Napoleon II Reborn - Chapter 541

“General, the French destroyers launched a siege on the Faith!” A staff officer reported to McCain. The ‘Faith’, which devoured the novel’s power, hull and personnel, was severely damaged, like a tiger caught in the attack of wolves, or a damaged tiger. Although he is powerful enough to easily tear apart any destroyer, once caught in a siege, the torpedoes released by the French destroyer are enough to kill her on the bottom of the sea.

“Damn it! Where’s our destroyer? Didn’t I order them to entangle the opponent’s destroyer?” McCain was very angry. Although the ‘Faith’ was damaged, if it could be returned to the US shipyard for repairs, it would cost at most 1 It can be repaired in a month’s time. However, she must have been besieged by French destroyers, then her fate was quite tragic.

The captain and deputy captain of the “Faith” have been killed. Now, on the entire battleship, the highest rank is the navigator. He was not on the bridge when the Faith was hit, so he escaped. Currently, he serves as the supreme commander of the Faith. [bsp;”Full left rudder, turn! Speed ​​up! Damn, they’re coming!”

“Secondary artillery! So fire all the auxiliary artillery!”

On the entire ‘Faith’, luàn became a ball. At this time, the 305mm main gun became a decoration instead. For these fast, small-displacement destroyers, the faster-firing secondary guns or quick-firing guns pose their greatest threat.

Under the order of the navigator, the secondary guns on the Faith finally rang. Afterwards, a menménmén quick-fire cannon also began to roar. A large number of shells flew towards the French destroyers that were shuttling through the ocean and rushing towards the Faith.

The shells are constantly guaranteed. Although the firepower of the “Faith” is very powerful, the 75mm rapid-fire guns, 105mm rapid-fire guns, 155mm secondary guns, and 210mm secondary guns on board add up to more than ten guns. But on the open sea, it is still relatively difficult to hit these light destroyers.

The French destroyer was not willing to be a target. When they rushed towards the Faith, the artillery on the warship also fired back. The artillery fire of the French army was accurate and fierce. In an instant, the “Faith” was hit with thick smoke, especially those sailors who were operating the artillery on the deck, were killed and injured a lot. The main guns, secondary guns and turrets can protect the sailors. Those quick-fire guns are completely open design. Under the raging fire of the French army, the sailors suffered heavy casualties.

“Boom!” A French “Dolphin” class destroyer was hit by a 210mm shell. This level of blow is simply not something a light destroyer like the ‘Dolphin’ class can bear. The hit happened to be amidships. Almost in an instant, the entire warship broke into two sections, and then quickly sank into the sea. None of the dozens of French naval soldiers on the warship escaped.

Although one battleship was lost, the remaining French destroyers were not deterred. Their fierce counterattack also severely damaged the Faith. The entire superstructure was completely destroyed, and a raging fire ignited. Even, the rapid-fire guns on the “Faith” once stagnated due to the lack of manipulative personnel.

“Hmph! It’s just the last struggle!” Seeing that his own destroyer was sunk, Bennett was angry, but held back. War is cruel and kills people. The French fleet was able to severely damage and sink the American warships, and it is equally possible that its own warships were sunk.

At this time, the remaining eleven destroyers of the French fleet had reached a distance of less than 6 kilometers from the Faith. At this time, due to the shortening of the distance, the accuracy of the bombardment of both sides has greatly increased, and the battle has become more intense.

Although the ‘Faith’ was hit and caught fire, many of the French destroyers that participated in the attack were also hit. Fortunately, they were all minor injuries and did not affect the battle.

Five minutes later, the remaining 11 French destroyers rushed within 4 kilometers of the Faith and entered the range of the French Swordfish torpedo attack.

“Launch!” The torpedoes on 11 destroyers fired at the same time, and a total of 22 torpedoes rushed towards the Faith in a fan shape. Leaving traces of water on the sea.

“Turn around! Pay attention to evasion!” The navigator on the “Faith” ordered loudly.

The hull of the “Faith” is strong, and no matter how the French destroyers bombard it, it cannot cause fatal damage to the “Faith”. However, the torpedo launched by the destroyer was enough to send the Faith into the bottom of the sea.

While turning to evade in an emergency, all the artillery on the “Faith” changed their shooting targets, changing the target from a French destroyer to a torpedo that rushed over at high speed on the sea.

However, it is easier said than done to hit a high-speed torpedo with artillery! The Faith managed to avoid most of the torpedoes. But still 3 torpedoes hit her.

Among them, two torpedoes hit the stern of the “Faith”, and the violent explosion completely destroyed the stern of the “Faith”. The head is raised high. Another torpedo hit the midship of the Faith again. Near the waterline, a five-meter-long opening was torn. After the influx of sea water, the “Faith” capsized. Just two minutes later, the ‘Faith’ sank completely to the bottom of the sea. Of the more than 200 soldiers on the battleship, only a few escaped. The rest of the people all sank to the bottom of the sea with the Faith.

At this time, the time is still 4:30 in the afternoon. Just one hour after the battle started, the U.S. Seventh Fleet lost one battleship. It also became the first capital ship to sink in this decisive battle at sea after France began a comprehensive counterattack.

While the destroyers of the French South Atlantic Fleet were besieging the Faith, a direct duel between the capital ships of the two sides was also being staged tragically.

At this time, the distance between the two sides has been shortened to only 8 kilometers. Not only the 305mm main gun can exert its best strength, but the rest of the secondary guns and quick-fire guns have also joined the attack.

At 4:30 in the afternoon, the 8 capital ships of the participating parties were basically under attack. However, no matter how you look at it, the US 7th Fleet is much more miserable.

They only have 3 warships, while their opponents have 5. Although the skin of the ‘Tiger Shark’ class is relatively thin, the artillery it carries is equally sharp.

After the “Faith” was severely damaged, the targets of the five French capital ships all hit the flagship “Apostle” of the US 7th Fleet.

During the time when the “Faith” was besieged to the last dull moment. The ‘Apostle’ was hit like a storm. If it weren’t for the thicker armor of the “North Carolina” class battleship and the absence of 305mm naval guns, the “Apostle” would have sunk long ago. But even so, the ‘Apostle’ was very miserable, almost the entire superstructure was destroyed. The bridge was also hit by a 210mm shell, causing minor injuries to everyone, including McCain. In addition, the two 305mm naval guns were all destroyed, and more than half of the secondary guns lost their combat effectiveness. It can be said that the ‘Apostle’ has basically lost its combat effectiveness.

But in the same way, her efforts are also rewarded. When she became the artillery magnet of the entire battlefield, the remaining two capital ships of the US 7th Fleet, the “Piety” and the “Saint”, also poured all their strength into the flagship of the French South Atlantic Fleet, the “Vienna” firepower.

While the ‘Apostle’ was ravaged and lost its combat effectiveness, the ‘Vienne’ was not much better. Although she takes less damage, her weak armor means that every time she is hit, she is severely damaged. The entire deck seemed to have been looted. Although the two main guns are still intact, many secondary guns have been destroyed. The damage to personnel is also very large. This once again proves that the ‘Tiger Shark’ class warships are at a very disadvantage in the duel of capital ships. We should try our best to avoid putting the ‘Tiger Shark’ class warships into the decisive battle of capital ships.

“Good! The destroyer formation did a good job! Order them to change their targets and besiege the ‘Apostle’! The battleship’s artillery fire is all concentrated like the ‘Piety’.” After the sinking of the ‘Faith’, Bennett immediately ordered to adjust the focus of the attack . The ‘Apostle’, which has lost its combat effectiveness, can be handed over to the destroyers to deal with it. The ‘Apostle’, with most of its secondary guns destroyed, will be easier to destroy than the ‘Faith’ for the destroyer formation~www.mtlnovel.com ~ Now, the US 7th Fleet has only two capital ships left, and the French South Atlantic Fleet has the upper hand in the remaining battles. Defeating the U.S. 7th Fleet is just around the corner.

“General! The ‘Apostle’ has lost its combat effectiveness and may be besieged by French destroyers at any time. Please transfer to the ‘Piety’ or the ‘Saint’ to continue the battle.” The captain of the ‘Apostle’ suggested to McCain.

McCain did not delay, and boarded the “Devotion” in a traffic boat. The command flag was lowered from the “Apostle” and raised from the “Piety”.

The ‘Apostle’ lost its combat effectiveness, but the battle was not over. At this moment, McCain’s goal has also changed from defeating the French South Atlantic Fleet to fighting with the opponent to lose both. However, to achieve this strategic goal, we still need to look at the performance of the US 7th Fleet.

The “Faith” has fallen, and the “Apostle” has basically lost its combat effectiveness. Perhaps, it will soon follow in the footsteps of the “Faith”, and McCain’s chips are getting less and less. However, at this moment, McCain is like a red-eyed gambler. Even if the entire US Seventh Fleet is destroyed, it will not make the French South Atlantic Fleet feel better, at least it will bite the other side.