I'm playing whack-a-mole in Siberia

Chapter 439
Peter also wanted to apologize to Dongxiang.

After sinking the "Mikasa", although the Siberian Fleet and the Combined Fleet both have four battleships, the Siberian Fleet has two full-heavy artillery battleships, and the two "Katori" and "Kashima" ordered by Japan have not yet entered service. , so the Siberian fleet has the advantage.

Peter did not give Dongxiang the slightest chance. After replenishing supplies at Jiangling, he did not continue southward. Instead, he left Jiangling, anchored off Jiangling, and waited until daybreak before continuing southward.

So the torpedo boat squadron sent by Dongxiang to set up an ambush in Pohang waited in vain all night, and did not wait for the Siberian fleet at all.

After daybreak, Peter arranged for the seaplane to go out for reconnaissance. After the fleet completed its formation, it continued to set off south.

Nikolai, the captain of aircraft No. 101, is 28 years old. He has served as a test pilot and is the most experienced pilot in Amur, with a cumulative flight time of more than 500 hours.

Nikolai's observer Lisakovich was equally experienced and skilled in surveying, mapping and calculations.

At 4:50 in the morning, Nikolai and Lisakovich boarded the plane and headed to the waters east of Pohang for reconnaissance.

"God forbid we find the Combined Fleet—"

When boarding the plane, Lisakovich was still mumbling something.

Nikolai was in a very relaxed mood and did not even close the cabin cover. He liked the strong wind filling the cabin, which made him feel like he was flying.

Lisakovich held a telescope and chatted with Nikolai while searching.

"I want to apply to join the fighter fleet. Our crappy plane doesn't even have a machine gun. It's so boring. I want to throw bombs on the Japanese with my own hands, preferably incendiary bombs -"

Half an hour after the plane flew, the sun finally jumped out of the sea. The sky and the sea were dyed fiery red. Clouds floated on the sea below. The white clouds and the dark blue sea outlined the most wonderful picture. Nikolai drove The No. 101 aircraft passed through the clouds, like an elf between heaven and earth.

"We can definitely mount two 50-kilogram aerial bombs, so that if we discover the combined fleet, we can surprise the combined fleet. I hope that Dongxiang can be killed, and then we may get a St. George Medal. I’ll keep it as a family heirloom—”

Lisakovich chattered.

Nicholas suddenly noticed that there seemed to be a column of smoke directly ahead, and subconsciously increased his power.

As the distance got closer and closer, there were more and more smoke pillars. Nicholas suppressed his excitement and passed over the combined fleet.

"It's the Combined Fleet! It's the Combined Fleet! Sukabu! It's really the Combined Fleet. I saw 'Fuji', and 'Asahi' and 'Hasuse'. It's really the Combined Fleet——"

Lisakovich shouted.

After the "Mikasa" was sunk, Togo chose the "Asahi" as the flagship of the combined fleet.

"Pictures! Take pictures!"

Nikolai wanted more conclusive information.

"It's too far away to see clearly, get closer - get closer!"

Lisakovich also wanted to get clearer photos.

Nikolai subconsciously drove No. 101 and gradually approached the combined fleet.

"Awesome! I took a picture of-"

Lisakovich finally succeeded.

At this moment, Nikolai suddenly discovered that there was a sudden fire on the side of the "Asahi".

So Nicholas subconsciously got rid of it.

It was this escape that allowed Unit 101 to escape.

bass--

Ceng Ceng Ceng——

A string of bullets hit the wing of No. 101, causing sawdust to fly everywhere, and the plane instantly lost its balance.

"What's going on? Why do the Japanese have anti-aircraft guns?"

Lisakovich was shocked. The seaplanes and airships in the Amur Military District had never been effectively attacked by the Japanese army before.

Nikolai didn't bother to answer. He tried his best to control the balance of the plane, circled close to the water, and fled.

The Japanese are not fools and will not let seaplanes wreak havoc in the sky.

Although Japan does not have anti-aircraft guns, it does not seem to be difficult to convert imitation Hotchkiss heavy machine guns into anti-aircraft machine guns.

"Our wings are on fire - God bless -"

Lisakovich cried with despair.

Nicholas did not despair. He aimed at a cloud on the sea and rushed through the clouds.

Nourishes—

The moisture in the clouds extinguished the flames on the wings. Nicholas was soaked all over for a moment. Plane 101 finally regained its balance and flew northward.

Unit 101 did not return to the mothership safely, and crashed on the sea shortly after breaking away from the combined fleet.

Nikolai took out the flare gun he carried and fired it into the air. Five minutes later, the light cruiser "Beagle", which was scouting nearby, rescued Nikolai and Lisakovich.

Nicholas boarded the "Beagle" and did not forget to remind the "Beagle" sailors to sink No. 101 to avoid falling into the hands of the Japanese.

"Send a report to the headquarters immediately. We have discovered the main force of the combined fleet 40 kilometers east of Pohang——"

Nikolai's face was pale and his body was shaky.

"God, Nicky, you're hurt!"

Only then did Lisakovich realize that blood was oozing out of Nicholas's waist.

"I'm fine, send the message immediately, send the message -" Nikolay fell into Lisakovich's arms before he could finish his words.

When Peter received the telegram, it was almost 9 o'clock in the morning.

"Last night, the Japanese army in Fengtian launched an attack on Siping, and war has broken out!"

Peter issued combat missions on the bridge of the "Yuryev".

"Ula!"

All the officers and soldiers on the bridge roared loudly. They had been looking forward to this day for too long.

While adjusting his formation, Peter continued to send seaplanes to conduct reconnaissance in the direction of Pohang.

The four battleships of the Siberian Fleet, "Yuryev", "Romanov", "Ural", and "Caucasus", had just undergone maintenance before departure and were in high spirits.

The six armored cruisers "Amur", "Yenisei", "Volga", "Don", "Trophy (Kasuga)", and the newly commissioned "Neva" are all no more than 6 years old. of cutting-edge warships, all in top condition.

The 12 light cruisers accompanying the fleet were organized into two cruiser fleets, responsible for guerrilla warfare, defense against Japanese torpedo boat sneak attacks, and pursuit missions.

Submarines would be hard-pressed to play a role in such a decisive battle at sea. They were too slow to keep up with surface ships in combat mode.

At 9:50 a.m., Peter received a report that the main force of the combined fleet appeared on the sea 40 kilometers southeast of the Siberian Fleet.

Peter adjusted the formation again, the fleet accelerated to 20 knots, and faced the combined fleet in a T-shaped horizontal head formation.

At 10:20, the smoke column of the United Fleet finally appeared in Peter's telescope.

Peter did not order the artillery fire, but ordered the fleet to continue approaching the United Fleet to seize a favorable position.

After the combined fleet experienced the Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War, although it was at a disadvantage in terms of the number and caliber of battleships' main guns, it had an absolute advantage in experience.

Facing the aggressive Siberian fleet, Dongxiang remained calm and ordered the fleet to expand into formation, keeping a distance from the combined fleet and looking for a more favorable position.

"Ah--"

Peter knew Dongxiang's psychology well and was sure of victory.

Want to keep your distance?
That's fine.

The 330mm main guns of "Yuriyev" and "Romanov" have greater power and range than the 305mm main guns of the combined fleet.

Peter wished that the United Fleet and the Siberian Fleet would keep their distance.

The main gun of the combined fleet has an effective range of about 10 kilometers.

The Siberian Fleet's 330 main gun has an effective range of more than 12 kilometers.

At 10:35, the Siberian Fleet and the Combined Fleet were 10 kilometers apart, and both sides had entered the effective range of the other side.

For the combined fleet, 10 kilometers is basically the limit distance.

At this distance, the hit rate of a naval gun is about the same as a cannon hitting a mosquito, with almost no accuracy at all.

The biggest advantage of the 16-door 330s of "Yuryev" and "Romanov" is that they can be commanded in a unified manner.

At 10:39, "Yuryev" fired the first salvo, and the Battle of Pohang broke out.

Eight 8-caliber main guns fired a salvo with earth-shattering power. The moment the "Yuryev" fired, the entire warship instantly moved laterally on the sea surface by more than 330 meters.

The brave seaplanes flew over the combined fleet, staring at the crazy strafing of Japanese anti-aircraft firepower, and correcting the impact of the artillery shells at close range.

"Yuryev" and "Romanov" adjusted their firing parameters according to the semaphore sent back by the seaplane, and formed a straddle attack on the Japanese combined fleet at 10:55.

Dongxiang never expected that the Siberian fleet's shooting skills were so superb.

boom--

A 330 shell fired by "Yuriyev" hit the armored cruiser "Asami" not far from the "Asahi".

The 330mm shells were so powerful that the "Asami" instantly burst into flames and seemed to lose power.

"Asahi" sent a report to "Asami" to ask whether "Asami" could continue to fight.

The "Asami" did not respond. The fire gradually spread to the bridge, and sailors had already begun to jump into the sea to survive.

Dongxiang didn't care about "Asami". At this distance, the combined fleet could only be beaten passively. After the Siberian fleet formed a straddle attack, the hit rate would become higher and higher.

Dongxiang made a desperate move and ordered the fleet to approach the Siberian fleet at full speed.

Peter was constantly adjusting the formation to ensure that the entire fleet could attack the combined fleet with the strongest firepower.

As the distance between the two sides got closer, the armored cruisers of the Siberian Fleet also began to bombard. The light cruisers broke away from the fleet and rushed towards the combined fleet in a formation posture, hoping to use torpedoes to give the combined fleet a fatal blow.

Dongxiang's flagship "Asahi" once again flew the "Z" flag, hoping to receive God's favor like in previous naval battles.

Peter did not put his hope in the gods, and the "Yuryev" flew the "V" flag.

The "V" flag of the Russian Navy does not mean victory, but the power of truth, indicating that the mission will be completed.

At 11:20, a 330 shell from the "Yuryev" hit Togo's flagship "Asahi". The front main gun of the "Asahi" was blown up, the steering system failed, and it was impossible to aim.

The "Asahi" also had multiple secondary battery shells hitting the "Yuryev", but for the rough-skinned "Yuriyev", the "Asahi"'s 152mm secondary battery was almost like scratching an itch.

God finally abandoned Japan.

(End of this chapter)