782 Taranto Nights (Medium)

Between the beautiful island of Sicily and the Apennine Peninsula in Italy, there is a narrow strait. (Full text reading, all in. (.i. Want. Wen. Learning Network)

In the eyes of sailors, the Strait of Messina was a terrifying place for witches, with reefs and whirlpools that could devour ships, and mirages that often appeared over the strait, disorienting the mentally disoriented.

But in the midst of the reef and whirlpools, three massive steel battle machines were parked today, their hideous 15-inch gun muzzles glittering in the sun.

"General."

The silence in the bridge of the flagship Queen Elizabeth was interrupted by hurried footsteps, and the communications officer reported with a telegram: "Found it! Italian planes spotted them off the Egyptian port of Matrouh, and in addition to the Chinese, North Korean warships, as well as Ottomans and Germans were found in the fleet. ”

Standing in front of the porthole, holding a cup of coffee, and looking at the flocks of falcons that flew back to Sicily from their Nordic breeding grounds from time to time, David Betty's eyes flashed when he heard the Germans: "How can there be Germans?" ”

"General, it's the German Far East Fleet."

"Spee! It's him? ”

In last year's Jutland Confrontation, David Betty led the decoy fleet to the ground, and many people later blamed him for not being able to complete the naval battle as his fault, so he gritted his teeth at any German warship, and now his eyes turned red when he heard that the Battle of Coronel brought shame to Britain.

But today he has a great responsibility, and the Royal Navy of the British Empire is no longer able to send as many capital ships to the Mediterranean, so he can only hold back his breath and continue to ask: "Can you confirm that they are all here?" ”

The staff officer quickly flipped through the records and replied: "The pilot confirmed 3 aircraft carriers, 9 capital ships, more than 20 light cruisers and destroyers, and about 10 auxiliary ships, in addition to at least 4 submarines found in front of the fleet, and ......." ”

"Wait."

Before the staff officer could finish speaking, David Betty suddenly interrupted in a voice like a thorn: "9 capital ships!" Are you sure there are only 9 of them? ”

At Betty's urging, the adjutant immediately turned out the Suez Canal reconnaissance information, and after checking it, he immediately knew what was wrong, and the number of large warships was 2 less!

The banks of the Suez Canal are open and empty, and it is possible to escape from sight except for submarines day and night, and surface ships cannot hide the eyes of intelligence officers, not to mention that Britain's roots in Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula can be expelled by a Far Eastern country in just a few days.

According to monitoring intelligence, in addition to sending three aircraft carriers, the Chinese Navy also brought four capital ships into the Mediterranean, namely one Taiwan-class battleship, two Guam-class battleships, and one heavy cruiser called Xi'an-class.

In addition to China, there were 1 battleship and 2 North Korean armored cruisers that passed this time, plus 2 battleships sent by the Ottomans to the convergence and 2 armored cruisers from Shi Pei, there should be a total of 12 pairs, but now only 12 are seen, so what about the other two ?!

It's good to say if it's an outdated armored cruiser that leaves, but what if it's the Guam class, or simply the Taiwan that leaves?!

Thinking of this, everyone suddenly felt cold on their backs.

3 triple L45/16-inch heavy guns, with the Chinese's ability to shell at speed and long distance, even if they face it head-on, they dare not say that they will win, and now seeing that Italy is about to seduce the Austro-Hungarian Navy, if it appears at a critical moment, it will really be fatal!

Thinking of this question, the staff officer's face turned pale and shook his head: "I can't confirm it, because the pilot lost contact after sending this telegram." "The sound of clucking teeth kept echoing in the bridge, and it was planes again! Betty even had the urge to simply rush to the enemy commander and scold them for not daring to fight a decisive battle with a battleship!

That cunning arsonist, who completely provoked the European battleship race with the Rhine, and Britain was also dragged into the water and became one of the crazy countries, but after provoking the competition and spending countless money on others, he patted his ass and secretly built airplanes and aircraft carriers, which seriously challenged the battleship's position as the supremacy of the sea. (Full text reading, all in. (.i. Want. Wen. That bastard, with his technical abilities, he can defeat the enemy even if he builds a battleship! But except for the three naval battles that started at the same time at the beginning of the war, almost all the victories that followed were related to aircraft, which made the original world's powerful Imperial Navy's capital ship group become a clown who was caught in the cotton ball after suffocating his strength, and after punching it, he found that he was caught in the cotton ball!

With aircraft carriers in the fleet, it is already difficult for reconnaissance aircraft to get close to the enemy, so it is not expected that the pilots will still be able to send back messages. Thinking of this, David Betty immediately walked to the chart, and the information came from the port of Matru on the opposite side of Crete, which meant that the enemy had been sailing at a speed that was not considered domesticated from last night to now.

But did the two missing capital ships disperse from Port Said last night, or did they leave this morning?

This question is too critical, Port Said to the Ionian Sea is not chosen, with the speed advantage that the Chinese Navy has embodied before, if it was left at full speed after setting off last night, it should have crossed Crete and sailed into the Ionian Sea by now!

Can't wait any longer!

From the time when the Chinese were preparing to enter the Mediterranean, British intelligence had made a lot of arrangements for the Ottoman and Austria-Hungary, the two major naval states on the Mediterranean coast, and from the point of view that the Ottomans had joined the combined fleet, Austria-Hungary must have also been invited, not to mention that Austria-Hungary was depressed in the Adriatic Sea for the past two years, and it was certainly not in line with Austria-Hungary's original intention to let the fleet that had spent countless funds to build do nothing all day long, not to mention that they did not want to see China alone in the Mediterranean, so they would definitely come out to cooperate.

The Ottomans have already come out, and Austria-Hungary will definitely come out.

The disappearance of the two capital ships may be a threat to the Italian Navy, which has already secretly turned around to intercept the Austro-Hungarian fleet, but what if it passes itself?

Betty thought of this and was moved!

The opponent's battleships are also very strong, but compared to the almost insoluble aircraft carriers, Betty is still sure to deal with them, not to mention the Italian fleet rushing nearby, if you are lucky, you can even sink or severely damage the opponent before the opponent's aircraft carrier reacts!

Thinking of this, Betty immediately ordered the anchor to be lifted to the north, and at the same time had a message sent to the Italian Navy, telling them to beware of the two Chinese capital ships that might approach the Strait of Otranto.

The sunset is like blood, dyeing the sea red.

In the depths of the Adriatic Sea, a fragmented island clinging to the northeastern coastline of the sea, severing the Ottoman coastline, in the depths of this island, seven battleships slowly moved forward, along with seven submarines and 37 other ships, including cruisers.

In the sheltered bridge of the flagship Prinz Eugen, Admiral Delfino, the gray-haired Archduke of Austria-Hungary, stood firmly in the center, his beard as open as a lion. He was a good naval commander of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but he wore army epaulettes on his shoulders, because the Austro-Khavian Navy was not a ** branch, but a unit under the Austro-Hungarian Army, and there was no headquarters, only a small naval division.

The Austro-Hungarian Navy, which had four sharp combined-forces class battleships, eight former dreadnought battleships, six armored cruisers and more than 30 light cruisers, nearly a hundred destroyers, more than a dozen submarines and a number of German-supported U-boats, plus hundreds of auxiliary ships, had been inactive since the start of the war.

The Grand Duke of Delfino was not satisfied with this, but he was helpless in the face of the strong Italian and French navies, but now the opportunity has come! The French Navy has lost almost all its capital ships in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, and only a few hundred small warships remain, which Italy alone cannot stop itself!

The only thing that worried him was the three British Queen Elizabeth-class battleships, after they disappeared from Gibraltar, they hung like a sharp sword over everyone's heads!

However, he was not without opportunities, the Chinese fleet had already entered the Mediterranean, and as long as he could break through the Strait of Otranto, he could smoothly join them, and then he could take advantage of the superior air forces of the Chinese Navy to return all the depression that the Italians had given him.

The Prinz Eugen at her feet was once a good battleship in Europe, with 4 triple 305mm naval guns full of power! Beside it, 3 other combined-forces class battleships and 3 and 3 old Radetzky battleships formed a formation of Austro-Hungarian 1st battleships, which was the essence of the entire Austro-Hungarian Navy!

Even so, he still has to deal with it carefully, because Italy is different from Britain and France, after Li Mo first put forward the "Theory of Air Dominance" after the war, China's aviation power has been at the forefront of the world, which has also attracted the attention of Italy, and Italy also appeared a master of using aircraft Du Hei, it is said that this person came to China in the war to China in the successful example of the aircraft, in one fell swoop persuaded the Italian royal family and the military, formed a bomber force composed of nearly 500 Caproni 36 bombers, In addition, Italy was compensated by Falcon fighters provided by China during the Italian-Turkish War, so it also has nearly 1,000 imitation fighters, which is the second largest air power in Europe after Britain and Germany.

At the critical moment of life and death again, Du Hei will never sit idly by and watch the navy fight alone, maybe his bomber force has been fully dispatched to search for him.

Thinking of the possibility of encountering an overwhelming number of Italian planes, Archduke Delfino couldn't help but look at the sky.

"Your Majesty, urgent telegram." The staff officer trotted all the way to the bridge with a telegram: "They ...... and have reached the east of the Strait of Otranto. ”

"Let's go! Full! ”

The Grand Duke of Delfino straightened his waist violently, and the Austro-Hungarian First Battleship Formation suddenly turned the rudder and rushed out of the coastal island area.

On the bridge of the battlecruiser Yavos-Selim Sultan (formerly the German Goburn), looking at the take-off and landing plane of the aircraft carrier Bashu in the distance, which was lifting a night owl dive bomber with bombs and folded wings onto the deck, Sorochin's eyes flashed with envy, and he immediately turned his head to look at Spee, who had just returned from the Far East.

"Don't look at me, I don't know about their aircraft carrier operations." Shi Pei shook his head with a wry smile, and his eyes also stayed on the huge hull of the Bashu aircraft carrier.

"It seems that they are still very strict." Sorochin shrugged his shoulders, in fact, since China put the aircraft carrier into actual combat and achieved major results, Germany also began to secretly develop aircraft carriers.

In terms of aircraft and engines, Germany has groped some thresholds, but the internal structure and operation of aircraft carriers can not be solved in a day or two, which requires a long time of exploration, and even Britain, France and the United States are also troubled by this problem, so to this day, everyone has come up with similar plans, these simple aircraft carriers are very dangerous to take off and land during the day, let alone take off and land at night.

Spee took out two Cuban cigars from his pocket, handed them to Sorochin, and said with a smile: "If Delfino knew that he was being used as bait, would he go back?" ”

"It's a Cuban cigar." After taking the cigar, Sorochin's eyes lit up, after the start of the war, Germany's foreign trade was completely interrupted, and this kind of excellent cigar had been tasted for a long time, so he immediately lit it and took two puffs, and smiled contentedly: "Maybe, but if it is my ......, I think I will continue to move forward." ”

Shi Pei smiled, walked to the chart, stared at the two arrows that were marked, and couldn't help but feel a little worried: "Then do you think Betty will take the bait?" ”

"I don't know, but one thing is clear." Sorochin said: "That Italian reconnaissance plane must have been deliberately put in by General Gu Junhuo, otherwise do you think that with 20 fighters patrolling over the fleet, it could get close and fly for a few minutes?" He deliberately let the Italian planes see that the number of capital ships in the fleet was 2 less, although we don't know if the Italian pilots sent back the news that there were two missing, but if Betty got this news, she would definitely not want to let it go! ”

"Why?"

"It's simple, because the aircraft carrier is not around!"

Spee nodded, 2 Guam-class ships are very powerful, but in the absence of aircraft carriers, it is not so easy to cover the first battleship formation that converges with the Grand Duke of Delfino, you must know that Italy is all dispatched this time, and there are 13 battleships of all kinds alone, including 7 of them, as well as more than a dozen cruisers and hundreds of destroyers, it will definitely be a bitter battle.

If Betty had suddenly appeared at this time with three Queen-class battleships, it would have been very possible to defeat both Guam and Archduke Delfino at the same time.

I know it, Sorochin understands it, and David Betty understands it! If he doesn't appear, 2 Guam-class ships are enough to break through with the Austro-Hungarian 1st battleship formation, and it may even cripple the Italian Navy! But with him, it will be difficult to break through.

That General Gu Junhuo saw this, so he deliberately let the Italian planes see his formation clearly, and then suddenly led the main fleet across the Mediterranean Sea into the Ionian Sea at the door of Italy, but his real target was not the Italian-Greek and French fleets that had been concentrated in the Strait of Otranto, nor Betty's 3 Queen-class battleships, but Taranto, which is known as the cradle of the Italian Navy!

Even people like Spee and Sorochin couldn't help but secretly admire this plan, there are many islands in the Mediterranean, and the alliance lacks base support here, so if they attack the fleet of the four Entente countries, they will immediately disperse and leave once it is exposed, which will cause difficulties for subsequent supplies and transport fleets. But if Taranto is blown up, the Italian Navy will become a rootless fleet, a fleet without any support and supplies, and how painful it is, both of them know very well.

The Italian Navy had only two routes left, one was to enter the Adriatic Sea to the Ancona anchorage, so that the Strait of Otranto would allow Italy to taste the pain of the Austro-Hungarian Navy being locked in the harbor for several years.

The second way is to go south, to Sicily, from the Strait of Messina or Malta on the south side of the island back to France, but is this road easy to walk? When the 3 aircraft carriers complete the night attack on Taranto, they will immediately go south to the Strait of Malta, and if they want to leave, they can only fight a decisive battle!

Draw from the bottom of the kettle!

As soon as Shi Pei, who had been in China for so many years, remembered this idiom, the shouts of staff officers could already be heard behind him.

"General, they're leaving."

Through the porthole, I saw that the three aircraft carriers and the heavy cruiser that had been following the side of the aircraft carrier all the time began to accelerate, and disappeared into the night at a rapid north speed with 4 light cruisers and 12 destroyers.

"It's time for us to go too, you said they're in Malta, will they meet Betty or that Camacho first?" Sorochin waved his hand, but his heart was full of regret, because this time they were destined to not be able to see the night take-off and landing process of the Chinese aircraft carrier with their own eyes.

The starlight falls and is reflected in the Strait of Otranto.

The 80-kilometer-wide strait is the only way for Italy to connect with Albania, and it is also the only passage connecting the Adriatic Sea and the Ionian Sea.

The Francesco Caracciolo-class battleship, which has just been delivered for 2 months, has a huge figure and is especially majestic in the starlight.

This is a super battleship designed and built by Italy itself, comparable to the British Queen Elizabeth class, according to the plan to build four, but as the war began to become increasingly scarce, only the Francesco Caracciolo was launched, and if it were not for some British support, it would not have been built so early.

Under the dim light of the bridge, Vice Admiral Camacho of the Italian Navy looked solemn.

"2 capital ships of unknown type!"

Just these few words made his scalp tingle.

But now the arrow has to be sent, according to intelligence Delfino has personally led the first battleship formation into the Adriatic Sea at sunset is heading here, if pushed away at this time, the Austro-Hungarian Navy will officially set foot in the Mediterranean Sea after nearly three years, although the Mediterranean is not large, but under the cover of the Chinese, 7 battleships are enough to inflict fatal damage on Italy!

So, they must be stopped no matter what!

"Report, the submarine spotted the Austro-Hungarian fleet, about 70 nautical miles from us! It's fast approaching me! ”

"It's coming!" Lieutenant General Camacho immediately straightened up and asked, "Have you contacted General David Betty?" ”

"Report, not yet."

"Order the third, fourth, and fifth destroyer detachments to search and advance to the east, and immediately attack when an unknown enemy is discovered." Camacho gritted his teeth and gave the order, 70 nautical miles, no matter what he thought, no matter whether David Betty would really rush to support as he said before, at least he had to stop Delfino first!

"Capital ship, ready for battle!"

RO！ ~！