"Relax, my lord, there is still some sailing time to go to the port. I suggest you take a break in the cabin, have a drink, get a good rest, and I'll let you know when the enemy fleet is found. ”

Alves eventually got the ducks on the shelves and was forced to participate in the Battle of Erlengrad. However, instead of taking over the fleet himself, he handed over command to an old captain. Alves is very aware of his strengths and weaknesses, commanding the fleet to fight is not his strength at all, to be exact, he does not even know how to command and how to give orders. If this ship is really in his own hands, it is simply looking for death.

"No, I'm still not reassured. ”

Despite the reins of command in the hands of the old captain, Alves was still not at ease, the ship was carrying two hundred warriors of the Ring Fort, whose fate would be decided in the next two hours, and with two hundred lives on his back, Alves was always in such a heavy mood. He felt his stomach churn, and no potions or drinks could fill it.

With the sea breeze on his cheeks and hair, Alves stood on deck, looking carefully at the calm sea with his binoculars. He knew that the sea, which was calm at the moment, would be like a storm if it started.

"My lord, to be honest, you were the first noble general to surrender his command. I've been at sea all my life, fought countless battles, and I haven't seen a noble general like you. Generally speaking, those nobles came to the ship to direct the battle, all in order to win the so-called glory and bounty. Basically, they have to deduct a sum of money from the looting. And you are different. ”

Before the battle began, the old captain Geralf complained. He had the face of a southerner, a tall, lanky figure that looked completely different from that of a northern warrior, and his skin was dark and shiny, which Alves guessed was the result of years of wandering at sea. When he opened his mouth to speak, he showed a mouthful of thin teeth, which were already blackened, and it seemed that he was not smoking. Alcohol and tobacco are essential for those who sail at sea, they can help the crew to relieve tension and pass the time of boredom. After all, most of the time there is actually only one scenery on the sea - the sea.

"First of all, I'm not a general, and secondly, a dwarf is not a nobleman in the eyes of others. Even though I was born into an aristocratic family. ”

Alves joked to himself. He lay on the edge of the guardrail, looking at the endless sea, it should be said that this was his third voyage, the first time he went to sea was to follow his father to the empire, as if to negotiate a business, at that time he was still young, he was locked in the cabin, he had to appear as a boatman, and his father did not even dare to tell others that this was his child. The second time he went to sea was when he became an adult, becoming an assistant to Aubrey, and again, it was the Empire who went on an expedition. Aubrey wanted to negotiate trade cooperation with the Empire, and he acted as a clerk. This was the third time he had gone to sea, this time he was able to go to sea in his true identity, but he had given command to another captain whom he had never met.

"Well, anyway, I'm very impressed by you, and it's my pleasure to serve you, Lord Alves. ”

Old Captain Geralf laughed, his eyes narrowed and turned into a thin line.

Half an hour later, the fleet of the rebels of Errengrad and the fleet of the Ice Queen met as scheduled. Through the telescope, Alves saw a neat row of white sails appear on the sea level, there were about twenty of them, I don't know if there were any more behind, if you count according to the scale of a battleship carrying two hundred people, these twenty or so battleships carrying at least four or five thousand people. The Ice Queen's fleet is a little smaller, with only eighteen warships, but the displacement is larger, and the ship where Alves is located, the Rose, is a slightly smaller one, and the Black Rose battleship, which is on par with the Rose, carries five hundred soldiers, which is twice the size of the Rose. The other ships were of varying sizes, and on average, the total number of men was estimated to be about the same as that of the opposing fleet. It was definitely the largest naval battle ever held in the Keys Reeve Sound. You know, there hasn't been much regular navy since Kislev was founded, and most of it was concentrated in Erlengrad. It was already unexpected that the female tsar could pull up such a fleet in a short time.

"Sail and go full throttle!"

Old Captain Geralf shouted.

The waves crashed against the side of the ship, and the undulating sea was like a huge carpet, holding the tiny ships on it, as if they could overturn them at any time if one was not satisfied. As the two fleets got closer and closer, Alves's mood became more and more nervous, and he clutched the guardrail, staring tightly ahead. Within the visual range visible to the naked eye, enemy ships appeared one by one like small black dots.

And the Ice Queen's fleet was also slowly pulling apart under the orders of the commander-in-chief Disma. The flagship Kingpower raised its huge red sails and sailed in the center of the procession, and the other ships lined up and rushed towards the enemy group. Bean Book City

The tragedy of naval warfare lies in the fact that once the war starts, there is no way back, because it basically uses long-range weapons, artillery, heavy crossbows, and catapults, and once these projectile weapons hit the target, there is no chance of survival. Moreover, naval battles are different from battles on rivers, once a ship is sunk, the crew has little chance of survival.

"Artillery in position!"

Captain Geralf shouted.

Alves stood beside him, his palms oozing with sweat, and as far as he could see, the two fleets were approaching, however, neither gave the order to open fire. He watched as the other party's ship turned from a small dot to a large one, and even the double sword insignia on the sail was clearly visible. However, the ships of both sides still did not open fire.

The Ice Queen's fleet began to charge, while Erlengrad's navy began to adjust its formation, meeting the battle line. It was a duel of firepower, and for the gunboats, the heavy guns on the side of the ship were their main weapons.

"Starboard loading!"

"Sniper Lookout!"

Captain Geralf continued to order.

"Hold your position!"

"Prepare to fire!"

The distance continued to shorten, and the shouts became more and more rapid. Alves felt his heart beat faster, as if it was about to jump out of his chest.

"Raise the mainsail!"

"Pull!"

Dense orders were constantly being delivered, like two beasts, and the two fleets adjusted each other's best entry points into battle.

Wind direction becomes the most important factor for every captain. The ability to deliver a lethal bombardment while passing through an enemy ship is the key to naval warfare, and the first round of bombardment is as important as the timing of the musketeer's first bullet on a land battlefield, because it takes long enough for both the gunner to reload the shell and the gunner to reload the bullet.

Finally, the two fleets adjusted their angles, and they were about to intersect and stagger in the direction of the enemy, when the gun holes on the right side of the Rose were neatly opened, and fifteen heavy guns were pushed out.