Qianlong: Qing Dynasty?What about my Daqing?

Chapter 428: There is a problem with the bow of the ship meeting the enemy

For John Jervis, the commander of the British fleet, he had to insist on sending fast battleships to seize the T position.

Because now, the form on the sea is that the main force of the Chinese fleet is more flexible and arranged in columns, surrounding the main force of the British fleet.

However, the British main fleet is a composite battle formation composed of horizontal lines and columns. This complex formation requires continuous turning on the sea, which is a great test of ship maneuvering, coordination, and organizational capabilities.

The Beiyang Navy of later generations will definitely not be able to play such a complicated formation.

But the current British Navy can.

but
John Jervis knew it too.

If the Chinese fleet was allowed to keep turning around their main fleet, he could not guarantee how long the British fleet in such a complex battle formation could maintain its formation - maybe it would become chaotic after just one or two turns.

therefore.

He must seize time - first defeat the Chinese cruiser squadron, and then use his own cruisers to harass the Chinese main fleet, prevent their actions on the sea, and restrict their space for activities.

Facing the British 18 cruisers.

Zhang Bao also had to dispatch all the frigates in his hands - he had to ensure the firepower of the main fleet.

But in fact, both sides are increasing their cruise fleets.

The two sides were almost divided into a duel between fleets of comparable size.

The Ming Navy's side is a main fleet composed of eight Zhen-class battleships and four Hong-class cruisers.

On the British side, there are three Giant-class battleships, three Warrior-class battleships, and eight Devastation-class battleships, as well as some armored frigates, but the core is obviously the fourteen battleships.

To use eight battleships and four cruisers to deal with battleships whose total tonnage is much larger than ours, we must get a good enough fighting position.

Now on the sea, the confrontation between the two sides' main ships is not the key. Instead, the confrontation between the two sides' fast ships has become the focus.

"The Chinese have sent 10 more Wei-class frigates!"

John Jervis frowned after receiving the news.

He originally disdained the Wei-class frigate, the most widely equipped Ming navy, with a displacement of only [-] tons.

I think this is some kind of short-sightedness of the Ming Empire as a land country - building so many small ironclad ships is of no use at all.

on the sea.

This is the era of giant ships.

But now he doesn't dare to think so.

Because the artillery power of these Wei-class frigates is still very impressive. They are equipped with 90mm rapid-fire guns (thirty-inch). Although this kind of artillery cannot fire armor-piercing projectiles, the explosive power of the 90mm-caliber blasting projectiles they throw is This had already been shown in the brief exchange of fire between the two sides.

According to intelligence.

The Ming Empire's Indian Ocean Fleet incorporated twenty Wei-class frigates this time. Except for the four frigates that protected the transport ships as they retreated toward India, the rest of the frigates were incorporated into the cruise fleet.

As such.

Now the opponent has 16 Wei-class frigates, plus 4 Hong-class cruisers, a total of [-] battleships in a fast fleet.

There are eighteen cruisers on my side - several of them are very old cruisers, which were temporarily pulled out of the dock for repairs in order to cope with this war and then went to the battlefield.

Twelve of them are capital ships, and the remaining six are first-generation ironclad products. The guns are not rotating turrets, they are almost just fakes, just pulled out to support the scene - so when calculating the main fleet, these are not included at all. Six first-generation ironclads are included, but the British Navy believes that these first-generation ironclads are not worthless - at least they can be used as human shields and impact forces, so in the context of this decisive battle, They still dragged it out from the military port.

But now both sides are in a situation where the columns form parallel lines.

If the artillery fire from both sides is
John Jervis was surprised to find out.

Just relying on four cruisers and 16 frigates, the firepower of the Chinese fleet opposite was suddenly no less than that of the British fleet with eighteen large ships.

Now John Jervis suddenly found himself in a dilemma.

If he wants to continue to increase his investment in the fast fleet, he will have no ships to send.
Because all the cruisers in his hand were sent out.

Do we need to send a few small patrol ships there?

What's the use of that? "How about using the Titan to intercept it?"

Will Smith put forward a suggestion that sounded absurd to John Jervis at first, but after thinking about it carefully, he felt that it made sense.

Let super battleships like the Titan class perform the tasks of cruisers.

Isn't this absurd?
But think about it.
The Titan's top speed can reach 17 knots, which is faster than most cruisers.

And the firepower is very powerful.

But
The Titan-class is the absolute battleship of the British Empire.

The main battleship is specially used for horizontal formation impact. The artillery is all a diagonal turret layout, and is also equipped with a collision calibration.

If you go to line up horizontally and fight the enemy from the side.

Then why do we need a diagonal turret?
Isn't this a waste of half of the firepower?

Could it be that.

Is it wrong to greet the enemy with the bow of the ship? !
If that's true.

Then this is really unfriendly to the British Empire.

Because the British Empire can lose the Indian Ocean, but it must not lose the Atlantic Ocean - otherwise, Canada will not be able to keep it.

therefore.

These three Titan-class ships are only the first batch of products.

There are still 8 Giant-class ships still being outfitted at the Portsmouth naval port.

They were key to maintaining the British Empire's maritime supremacy in the Atlantic.

If the design of this kind of battleship was wrong from the beginning.
"Let the two Titans bring 10 fast patrol ships on board!"

John Jervis took a deep breath.

Everything about this battle was beyond his expectations.

The horizontal team cannot be maintained.

We can only fight in columns.

Then you can only use columns to exchange fire with the enemy's columns, and then use horizontal columns to pursue them.

fortunately
The speed of the three newly entered Titan-class ships is fast enough.

Otherwise, the British Empire Navy would be embarrassed today.

Thirty capital ships, plus various miscellaneous warships, there are more than 60 ships.

The Ming Navy only had sixteen battleships and twenty frigates—four of which were still away from the battlefield.

Sixty against 32.

under these circumstances.

When the opponent is at an absolute disadvantage in numbers, they use simple column tactics.

This messed up our well-trained horizontal team's coordination with column tactics.

If not for the three Titan-class battleships that were lucky enough to catch up with this decisive battle.

this battle.

It is really possible that the Ming Dynasty's navy will be in an embarrassing situation with the British Empire's Indian Ocean Fleet without having a numerical advantage.

It seems.

The horizontal team tactic is indeed problematic.
(End of this chapter)