Under the onslaught of the Zhou army, by the end of July 1545 of the Tian Yuan Dynasty, the Kunklai Province and the New Consiao Province of the Manniu Empire, except for a few port cities, had been captured by the Zhou army.

The remaining ports of these two provinces are all considered large ports, and the combined fleet of the six navies sent a lot of warships to assist the Manniu army in guarding these ports, so that the army forces of the Zhou family had no way to capture these ports.

In this more than a month of fierce fighting, the army of the Wild Bull Empire suffered extremely heavy losses, at least more than 8 million, but this included the troops of the Wild Bull Empire in the above two provinces, which requisitioned orc civilians to temporarily arm.

Of course, of the more than 8 million troops lost by the Barbarian Bull Empire, about 1.6 million human soldiers were directly defected, and about 4 million Niu Clan officers and soldiers and Ma Clan officers and soldiers entered the Zhou Army's prisoner of war camp, and only more than 2.4 million Beast Clan officers and soldiers died on the battlefield.

The combined area of Kunclair Province and New Constance Province is almost 3.3 million square kilometers, and the Zhou Jiajun was able to capture almost all of these two provinces in more than a month, and the price paid is actually not too big.

The total casualties of the Zhou army's various troops were less than 800,000, but at this time, the Zhou army was unable to immediately launch a further attack on the remaining three provinces of the Barbarian Bull Empire.

On the one hand, it is due to logistical supply, and on the other hand, the five guard divisions that participated in the war have basically lost their combat effectiveness.

The Black Fox medium tank and the Black Cat light tank equipped by the five guard divisions were about 1,500 destroyed in the battle, and a large number of tanks had to be withdrawn from the battle due to various malfunctions.

Although each guard division is also equipped with some maintenance personnel, because the skills of these maintenance personnel are very general, slightly complicated problems are helpless.

Coupled with the shortage of replacement parts for these two tanks, a large number of faulty tanks could not be repaired in time.

Today, more than 2,000 tanks have broken down in the five guard divisions, which have not yet been repaired, and the total number of tanks that can continue to fight in the five guard divisions is less than 1,400.

In Wawi City, Kunclair Province, Xiang Tao has moved his headquarters here.

"Taozi, the 11 air regiments in our hands have not suffered much losses, and I feel that we still have the ability to continue to attack the provinces of Vitores, Elaine Deen, and Fedata of the Barbarian Bull Empire.

Maybe if you persist, you can clear the power of the Barbarian Bull Empire from our world! Li Dongbao said to Xiang Tao in a deep voice.

Li Dongbao and Xiang Tao are old partners, after the establishment of the five feudal towns in the Western Continent, Xiang Tao was appointed by Zhou Rui as the commander of the Weizhou Army, and Li Dongbao was appointed as the commander of the Kezhou Army.

After the Zhou family declared war with the six beast countries this time, Xiang Tao served as the commander-in-chief of the Jingzhou Army, the Yuzhou Army, the Lanzhou Army, the Weizhou Army and the Kezhou Army, and Li Dongbao also joined Xiang Tao's command and served as Xiang Tao's deputy.

Xiang Tao sighed and said: "In our previous attack, although the losses were not large, with the troops in our hands, we do have the ability to continue the attack.

But the problem is that the logistics are a little unable to keep up, and there are less than 1,400 tanks left in the other five guard divisions that can continue to fight.

And according to the information sent by Fox Qi, up to now, the Red Tiger Empire has sent more than 2.2 million army troops into the provinces of Vitores, Elaine Denn, and Fedata of the Wild Bull Empire.

Coupled with the army troops drawn from the beast world by the Wild Bull Empire, the Wild Bull army in these three provinces must also have six or seven million, so I am ready to slow down and take down the remaining ports in Kunclair Province and New Constance Province first. ”

When Li Dongbao heard this, he asked in some surprise: "Taozi, the so-called combined fleet of the six navies has sent a lot of warships, including battleships and battlecruisers with full main guns, to gather in those ports, which is why we did not attack those ports.

If we can't solve the problem of those warships of the combined fleet of the navy of the six countries, it will be difficult to gnaw down those ports by relying only on our army. ”

Xiang Tao immediately handed over a telegram to Li Dongbao, "Lao Li, the third, fourth and twelfth formations of the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet will cooperate with our army to recover these ports." ”

Li Dongbao frowned and said: "The combined fleet of the six navies combined has 492 battleships with full main guns and 250 battle cruisers, can the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet only send over 3 main formations?" ”

Xiang Tao explained: "It's not about a decisive battle at sea with the combined fleet of the navies of the six countries, the three main formations of the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet have come over to assist our army in seizing several ports in Kunclair Province and New Constance Province.

If the combined fleets of the six navies have gathered too many warships, it is a big deal to postpone the attack on those ports.

In addition, the three main formations of the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet came over at this time, and it seemed that they had other tasks. ”

On the endless sea, there is a huge fleet sailing westward, and this huge fleet is mainly composed of the third, fourth, and twelfth formations of the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet.

In addition to this, the huge fleet includes 30 submarine supply ships and 150 Phantom 3-class submarines.

In the bridge of the battleship with all main guns of the third formation's flagship Varzhan battleship, Liu Ergou, commander of the third formation, said to the captain Wu Shaoli in a deep voice: "Immediately send a telegram to Zhang Donghua, the commander of the submarine formation, so that the 30 supply ships and 150 submarines of the submarine formation will start to disperse according to the original plan. ”

Originally, in view of the blockade of the ports of Weizhou Town and Lanzhou Town by the combined fleet of the navy of the six countries with mines, the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet decided to use submarine forces to directly launch a "wolf pack tactic" along the entire coastal area of the western continent.

In fact, this "wolf pack tactic" was proposed by Zhou Rui, and it was Zhou Rui's wolf pack tactics adopted by the German Navy in World War II in another time and space.

The so-called wolf pack tactic is to use multiple submarines to form a small detachment and launch underwater attacks on enemy warships and transport ships in turn like a wolf pack.

When using the wolf pack tactic, you can concentrate the power of several submarines to attack a sea target, and use the attack power of several submarines to destroy enemy ships.

At the beginning of World War II, in another time and space, the German Navy used wolf pack tactics, organized groups of submarines, attacked the sea ships of the Allies, and disrupted the sea transportation lines of the Allies, causing the Allies to suffer heavy losses.

Although many light cruisers and destroyers of several orc countries are now equipped with sonar, the purpose of the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet's use of the "wolf pack tactic" this time is mainly to attack the transport ships of the six orc countries and strive to paralyze the sea shipping between the six orc countries.

The submarine on which Zhang Donghua, commander of the submarine formation, was on was still a "Phantom 3" class submarine numbered 88.

After Sun Bo, the captain of the No. 88 submarine, handed over Liu Ergou's telegram to Zhang Donghua, Zhang Donghua immediately ordered: "According to the previous grouping, 1 supply ship and 5 submarines will be grouped together and immediately separated from the fleet.

Then it's time for our submarine formation to start performing. ”

In the evening of the same day, the No. 88 submarine had already entered the sneak, and Zhang Donghua and Sun Bo were having dinner.

At this time, Lu Mingxin, the first mate of the No. 88 submarine, hurriedly walked over, "Zhang Zhi, captain, a huge fleet has been found ahead!" ”

When Zhang Donghua and Sun Bo heard this, they didn't care about continuing to eat, and the two immediately came to the location of the periscope.

Through the periscope, you can vaguely see that there are many ships on the sea in the distance, but because the distance is too far, it is impossible to tell which country's ship it is, and it is impossible to determine whether it is a military ship or a civilian ship.

"Lean in! Contact the other 4 submarines of our group, as well as other hunting groups nearby.

If there is a fleet here, it must belong to some orc country! Zhang Donghua ordered.

In the bridge of the Spitfire-class all-main gun battleship of the Black Bear Empire's Royal Navy, Murka, the second vice minister of the Black Bear Empire's Navy, said to the commander of the First Fleet, Jerte: "Jerte, I transferred you here this time in the hope that you can assist me and preserve the vitality of our Black Bear Empire's Royal Navy as much as possible.

I have to admit that the southwest coastal defense fleet of the Zhou family of the Han and Tang Empires is definitely a difficult opponent! ”

After the Battle of Dragon Whale Island, Jert was temporarily removed as commander because the losses of the Black Bear Navy were too great.

However, Jert's background in the Black Bear Empire is very deep, and his family also has a lot of influence in the military of the Black Bear Empire.

Jert said with a wry smile: "General Murka, I think the top priority now is to equip all our Royal Navy light cruisers and destroyers with sonar as soon as possible.

Our Royal Navy has 80 light cruisers and 100 destroyers in the combined fleet of the six navies, but only 6 light cruisers are equipped with sonar equipment imported from the Golden Lion Empire.

In the Battle of Longjing Island, our Royal Navy suffered a loss without sonar, and was beaten so badly by the submarines of the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet. ”

Murka nodded slightly, "The Empire's imitation of sonar has been successful, and soon all the light cruisers and destroyers of our Royal Navy will be equipped with sonar." ”

Geert looked at the convoy in the distance through the observation window of the bridge, and couldn't help muttering: "I hope there will be no problems with this escort." ”

After receiving the Wild Bull Empire's request for help, the Black Bear Empire drew 300,000 elite troops from the army units that were ready to be sent to the Silver Wolf Empire.

Later, some of the warships of the Black Bear Navy in the combined fleet of the six navies were sent back to China to escort the 300,000 Black Bear Army from the sea to the Vittories Province of the Wild Bull Empire.

If you're really afraid, you'll come!

After Jert muttered, explosions suddenly rang out on the surface of the sea.

"What's going on?" When Murka, the Second Vice Minister of the Black Bear Empire's Navy, heard the explosion, he immediately showed a look of panic.

Jert hurriedly said: "Submarine! It must be a submarine of the Southwestern Coastal Defense Fleet!

General Murka, let 6 light cruisers equipped with sonar find the location of the enemy submarine! ”

As soon as Jerter's words fell, a large transport ship carrying thousands of Black Bear Army officers and soldiers was suddenly blown in two and quickly sank to the surface of the sea.

This first battle in which the submarine formation of the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet came to the coast of the Western Continent lasted until more than 11 o'clock in the evening.

Zhang Donghua, commander of the submarine formation, finally assembled 11 hunting teams, and a total of 55 "Ghost 3" class submarines participated in the premiere of wolf pack tactics.

In the end, the submarine formation of the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet sank 1 all-main gun battleship, 3 battle cruisers, 2 all-steel battleships, 4 large armored cruisers, 3 light cruisers and 3 destroyers of the Black Bear Navy at the cost of losing 17 "Ghost 3" class submarines.

Although the losses of the Black Bear Navy were not large, the submarine formation of the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet also sank 32 large transport ships carrying the Black Bear Army troops, causing nearly 140,000 officers and men of the Black Bear Army to die in the sea.

If it weren't for the fact that a fleet of the Golden Lion Navy rushed over to support, Zhang Donghua, the commander of the submarine formation, would never have given the order to retreat.

This fleet of the Golden Lion Navy has dozens of light cruisers and destroyers, and the light cruisers and destroyers of the Golden Lion Navy are basically equipped with sonar and depth charges used to deal with submarines.

At the Governor's Mansion in the Black Bear Empire's Gaget City, Governor Deniso learned that the fleet escorting 300,000 army troops had been attacked, and immediately called the Black Bear Empire's naval chief Kamut.

"What did you Navy do?

Hundreds of warships cannot guarantee the safety of 300,000 army troops, and more than 100,000 army officers and men died in the sea almost without firing a shot. ”

Kamut, the commander-in-chief of the Black Bear Empire's navy, said bitterly: "I didn't expect the Zhou family's Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet to send so many submarines to the Western Continent.

Of the more than 100 warships participating in the convoy, only 6 light cruisers were equipped with sonar, which allowed those submarines of the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet to take advantage of the loopholes.

However, our Royal Navy's subordinate arsenal has successfully copied sonar, and it will soon be ready for mass production. ”

Governor Deniso snorted coldly and said, "In the Battle of Dragon Whale Island, your Royal Navy has already suffered a big loss, why don't you buy more sonar from the Golden Lion Empire?" ”

Admiral Kamut couldn't help but dare to answer, but he muttered in his heart: Our Royal Navy's military spending is extremely tight now, and the sonar of the Golden Lion Empire is extremely expensive, and it is not easy to spare funds to buy a few sonars.

At this time, the chief of the Black Bear Empire Army in the room, Gela, asked: "Governor, after this attack, the 300,000 troops sent by our Royal Army to the Vittories Province of the Barbarian Bull Empire have almost lost nearly half.

Do you have to mobilize some more troops to form a second batch of troops to support the Brute Bull Empire? ”

"Yes, your War Department will dispatch another 300,000 troops as soon as possible, and prepare to rush to the Barbarian Bull Empire by sea for support."