Chapter 952

Episode 953: Battle of Corsica (8)

“Enemy fleet approaching!”

The staff member, who confirmed the flag signal sent from the spy ship, shouted out the contents of the signal at the top of his voice.

“The direction is to the right of Kaprai Isola!”

“The number of enemy ships is approximately 18! Including 2 assault return ships! The assault return ship is the leader!”

“First row, column!”

“Contact scheduled within 2 hours!”

Admiral Costangio, the commander of the Venetian Navy, who was listening to the staff and checking the flag signal through a telescope, nodded.

“As expected, the iron shovel ship is in the lead. And it is a single column... This was also expected.”

It was exactly as he had expected so far.

“If you think about the number of ships, it seems like only ironclads and challenger-class battleships have come forward... Are you confident that you can overcome the 1:10 difference?”

The size of the combined fleet now was nearly 190 ships, including pirate ships. Of course, if we were to select only battleships of similar size to the Challenger-class battleships, there were about 120 ships, but in any case, the overall numerical difference was approximately 1:10.

“Is it pride? Is it an inevitable choice? Or both?”

* * *

According to sailors familiar with the ‘Eastern Route’, the imperial navy’s favorite tactic was the ‘one-point breakthrough’ tactic. Battleships lined up in a row would attack the enemy while crossing the enemy fleet, and after breaking through, they would turn around and repeat a similar attack.

As these attacks were repeated, the enemy fleet was increasingly divided into smaller pieces, ultimately leading to individual attacks. In order for this tactic to be successful, strong firepower and solid defense had to be guaranteed. Considering this, the ships built at the shipyard in Prince Henry’s Port were rather cumbersome. Although its firepower was one of the strongest in the Mediterranean region, its defense power was inferior to that of its challenger. In addition to these limitations, it was clear that the Imperial Navy had blind faith in the firepower and defense capabilities of ironclad ships and Challenger-class ships.

* * *

“Nothing is bad for us.”

Admiral Costanzo quickly put aside his doubts and looked at the five Venetian Gallius ships that seemed to surround the flagship. Admiral Costanzo, as well as the surrounding staff and sailors, looked at the Venetian Gallius with faces full of pride.

“If it’s firepower, those kids won’t be pushed back.”

For the Venetian navy, Venetian galliuses were the best battleships. Among the three decks, including the oar deck, the first and second floors were gun decks, and about 20 cannons were mounted on each side. However, the symbol of the Venetian Gallius was the turret located at the bow of the bow. The circular turret, which was similar to the fortress’ turret, was equipped with 12 cannons on the first and second floors.

Because they were placed in circular turrets, these cannons were able to fire shells in all directions, including the front. This was a huge advantage compared to other ships that had cannons placed only on the left and right sides. This was because shelling was possible not only when the sides were visible, but also when the two sides were facing each other or slightly off.

In addition, his defense was at a formidable level, and his only weakness was his slow feet. But in the current situation, those slow feet were not a problem. This was because the one attacking was the Empire.

“Two hours... I’d better get ready soon. Give orders.”

“Yes Admiral.”

But after 30 minutes, Admiral Costanzo was scared.

“Enemy fleet discovered!”

“What? Already!”

The steam-powered assault ships as well as the truly moving Challenger-class ships were much faster than typical European ships.

* * *

“Enemy fleet spotted!”

“Where is the Venetian Gallius?”

“Right in front! And it’s Chuksi (丑時) and Hashish (亥時)!”

After hearing the answer, Captain Lim Gil-bok smiled fiercely.

It was a result that would not have happened unless it was a fluke. At that moment, a roar erupted from ahead again.

Quack!

It was the sound of angry sub-munitions fired from Bu Ji-ho’s Yonggu gun, which failed to hit the first shot, destroying the target. As Admiral Costanzo saw the two Gallius disappear in an instant, the color drained from his face and his legs relaxed.

“Admiral!”

“Admiral!”

Costanzo, who was surprised by his staggering appearance and managed to get his body together thanks to the urgent efforts of his staff, gritted his teeth.

“The enemy’s firepower is stronger than expected, but we are still superior in numbers! There is no change in the strategy! We will fight back with all our might! Deliver the order! The strategy remains the same! It is hand-to-hand combat!”

“yep!”

While the signalmen who received orders were diligently waving their signal flags, the surviving Venetian galliers began firing their cannons at the imperial fleet.

bang! Quack!

The cannonballs fired by the Venetian Gallius created a column of water around the assault ships charging at the front. The Venetian galliers fired their cannons like crazy. Among the shells fired in that way, several of them hit the charge return line but bounced off in vain. However, every time the crown of the assault return ship spewed fire, the Venetian Gallius or nearby battleships met a futile end or were destroyed and began to drift. Admiral Costanzo, who saw this, slammed the railing of the bridge and shouted in anger.

“Eye! Those monsters!”

And at some point, the assault ships broke through the formation of the combined fleet. Later, a nobleman who observed this naval battle on the island of Corsica left this record.

-Before the naval battle, the formation of the combined fleet looked like a thick castle wall. However, as the battle unfolded, the Empire’s black battleships turned into nothing more than a thick lump of butter in front of them.

* * *

The assault return ships cut through the formation of the Combined Fleet to the extent that metaphors such as ‘a lump of butter’ and ‘a lump of cheese’ emerged. Moving behind the assault ships that were pushing forward without hesitation, the Challenger-class ships fired wildly from their left and right guns.

bang! Quack! bang!

The guns of the Challenger-class battleships left the surrounding Alliance Fleet battleships riddled with holes. The battleships of the combined fleet were not alone. They also desperately fired cannonballs at the imperial fleet. However, the shells they fired, to be more precise the metal chunks, bounced off the steel hull of the assault return ship as well as the hull of the Challenger-class battle line.

* * *

The oak trees felled in the mountainous areas were overwhelmingly harder than the oak trees in the main region. Thanks to this, the challenger-level wire made by Shinji was overwhelmingly stronger than the challenger-level wire made by our company. Thanks to this, the Challenger-class battleship built in Shinji was improved once. Since the defense power of the challenger-level wire made by this paper was sufficiently high, the thickness of the plate was reduced to maintain the same defense power. And through this, more materials could be loaded into the increased space.

This was an improvement made due to a shortage of personnel and an overwhelming increase in the area to be defended. However, as it became clear that it would be deployed on the Italian front, the new challenger-class fronts made by Shinji returned to the pre-improvement standards. Thanks to this, the challenger-level front lines currently engaged in battle possessed overwhelming defensive power.

* * *

“Breakthrough!”

After hearing the manager’s report, Lim Gil-bok checked the situation again.

“How far has our fleet penetrated?”

“I’m reporting that things are going smoothly!”

“good!”

Lim Gil-bok nodded, looked at the chart and decided on a route.

“Return in the middle of Pianosa Island and Montecristo Island! Break through the enemy lines once again! Let the other fleets know!”

“yep!”

The imperial fleet broke through the combined fleet formation blocking the island of Corsica and Elba and continued its southward advance. The imperial fleet turned between Pianosa Island and Monte Cristo Island, selected by Lim Gil-bok, and began charging toward the enemy once again. The captain of the challenger-class fronts shouted to his subordinates with a very tense face.

“From now on, we have to go against the wind! In other words, there is a long way to go and the number of people holding you back will increase! A close combat may break out, so stay alert!”

“yep!”

The sailors who heard the captain’s orders, especially those on the first floor deck, tightened their belts with their sailors’ swords (variated cutlasses made by Hyang) and single guns attached.