Both Huang Xiaotian and Yan Shiqi returned to Lae the next morning, and they both handed over the fleet to the chief of staff to command. In order to coordinate the combat operations between the three fleets and the fleet and the Marine Corps, Yan Guozhong specially summoned the three fleet commanders back to Lae City to determine the battle plan.

After the four commanders arrived, they first decided on the arrangement of command authority. Yan Guozhong was the commander of the theater and was responsible for coordinating the command of the campaign, taking full charge of the command of the Marine Corps, and arranging for the shore-based troops of the Navy to cooperate with the fleet in combat. Tan Renhao is the joint commander of the three task forces and is responsible for the full command of the fleet. The focus of the campaign was on fleet operations, during which the Marines would slow down their offensive on Kuah Island while trying to match the fleet's movements.

Huang Xiaotian has no opinion on this arrangement, Yan Guozhong's position is certain, and he was originally Tan Renhao's subordinate before, and he followed Tan Renhao for more than a year, and this time he was able to quickly rise from lieutenant colonel to rear admiral and become the commander of the fleet (or acting), thanks to Tan Renhao's help and support, so he would not object to Tan Renhao commanding him to fight, and he didn't have the confidence to command his old superiors to fight.

Yan Shiqi was a little dissatisfied with this arrangement, he didn't think that Tan Renhao was much better than him.

Tan Renhao is indeed very powerful in aviation operations, this Yan Shiqi has to admit, but it is clear that this time the US army mobilized six battleships to come over, and it was going to fight with the Imperial Navy, and in terms of artillery battles, Yan Shiqi felt that he was much more powerful than Tan Renhao, what qualifications did Tan Renhao have to command him to fight? But this is also the arrangement of the Navy Command and the Theater Command, even if he is dissatisfied, he has to endure it, as a soldier, he still knows the meaning of the order.

Regardless of whether they were convinced or not, after determining the command authority, the four of them began to discuss this combat operation.

"I have discussed it with General Yan, and I think that the deployment of the US army in this campaign is probably like this." Tan Renhao gave a general explanation on the theater map, "It is very likely that the US battleship fleet will enter the waters of the Solomon Islands from these straits east of the Solomon Islands. During the day, they first moved in the waters south of Indispenser Reef to avoid detection by our reconnaissance planes, and at the same time to avoid being attacked by our shore-based tactical bombers. They then head north at full speed around evening, reaching the sea south of Kuah Island at about 12 o'clock. If MacArthur had made arrangements, he would have carried a group of troops and supplies, or covered the northward movement of a fast transport fleet to provide reinforcements to Kuah Island. ”

Several red routes are marked on the map. This was a possible northward route for the U.S. battleship fleet, and it all ended up converging on the south side of Kuah Island. The length of the route was between 150 and 180 nautical miles, and the maximum speed of the American battleship was about 27 knots, so it would take just over five hours at most.

"In order to ensure the safety of the battleship fleet, the US military will strengthen the number of fighters on the southern side of the Solomon Islands in Timakira and Rennell in advance, reduce the number of tactical bombers, and deploy a number of night reconnaissance planes. Therefore, during this period. We must step up reconnaissance and surveillance of US military airfields on these islands. Tan Renhao had already noticed that Yan Shiqi's expression was a little not so good-looking. He didn't bother Yan Shiqi, he didn't get along with this artillery expert.

"General Yan has said that a group of scouts can be placed on the two islands. Responsible for front-line approach reconnaissance. In addition, our tactical reconnaissance aircraft deployed on Bougainville Island will also go to monitor and reconnoitre. If the U.S. military strengthens the deployment of fighter jets at the airfields on the two islands, it proves that the U.S. military's counterattack is about to begin. ”

"They can send fighter jets over the night before a counterattack, not days in advance, right?" Huang Xiaotian asked a question at this time.

"It's entirely possible, and in order to conceal the intentions of the campaign, the U.S. military will definitely do it."

Yan Guozhong explained for Tan Renhao, "Although seizing sea supremacy is the focus of the US military's combat operations this time, now that the U.S. forces on Kuah Island are running out of fuel, MacArthur will definitely take this opportunity to provide reinforcements to Kuah Island, even if the operation to seize sea supremacy fails." As long as they can provide strong support to the defenders of Kuah Island, then the US military can hold on to Kuah Island until the next counterattack.

Therefore, they must cover up their campaign attempts, and deploying fighters in advance can only expose their campaign intentions, and it is a normal arrangement to complete the transfer and deployment of fighters that night. ”

"So, we need to monitor the two islands, especially Makira, at night, Scouts. There are also night reconnaissance planes that are indispensable, and the reinforcement of the US military should be carried out in the first half of the night, which means that the US fleet will reach the waters of Kuah Island in the second half of the night. Tan Renhao glanced at Yan Shiqi, "General Yan, when the time comes, it will be up to you to see the performance of the Third Task Force." ”

"We don't have much of a problem on our side, even if we can't beat it, we can run it, anyway, as soon as it dawns, there will be bombers to support us." Yan Shiqi's words obviously smelled of vinegar.

"General Yan, the key issue is that we can't let the U.S. military send reinforcements to Kuah Island, as for dealing with the U.S. battleships, this is the task of your fleet." Yan Guozhong couldn't stand it anymore, "In order to ensure that the attack on Kuah Island can proceed smoothly, even if it is a bullet, the US military cannot be sent to Kuah Island!" ”

"We will do our best, but we can't guarantee that, after all, the US military has six battleships, and we only have four." Yan Shiqi's attitude was a little more correct, and after cooperating with Yan Guozhong for a few months, he also knew Yan Guozhong's temper very well.

"This is not a problem, as long as the American fleet is killed, then we will control the sea supremacy, and the marines will be able to take Kuah Island sooner or later." Tan Renhao nodded slightly at Yan Guozhong, and then said to the map, "Two small aircraft carriers of the United States have passed through the Panama Canal a few days ago, according to our estimates, these two aircraft carrier formations will not go to Pearl Harbor, but will go to Christmas Island to replenish fuel, and then go directly to the battlefield." It is likely that Halsey will place the two carriers in the northern part of the Coral Sea, about 150 to 250 nautical miles south of Kuah Island, and their main task will be to provide anti-aircraft cover for the retreating fleet of battleships after dawn. If this is the case, we will not be able to strike these two aircraft carriers, and we may have to watch the US battleships withdraw from the waters of the Solomon Islands. ”

"Task Force 4 or Task Force 1 can enter the Solomon Sea, so they can reach the attack position!" Yan Shiqi gave Tan Renhao a difficult problem.

"General Yan, the U.S. military has always had reconnaissance planes patrolling the Solomon Sea, and when their fleet goes north, it will definitely consider that we will transfer aircraft carriers into the Solomon Sea. When the time comes, they will definitely arrange dozens of reconnaissance planes here, and if we enter the Solomon Sea, I am afraid that we will not face two small US aircraft carriers, but shore-based bombers deployed by the US military at the field airfield on Tagoura Island! Huang Xiaotian rushed to help Tan Renhao answer this question, and glanced at Yan Shiqi very clearly, his position was very clear.

"General Huang's analysis is reasonable, unless we are sure to block Tagula Island and the more than 200 U.S. tactical bombers on the Port Moresby side. The aircraft carrier fleet will only be able to enter the Solomon Sea, and until then, we will not consider allowing the aircraft carriers to venture south. "Tan Renhao thinks that Yan Shiqi is very strange, everyone is a navy soldier, as if Tan Renhao stole something from him, Yan Shiqi is always making some problems for Tan Renhao." The most important thing is that Halsey also has two fleet aircraft carriers in his hands, as well as a small aircraft carrier, and these three aircraft carriers have nearly 200 bombers on board, which is the most powerful counterattack force of the US military. ”

Yan Shiqi sneered. Probably he was laughing at Tan Renhao again. Six battleships are not the most powerful, are two and a half aircraft carriers even more powerful?

Huang Xiaotian was really a little unaccustomed to it, he was just about to Yan Shiqi. Yan Guozhong and Tan Renhao immediately gave him a look and calmed him down.

"There's a good chance that Halsey's force won't stay in the Coral Sea." Tan Renhao sighed secretly, it seems that he will cooperate less with Yan Shiqi in the future. "It's very likely that the fleet has left Pearl Harbor now, but unfortunately, our submarines can't stay outside Pearl Harbor, so we haven't received any information about it. If the fleet had gone south with the battleship fleet, they would have passed through the Laine Islands, the Tuva Islands, and finally reached the east of the Solomon Islands.

This area of water north of the New Hebrides and south of Nauru Island. If Halsey had deployed this fleet in the Coral Sea, it would have been a cover at best, and would pose the greatest threat to Task Force 3. It is unlikely that Halsey will take such a deployment ......"

"Why? Isn't four battleships attractive enough? Yan Shiqi almost jumped up, he felt that Tan Renhao's words at the beginning insulted him.

"General Yan, please listen to the analysis before expressing your opinion." Yan Guozhong immediately came out to intervene.

"Four battleships is indeed a big target, but Halsey also knows that if he wants to kill the third task force, then more than 200 bombers on our three fleet carriers can also kill six battleships of the United States. Four to six, he suffered a lot of losses, didn't he? Tan Renhao sneered in his heart, "In addition, the fighters deployed by the US military on the surrounding islands and those two small aircraft carriers are enough to protect their battleship fleet, and Halsey has no reason to idle the main aircraft carrier fleet in the rear." Therefore, he is most likely to leave the aircraft carrier fleet in this sea area between the Solomon Islands and the Gilbert Islands, looking for an opportunity to annihilate our aircraft carrier fleet and lay the foundation for the eventual seizure of sea supremacy! ”

The room was quiet, except for Yan Shiqi, who was still a little unconvinced, the other three people were all thinking. Tan Renhao only talked about the key points of the battle at this time, and the value of killing six battleships is very great, but this is not the main way to ensure sea supremacy, only by killing the ground navigation ship in Halsey's hands, that is the most critical.

"In that case, Task Force 4 and Task Force 1 will have to act together." Huang Xiaotian broke the silence.

Tan Renhao nodded at Huang Xiaotian. "If we avoid the battle, we can only let the fleet retreat westward, but as a result, we will not be able to threaten the American battleship formation, let alone provide cover for the third task force, and Halsey can let those six battleships go north without even retreating during the day. Therefore, we should not retreat, but should take the initiative to meet the enemy to the east, but the problem is that if we move eastward, it is very likely that we will enter the strike range of the US shore-based bombers, and at the same time, the strength to support the third task force will also be much weakened. ”

"The Marine Corps will rush to repair the field airfield on Kuah Island as soon as possible, and even if it is impossible to station bombers, it will be possible to provide support for bombers at that time." Yan Guozhong glanced at the three of them, "Annihilating the US aircraft carrier fleet is the key to the middle and the ground, and I have already applied for the transfer of the second task force." If there is a chance to take out the US aircraft carrier fleet at that time, we can consider temporarily leaving the Kuah Island battlefield, and the shore-based bomber unit of the Navy will undertake most of the combat missions, and the task force will go all out to deal with the US aircraft carriers! ”

"Well, we have a lot more flexibility in our campaign." Tan Renhao glanced at the map, "If we can not focus our main forces on the naval battle on this side of Kuah Island, even if the Second Task Force does not come to support, we will have enough strength to take out the opponent." ”

"But the problem is, if Halsey sends the other two small aircraft carriers to the northern battlefield, we will be at a disadvantage in terms of troops!" Huang Xiaotian suggested another possibility.

"It's a possibility, maybe Halsey will do it, and he knows the importance of taking out Task Force 4 and Task Force 1." Tan Renhao nodded slightly, "Then, we really have to consider asking the second task force to come over and help." ”

"Chief of Staff Gan Yongxing will give us an answer in two days." Yan Guozhong stood up, "After determining the direction of the US army's campaign, the second task force will be dispatched, and they will only need three to five days to arrive at the battlefield, I hope they can catch up." That's all for today, the general arrangement of the battle is like this, the command of the fleet is under the full responsibility of General Tan Renhao, and I will cooperate with you this time! ”

Tan Renhao smiled at Yan Guozhong and nodded, he felt that his burden was not light, and he also realized that he should not pin his hopes on the aircraft carrier of the Second Task Force, maybe the battle would be over before the Second Task Force rushed over.