The light of the morning sun spread over the surface of the Black Sea.

It was not only the Fourth Fleet, which was responsible for transporting troops and horses and various strategic materials, that sailed out of the port from the Golden Horn, but also the main force of the Phoenix Fleet's naval battle.

With the exception of transports, the Fourth Fleet had a very limited naval force at its disposal, with few formations dedicated to naval operations, with the exception of an embarrassing number of galleys and a three-masted galleon as the flagship.

In this way, the Phoenix fleet is saddled with a heavier task.

"General Osini, it will take time to get supplies back and forth, and your first goal is to hold on, and you must not launch a counterattack. Even if Trabzon is sheltered by the Pontus Mountains, it is in the hinterland of Ottoman territory. ”

The deck of the flagship Weary was wider than that of a regular three-masted galleon, and in addition to the necessary space structure of the bridge, the second deck had more space for small guns and ammunition, and could accommodate a larger crew. This design follows the design principle of the Ebius-Brilliant, and the combat effectiveness and sturdiness that are only slightly inferior to the Ebius-Brilliant's are also the reasons why the Warweary is capable of being the flagship.

Since the Empire took control of the Bosphorus, the Ottoman Black Sea Fleet has truly become an inland sea patrol fleet, and the role of the Ebius Radiance and its escort fleet in this defensive battle is to be the guardian of the Black Sea gates, and if the main Ottoman fleet is open to the Bosphorus again, then Trabzon's supply lines are likely to be completely cut off.

Ossini lay on the edge of the sand table and was silent for a long time, and finally asked with a solemn face: "I think you should know the combat effectiveness of the Fourth Legion. ”

Of course, this is not a joke, a legion that has not been recruited for more than a year and has not even fully formed a formation is not even considered to be effective in combat effectiveness in the empire of the past. Constantine XI, of course, prepared both hands for the sake of safety. The safety of Trabzon is the first priority, so as a last resort, the Holy See Guard, as a mobile force, will still be there to support. But the condition is that Trabzon must hold on for enough time for the Holy See to return to at least the most basic combat power, and the sea dominance of the Black Sea, which must be firmly in the hands of the Empire.

However, while everyone was still praying for the battle in Trabzon, trouble came to the door first.

The early morning breeze was still a little cool, but the crescent moon flag on the sea level made the sailors who were shivering and dozing off on the deck instantly drowsy. At this time, it was only a few hours away from Trabzon at most, but it met the Ottoman Black Sea Fleet in the open sea!

The sentry spread throughout the entire ship in an instant, and then spread to the mighty fleet. The transports immediately slowed down, and the sailors on the frigates began to reload their ammunition.

In the nick of time, the Ottoman ships had already completed their turn, and at the same time began to rain down on the Imperial Combined Fleet. The outbreak of this naval battle was so rapid that Livia Scheer, as the admiral of the fleet, did not even have time to think about the situation of the battle, and rushed from the cabin to the deck in three or two steps.

The Ottoman Black Sea Fleet, which had been idle for a long time, did not seem to be able to endure the loneliness, and at the same time must have been ordered by Muhammad to cooperate with the attack on Trabzon and implement a naval blockade. Perhaps it was calculated that the empire needed to deploy a fleet to defend the Sea of Marmara, and at this time, the combat effectiveness of the navy on the Black Sea formed a delicate balance.

"Fight back! Don't be suppressed by stupid infidels! ”

While firing, the Ottoman fleet also sailed towards the combined fleet at full sail speed, which made Livia temporarily afraid to meet the enemy with broadside guns. In order to make room for the guns, and to save money, the side decks of the War Weary were not as solid as those of the Ebius Brilliant. Under the threat of the Ottoman ships ramming the horns, it was not easy to fire continuously.

This does not mean that the navy of the Reich does not have the means to meet it.

"Flag-bearer, the two-wing fleet is deployed!"

A small and flexible fleet that performs very well in interspersed and divided battlefields. The Ottoman navy was able to charge the Imperial fleet recklessly, partly because of their sturdier hulls and dense firepower, and partly because of their ......

The empire has not given the infidels a taste of purgatory's fires for hundreds of years.

As Sophia's day and night translation of manuscripts, the first batch of finished products were naturally assembled for the Phoenix fleet as soon as possible. The Greek fire recipe that the Ottomans once thought was dead has resurfaced hundreds of years later.

The melee combat that burst into it even instantly made up for the last deficiency of the Greek fire - range.

Soon, several small galleys circled the Ottoman fleet, and the distance between the two fleets was enough to engage in broadside battles at any time. And Livia, too, can clearly see the eyebrows of the Ottoman sailors on the opposite side from the platen.

Their grotesque smiles and gestures seemed to mock, and they washed the deck with arrows from time to time.

In their opinion, a pocket toy-like galley could never be a match for a large warship.

Theoretically, this is true, but unfortunately, when the northern wind carried the cold air from the polar regions across the Black Sea, it nailed the last rivet to the coffin-like wooden deck.

As scorching flames erupted from the brass pipes, the playful faces of the Ottoman sailors froze in an instant. The soldier carrying the porthole rushed to the front, but in a matter of seconds, along with the porthole, it was reduced to ashes.

Of course, Greek fire is more than just setting people on fire. A roaring fire doesn't stop burning because of the smell of roasted meat in the air. The blow of the flames to the old ship was devastating, and there was no possibility of even salvage.

Greek fire fuel, made with a special recipe, cannot be extinguished with water. The Ottoman navy of this generation has never had the opportunity to see the power of Greek fire, let alone find a way to counter it.

Although the Greek fire could not be unleashed at any angle due to its dependence on the wind, the remaining Ottoman navy, which began to raise its sails and flee, proved its strength.

Less than half an hour after the first contact, the Ottoman Black Sea Fleet suddenly collapsed. And it's not just the fire they're up to.

After reaching the limit, the Ottoman navy was likely to break away from the battlefield with its speed advantage. Livia, of course, would not allow this to happen, otherwise the Ottomans would have been able to harass and plunder the Black Sea supply lines at any time.

"Lord Admiral...... The Ottoman ships in the back rushed again! ”

Turning the rudder was unrealistic, turning in a naval battle was tantamount to committing suicide on the spot, and if the Ottomans wanted to withdraw from the battlefield, they would use their speed advantage to break through the blockade of the imperial fleet. But unfortunately, the fuel of Greek fire is not only used in this way.

With a blank face, Livia Scheer gave the next order to the standard-bearer.

"Refocus."

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