When the Ming Navy was carrying out the final pre-war mobilization.

Inside the battleship Vostok, the flagship of the British Empire's Indian Ocean Fleet.

The commander of the Indian Ocean Fleet, John Jervis, is also giving orders.

Compared to the simple grouping and monotonous column tactics of the Ming Imperial Navy.

The tactics of the British Imperial Navy were much more complicated.

Because of the firm belief that the ironclad is a weapon that is more defensive than offensive.

So.

Based on this judgment.

The naval tactics of the British Empire pursued a combination of horizontal and column tactics.

Somewhat similar to the tactical combination of cavalry, line infantry, and artillery in the army a few decades ago.

Horizontal formations and columns should be used flexibly.

Light infantry, line infantry, artillery, heavy cavalry, and light cavalry should also be used in combination.

Tactics are quite complex.

Only the British Imperial Navy, an old Imperial Navy that has dominated the seas for a hundred years, can play - before the advent of radio technology, the Ming Empire's navy would definitely not be able to play this complex tactic.

Therefore, this navy is really a century-old service.

John Jervis stood on the watchtower, looked at the fleet that was methodically organizing tactically with a telescope, and then looked at the Ming Navy more than ten nautical miles away, but simply placed a few columns, and the tension in his heart suddenly decreased a lot.

"They Chinese may be invincible on land, but they are not a sea people!!"

He whispered.

It seems to be on his own to his chief of staff, Will. What Smith said also seemed to be cheering himself up.

Take a look at this complex tactical grouping.

Can the Chinese Navy play like this on the sea?

Victory belongs to the British Empire!

John. Jervis's confidence began to rise.

As a commander.

He had to give himself confidence in victory before he could convince his men that they could win this battle.

However.

What John Jervis didn't expect was.

If the current Ming Navy wants to play this kind of complex grouping and tactics, they can also play it - this is not because of the high quality of the personnel of the Ming Navy.

Purely because.

The advent of radio allows commanders to deploy each ship anytime, anywhere.

Now under John Jervis.

He has thirty capital ships.

This is the most critical power in his hands.

On top of that, he had dozens of old wooden-hulled steam galleons at his disposal – not long, in fact.

Due to the erroneous prediction of the trend of the development of naval warships.

Before the advent of ironclads, the British Imperial Navy built and rebuilt a large number of steam galleons.

In the era of sail battleships.

This steam-powered sailboat clearly had advantages in maneuverability and speed.

However.

The appearance of ironclad ships made these steam sailing ships completely withdraw from the ranks of the main ships of the Navy at once.

However, in fact, the appearance of ironclad ships is only a matter of more than ten years.

A large number of steam ships of the old era could not be wasted either.

So.

Most of these steam galleons are now used to carry out the task of breaking diplomatic relations, or escorting ships.

Now the decisive battle between the capital ships of the two sides has not yet begun.

But that doesn't mean the battlefield is calm.

Since the two fleets began to make contact.

Light ships of both sides began to make small contacts.

And in fact.

The two sides have been fighting for several months now.

The steam galleons on both sides were engaged in a battle on the vast expanse of the ocean.

Compared with ironclads that rely on coal for energy, steam galleons do not rely much on coal, so their range of activity is larger than that of neat ironclads, making them suitable for use as shipbreakers.

Now in Jervis's hands, there are twenty-three steam galleons, which he has also taken to the battlefield, and now as an artillery detachment, cruising at the end of the fleet, looking for an opportunity to attack the Ming army's transport ships.

With the completion of the marshalling of the huge fleet, the formation.

John. Jervis also gave the order loudly: "Hang the flag!" England wants every officer and soldier to do their duty! ”

Just when the flag was hung.

Sirens sounded throughout the Vostok.

"The enemy fleet is starting to accelerate!!"

"Engage the enemy in an hour!!"

Time.

The nerves of all the officers and men of the British Empire's Indian Ocean Fleet were tense.

Chief of Staff Will Lieutenant General Smith pulled out his pocket watch and looked at the time, Ian.

"Admiral, it's five fifty-eight, and now in this area, it won't get dark until at least eighteen o'clock in the afternoon, and we'll have at least thirteen hours!"

Due to the absence of high-powered armor-piercing blasting projectiles.

So.

In this day and age.

The naval battle lasted for a very long time.

However, 13 hours is enough time for the two fleets to decide the winner.

"Will, the commander of the Chinese, Zhang Bao, and many officers in their fleet are your former students, right?"

John. The Jervis telescope always keeps an eye on the fleet in the distance.

"How are they?"

"So-so."

Will. Smith was able to climb to the post of chief of staff of the Indian Ocean Fleet.

It has something to do with the Chinese experience he once had.

When the emperor of the Ming Empire returned to the East to launch a war against the Qing Dynasty and the restoration of the Ming Dynasty.

At that time, the Kingdom of France and the British Empire both sent a group of officers to the East with Zhu Daohua, but except for Napoleon, the other officers were arranged by Zhu Daohua to be teachers at the Military Academy.

Will. Smith was once the vice president of the Daming Naval Academy.

Zhang Bao, the current governor of the Indian Ocean Fleet of the Ming Navy, was once his student.

One could even say.

Today, most of the officers of the Ming Navy are his disciples and grandchildren.

But.

As the old dean.

He didn't think highly of his students at all—they were really the worst class Dean Will had ever taught.

"The level of tactical training is very low, which is why they have stuck to the column tactics until now. Even. The Great Emperor of the Restoration didn't expect his navy to perform any complex tactical tasks, he even hoped that the navy's tactics would be as simple as possible! ”

Will shook his head and said.

"If they use the same complex tactics as we do, I'm afraid they will be a mess before they even reach the battlefield."

Column tactics, indeed, are very simple.

Just follow the tail of the ship in front of you.

As the ship in front drives, the ship behind will follow.

It's easy to train out.

But like the British, the horizontal formation, the column combined.

Even in battle, the formation has to be constantly changed, sometimes horizontal formation, sometimes column.

Such tactics.

Will didn't believe that his former stupid students could learn.

"So, we can win, right?"

"Yes, tactically, we can definitely win!"

Will. Smith said.

"Still. Strategically, it is not the quality of naval servicemen that fights. It's national strength. (End of chapter)