Empire Conquest
Chapter 238 - 234: The Last Fleet

Chapter 238: Chapter 234: The Last Fleet

Bai Zhizhan finished dinner at the officers’ mess and had just returned to the command bridge when the communication advisor delivered new information.

In the evening, four destroyers serving as the vanguard for the Saiyi Permanent Fleet left Tuk Fortress, and the battleships in the harbor had already weighed anchor, all set to depart tonight.

In addition, the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom suddenly announced the requisition of four Newland oil tankers.

The Saiyi Imperial Kingdom played a little trick here.

Three days ago, these four tankers had already left Tuk Fortress, each carrying more than ten thousand tons of heavy oil. They did not head for Guan Island but sailed north instead.

When the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom announced the requisition, the four tankers were sailing in international waters, beyond the control of the Saiyi Navy.

According to the initial plan, the Saiyi Navy might have wanted to send tens of thousands of tons of heavy oil back to the homeland and had not considered requisitioning the tankers.

Now, by declaring the requisition, they were actually absolving Newland Federation of responsibility.

In the telegram, the Navy Order Department particularly emphasized the value of these four tankers and the approximate fifty thousand tons of heavy oil they carried.

The four "Jingang" class could each carry a maximum of more than six thousand tons of fuel, theoretically allowing for a maximum range of ten thousand nautical miles. However, because of the need for rapid movement during anti-submarine maneuvers, the influence of ocean currents, and the impossibility of waiting for the fuel to run out before resupplying, the actual endurance was definitely not ten thousand nautical miles; usually, refueling was considered after using up thirty percent of the fuel.

Even under ideal conditions, they could only reach forty percent of the maximum endurance distance.

Moreover, the theoretical endurance of the seven heavy cruisers was eight thousand nautical miles, achievable at a cruising speed of 14 knots. If they cruised at the "Jingang" class’s 18-knot pace, the endurance of these heavy cruisers would be greatly reduced to around six thousand nautical miles at best.

Combining this information, it wasn’t hard to conclude that even if the Permanent Fleet was to return directly to the Saiyi homeland, it would still need to refuel mid-voyage. If they were headed to Liuhuang Island for combat and to strike the Special Mixed Group, it would be best to undertake two smaller refueling operations during the return journey.

Theoretically, the Permanent Fleet needed to replenish at least forty-five thousand tons of heavy oil.

The four tankers were loaded with fifty thousand tons of heavy oil.

But this might just be a coincidence.

Tanimoto and Lan Yun did not possess the ability to foresee the future; at most, they intended to send that fifty thousand tons of heavy oil back to be used by the Permanent Fleet upon their return to the homeland.

The deduction made from this was: The Saiyi Navy Order Department had already issued orders to Lan Yun to lead the Permanent Fleet to Liuhuang Island for battle.

Thus, it was clear that Saiyi was prepared to defend Liuhuang Island to the death.

At the end of the telegram, Liu Changxun once again clarified the task of the First Special Mixed Fleet: to make the utmost effort to intercept the Permanent Fleet and provide cover for the Special Mixed Group.

As for the battle to attack Liuhuang Island, it did not concern the First Special Mixed Fleet.

Beyond that, once the landing operation commenced, the Navy Order Department would inform Liu Xiangzhen about the First Special Mixed Fleet’s movements in the West East Ocean. If Bai Zhizhan wished to adjust the deployment, such as abandoning the action to intercept the Permanent Fleet, he must report it beforehand.

According to the plan, once the battle for Liuhuang Island began, no adjustments could be made at whim.

This arrangement was actually in consideration of the larger picture.

If Bai Zhizhan’s side encountered troubles, such as a severe malfunction on the "Heng River," they could promptly cease the landing operations on Liuhuang Island or adjust the Special Mixed Group’s focus, like temporarily shifting the priority to the Permanent Fleet, to avoid greater losses.

In fact, Bai Zhizhan was not truly worried about Liu Xiangzhen.

The key now lay with the adversary.

How did Lan Yun plan to conduct this battle?

After reading the telegram, Bai Zhizhan walked up to the nautical chart.

On the map, Tuk Fortress, which belonged to the Micro, was actually located southeast of Guan Island, about a thousand kilometers distant, even further east than the North Ma Islands and the Volcanic Islands, and just on the route from Ao Country to Guan Island, also controlling the route from the Southwest East Ocean to the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom.

Originally, the Imperial Navy had chosen Tuk, instead of Guan Island, precisely for future operations into the Southwest East Ocean.

During the era of Marshal Chen Bingxun, the Imperial Navy had always been preparing for the advance into the Southwest East Ocean and the attack on Ao Country, with the development of Tuk Fortress being part of these preparations. Unfortunately, until Chen Bingxun’s untimely death, Tuk Fortress remained unfinished, and the plan to campaign against Ao Country was always just a plan.

Objectively speaking, controlling Tuk Fortress meant there was no need to control Guan Island.

Near the end of the last great war, the Newland Federation quickly dispatched troops to occupy Guan Island, which had a huge relation to the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom’s troops encircling Tuk Fortress.

At that time, the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom had already occupied the other islands of the North Ma Islands. If they took Tuk Fortress, they would be able to block off the West East Ocean, turning it into an inland sea.

This meant that the control of the Newland Federation over its only colony in the West East Ocean, which was Nanzhu Country, would be severely weakened.

Controlling Guan Island would open up maritime routes and strengthen the control over Nanzhu Country.

If not for that, up to this day, Guan Island would still be a paradise for primitive tribes.

Interestingly, the reason the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom did not seize Guan Island was that they believed it was home to several cannibalistic tribes, which the Newland Federation might not have valued.

Tuk and Guan Island were too close, a distance of a thousand kilometers, which even in the era of ironclad ships was not too far to reach.

As for the Army’s "horn" tactics, they do not work in naval engagements.

"Lan Yun is not stupid; in fact, he may be the most knowledgeable about aerial combat amongst the Saiyi Navy officers. Moreover, having suffered such a loss in the Flame Sea, he would not engage directly with the Special Mixed Group," Zhou Yongtao, while examining the nautical chart, voiced his judgment. "He would surely ascend north from the east of North Ma Islands, to delay exposure as long as possible. Then, somewhere in the middle of the islands, he would turn west, striving to rapidly confront the Special Mixed Group."

"If he opts for that strategy, he would need to know the whereabouts of the Special Mixed Group in advance."

"There are several dozen patrol aircraft on Guan Island, and more than a dozen battleships. If necessary, the Newland Navy will dispatch more patrol aircraft to Guan Island."

"That certainly wouldn’t be enough."

"You mean..."

"The moment we declared war on the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom, according to international wartime law, the Special Mixed Group, upon determining a threat, would be authorized to shoot down the combat aircraft of a third country. Even if they are just patrol aircraft, as long as they are military planes, they pose a threat; hence, if they are shot down near the Special Mixed Group, they would have only themselves to blame. This is international wartime law, and the Newland Federation has to recognize it, so at that time, they probably won’t risk their patrol aircraft."

"You’re suggesting that Lan Yun cannot rely on the Newland Navy’s patrol aircraft to locate the Special Mixed Group?"

Bai Zhizhan nodded and then added, "At most, he might be able to confirm the sea region where the Special Mixed Group is operating, a rough range of activity, which clearly wouldn’t suffice for Lan Yun to launch a surprise attack."

Zhou Yongtao contemplated earnestly.

"Your analysis is not wrong; he will ascend north from the east of the North Ma Islands, but he will rely not on the Newland Navy’s patrol aircraft, but on his own."

"That..."

"Don’t forget, the person responsible for homeland defense is Tanimoto, who understands aerial combat even better than Lan Yun, and will definitely make full use of the North Ma Islands. Besides, the Saiyi Navy’s Type 97 Large Boats have a range of over seven thousand kilometers, which can cover the sea areas to the south of the Volcanic Islands even if they depart from their homeland."

Zhou Yongtao, deep in thought, nodded and said, "Otherwise, let’s also play a little trick and make a few moves with those Type 97 Large Boats."

Bai Zhizhan did not speak but just grinned and shook his head.

The minds of young people are agile, and they sure have a plethora of crafty ideas!

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