German submarines have always been in top secret.

When the submarine is in the base, it is all in the cave, and no one will see it at all, and when the submarine sails or returns, it will either be at night or dive, and it will go directly into the cave.

As for the ocean, unless it is absolutely safe, it is in the state of snorkel, so until now, the outside world did not know the shape of the German submarine at all, and the hull-like structure that focused on surface navigation has long been abandoned and replaced with the shape of elongated water droplets adapted to underwater navigation.

At the same time, the snorkel used by German submarines, which was also a great secret, was not known to the outside world at all.

In addition to Germany, the submarines of other countries are the most ordinary diesel-electric submarines.

When sailing on the surface, diesel engines are used to power the submarine and at the same time charge the batteries, which are completely dependent on the batteries when they are underwater.

Therefore, Soviet submarines, most of the time, like ordinary surface ships, are in a state of floating, and they will dive only after discovering their prey, when attacking and withdrawing, which is also a common combat plan for submarines in this era.

At this time, the M-98 submarine was floating on the surface, two diesel engines were rumbling, and on the submarine's conning tower, the lookout post was looking at the sea in the distance.

The Soviet Navy could not wait to copy the tactics of the Germans, ambush the German fleet at sea and avenge their Black Sea Fleet, but now they found themselves with thorny problems.

Like, how to find the enemy's fleet?

In the vast sea, it is not easy to find a target, especially at night, it is even more difficult.

The tactics of the Germans could not be replicated, and the German submarines besieged the Soviet Black Sea Fleet, which was on the doorstep of the Black Sea Fleet, when they were all moored in the harbor, only to be ambushed after leaving the port.

Germany relied on intercepting Soviet intelligence in advance to be able to set up an ambush, and German submarines had advanced sonar equipment to detect their whereabouts.

But the Soviets couldn't.

The German fleet sailed on the surface of the Black Sea, and it was difficult to find the German fleet in such a large area, and they did not have any intelligence to support it, so they could only rely on themselves.

Although there are sonars on submarines, they are the most primitive and backward, and the range of action is quite limited, and now, they can only rely on luck.

Their luck was not bad.

Just after wandering on the surface of the sea for the first half of the night, at midnight, the lookout post suddenly shouted loudly: "Spot the surface target, thirty degrees to the port side!" ”

When the fleet sails in formation at night, it will turn on the navigation lights, only in this way can the formation see each other clearly, otherwise it is easy to lose or collide in the dark.

And now, what the M-98 submarine has discovered is the lights on the sea, and as long as you see those lights, you will know that it is a fleet!

In the case of the surface ships and maritime aviation of the Black Sea Fleet, the formations on the sea, then it can only be the Germans!

"Attention, prepare for battle!" Bristov was extremely excited: "Dive, ascend the periscope." ”

The M-98 is a first-class small submarine, operated by only about 20 people in total, and now, after receiving the order, the lookout post went down, got back into the conning tower, closed the top cover, and then, the submarine of more than 300 tons, like a big fish, dived down into the water.

The offensive is about to begin!

At the same time, the M-172, which was traveling with him, also discovered the German target almost at the same time and began to dive into the water, and everyone's heart was full of excitement, for them, the task was great, they wanted to avenge the fleet!

The periscope stretched out of the sea and made a rolling wave, but at this moment, they found that the target fleet actually began to turn!

Stuttgart.

At the top of the bridge, a huge radar antenna rotates, and with each rotation, the target data is refreshed.

This is the latest anti-air and sea-to-sea search radar developed by Germany, and its ability to deal with sea surface clutter has been greatly improved by adopting the latest transistor processing circuit.

Like now.

"Found two small targets on the water." The radarman looked at the two small echoes that flickered on the screen and reported loudly: "The target tonnage may be around a few hundred tons, less than 20 nautical miles away from us." ”

At this moment, these two small echoes suddenly disappeared.

"Are you dazzled?" The officer on duty asked.

"No, I'm sure it definitely exists, it was on the radar screen just now, and now it's gone, there's only one possibility!" The radarman said: "It has dived, and if it is close to five nautical miles, my radar can find its periscope!" ”

The radarman was quite sure, and the news, immediately reported upwards, reached Mashal, who was already asleep.

At this time, Mashal was lying on a comfortable bed with his clothes down, and when he received the report, he almost jumped to his feet and instantly became conscious.

Suspicious echoes spotted, suspected submarines? Upon receiving this news, Machar immediately gave the order: "Leave two Type A Z-class destroyers and two frigates here, and sweep the submarines of the Soviets here, and the other warships in the fleet, immediately turn around and deviate 60 degrees to the east, and we will make a detour." ”

At the beginning, if Gorshkov had not been entangled with the submarine force, he would not have lost so much, after all, surface ships have a huge speed advantage, and it is no problem to soar up to 30 knots, and a higher speed can even exceed 35 knots, and the submarine will not be able to catch up at all.

Now, of course, Mashal will not take his entire fleet to play hide-and-seek with the submarines of the Soviets, with four destroyers and frigates, it will be enough to deal with them, and the rest will turn away!

At some times, Machar was quite risky, even desperate, such as going out to bomb Soviet air bases on the island, and at other times, he was cautious, as in the present.

It's not wise to expose your large fleet to submarines, and while your warships have extra protection for underwater, and it's okay to be hit by a torpedo, it's not good if they are hit on propellers or rudders.

It can be dealt with with only a few destroyers and frigates, and there is no need for your main forces to take risks.

With his order, the huge German fleet began to turn, and only two Z-class destroyers and two River-class frigates, separated from the fleet, went to intercept.

On the dark sea, an anti-submarine operation began in this way.