The Second Fleet, also known as the Western Fleet, is stationed in the western ports of the Gafia Empire, guarding the western coastline, and is also responsible for complimenting the coastline of the puppet state of the Republic of Kean, because there are no strong enemies in this direction, so the Western Fleet has always been relatively weak, and there are only four old low-freeboard battleships deployed before the war.

However, with the Boa Incident, in order to deal with the maritime threat of the Great Heng Empire, the Gafia Empire transferred two new high-freeboard battleships and three new cruisers from the First Fleet, that is, the Eastern Fleet, to supplement the Second Fleet to strengthen the Second Fleet.

And with the Daheng Empire's clear entry into the Bowa military base, the second fleet also poured out of the nest and went to the port of the Republic of Kean, and after getting the news of the dispatch of the southwest fleet of the Daheng Empire, it immediately ran to the open sea of the Bowa military base to hold the so-called maritime exercises, which were actually to intercept the Daheng Southwest Fleet.

In Admiral Geroride's opinion, his second fleet was strong, while the other side was only a small fleet, with only four armored cruisers in the main force.

In the case of a large gap in the comparison of strength, the other party will naturally retreat obediently.

As long as the other party retreats, then their task will be completed, as for whether the Daheng Empire will send more warships, especially battleships, into this sea area next time, it will not be something that the Second Fleet can resist alone, and then the main fleet of the First Fleet will be needed to deal with it.

When the generals on both sides were tougher and had received strong instructions from the top in advance, neither fleet flinched.

The Southwest Fleet of the Great Heng Empire gradually advanced eastward at a cruising speed that was neither fast nor slow, and the Second Fleet of the Gafia Empire in the east was also in battle formation.

At 1:30 p.m., the flagship of the Third Squadron of the Southwest Fleet of the Great Heng Empire, the lookout on the main mast, suddenly shouted: "Unknown ship found!" ”

"Number four, distance sixteen kilometers, speed sixteen, suspected small and medium-sized ships!"

"The other party is speeding up!"

On the bridge of the command ship of the Enggu, Commodore Meng Kebao, commander of the Third Fleet, also took a telescope to observe after receiving the briefing, but the telescope in his hand was just an ordinary telescope, far from being as far as the large telescope of the lookout soldiers on the watchtower.

Although the weather was clear at this time, it was only cloudy, and he only saw four pillars of smoke and a few very vague black shadows in the telescope.

After putting down the binoculars, Commodore Meng Kebao said: "Inform the friendly forces, four unknown small and medium-sized warships have been found in front of you!" ”

As the news was reported in the flag, it didn't take long for Meng Kebao to get a reply from Ren Zhongping: "Come forward to find out the identity of the unknown ship and let the unknown ship give way!" ”

In fact, needless to say, everyone knows that the four warships in front must be the ships of the Gafia Empire's navy, although it is still far away from now, but at this critical moment, in this sea area, in addition to the naval ships of various countries watching the battle from afar in the north, the only one that can appear in formation in front of the southwest fleet of the Daheng Navy is the second fleet of the Gafia Empire.

Soon, the third squadron was led by Meng Kebao to speed up and quickly approach the other party.

Because the two sides are driving in opposite directions, and both sides have increased their speed, the distance between the two sides is rapidly narrowing.

Only five minutes later, the Third Squadron once again informed the rear through the flag: "The other ship is the Gafia ship, and at the same time a group of high-speed warships of the Gafia fleet has been discovered, the number of which is three!" ”

Subsequently, the opposing ships were notified that this place was called the exercise area, so that the fleet could avoid it!

After receiving the news, Vice Admiral Ren Zhongping in the rear snorted coldly: "Avoid a fart, order the third fleet, according to the predetermined plan, shield the periphery, and if the enemy fleet does not avoid it, allow it to open fire."

"Order the second squadron to speed up and shield the flank battlefield!"

At this time, Lieutenant General Ren Zhongping knew very well that he had no possibility of backing down.

He represents not only himself, not only the Southwest Fleet, but the entire Daheng Empire!

As long as the other party does not back down, it doesn't matter if this battle can be fought or not, but it has to be fought.

Of course, if the main forces of the local fleet gathered, he would not only take the southwest fleet to do it, and it would be feasible to fight and leave.

However, you must not retreat in disgrace without fighting, which is not in line with the tradition of Daheng people!

If he was frightened by the other party's main fleet and ran away, it is estimated that he would be removed from his post after returning home.

Whether or not we can fight is a military issue, and whether we dare to fight or not is a political issue.

Under the interests of the empire, he is no longer allowed to make any choice to back down!

Unfortunately, the other party's cruiser reconnaissance fleet of the Gafia Empire also received a similar order, if the fleet of the Great Heng people did not back down, then fire!

The cruiser fleets of both sides are actually ready to shoot at this time!

The tough attitude of the top brass on both sides was pressed down layer by layer, and finally passed on to the front-line officers.

Meng Kebao, the commander of the Third Fleet, looked at the enemy fleet that was getting closer and closer, and the other party had already warned him for the third time in the common flag that he must retreat immediately, otherwise it would be regarded as a declaration of war.

Of course, the Third Squadron is the same as the rest of the others who want the other side to get out!

The distance between the two sides has rapidly shrunk from more than ten kilometers to eight, five thousand, and even four kilometers, which is actually an effective range for the two sides to fight, but the two sides still did not fire!

Time passes little by little!

A colonel behind Meng Kebao said: "The commander can't wait any longer, if they wait any longer, they will pass through their blockade line, and then the course speed of our main fleet will be exposed!" ”

"And the other side is also equipped with torpedoes, so if they get close to the main formation and launch a lightning strike......"

Meng Kebao took a deep breath and said: "Send the flag to the other party again, if the other party does not retreat immediately, our side will open fire!" ”

The flag was quickly sent, but instead of responding positively, the other side sent a flag that resembled an ultimatum, saying that if they didn't turn to avoid it, they would open fire.

"In that case, what else is there to say!"

"Inform the rear, our fleet is about to engage the enemy fleet!"

After glancing at everyone, Meng Kebao said in a calm tone: "This ship turns its rudder to the left thirty-five degrees!" ”

"The other three ships are closely following this ship and maintaining the maximum combat speed of twenty-five knots!"

"All ships are firing freely at enemy No. 1!"

After Meng Kebao's order was issued, the ships of the Third Squadron made a big bend directly in the sea, trying to stop directly in front of the opposite Gafia cruiser, seize the T-shape, and carry out concentrated fire strikes on the lead ship of the enemy column.

When the ships began to pick up speed and turn, the guns of the ships also opened fire in unison!

When the third squadron opened fire first, the commander of the Gafiya Imperial Navy formation on the opposite side saw this scene with horror and anger on his face: "These damn Heng barbarians, how dare they really fire!" ”

"Shoot back, ships return fire!"

"Follow the flagship steering!"

After the two sides opened fire one after another, the fleets of both sides also began to turn sharply at the same time!

The commander of the vanguard reconnaissance fleet of the Gafia Imperial Navy was not stupid, and when he saw that the third squadron had turned, they also followed and turned towards the north.

In addition, it is more important to choose the same direction to turn around, or to continue to intercept the other side, so as not to let the reconnaissance fleet of the Daheng Navy break through its own blockade, and then go deep into the rear to reconnoiter the situation of its own main formation, so as to avoid the other side from carrying out lightning strikes on its own main formation after penetrating deeply.

When the formations of both sides chose to turn north and quickly approached at a small auxiliary angle, the warships of both sides actually quickly entered the effective range of the opponent's naval guns.

The distance between the two sides was rapidly narrowing from 4,000 meters to 3,000 meters, and at the same time, the naval guns of both sides were rapidly spraying shells!

The avant-garde fleets on both sides are cutting-edge high-speed warships, with high speeds, and they are also equipped with a lot of rapid-fire guns, which are quite ferocious in firepower!

When the fleets of the two sides were officially completed, the warships of the navies of various countries watching from the sidelines in the northern waters also watched with wide eyes.

This is not only the first large-scale battle between cutting-edge warships on the Blue Star, but also the first large-scale naval battle between major powers on the Blue Star in the past two decades!

Its nature is completely different from the previous naval battles!

Any detail in it is enough for the navies of various countries to study carefully!

Just when the avant-garde fleets of the two sides began to engage fiercely and the shells flew sideways, the second squadron also accelerated forward, but not to reinforce the third fleet, but to continue to reconnoiter the traces of the enemy's main fleet.

The main formation personally led by Lieutenant General Ren Zhongping also advanced at maximum speed in the rear.

At 2:10 p.m., after the 2nd Squadron made a high-speed detour, although it was also discovered and intercepted by the enemy's cruiser formation, it still approached the hinterland of the enemy formation and discovered the traces of the enemy's capital ship formation.

At the same time, two enemy armored cruisers and three cruiser formations were spotted on the northern flank, interspersed at high speed on the northern flank at a speed of twenty knots.

After this news was quickly reported, the Second Squadron broke free from the entanglement of many enemy cruisers and tried to break through the enemy's capital ship formation to launch a lightning attack.

However, it was intercepted by intensive rapid-fire artillery fire from a formation of two enemy armored cruisers and a formation of three high-speed cruisers.

At this time, Ren Zhongping also got a report from the avant-garde fleet!

"Six battleships, two armored cruisers, the enemy is afraid that this time the entire fleet will pour out!" Ren Zhongping said to the direction of the enemy fleet marked on the chart: "But if they think that with these old warships they can make us retreat, hmph, let's dream!" ”

"This time let them know that the key protective battleships without hardened armor are completely outdated!"

"Pass my order, turn thirty degrees, maintain a speed of twenty knots, and the whole army will assault!"