Chapter 456 The last 15 minutes of the Empire where the sun never sets! (Please subscribe, please vote)

Central Pacific, December 25, 6:25 pm.

The 24 British battleships originally intended to rescue the "Emperor of India" had changed their course, gave up the rescue, and instead headed straight for the two "Dazhou" class ships and the two "Zhongwang" class ships that had just entered the battlefield.

At this time, Admiral William Bagga, who commanded the British fleet to participate in the battle, had already learned from the reports of destroyers and airships scattered around the battlefield that in addition to the two "Dazhou" ships and the two "Zhongwang" ships, the Ming Dynasty also had

Another 12 old-fashioned "Hero" class and "Hanwu" class battleships are coming. Although the performance of these two battleships is a bit outdated at the moment. But the number of 12 ships is there. If before they join the battlefield, the British

If the army still can't handle the two 30,000-ton new battleships and the two 20,000-ton Zhongwang-class battleships, Britain will be doomed.

Li Kezhi and Yu Yang were also surprised by the huge array of 24 British battleships at this time, especially the two leading "William IV" class, which were also 30,000-ton steel behemoths. Each "William IV"

The "Shi" class is equipped with 10 14-inch cannons, and the gun barrels have been raised high. As for the direction of the muzzles, it goes without saying that it must be the "Dazhou" battleship where Li Kezhi and Yu Yang are located.

The seaplanes carried by the "Dazhou" and "Daqin" have already taken off at this time. Such small aircraft are flammable and explosive burdens in artillery battles. It is better to let them take off early and let the pilots fly from high altitudes.

Overlooking this magnificent battlefield.

Thirty or forty steel behemoths have been fighting in two groups on this open sea, and sixty or seventy small warships are loyally guarding them and fighting with all their strength.

The fighting between the two sides has been going on for some time. More and more ships were unable to maintain their speed due to damage. Coupled with the Ming army cruisers who had the trump card of steam gas torpedoes, the destroyers repeatedly launched torpedo attacks, which also disrupted the British ships.

The British ships lost the battle line and had to launch desperate attacks again and again, hoping to disrupt the Ming army's array and drag the battle into a "chaos".

The British's goal of "chaotic warfare" has been partially achieved. The Ming army's beggars' battleship line could not be maintained for a long time. The beggars' battleships were forced to engage in brutal close combat with the British Sovereign class. Their artillery

Too few, with weak armor, they were no match for the Sovereign class, and they were about to be completely defeated. However, the "Kongming" class, "Hero" class, "Strong" class, and "Guard" class of the 3rd cruiser team of the Ming Dynasty's Pacific Fleet used

The "Monarch" class had the opportunity to strangle the "beggar's version of the battleship" and launched torpedo attacks again and again, and achieved victory one after another. This battlefield was full of burning and about to capsize, and the sunken battleships simply became a battleship cemetery!

The six "Shi Huangdi" class ships of the Ming Army still have the upper hand at this time. Although their armor and firepower are not much stronger than those of the "Indian Emperor" class, their high speed of 27 knots and 28 knots allows them to always occupy half of the tank.

position - although not the entire T position, they can still concentrate all their firepower to blast an "Indian Emperor" class. As for the "Indian Emperor", it is clear that the firepower is not weak and the armor is not thin, but it is always in a passive state of being beaten.

, and is becoming more and more passive. It seems that I can no longer hold on for too long.

However, the British Empire did not have no chance, because there was a big gap in speed between the different levels of battleships of the Ming Dynasty. The fastest "Shihuang" class could reach 27 knots and 28 knots, while the "Dazhou" and "Zhongwang" could also

It can run at 25 knots, while the "Hero" and "Hanwu" can only run at around 20 knots.

Therefore, the Ming army's battleships will be out of sync when their horsepower is fully activated. The first one to arrive is the "Shi Huang", then the "Great Zhou" and "Zhong Wang", while the "Hero" and "Han Wu" can only slow down.

Come slowly.

On the other hand, on the British side, their battleships cannot run very fast, but this actually helps them concentrate their forces and gain an advantage of up to 15 minutes!

"Admiral, we have 15 minutes to defend our world empire!"

Rear Admiral Jervis has estimated the time the Royal Navy has available to defend the Empire on which the sun never sets.

"15 minutes" Hearing this number, William Baga just smiled bitterly, "From the time Elizabeth I began to unite European allies to challenge the world empire of the Habsburg dynasty, to when our country overwhelmed Spain, the Netherlands, and France, step by step

It took more than 200 years to build the world empire of the Anglo-Saxons, but now we only have 15 minutes to defend it."

"Yes," Major General Jervis said, "These are 15 minutes that determine the fate of all mankind!"

"Okay then!" William Baga said, "Tell everyone that we have only two targets, which are the two unknown Ming Dynasty 30,000-ton battleships." He suddenly raised his voice, "Concentrate firepower to sink them."

To them, victory belongs to the British Empire!"

"Yes, Admiral!"

"There are also two 30,000-ton ships!"

"Sink them and you win!"

At the same time, Li Kezhi and Yu Yang were also holding telescopes to look at the "King William IV" and the "Queen Elizabeth" less than 20,000 meters away. The 30,000-ton steel bodies looked particularly intimidating.

!

Li Kezhi put down the telescope and took a deep breath, "The 30,000-ton ship at the top of the enemy's queue is the target of the fire! Start firing salvos from 18,000 meters, and concentrate all the 360 ​​mm and 300 mm cannons to sink it!"

"yes!"

At 6:30, just before the last sunset on December 25 was about to disappear, the 32-door 360 on the "Dazhou", "Daqin", "Wuzhongwang" and "Chengzhongwang" of the Ming Navy

mm and 300mm heavy artillery roar at the same time!

Just ten seconds later, more than 200 heavy guns on 24 British battleships also fired their first salvo!

Nearly 300 heavy artillery pieces simultaneously played the most magnificent symphony in the world, and the smoke from the muzzles even obscured the disappearing sunset.

The critical 15 minutes that determine whether the sun never sets on the Empire have begun!

Perhaps the layout of the twin four-turrets is relatively stable, or it may be because the Ming Dynasty's optical measurement equipment is more accurate, and the ballistics calculated by their "abacus soldiers" are also more accurate. Two "Dazhou" class ships and two "Zhongwang" ships

The battleship's main guns performed at a very high level in this crucial artillery battle. In just the third round, the battleship Wilhelm IV burst into flames.

The first hit on the König Wilhelm IV was the Dazhou-class battleship Daqin. A 360mm armor-piercing projectile fired from its bow turret concentrated on the main armor belt of the rear bridge of the König Wilhelm IV and penetrated the König Wilhelm IV with one hit!

The main armor belt of the King class is designed to defend against the 14-inch main gun, and 360 mm is larger than 14 inches. Moreover, the Ming army's latest hooded armor-piercing projectiles have stronger armor-piercing capabilities, which is not at all like the British army's 14-inch

Armor-piercing shells are comparable. However, the 360mm shell that penetrated the main belt of the Wilhelm IV did not cause much damage because its delayed fuse reacted too quickly this time and just penetrated the Wilhelm IV.

The main assembly exploded, and it did not penetrate the steel plate covering the power cabin of the Wilhelm IV. It only cracked some pipes and caused some high-pressure steam leakage, but it was not serious.

However, this shell provided an important coordinate. As its impact point was captured by the fire control rangefinders, the four battleships of the Ming Navy completed the gun calibration, which meant the beginning of destruction!

At 6:33, the 32 heavy guns roared again, allowing the Wilhelm IV to experience the true power of the 300mm and 360mm cannons. Two 300mm cannon shells and three 360mm cannon shells collided past its steel plate.

In an instant, this large battleship named after King William IV suffered the heaviest blow. A 300 mm armor-piercing projectile was mounted on the command tower of King William IV. Although the 16-inch-thick steel armor

It withstood this blow, but it still knocked everyone in the command tower to the ground and stared at stars! Another 300mm shell hit the relatively thin armor belt near the bow of the ship, and was fired effortlessly.

It caused a breakdown, and also opened a small hole in the bow of the Wilhelm IV, causing hundreds of tons of seawater to pour in.

Compared with the less powerful 300mm armor-piercing bullets, the 700-kilogram hooded 360mm armor-piercing bullets are truly deadly!

One of the three 360mm armor-piercing projectiles tore through the thickest main belt amidships of the König Wilhelm IV-class ship, and then continued to smash through the steel plate outside the boiler room, and finally in the No. 1 boiler of the König Wilhelm IV

There was a big explosion in the room, which not only destroyed all the boilers, but also let seawater surge in. In the end, the damage control had to seal the entire cabin to prevent the incoming seawater from flooding everything.

The remaining two 360 mm armor-piercing projectiles hit the stern of the Wilhelm IV and the front of the D turret respectively. The stern armor of the Wilhelm IV could not withstand the armor-piercing projectiles of this caliber. A big hole was made with one shot, and the

Several cabins were ignited, causing a fire that burned the butt of the "William IV" with thick smoke billowing from it.

The D turret of the Wilhelm IV withstood it. The 16-inch-thick armor was not something that a 360mm shell could penetrate! However, the direct hit of the 360mm shell and the huge shock caused by the explosion still shook the entire gun squad.

Dizzy and briefly lost consciousness.

Only a few minutes into the battle, the British had already tasted the wrath of the Ming Dynasty!

However, the Empire is not a vegetarian either. The 24 British battleships on the sea quickly returned the favor, and the battleship "Da Zhou" immediately faced the real test!

At 6:34, a 14-inch shell fired by the Queen Elizabeth suddenly hit the strongest main belt of the "Da Zhou", and immediately exploded into an extremely dazzling fireball!
Chapter completed!