Liu Ergou was now appointed as the commander of the eighth formation.

The eighth formation of the border fleet of the Han and Tang Empires currently has a total of 48 American Iowa-class full-main gun battleships, 48 French Richelieu-class all-main gun battleships, and 48 German Bismarck-class full-main gun battleships.

In addition, there are 30 heavy cruisers, 30 large armored cruisers, 120 light cruisers and 120 destroyers.

Originally, the eighth formation had been stationed in several ports in Tongzhou Town, but after the border fleet of the Han and Tang Empires entered the first level of combat readiness, the eighth formation was ordered to assemble together and began to cruise along the coast of Tongzhou Town.

Wang Kedong, the captain of the Huarong, immediately said: "Although the identity of this fleet has not been confirmed, we can meet here, it should be the navy of the Red Tiger Empire. ”

As soon as Wang Kedong's words fell, the first mate of the Huarong walked over quickly, "Liu Zhi, captain, it has been confirmed."

The fleet discovered by the radar is from the Red Tiger Empire, and it seems that it is composed of at least two or more main fleets of the Red Tiger Navy. ”

The Royal Navy of the Red Tiger Empire has a total of 6 main fleets in this world, because of the threat of the border fleet of the Han and Tang Empires, the Royal Navy of the Red Tiger Empire has incorporated most of the capital ships into these 6 main fleets.

When Liu Ergou, the commander of the eighth formation, heard this, he couldn't help but sneer and said, "I didn't expect that the alliance between the Barbarian Bull Empire and the three major empires of the Elven Clan would make the Red Tiger Navy tremble.

Did the fleet of the Red Tiger Navy enter the waters of our Han and Tang Empires? ”

The first mate of the Huarong shook his head, "I haven't entered it yet, but the fleet of the Red Tiger Navy has been sailing along the sea border. ”

Liu Ergou said categorically: "Order all the teams to meet and see what the fleet of the Red Tiger Navy is going to do?" ”

In the bridge of the Red Tiger Empire's Royal Navy Beaver's all-main gun battleship, the commander of the Fifth Fleet, Savier, slowly lowered the telescope in his hand, and said to the captain of the Beaver, Connono, with some bitterness: "I didn't expect that the strength of one of the main formations of the border fleet of the Han and Tang Empires is almost equivalent to the three main fleets of our Royal Navy.

If the other 11 main formations of the Han and Tang Empire's border fleets had such strength, our Red Tiger Empire's Royal Navy could only hide from the Han and Tang Empire's border fleets. ”

The Red Tiger Navy, which originally appeared here, was composed of the Second Fleet, the Fourth Fleet, and the Fifth Fleet of the Royal Navy of the Red Tiger Empire, and the commander of the Fifth Fleet, Saveye, temporarily served as the commander-in-chief of the three main fleets.

The Red Tiger Empire got the information, and all the warships of the eighth formation of the Han and Tang Empire frontier fleets gathered together and were cruising along the coast of Tongzhou Town, so they sent three main fleets to reconnoiter how strong the eighth formation of the Han and Tang Empire border fleets was.

Prior to this, the Red Tiger Empire had not figured out the specific strength of the eighth formation of the border fleet of the Han and Tang Empires.

The Beaver is the latest all-main gun battleship of the Red Tiger Empire, known as the Admiration class, with five twin 45 times caliber 400 mm main guns, a full load displacement of up to 43,000 tons, and a maximum speed of 23.5 knots.

At present, the Red Tiger Empire has built a total of 72 Admiration-class battleships with full main guns in two batches.

The Red Tiger Empire's Royal Navy's Second, Fourth, and Fifth Fleets combined have a total of 26 Admiration-class all-main-gun battleships, and in addition to the Admiration-class, these three main fleets also have 66 other types of all-main-gun battleships, as well as 48 battlecruisers, 74 large armored cruisers, 98 light cruisers, and 104 destroyers.

At present, the main fleets of the navies of various beast countries have also retired or mothballed all-steel battleships, so there is no all-steel battleship left in the three main fleets of the Royal Navy of the Red Tiger Empire.

If these three main fleets of the Royal Navy of the Red Tiger Empire fight with the eighth formation of the border fleet of the Han and Tang Empires, they may not be able to beat the eighth formation of the border fleet of the Han and Tang Empires.

The captain of the Beaver, Cononno, hesitated for a moment and said, "Commander, I heard that our Red Tiger Empire, as well as the Spirit Clan countries such as the Golden Lion and the Black Bear, have begun to study the matter of uniting with the three major empires of the Elven Clan.

Once the alliance is successful, it will be equivalent to the formation of a military alliance between the six major beast countries and the three major elven countries, and at that time, the combined naval strength of the nine countries will be enough to suppress the entire border fleet of the Han and Tang Empires. ”

The commander of the Fifth Fleet, Saveye, nodded, "Although I hate the elves, I hope that this alliance of nine nations will succeed."

Now that we know the specific strength of the eighth formation of the border fleet of the Han and Tang Empires, we can send a report to the second and fourth fleets, and we will leave here to avoid any accidents. ”

As soon as Savier's words fell, the sound of shelling suddenly appeared on the sea, and soon the shells fell more than 1,000 meters away from a German Bismarck-class full-main gun battleship in the eighth formation of the border fleet of the Han and Tang Empires, and two water columns more than ten meters high were raised.

Savier exclaimed in horror: "What's the matter? Who fired the cannon? ”

The three main fleets of the Royal Navy of the Red Tiger Empire only came to reconnoiter the eighth formation of the border fleet of the Han and Tang Empires this time, and they were not prepared to start a war with the eighth formation of the border fleet of the Han and Tang Empires.

The captain of the Beaver, Cononor, said in a panic: "It seems that the cannon fired by our battleship Weaver of the Fifth Fleet!" ”

The Weaver belongs to the Red Tiger Empire's Miracle-class all-main gun battleship, with a full load displacement of 33,500 tons, five twin 45 times caliber 360 mm main guns, and a maximum speed of 20 knots.

"Bastard! Send a telegram to the Weaver immediately and ask what is going on! ”

Liu Ergou, the commander of the eighth formation of the border fleet of the Han and Tang Empires, saw that the Red Tiger Navy actually opened fire on his own side, although he only fired two shells, it was tantamount to provoking the entire border fleet of the Han and Tang Empires.

"Immediately send a telegram to the Metropolitan Governor's Mansion and Crescent Island, and the Red Tiger Navy will launch an artillery bombardment of our eighth formation!

Order a fleet of 12 battleships to return fire immediately! ”

Wang Kedong, the captain of the Huarong, hesitated, "Liu Zhi, do you really want to fight?" ”

Liu Ergou said in a deep voice: "Anyway, sooner or later, we will have to go to war with these beast countries, so it is better to take this opportunity to weaken some of the strength of the Red Tiger Navy first."

In addition, send a report to the 12th Formation, so that the 12th Formation can move closer to us as soon as possible and prepare for support. ”

Liu Ergou knew that the twelfth formation, which had 36 Dongying Kingdom King Kong-class battlecruisers, 48 traditional-class battlecruisers, and 30 order-class battlecruisers, seemed to be not far from his Eighth Fleet now, and it might be able to come over in about 10 hours.

"Boom-boom-" A Red Tiger Empire Admiration-class all-main gun battleship, after withstanding multiple large-caliber shells, the lucky value finally returned to zero, and was detonated by a 406-mm shell An ammunition warehouse, and then this Red Tiger Empire Admiration-class all-main gun battleship was blown into two in the detonation of dozens of tons of shells, and quickly sank to the sea.

At this time, the naval battle had been going on for almost four hours, and the time had reached seven o'clock in the evening.

The corners of his mouth couldn't help but twitch when the commander of the Fifth Fleet of the Red Tiger Empire's Royal Navy's Fifth Fleet saw the Admiration-class all-main gun battleship that was about to sink, this was already the sixth Admiration-class all-main gun battleship that the Red Tiger Empire's Royal Navy had sunk in a naval battle.

Moreover, this Admiration-class all-main gun battleship, which is about to sink, is also the flagship of the Second Fleet of the Royal Navy of the Red Tiger Empire.

"Did Isatt call back?" Savier asked the captain of the Beaver, Kornono, in a deep voice.

Isat was the commander of the Second Fleet of the Royal Navy of the Red Tiger Empire.

The captain of the Beaver, Conono, said with a wry smile: "I still haven't been contacted, I'm afraid it's ......."

Konono's words were not finished, but Konono couldn't help but look at the fast-sinking Admiration-class all-main gun battleship in the distance, and his face couldn't help but show a sad look.

Savier slammed it hard, "If that major hadn't died, I'd have skinned him alive when I went back!" ”

It turned out that the two shells that triggered this naval battle were ordered to fire without authorization by the commander of one of the main turrets of the battleship Weaver.

As for why the Weaver's main turret commander opened fire, it has become a secret that will never be solved, because after giving the order to fire, he took out his gun and committed suicide.

However, according to the Weaver's Captain's report, the main turret commander opened the gun without permission, which may have something to do with his promotion report, which was not approved three times in a row.

The captain of the Beaver, Conono, immediately suggested: "Commander, our three main fleets have sunk dozens of capital ships, even the flagship of the Second Fleet has been sunk, while the eighth formation of the border fleet of the Han and Tang Empires has only sunk only three battleships.

Now that our 3 main fleets have fallen to the downside, and the sky has darkened, is it time to consider retreating? ”