I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France-Chapter 1005: The Fate of the British Fleet Depends on Shire’s Whim
Captain Ethan looked bewildered: "But, why can’t we catch up?"
It’s understandable if the battleship squadron can’t catch up; battleships can only go 22.75 knots at the fastest, and some can only go 18 knots, so it’s difficult to catch up with enemy aircraft carriers going at 20 knots.
But the maneuver fleet has a speed of 31.5 knots; those battlecruisers were designed to sacrifice armor thickness to increase speed, so why can’t they catch up with enemy carriers going 20 knots?
General Winter looked dejected:
"Because we don’t know the location of the enemy’s carrier, Ethan."
"Our seaplanes have all been shot down by them, and I believe their fighters are still patrolling around the carrier."
"Any seaplane that approaches it will be shot down, and it’s difficult for us to get within 50 nautical miles."
(Note: Even if seaplanes spot the carrier, it’s useless since planes at this time didn’t have radios; they could only report the coordinates upon returning safely.)
Captain Ethan was stunned.
He understood what General Winter meant.
The French Army had seized control of the skies and used that to block the British Army’s air capabilities, effectively achieving "stealth."
Due to the curvature of the Earth, the British warships cannot see targets over 40 kilometers away, thus neither the battleship squadron nor the maneuver fleet knows where the enemy carrier is.
But the enemy, with their fighters, can clearly observe the position and distance of our fleet.
Thus, the enemy fleet can play hide and seek with the British fleet.
When the British fleet flanks to the left, the French fleet evades to the right.
When the British fleet flanks to the right, the French fleet evades to the left.
Unable to grasp the target’s location, the British fleet was like a blind man, relying on guesses to wander aimlessly at sea.
Meanwhile, the enemy possessed comprehensive intelligence and adjusted according to the British fleet’s course and position.
So, the British fleet could never catch up with the French carrier.
No matter if the British maneuver fleet was faster, even if the distance was not too far, just over 80 nautical miles!
(Note: This is the main reason battleships were eliminated in subsequent wars; battleships were almost defenseless against carriers. Additionally, we will not use "nautical miles" as a unit anymore but will switch to "kilometers.")
"No." Ethan shook his head slightly; he didn’t want to believe that.
If General Winter’s conjecture was correct, it would mean the collapse of the entire naval warfare model, and battleships would become scrap metal.
More importantly, the Royal Navy...
Britain was the country owning the most battleships in the world and had always based its maritime dominance on that.
Now, you’re telling me battleships are useless?
All battleships are obsolete?
In the future, we won’t even need this type of ship?
"We have a speed advantage," Captain Ethan said:
"We, our maneuver fleet might find the target."
"You know, our lookout is standing at the highest point of the mast and might spot targets 50 kilometers away."
"Once spotted, they won’t have anywhere to escape!"
This argument has some merit.
If the battlecruiser happens to lock onto the carrier’s position on the sea, it can approach at a speed of 11.5 knots, entering the range in about two hours.
Then, the French carrier would be relentlessly chased by the battlecruiser until it gets bombed and sunk.
But General Winter shook his head:
"You’re thinking too simply, Ethan."
"You forgot their carrier can launch bombers?"
"If I’m not wrong, the fast-moving battlecruiser will be their primary target."
Captain Ethan’s mouth gaped open speechless.
Indeed, the carrier’s attack radius is 150 kilometers; even if the battlecruiser miraculously spots the target, it would be bombarded by bombers during the two-hour approach.
If the battlecruiser could survive those two hours of bombardment while maintaining speed and course, then it might catch up with the French carrier.
And it’s merely a "might."
Next, the battlecruiser would face the combined attacks of enemy destroyers and bombers.
"Then." Ethan looked pale and dazed, his lips trembling like a sick person, eventually asking: "What should we do, General?"
General Winter smiled bitterly and shook his head.
Perhaps it was time to order the fleet to return, to escape the French carrier’s striking range, but General Winter couldn’t muster the energy.
Everything was too late.
Shire was right; he indeed had the capability to sink British warships, all of them, the entire Royal Navy.
He wasn’t exaggerating; the French Navy needed only to pay a trivial price.
What was the Royal Navy?
The world’s number one?
Controlling the seas?
Using it to coerce Shire into agreeing to Britain’s negotiation terms?
A joke, a ridiculous joke!
General Winter felt like a clown; Shire needed only to move his fingers to annihilate all of them, while he and the Minister of Military Supplies were overestimating themselves trying to threaten him!
As if to confirm General Winter’s suspicions, the signalman in the lookout suddenly reported loudly: "General, ’Renown’ reports enemy activity, an aircraft group approaching them!"
General Winter and Captain Ethan exchanged a glance and, carrying mixed emotions, walked towards the porthole and lifted the binoculars to look towards the direction of the maneuver fleet.
At this moment, the maneuver fleet was about thirty kilometers away from the flagship, and part of "Renown’s" hull was no longer visible, with only a small section and the turret and superstructure remaining.
Yet the small black dots in the sky were distinctly visible, one after another with inverted gull wings, swooping down at great speed from high altitude like seagulls skimming water to catch prey.
Then...
"Boom boom"
"Boom boom boom!"
In a series of explosions, smoke rose from "Renown" and "Repulse."
The signalman shouted: "They are under enemy air bombardment, ’Renown’ requests assistance."
Soon the signalman added: "’Repulse’ requests assistance, they can’t stop the enemy’s bombing."
General Winter issued no orders, he simply said: "Our warships have almost no anti-aircraft weapons, especially against these vertically diving bombers."
Captain Ethan glanced back at the anti-aircraft guns and machine guns behind him, helplessly admitting: "Yes, their maximum inclination is only about 70 degrees, unable to target overhead diving threats."
"So, we are targets." General Winter smiled tragically: "In their face, we are purely targets, without even the ability to resist."
Then he turned and asked Captain Ethan: "Now, do you still think we can find and sink the French carrier?"
Captain Ethan’s face turned pale.
Faced with the facts, he had to admit it.
The fate of the British fleet, whether life or death, is merely a thought in Shire’s mind!
