The end of the military era

After Zhou Rui rejected the conditions put forward by the Silver Wolf Empire, the Silver Wolf Empire soon announced that it would form another expeditionary force and would send at least two group armies to join the expeditionary force.

However, what the Silver Wolf Empire did not expect was that as soon as the news of the Silver Wolf Empire forming an expeditionary force came out, Zhou Rui immediately held a press conference to represent the Fengwu Jiedu Mansion, Zhenwei Jiedu Mansion and Jinnan Festival of the Han and Tang Empires. Dufu officially declared war on the Silver Wolf Empire.

Zhou Rui's declaration of war was as shocking as a stone breaking the sky. It stunned many forces in the Han and Tang Empires, and even shocked the senior officials of the Silver Wolf Empire.

Many feudal towns in the Han and Tang Empires had wars with the orc countries, but none of them had officially declared war, so they were all classified as local conflicts.

Including the last war between the Zhou family and the Silver Wolf Empire, because the two sides did not declare war on each other, it can only be officially defined as a partial conflict.

If war is not declared, there may be some wiggle room.

Once war is declared, it is tantamount to fighting the Silver Wolf Empire forever.

The response of the Silver Wolf Empire was very fast. Just two hours after Zhou Rui declared war, the governor's office of the Silver Wolf Empire announced to the outside world that it had officially declared war on Fengwu Town, Zhenwei Town, and Jinnan Town of the Han and Tang Empire. .

Zhou Rui actually thought very clearly, anyway, the Silver Wolf Empire will fight if war is declared or not, so why should I endure it.

And Zhou Rui chose this time to take the initiative to declare war, and there is another meaning, which is to pull out the nail of Pusha Island before the expeditionary force of the Silver Wolf Empire arrives.

On the morning of January 1, an unusually large fleet was heading straight for Pusa Island, and hundreds of ships almost filled the sea.

At the headquarters of the Third Fleet of the Silver Wolf Imperial Navy on Pusha Island, Commander Longela asked the Deputy Commander Gore anxiously: "What about the Eighth Fleet of the Golden Lion Imperial Navy and the Fifth Fleet of the Red Tiger Imperial Navy?" explain?"

Gore said with a wry smile: "Because the Fengwu Town, Zhenwei Town, and Jinnan Town of the Han and Tang Empires have declared war with our Silver Wolf Empire, the secret agreement signed by our three navies no longer conforms to the current situation.

Therefore, the Eighth Fleet of the Golden Lion Empire Navy and the Fifth Fleet of the Red Tiger Empire Navy need to ask for instructions on whether they can rush over for reinforcements. "

When Longela heard this, he immediately shouted angrily: "If you continue to ask for instructions, Pusha Island will be occupied by the human army!"

It turned out that the huge fleet sailing towards Pusha Island was the main force of the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet of the Han and Tang Empires, as well as hundreds of transport ships carrying five infantry divisions of the Zhenwei Army.

In fact, when the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet of the Han and Tang Empires began to assemble, the Third Fleet of the Silver Wolf Empire Navy received information.

At this time, the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet of the Han and Tang Empire gathered so many warships, and used so many transport ships to carry 10,000+ army troops. It is too obvious what it is doing!

At this time, Yerk at the headquarters said in a deep voice: "Commander, our Third Fleet must evacuate Pusa Island immediately. The difference in strength between the enemy and us is too great, and there is no hope of victory at all."

Yerk was the commander of the Royal Navy of the Silver Wolf Empire in the Shark Island naval battle. Originally, the Navy Department of the Silver Wolf Empire wanted to hold Yerk responsible for the failure of the Shark Island naval battle.

However, what Yerk did not expect was that it was the commander Longla who had always been looked down upon by him, and he was saved by the Navy Department of the Silver Wolf Empire. degree of change.

Longella subconsciously vetoed: "No! If the Third Fleet leaves, what will happen to Pusa Island? What will happen to the Third Marine Division?"

At this time, most of the warships of the Third Fleet of the Silver Wolf Empire Navy had left the port.

Even some warships left in the port have completed the boiler pressurization process and can be started at any time.

Therefore, if the Third Fleet of the Silver Wolf Empire Navy wants to retreat, it can leave safely before the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet of the Han and Tang Empire arrives at Pusha Island.

The deputy commander, Gore, then sighed and said: "Commander, I think what Yerk said makes sense, the strength of the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet of the Han and Tang Empire is stronger than we expected.

If we fight recklessly, our Third Fleet may be in danger. "

Yerk continued to persuade: "Commander, the Royal Navy suffered too much losses in the two naval battles of Bara Island. If our Third Fleet is wiped out, it will have a very serious impact on the entire Royal Navy.

While there is still time, the [-]rd Marine Division can board the ship and leave with our [-]rd Fleet.

As for Pusha Island, we can take it back after the empire's expeditionary force arrives! "

Longella was still a little hesitant, and couldn't help asking the deputy commander, Gore: "Did the Governor's Palace and the Navy Department call back?"

Just as Longela finished speaking, a major ran over with a telegram, "Commander, the governor's office is urgent."

Longela grabbed the telegram, read it quickly, and said to Gore and Yerke with a sense of relief: "Your Excellency personally issued an order for our Third Fleet to retreat.

However, His Excellency the Governor asked the [-]rd Marine Division to stay, relying on the fortifications of Pusha Island, and stick to it until the arrival of the Imperial Expeditionary Force. "

Rofer, the commander of the [-]rd Marine Division, learned that the [-]rd Marine Division would be left behind to defend Pusa Island. Not only did he not feel depressed, but he was very motivated.

Rofer said to Longella: "Don't worry, Commander, we have built a complete fortification on Pusha Island, and Pusha Island will become a flesh and blood mill for the human army!

However, I hope that the Coastal Defense Brigade can stay and use the eight forts on the island to attack the enemy's warships, and cooperate with our [-]rd Marine Division to defend Pusa Island. "

Longella patted Rofer on the shoulder, "Of course the Coastal Defense Brigade will stay, and it will be handed over to you to command.

Rofer, no matter what, stay alive and wait for us to come back! "

Chapter 154 Turtle Shell

In order to capture Pusha Island, the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet of the Han and Tang Empire dispatched the first, second, third, fourth, eighth, and ninth, a total of six main formations.

一共有38艘全主炮战列舰、26艘战列巡洋舰、23艘大型装甲巡洋舰、36艘轻巡洋舰和48艘驱逐舰。

The fifth and sixth formations of the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet have arrived at a certain sea area around Gaowo Island at this time, and the seventh formation of the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet has arrived at a certain sea area around Fengsha Island.

The former is to monitor the Eighth Fleet of the Golden Lion Empire Navy on Gaosnail Island, and the latter is to monitor the Fifth Fleet of the Red Tiger Empire Navy.

Once the fleets of these two orc nations sent troops to assist Pusha Island, the fifth, sixth, and seventh formations of the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet would immediately launch raids to give the main force of the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet time to adjust their tactics.

而银狼帝国海军第三舰队，可以作战的军舰包括8艘全主炮战列舰、10艘全钢制战列舰、12艘大型装甲巡洋舰、22艘轻巡洋舰、26艘驱逐舰和48艘鱼雷艇。

Since the torpedoes currently equipped by the Royal Navy of the Silver Wolf Empire have a range of only about 800 meters, torpedo boats and destroyers can only carry out torpedo attacks if they approach large warships.

Therefore, in large-scale naval battles, especially when the opponent is protected by a large number of light cruisers and destroyers, the attack effect of destroyers and torpedo boats on large warships is not good.

If the Third Fleet of the Royal Navy of the Silver Wolf Empire were to stay on Pusha Island, it would be equivalent to using 18 capital ships and 12 secondary capital ships to counter the 64 capital ships and 23 secondary capital ships of the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet of the Han and Tang Empires. Ships differ greatly in strength.

At present, the navies of various countries have designated large armored cruisers as secondary capital ships.

For example, the German Scharnhorst-class large armored cruiser that Zhou Rui got from the lottery system has a 210mm main gun with forty times the caliber, which also poses a considerable threat to the battleship with all main guns in naval battles.

This is also the reason why the governor of the Silver Wolf Empire, Igna, ordered the Third Fleet of the Silver Wolf Empire Navy to evacuate Pusha Island after learning about the approximate scale of the Southwest Coast Defense Fleet of the Han and Tang Empire.

After three o'clock in the afternoon on January 1, after the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet arrived in the waters near Pusha Island, Song Limin, commander-in-chief of the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet, was not surprised to learn that the Third Fleet of the Silver Wolf Imperial Navy had voluntarily withdrawn from Pusha Island.

If he changed places, he would not let his own fleet stay and wait to die.

Song Limin then looked around the battleship almost covering the sea through the bridge observation window of the Ruixue battleship with all main guns, and couldn't help feeling a sense of pride in his heart.

For a main fleet of the Silver Wolf Empire Navy to choose to retreat, presumably, among the navies of all human countries, only the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet can do it.

Song Limin said to Chen Yongliang, the captain of the Ruixue: "Give orders to each formation, choose a favorable position, let the capital ship carry out saturated bombardment on the port of Pusha Island and the fort on the mountain, and clear the way for the Zhenwei Army to land. .

In addition, let the fourth formation and the eighth formation send several squadrons to search for traces of the third fleet of the Wolf Empire Navy in the surrounding waters, so as not to be killed by the opponent and catch our Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet by surprise. "

Chen Yongliang was originally the captain of the flagship Zhenhai all-steel battleship. After the reorganization of the Southwest Coastal Defense Fleet, the all-main gun battleship Ruixue became the new flagship, and Chen Yongliang was also transferred to Ruixue as the captain.

The fourth formation and the eighth formation both use battlecruisers as their main ships and have an advantage in speed. That's why Song Limin asked these two formations to send warships to search the surrounding waters.