Wasp, crisis is approaching!

There was a commotion on the deck, and Collingwood stared pale at the Andean as it pressed over like a thundercloud in the distance, pursing his lips and saying nothing.

As for the advance and retreat, he has not yet been able to make a final decision.

That's not to say that the Wasp wasn't sure to run away from the Andes.

After all, the distance between the two sides was three kilometers, and the fog on the sea surface also dispersed. With the clumsiness of the Andes, the Wasp has a good chance of escaping along the fourth channel as long as it wants to run.

Just the price?

As soon as he relinquishes his defensive position, the entire battle line at the Four or Five Fairways will collapse, and what will ensue is the complete failure of the Battle of Lerobel Bay and even the entire Halloween operation.

Nelson would be trapped in enemy lines, with no way out, no way out, no difference between sinking and being captured.

Collingwood asked himself, could he afford such a price?

For Yu Gong, if the commander failed the battle and the battle was defeated, he, the deputy general, must bear all the responsibility, and ordering him to retire is already the most lenient punishment he can think of.

Privately, Nelson was his best friend!

So, hold the line until the moment of sinking?

Hope in Lorraine. Will Drake have a more elaborate plan to turn the tide in his escape?

If the Wasp sinks, does it all make sense?

Collingwood let go of his ears, and panic came over the deck.

"Raise the sails! Raise the sails quickly! ”

"Throw away all useless debris, and untie the cables of the assault boat! Now is not an offensive state, the dinghy towing behind the boat will only affect our speed! ”

"Warning, warning! The Andean has completed its U-turn and is moving in the direction of our ship, with a speed of 2 knots, and it continues to increase! Expected to engage in half an hour! ”

"The Passage 5 goal is also starting to move forward! Increase the density of the shelling, press back, and not let them flank on both sides! ”

"Oh God! Are we going to stay here and die? ”

"Mom, help me!"

Despair reigns.

Collingwood stood in the midst of despair, staring coldly at the rising sails, neither stopping the spontaneous actions of the sailors, nor ordering the anchor to be raised and the last of the Wasp's shackles.

He felt like he should say something.

Whether it was humiliation or despair, as a commander, it was his duty to show the way forward for the crew.

But he didn't know what to say, standing in front of these crew members who fought with him, should he painfully pronounce the death sentence for his own life, or incite the crew to fight to the end and deprive them of a chance to live?

Lorraine. Drake...... Eventually, he escaped.

The first mate, who has always had a good reputation, strode closer: "Major, the Andean has begun to advance, and the enemy in the channel has apparently received the corresponding orders, if we continue to stay here......"

"Will you get caught in the flank?" Collingwood casually interrupted the first mate.

"Yes......"

"Captain, you have a job in the Admiralty, and the gentleman who recommended you to board the ship has repeatedly mentioned that you are capable and wise, and I trust your judgment." Collingwood's voice was still inaudible, "In your opinion, what should we do in the current situation?" ”

"Machine...... Mobile offensive. The first mate considered the language, "Major, if a situation is formed between two sides, the Wasp will not be able to hold the battle line at all, but if we can adjust the situation of mobile attack in time, we will ...... with our mobility."

"Use a mobile attack to contain a fourth-class ship and two or more ships of the same class in a relatively wide sea area, and wait for Drake to adjust and return, or the Admiral will win the opponent and return to the battlefield, right?"

"Yes......"

"You...... Sure enough, there is a talent for staff officers. ”

Collingwood laughed inexplicably, laughing a few times before realizing that his emotions were out of control, and quickly waved his hand to apologize.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean anything, I really think it's an excellent judgment to move the attack."

The first mate smiled bitterly: "But you don't plan to adopt it, do you?" A staff officer is always a staff officer, and we will not be responsible for decision-making, so we cannot bear the right to make the final decision. ”

"But at least, you made me see your talent."

Collingwood craned his fingers back, stretching out as if he were looking away.

"Captain, how much has Passage 5 advanced?"

"Because we've increased the density of bombs, we're now at a distance of 630, and we've basically stopped moving forward."

"What about the Andes?"

"The speed of the ship has finally stabilized at 2.5 knots, and it is expected that the start of the battle has been revised to an hour later, and it seems that the earl on the opposite side is ready to drive us away with a dignified posture, and give priority to the convergence of the two roads."

"As always, steady, don't take a little risk......," Collingwood paused, "Golden Deer...... Has Drake changed? ”

"It's officially out of sight, and the lookout feedback is 7,200 miles away from us and 3,700 miles away from the fourth channel. The Fatotem chased after it, and since it was sailing at full speed, it was only a matter of time before the Golden Deer was caught up before entering the fourth channel. ”

Collingwood felt a slight disobedience and couldn't help but frown.

"Will the Golden Deer be overtaken? If Drake really wants to escape, he will at least have a lucky horseshoe to fight...... Where's the lucky horseshoe? ”

"Lucky Horseshoe?" The first mate was obviously stunned for a moment, "From the beginning of the war, the lucky horseshoe was hidden on the outside of the warring sea area as a reserve combat force, and it was easy not to enter the battlefield field of vision...... It's very difficult to observe her, and it's not very valuable, so ......"

"Find her!"

Collingwood shouted, picking up a surprise from the lookout.

"The shadow of the ship was found directly behind the Andes, and the observation characteristics are the lucky horseshoe belonging to our army! She's chasing the Andes! It's blazing fast! Oh my God, Wingsail! The Lucky Horseshoe has its winged sails and has a speed of 12 knots, compared to 9.5 knots compared to the Andes! ”

"It's a charge! Our lucky horseshoe is charging! Banzai! ”

……

On the turquoise sea border, there is a shadow of a ship riding the wind and waves, galloping towards the wind.

That is the Lucky Horseshoe, which is under the Drake Chamber of Commerce and is temporarily subordinate to the General Chamber of Commerce.

At the end of the 18th century, when clippers had not yet matured, the speed of 12 knots, or nearly 20 kilometers per hour, was enough for a sail warship to squeeze into the first sequence.

The top of the era of the first and third class ships is generally 9-10 knots, the ship type is too bloated, the center of gravity is not stable enough second and fourth class ships can rarely reach 9 knots.

As small ships, the speed of the fifth and sixth class ships is generally faster, often having more than 10 knots, reaching a design speed of nearly 11 knots.

However, the only one that can really feel the speed of 12 knots and has been adopted as a warship type by the great powers is the Baltimore Brig type, which integrates the high-speed genes of the New World, has a unique slender bow, and is equipped with full-width wing sails.

The Lucky Horseshoe was such a unique Baltimore Brig ship, commanded by one of England's leading boatmen, Bell. Judea.

Maintaining peak speed in the pre-rainstorm winds in the bay like a cyclone, with a long, chaotic clockwise wind band, is a triple test of skill, inspiration and talent.

For example, Lorraine, who came out of the same class as Bell, also has no less than Bell's evaluation in the sea school, and has accumulated a lot of practical experience in the years of business, coping with or seeing a variety of extreme hydrology.

The Golden Deer, which can be operated by him, can only maintain a speed of 50% to 70% in a state of sports warfare, and when changing direction at the limit, it also fell into the dilemma of waiting for the wind several times, and once almost sank into the sea.

In the same environment, Bell easily grasped the high-speed cut angle of the wingsail, and approached the Andean course through a continuous narrow change of direction, rather than a rapid full rudder.

Its sound, its momentum, moves like thunder!

The temporary first mate moved to Bell's vicinity with a pale face, shouting at the top of his voice.

"Captain! The Wasp has set sail! The Wasp has set sail! ”

Bell licked his lips and teased: "It seems that our noble comrades-in-arms finally don't plan to run away, and we have won the first battle, and we have lived up to the president's hopes." Gentlemen, in the long race, each of you has added one point. ”

"Hooray!"

"For the next hour, it's an hour of tightrope dancing...... Want to include those 100 long covenants? ”

"Yes! Think! Think! ”

"Then take it from the stupid bear on the other side...... Lucky Horseshoe, forward! ”