"If it had been twenty years ago, I would have personally led the fleet to the four seas."

Nie Wai's eyes never left Tan Renhao: "Now that I'm old, I don't have so much energy after I get old." Unlike you, young people can stay up late every day, can be tirelessly engaged in work, and can not worry about everything. To be honest, I envy you young people. ”

"Headmaster, you've had all of them. And now you have what we young people don't have. ”

Tan Renhao's words were very tactful: "We should envy you, if all the young officers have the experience of the principal, I'm afraid we won't have any failures." ”

Nie Renfeng immediately burst out laughing. "Experience is built by accumulation, and sooner or later you will get the experience you need. And I'll never get my youth back, will I? ”

Tan Renhao lowered his head, he hadn't thought about this question, he was so busy that he even had to trot to go to the toilet during this time, where was he still in the mood to think about this kind of philosophical question.

"Okay, let's talk about what you think."

"Thoughts?"

Tan Renhao glanced at the principal suspiciously, and then habitually took out a cigarette.

Nie Renfeng nodded with a smile and struck a match to help Tan Renhao light a cigarette. "I left you here to hear your opinion. Let's put it this way, what kind of tactics is the United States most likely to adopt after the outbreak of the Pacific War? ”

This question is not simple, and Ren Hao didn't know how to answer it for a while.

"There is no doubt that initiative is equally important to both of us. The United States needs the initiative, and we need it too. ”

Nie Renfeng stood up, and then walked to the map of the Pacific Ocean hanging on the wall next to the door: "Taking the offensive is the only way to gain the initiative, and I have already proposed to the prime minister in the telegram to take the initiative to attack, but this opinion has been rejected by the prime minister." The reason is also very simple: the war against Japan is not over yet, and it is hoped that Japan will not pose another threat to the empire before the United States enters the war. So we are asked to remain focused on the Japanese side. We were promised to make local deployment adjustments, including strengthening investment in the recovered Nanyang region, deploying more HNA and 6 warbands. Of course, the deployment of Iwo Jima, the Ogasawara Islands, and Ryukyu Island will also be strengthened. I had already sent a telegram to General Luo Yunchong in the morning, asking him to gradually reduce the intensity of the bombing against Japan and free up some bombers to carry out ocean-going reconnaissance missions. Focus on monitoring the U.S. Navy fleet in the Mariana Islands. The Navy is gradually shifting its strategic focus, but the problem is that we are not ready for an active offensive now. In particular, there are problems with the deployment of the reserve fleet of fuel and ammunition. If the United States takes the initiative to attack, what tactics will the United States use and what precautions should we take? ”

Tan Renhao was still not in a hurry to speak, the problem was in front of him, and it was by no means as easy to solve as he imagined.

"Don't you really want to go back to the fleet?"

Nie Renfeng turned his head and glanced at Tan Renhao, "Now." I'll give you a chance. Choose a fleet. Tell me if the war suddenly exploded the fleet did not receive this news in time. Or what would you do if you launched a surprise attack before the United States officially declared war? ”

"Headmaster, then I'll choose to avoid a surprise attack."

Tan Renhao answered the question very "honestly".

"What if you can't get around it?"

Nie Renfeng did not let go of Tan Renhao.

The Rear Admiral smiled and shrugged his shoulders, he didn't think there was a way to avoid it.

"Choose a fleet first, you will be the commander of the fleet, and I will play the role of the imaginary enemy, and we will do a war game deduction."

Nie Renfeng picked up a wooden stick and handed it to Tan Renhao's hand, "Don't hesitate, otherwise you will lose badly!" ”

Tan Renhao is a little big now. When Nie Renfeng was the principal, he taught the students the wargame postponement course (the principal of the college is also an instructor), Tan Renhao chose this course at that time, although the grades were the best, but he knew very well that Nie Renfeng was accomplished in wargame deduction.

"Why are you scared?"

Nie Renfeng picked up another wooden stick, "I won't show mercy just because you are my student, if you lose, I will have to reconsider your return to the fleet." ”

Tan Renhao took a deep breath and looked towards the map of the Pacific Ocean. The principal is no joke. Although wargame deduction is a bit on paper, but this is the most basic ability of a fleet commander, and he can't even do it well on paper, so why should he command the fleet to fight? Of course, this is by no means a rhetorical exercise, but a deduction to simulate the actual combat situation and use this as a reference to revise the navy's tactics.

"Now let's pick a fleet!"

Nie Renfeng smiled at Tan Renhao and became serious.

Tan Renhao looked at the icons on the map representing the three task forces, and it seemed that the third task force must have been excluded, no matter how high his score was in the fleet tactics course in school, he was not the commander of the shelling fleet, and he didn't like the tactics of close shelling. Task Force 2 operates in the waters around Iwo Jima, while Task Force 1 operates in the Pacific Ocean east of the Philippines. As a result, Tan Renhao's gaze stayed on the First Task Force, perhaps this is more certain.

"Task Force 1? It seems that you still haven't forgotten what happened last time! ”

Nie Renfeng let out a sigh: "Okay, then I'll play the commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet." Now that the U.S. Pacific Fleet has secretly moved to a certain area near the Caroline Islands and has revealed the whereabouts of Task Force 1, the United States has decided to enter the war and has brought back diplomatic personnel to the Reich. The U.S. Pacific Fleet, consisting of four carriers, is in full swing and you have received no information, and the war will explode in a few hours, and Task Force 1 is the Imperial fleet that the U.S. Navy has determined must be destroyed. You are the commander of the fleet, and your mission is to keep Task Force 1, at least two of the three aircraft carriers, and at the same time hold back the offensive momentum of the American army, what should you do? ”

"Headmaster, this is not fair!"

Tan Renhao was shocked, the advantages were in the hands of the other party, and what he got was a dead game.

"Do you think war is fair?"

Nie Renfeng sneered: "If the war is fair, then we can determine the victory or defeat through exercises on paper, and it is necessary to let the soldiers shed blood and sacrifice?" It's not fair in the first place, and you shouldn't expect fair treatment if you can't even overcome it. Then how do you lead the fleet to battle, how do you win the victory? Do you think I'll hand over the fleet to you with peace of mind? ”

Tan Renhao swallowed his saliva and immediately cheered up. He quickly thought for a moment and asked, "What is the mission of the first task force?" ”

"Cover the attack of the 2nd Task Force, 3rd Task Force, and 6th Fleet in the Mariana Islands, and hold the southern gate of the Empire to prevent American troops from entering the South Seas."

Tan Renhao nodded slightly. Two minutes later, he said: "I will send all the reconnaissance planes to determine the specific location of the US fleet first, and it would be best if we could grasp the size of the fleet and the specific configuration of the fleet." In addition, we will have submarines operating near the Caroline, which will be the first line of defense of the fleet. The range of the reconnaissance aircraft is about 39o nautical miles, so I will let the fleet operate about 25o nautical miles east of the San Bernardino Strait, and adopt a tight anti-submarine formation to avoid a surprise attack by American submarines. So in the event of a sudden encounter with the American fleet. Retreat is available back to Luzon. Under the cover of shore-based air forces on Luzon, they will take the initiative to attack and concentrate all their forces to attack. If there is no encounter with the American fleet. We can be in the waters near the Mariana Islands within 18 hours to support Task Force 2. ”

Nie Renfeng nodded slightly, and quickly thought about it.

Just as Nie Renfeng was thinking about how to break this deadlock and force Tan Renhao into a dead end, the door was suddenly knocked on, and then the secretary Xiao Li pushed the door open. Nie Renfeng and Tan Renhao both turned their heads, there was nothing special, and the secretary would not knock on the door at will.

"The marshal just received a telegram from General Luo Yunchong from Iwo Jim, and the chief of staff asked me to come and tell you."

Nie Renfeng hesitated slightly. Then he put down the stick in his hand. "There should be something very important, let's go over and have a look."

When he came to Gan Yongxing's office, Gan Yongxing was arranging tasks for two staff officers.

"Okay, you all go and deal with these things first!"

Gan Yongxing glanced at Nie Renfeng and Tan Renhao, who walked in, and waited until the two staff officers went out before he went to close the door. "I just received a telegram that our bomber group met a group of unfamiliar anti-aircraft fighters in the skies over Japan."

"What do you mean?"

Nie Renfeng sat down.

"The content of the telegram is limited, and Luo Yunchong did not explain the situation clearly."

Gan Yongxing went to make two cups of green tea and brought them over. "I've sent someone to ask for a telegram back."

Tan Renhao picked up the telegram that Gan Yongxing put on his desk, read it quickly, and handed it to Nie Renfeng. "What does this mean by a strange fighter, is there a new fighter in service with Japan?"

"It's unlikely, I called the officers of the intelligence services as soon as I received the telegram, and now we don't have any information about the presence of new fighters in service in Japan."

Gan Yongxing sat down, then took out a cigarette: "I suspect that this may be an American fighter jet." ”

Nie Renfeng nodded slightly.

"American fighter jets?"

Tan Renhao immediately looked at Gan Yongxing in surprise, this is simply a naked act of war, and the empire can declare war on Japan based on this.

"Yes, maybe it's a fighter from the American Volunteer Air Corps."

Gan Yongxing threw a cigarette to Tan Renhao: "The term 'volunteer air force' is not new. During the last World War, a group of American volunteer air forces fought in Britain, France, and other countries. We have always suspected that the United States sent a volunteer air force to Japan, but we have not found any evidence before, and even if it did, it was only pilots and not fighter jets. Now the bomber group sent by Luo Yunchong has been intercepted by unknown fighter planes in the sky over Japan, and now it is confirmed that 22 bombers have been shot down. These fighters are clearly not of Japanese production, and the quality of the pilots is much better than that of the Japanese ones. So we suspect that it is possible that this is a volunteer air force sent by the United States, and the United States sent it along with the planes! ”

Tan Renhao fell silent, and the "Volunteer Air Force" is no stranger, and now there are a number of American pilots fighting in the British Isles and on the battlefields of Western Europe, and there is also a group of pilots who are serving as flight instructors in Russia and training Russian pilots. However, the empire had no intelligence to prove that the United States had sent such civilian troops to Japan.

Five minutes later, a staff officer hurried in. He brought a package that Luo Yunchong had sent back from the front line. Luo Yunchong immediately developed out the photographs of the reconnaissance plane and the escort fighters (the fighters had camera guns used to determine the results of the battle) and immediately sent a transport plane back. At noon he was so uneasy that he sent a telegram back.

When Gan Yongxing took out the photo, Tan Renhao could see at a glance that it was definitely not a Japanese fighter jet, because it used a V-shaped water-cooled engine, and most of the Japanese fighters used air-cooled engines.

"The American P4 cheap fighter should be the initial model."

Gan Yongxing gave the photos to Nie Renfeng and Tan Renhao: "The best fighter jet that the United States now provides to other countries, but in terms of performance, it is not even similar to the 'Zero Battle' and the 'Sparrowhawk' and 'Vulture' we used before, with excellent dive performance and a sturdy and durable body. ”

Tan Renhao looked at the blurry plane in the photo, this is indeed an American-made fighter jet, just a Japanese plaster flag painted on the wings. In addition, there is a line of small print below the photo that gives a brief introduction to this American-made fighter, and the intelligence officers are still very careful.

"How many fighters can Hachijojima hold now?"

Nie Renfeng spoke.

"The third airfield is already in operation, and if the other airfields are fully deployed, five squadrons of fighter jets can be deployed."

"Immediately send five more squadrons of the 'Falcons' group over there and send the best pilots over."

Nie Renfeng stood up and smashed the photo in his hand on the coffee table, "Leave enough escort fighters, all the others carry out free hunting missions, let each fighter hang bombs and rockets when they take off, and they must not be soft on this group of Yankees!" ”

Gan Yongxing immediately went to give this order, and Tan Renhao also followed Nie Renfeng to stand up, it seems that the principal is not the kind old man who can't be angry.