Age of Rebirth

Tu Guoxi ran into the command cabin of the squadron in a few steps. On the screen of the shipboard radar, there were densely packed small bright spots, layer upon layer. He touched his stubble and said, "The little devil has a lot of troop carriers! I'm afraid there are some Hundreds of ships!"

A piece of combat staff gave a more accurate answer, "Based on the size of the radar reflection, the tonnage of the troop carrier is calculated. The Japanese troop carrier formation probably carried 3 to [-] Japanese soldiers!"

"It's a big fish!" Tu Guoxi's eyes lit up, "Order, the fast gunboat detachment, each with a force of one brigade, roundabout and outflank the Japanese troop carrier formation. The warship formation and the third brigade of the fast gunboat detachment attack from the front. , we are going to make dumplings!"

A total of more than [-] fast gunboats on the left and right wings drew white waves on the calm surface of the Banda Sea and disappeared into the distance. On the other hand, the five main battleships and more than ten fast gunboats of the Third Squadron, which were attacking from the front, were on the front line. Arranged in a row, with five main battleships in front and fast gunboats in the rear, the sound of battle sirens resounded on the surface of the Banda Sea, frightening groups of seagulls into the air.

"Reporting to your Excellency, Division Commander, we found a warship of the China Independent Division Fleet more than ten kilometers ahead of the sea!" Major Commander Nishida, the captain of the gunboat brigade escorting the No. 20 Seventh Division's troop carrier formation, panicked and bumped Entering the command cabin of the head of the Okui division, he reported with a pale face.

"Haney?" The head of the Okui Division jumped up in fright, and asked with his eyes wide open, "How is the strength of the China Fleet?"

"The observation post spotted five warships of the China Fleet, and they are rushing towards our troop carrier formation and escort gunboat formation at high speed!" Major Nishida calmed down and said.

"Yo Xi!" The head of the Okui division seemed to have calmed down.Patting Major Nishida on the shoulder, he said, "Major Nishida. You have fifteen gunboats, while the China fleet has only five warships. With a three-to-one advantage, I order you to sink the China warship immediately to ensure the stability of the troop carrier formation." Be safe, you have to remember that the Empire of Japan is invincible no matter it is the navy or the army!"

Lieutenant Admiral Nishida's mouth was so bitter that he was about to spit out bile. He really couldn't explain anything to the Army Vice Admiral Okui.The idiot's order is completely the words of the best layman among the laymen, thinking that this is on land, and the side with more troops has an absolute advantage?

This is at sea. The China fleet has five main battleships, and the tonnage of one is as large as the sum of all the gunboats escorted by him. There is also a more terrible firepower comparison. I am afraid that his fifteen gunboats will swarm up.If the Chinese warship didn't fight back and was beaten, it might not be able to sink one. On the contrary, it would only yàoshi a shell from the large-caliber naval gun of the Chinese warship.You can let your own gunboat fly into the sky!

What's more, his fifteen gunboats are not real gunboats.It is to refit the civilian ship and put some thin armor on it.Install two 75mm front main guns and one [-]mm rear main gun.It was pulled out and used as an escort gunboat. Usually in the offshore, it is okay to scare the indigenous fishermen. In front of the main battleship of the China Independent Division of several thousand tons, it is really not enough to see!

"Your Excellency, Commander of the Okui Division, I cannot carry out your order. This is at sea. There is a huge difference between our escort forces and the strength of the Chinese warships. The tonnage of the combat ships is disproportionate. Actively launching an attack can only be the whole army." Annihilated!" Shao Zuo Xitian felt that it was necessary to explain that this was not a question of whether he dared to fight, but a question of whether he should fight.

You Lieutenant General Okui, you can't let me, a small gunboat of more than a hundred tons, fight desperately with a big guy of several thousand tons from the Independent Division, right?That's not being brave, but going to die!

"Baga!" Vice Admiral Okui was furious, and he probably realized that it was indeed inappropriate for a small gunboat of more than a hundred tons to fight with a warship of several thousand tons in the China Fleet, but he himself I can't admit that I am a layman, let the guys in the navy look down on me!

"It turns out that the people in the navy are all cowards and cowards!" Lieutenant General Okui said with contempt on his face, "If it is our imperial army, even if the enemy is infinitely stronger than you, they will go into battle without fear, using broken jade as a glory!"

"Forget it, Major Nishida, it's not convenient for me to comment on your navy's affairs. Tell me, what measures should we take now?"

One is the commander of the Lieutenant General of the Army, and the other is the Junior Major of the Navy. Facing Lieutenant General Okui's words of insulting the Navy, Major Nishida could only listen, even though he could see that this Lieutenant General Okui probably realized it and asked for it himself. An idiot in naval warfare.

Major Nishida felt very awkward, but he still came up with an idea: "Now, the only way we can do it is to split the troop carrier formation into several small formations, disperse them to break through, and then command the escort gunboats to entangle the Chinese warships as much as possible. Troop carrier formation breaks out, buy time!"

"Yaoxi!" The head of the Okui Division praised, and then said to the chief of staff beside him: "Order, all the No. 20 Ninth Divisions, immediately form a separate formation with the brigade as a unit, disperse and break through, and the assembly point is still Australia. Darwin Harbor!"

"Nishida-kun, the safety of the troop carrier formation is up to you!" Vice Admiral Okui reversed his disdain just now and said to Shaozuo Nishida sincerely, "Please, Nishida-kun, arrange two small boats for me and The division and regiment head back to the troop carrier, at the critical moment, I must be with my soldiers, even if I can't break through, I must fight to the end!"

Lieutenant General Okui's words are reasonable and righteous, but no one is a fool. The escort gunboat formation of Major Nishida is about to go to the moths to throw fire. The Chinese warship must kill these gunboats first. It's the troop carrier, and the head of the Okui Division will not follow it to his death in a foolish way!

Major Nishida felt contemptuous in his heart. The commander of the Lieutenant General of the Imperial Army, with an undisguised indifference, ordered a naval officer beside him: "Arrange the transportation boat, Commander of the Matsuoui Division. Wait to leave!"

"Report to the commander, the little devil's troop carrier formation has spotted our fleet and is in the process of evacuating. They may be fleeing separately!" A combat staff officer put down his binoculars and reported.

The third squadron has already approached the Japanese troop carrier formation within six kilometers, and it is certain to be found. If Tu Guoxi only has five main battleships in his hands, Major Nishida's countermeasures are very feasible, at least, yes Only one-third of the Japanese troop carriers were able to escape the sunk ingyun but the reality was not the case.

"Hmph! It's a good idea to disperse and escape!" Tu Guoxi sneered a few times, and said: "Order, the third brigade of fast gunboats for frontal attack, go forward to launch an attack, covered by artillery fire, and the first brigade and the first brigade that outflank the left and right wings The second brigade, immediately tighten the encirclement, all ships pay attention, fire immediately, and give the little devil a blow first!"

The dozen or so fast gunboats attacking head-on, shot out from the sea surface of the five main warships like arrows off the string, and the speed reached the maximum, and the hulls of the boats almost flew up on the sea surface. At the same time, the five warships immediately changed their course, Turned into a sideways warship, facing the formation of Japanese troopships, the front main gun, the rear main gun and the side guns fired together, and the shells rained down like raindrops.

With the sound of cannons, the calm sea surface of Banda Sea suddenly aroused a column of water that shot up into the sky. In the column of water, there were fragments of broken ships, the broken limbs and arms of Japanese soldiers, and fifteen small Japanese gunboats that rushed up like desperadoes. The warship's first round of attack targets, Admiral Nishida was right. The command gunboat he was in was hit by two large-caliber naval artillery shells, and it instantly became pieces of pieces on the bottom of the Banda Sea.

What is even more frightening is still behind. A dozen fast gunboats attacking from the front, while speeding, the triple-mounted naval warfare-type "Thunder" rocket launchers on the boats fired more than 500 [-]mm rockets in one salvo. , The biggest feature of the rocket launcher is not how high the hit rate is required, but the coverage of the artillery fire. For the Japanese troop carrier formation that has not had time to evacuate, the salvo of the rocket launcher is a demon from hell!

At the same time, more than 30 fast gunboats on both wings also launched an attack at the same time. Nearly [-] large-caliber rocket shells turned this sea area into a scene of massacres. Amidst the flames and explosions, it turned into a burning fireball. The Japanese soldiers on the ship were covered in flames, howling and running back and forth. Many Japanese soldiers plunged into the sea and never came up again.

"Commander, are we bullying the Japanese troop carrier formation by fighting like this? Do you want to rescue the Japanese soldiers who fell into the water?" A combat staff officer, looking at the scene of massacre, couldn't bear it, and suggested to Tu Guoxi.

"Bullying little devils? That's right, I'm bullying! This is war!" Tu Guoxi looked at the staff officer unkindly, and said, "Rescue these little devils? Thanks to your imagination, you haven't been in the fleet for a day or two. Why are you still saying these nonsensical things? If it were us, you say, can the little devil be merciful? Can he help the soldiers who fell into the water?"

"No! On the contrary, there will be massacres!" The combat staff replied honestly.

"You know it!" Tu Guoxi's expression eased a little, "If I hear you say such nonsensical things in the future, get out of the Third Squadron!"

More than two hours later, the battle was over, and the surface of the Banda Sea returned to calm. On the calm sea, there were charred corpses of Japanese soldiers, pieces of broken boards, and Sulawesi Island. The retreating Japanese No.20 Seventh Division, one No.20 Ninth Division, and more than [-] Japanese soldiers were wiped out, and none survived. They were buried in the Banda Sea. Hundreds of various troop carriers, All were destroyed.

Tu Guoxi put down his binoculars and said, "Report to the Fleet Command that my third squadron successfully intercepted and killed a Japanese troop carrier formation and escort gunboat formation in the Banda Sea area. The Japanese army has about [-] soldiers. The squadron continues to search for fighter planes!"

(To be continued) To be continued...)