Bismarck

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Chapter 70: Action Plan

"I will now convey the command from the High Command." Regel cleared his throat and whispered, "This operation is top secret, so no one among you is allowed to leak a single word. Do you understand?"

"Understood!" they said in unison.

The powerful German generals now looked at Reger like pupils listening attentively to a lecture. Since no secretary could come in, they had to take notes on all the key points themselves.

"Dönitz!" Reger called his name first.

"To!"

"I order your submarine forces to start combat patrols in the Skagerrak Strait in mid-March. Thoroughly understand the hydrological and navigation conditions of the strait. There are British submarines operating there. Pay attention to your own safety, but make sure the strait is unobstructed!"

"clear."

The Skagerrak Strait is an important channel for the Baltic countries to enter the Atlantic Ocean, and it is also the only way for Germany to attack Norway. It is located in the triangle of Jutland Peninsula, Norway and Sweden, and its strategic location is very prominent. The width is 110 to 130 kilometers, and the narrowest part is between Cape Gränen at the northern end of Jutland Peninsula and Marstrand Island in Sweden, which is only 65 kilometers wide, making it an ideal place to defend. If the strait is found to be controlled by British submarines when the Weser exercise begins, the loss will be fatal.

"Marshal, what if we were to fight the British..."

"Sink it!" Regel glanced at him and said, "This strait must be in our hands. I don't mind you taking the initiative to fight."

"Then in early April you will send submarines to the British base in Spaka Gulf, so that they can find your traces and know that you are operating in this sea area. Understood?"

"understand!"

"Okay." Regler nodded and looked at the captain.

"Lütjens, you lead the battleship Bismarck and the heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer to form a formation and head out into the Atlantic Ocean to attract the attention of the British and make them believe that our target is the British mainland, so as to cover the landing fleet."

"With Admiral Scheer?" The captain touched his chin, a hesitant expression on his face.

The Scheer is one of the only two German pocket battleships left, along with the Lützow (Deutschland), commonly known as commerce raiders - those who can beat me are not as fast as me, and those who can run faster than me cannot beat me. However, it should be under repair at this time.

"Admiral Scheer was in the shipyard for repairs not long ago, but it will be launched soon and can participate in the operation." Regel explained, "Although there are few ships, we have no extra warships to use."

"No, I mean I only need the Bismarck alone." The captain's sudden words stunned everyone.

Using a battleship as bait, this idea is too crazy... Everyone looked at him in disbelief.

"Why?" Regel asked. "Tell me your reasons."

"My decoy operations require high speed and high maneuverability. After the battle, I need to evacuate the battlefield in a short time. The Bismarck battleship can reach a maximum speed of 37 knots, which can create a considerable gap with the British fleet. But the maximum speed of the Scheer is only 26 knots, which is too slow. When an emergency occurs, should I abandon it or stay with it?" The captain calmly explained his reasons.

"I think the Bismarck can fully demonstrate her strengths as a single ship, and auxiliary ships will only drag down her advantages."

Well, I see. "

Reger thought for a moment and said, he knew what the captain said made sense, but he still didn't dare to make a final decision. After all, if a single ship was surrounded and attacked, it would definitely sink. The German navy was originally limited, especially the main battleships. If another one sank, the loss would be unbearable. You know, the Führer was very dissatisfied with my ship's failure last time. If it sank... the Navy Department would be very happy.

"I'm afraid I can't give you an answer now. We'll talk about it later," said Regler.

"Okay." The captain nodded.

"We will discuss the formation issue later. However, after you advance into the Atlantic, you must first attract the attention of the British. Then, when the battle begins, you must quickly break away from them and rush to Narvik to assist Bonte's destroyer fleet in the landing operation while controlling that area of ​​the sea."

Narvik? When I heard the name, I thought of it as a sad place for the German Navy. During the Battle of Norway, all ten destroyers participating in the operation were annihilated, and even the commander was killed. After this battle, the German Navy suffered a heavy blow and never recovered. It can be said that in the Battle of Norway, the Germans won the battle, but lost the navy.

However, with me as a variable, will the fate of the navy remain the same? I couldn't help but look at Bonte, who was "listening" attentively in front of me. This old-fashioned and serious but very responsible German officer, would he still die in Narvik?

Maybe...

On the other side, the captain has already accepted his mission. I am not too surprised by the captain's proposal that I should go alone, and I even agree with it. In history, the Bismarck has always been a two-ship formation (because Germany has few warships and most of them are used to disrupt commerce), and there is no ship (referring to large warships) that can keep up with me at my current speed. I am not worried about being surrounded and beaten. As for the elementary school students... the British and French "elementary school students" during World War II were faster than me, but I am not worried about one gun killing one kid at a time. This is not World of Warships. The elementary school students are still invisible at four or five kilometers. No destroyer can withstand a 380-caliber shell - well, a 380-caliber shell is really an overkill. Even if the 150-caliber secondary guns are used once, the elementary school students are almost finished.

Alone, coming and going like the wind, how about that, isn’t it cool and cool?

So I'm not really worried, and note that I'm only in the early 40s, and the British armaments are not as abnormal as in the later period. After all, a weak navy cannot fight a head-on war against a strong navy. Guerrilla warfare is the most suitable, and my captain Lütjens is well versed in this.

As for air defense, although I will definitely not be able to withstand the care of Goering's Air Force if I go out to the Atlantic, but with the greatly upgraded air defense, and the fact that the British only have Swordfish at present (the Fulmar was not available until 41), let them lose as many planes as they come.

To avenge the shame of a broken leg~ I was just about to try my VT close-range explosion.

"Bontai, your mission is to lead the destroyer fleet to cover the transport ships and other auxiliary ships landing in Narvik. Defend Narvik at all costs!"

"understand!"

"Narvik is close to Britain and farthest from Germany. You can't count on any support. You only have Lütjens' Bismarck ship. I know it's difficult, but I have only one thing to say: hold on to it." Reger said seriously, "Recognize the importance of this battle. Don't be stingy even if you lose most of your surface forces!"

"Yes!"

I felt as if I had seen the battlefield filled with gunpowder smoke. In the water column that kept rising into the sky, there was a violent collision of steel and steel, and a fierce confrontation of wills. The raging fire and shells were blending in the explosions, and the fighter planes that covered the sun all day long were in the sky, and the fight between us started with sharp whistles...

What should I do? My blood is boiling. I know that this will cause thousands of people to die in a foreign country. Their lives will be lost in the war, and even a large number of them will die under my firepower. I also know that reason should reject war, which is a sin for all mankind, but my emotions are boiling more and more with the pace of history.

Is this the poison of war? I licked my lips, a gesture I always made subconsciously when I was excited.

"According to intelligence, the British may lay mines in the Norwegian waters, so all fleets should pay attention to underwater at that time," said Regler.

"In this operation, we will land in Norway's six main ports from north to south: Oslo, Kristiansand, Stavanger, Bergen, Trondheim, and Narvik. In the first phase, we will seize the ports and airports. In the second phase, we will attack inland and occupy all of Norway. In the second phase, we will prepare to resist the landing and counterattack the British and French forces that may land. Our combat mission is to safely send the army troops to Norway, and at the same time, we will work with the army to carry out anti-landing operations. The air force will also join in at that time."

"Of course, some will go to Denmark, but to be honest, Denmark is not a big threat, the main threat is Norway." Reger said with a smile, "This time, all the naval forces of Germany were dispatched, and I am under a lot of pressure."

"Sea, land, and air... this is a three-dimensional combat mode." I whispered, but no one heard me.

"Blücher will be the flagship in the direction of Oslo, leading the light cruiser Emden and other auxiliary warships... Lütjens, what do you think?"

The captain raised his hand and said, "Oslo Fjord is a strategic location. There are a large number of coastal artillery bases and shore-based torpedoes along the coast. It is a major threat. One Blücher may not be able to cope with it. I suggest that Scheer go with Blücher."

"Okay," Regel wrote down the captain's opinion in his notebook, "I'll consider it."

"Yes." The captain nodded and sat down.

Blücher? Is that the heavy cruiser whose flagship I stole? It seems to have sunk in Oslo, when it was still a brand new battleship. Actually, I wanted to save it, but now my mission is to contain the British, so I can only try to save Bonte. Blücher can only hope for the best.

Ps: Ask for recommendation votes~ As for elementary school students, it is a French fantasy with a speed of 42 knots. If you have any military information, please recommend it and join the group discussion~ As for the ending of this book, I can only say that I won’t tell you!

Chapter 71: Unable to name... Untitled

"When is our combat time?" asked Dönitz.

"The exact time has not been announced yet, but it is expected to be during the new moon period in early April. You still have a month to prepare," Reger said. "In early April, all troops will gather at the mouth of the Weser River, and the air force will also gather at the northern airport. Oh, and Lütjens."

"kindness?"

"When you go out into the Atlantic, there will be raiders near you. If the Bismarck is damaged or needs supplies, you can contact them by radio."

"Attack ships, those "pirate ships", haha." The captain said with a smile.

"Yes, that's them."

I know about the category of raiders. They should actually be called auxiliary cruisers, but they are different from the auxiliary cruisers defined by the British. All of the German ones are converted from merchant ships, and they are armed to the teeth. In addition to the installation of artillery of different calibers, some are also equipped with torpedo tubes, and even seaplanes! Of course, these are cleverly camouflaged by the crew and hidden under the deck. As for why they are called pirate ships by the German Navy, it is because their combat methods are too similar to some pirates of the old times. They disguise themselves as merchant ships of various countries and travel around the world. Once they encounter a suitable target, they remove the camouflage, raise the German flag, and then open fire to sink the opponent.

However, these "pirates" are not indiscriminate killers. Many of their captains still have a chivalrous spirit, which is what I like most about them. The captain's words just now did not contain any contempt, it was just a joke among the crew. They usually rescue passengers who fall into the water after sinking the other merchant ship, and often the conditions on their own ship deteriorate due to the excessive number of rescues.

Because of these actions, the pirates were highly praised, and even the crews of the sunken ships expressed their gratitude. If you ask me, they are a group of "lovely" people.

We are getting off topic again...

Regel said that those attack ships were equipped with secondary guns and anti-aircraft gun shells that I could use, as well as some spare parts for consumables, food and other things. In short, if I needed anything, I could just ask them for it.

What else is there to say? The captain naturally agreed.

Reger continued to announce some orders until noon when he adjourned the meeting.

"This is our navy's chance to prove ourselves, you must seize it!"

"clear."

After the meeting, the generals came out of the headquarters, greeted each other, and went back to their respective posts to make further tactical plans.

"Captain, shall we go eat first or go directly to the airport?" I asked, walking beside him.

"What do you want to do first?" the captain asked as he walked.

"Let's eat first. We'll find a restaurant and then go to the airport." I said. Although I didn't need to eat, the captain did. It would take a long time to get to William. How could his stomach bear it?

"Okay, I'll listen to you." The captain looked at me and smiled.

There were places to eat around the headquarters. The captain asked Krupp to wait first, and then took me into one of them. This kind of small street restaurant is usually visited by junior officers and soldiers. Officers of the rank of colonel rarely come to such places, let alone the captain. As soon as this dazzling admiral entered, the whole restaurant seemed to be quiet. Everyone's eyes were focused on the captain like sunlight focused by a magnifying glass, and of course, me who followed behind him.

I feel so stressed. Did I come to the wrong place?

The captain calmly found a seat and sat down, called the waiter and ordered a double steak.

"Well-done, thank you," said the captain.

"Sir, please wait a moment." The waiter wrote down the menu, nodded and left.

"Captain, I feel very embarrassed being stared at..." I said with a wry smile. After they lost interest in the captain, they focused their attention on me. I felt at least a dozen eyes on my back.

Fortunately, I wore a windbreaker outside today, otherwise... you know the effect of that tights.

"Don't worry about other people's looks." The captain handed me a glass of water. "Is one steak enough for you? I remember you eat a lot."

"Cough cough cough, Captain, is that okay with you saying that?" I choked on the water I had just drunk and said with a blushing face.

What do you mean I ate a lot? I just, I just left my main body for too long and needed to replenish my energy!

"Isn't it?" the captain asked. He blew on his hot coffee. "Thousands of tons of heavy oil."

The captain must have done it on purpose! I gritted my teeth in hatred. I am not Yamato Inn, why should I eat so much! As long as I am not sailing at the maximum speed, my fuel is very economical at the economic speed!

"Hmph" I decided to express my dissatisfaction with a nasal sound.

"Angry?" the captain said with a smile.

"Captain, you look so weird today?" I said, tilting my head.

"Huh? What's strange about that?" the captain looked at me and said.

"You're kidding." I suddenly reached out and took off his hat, then put it on my own head before he could react.

"Really?" The captain touched his nose and looked at my actions with a smile. "I know you and the crew have scolded me many times in your heart. You have been serious for so long, why don't you relax for a while?"

"I didn't scold you." I denied quickly, "I'm just used to your serious look, and now I'm a little uncomfortable. But it's good this way, I like it!"

"But if I'm not serious, how can I, as a captain, convince others?" the captain said with a smile.

"That's true, I understand, but at least I've seen a different captain." I winked at him and said mischievously.

"Hahaha."

The steak came up quickly, and I picked up my knife and fork and started to eat it. But while staring at the meat on the plate, I pretended to say casually, "Captain, someone is watching us."

The feeling that look gave me was different from that of others. Others were curious and inquiring, but it was a kind of intense surveillance? Yes, surveillance! The owner of the eyes was wearing waiter's clothes and moving among the crowd, but I observed that his attention was always on me, or the captain.

"Don't pay attention to him." The captain restrained his smile and said lightly.

"Spy?" I asked softly.

The captain nodded.

"Should I arrest him?" I suggested. "This will lead to intelligence leaks. There are so many officers here."

"No, the Gestapo is responsible for this kind of thing." The captain said, "Besides, they want to spy on intelligence from here, and we have leaked false intelligence to them through these people."

I understand... The restaurant next to the headquarters must be a mixed place, but it has not been banned for such a long time, there must be a reason for its existence. It is a channel for both parties.

"How many grassroots officers know about top-secret documents?" said the captain.

"So he's targeting us?" I said. "Captain, how about we put on a show?"

"acting?"

I gave the captain some instructions, and he nodded and waved his hand.

"Waiter, pay!"

Sure enough, the special waiter immediately noticed this and walked over quickly.

"Lütjens, where are you going this time?" I asked "curiously" with my hands on my chin.

Although I had my back to him, I could still clearly see that the waiter's pupils shrank. This was a sign of concentration; he heard what I said.

Have you taken the bait? I will give you a "delicious treat" when the time comes. I smiled.

Of course, I know that our performance will make the British High Command believe that there is something fishy going on. The specific deception plan is handled by special personnel. Well, this is just a way to spice up the boring life.

The captain smiled and shook his head, then pinched my nose gently, indicating that this “cannot be said”.

"Go ahead, go ahead." I said coquettishly, "I want to listen."

"This is confidential, how can we talk about it here?" He pretended to be serious. "We will go home after we finish eating."