Chapter Sixteen: The Trump Card (Three)

  At 19:52, the British Second Battlecruiser Squadron flagship Queen Elizabeth, which had just emerged from a thick fog bank, spotted the German First Scouting Group racing northward under cover of darkness to the east.

  A series of short blasts on the whistles and sirens sounded, and the British Second Battle Cruiser Squadron, in line ahead formation in the order Queen Elizabeth, Valiant, Australia, New Zealand, and Inflexible, quickly went to action stations.

  The flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth's command tower rangefinder quickly adjusted the angle, and the magnifying lens group "bit" into the target ship that was looming in the thick fog. The gunner on duty on HMS Iron Duke hurriedly shook off the cold body blown by the chilly sea wind, operating the electrically driven turret according to hundreds of mechanical training memories, with the stern cannon mouth pointing at the enemy from the east. The bold ammunition loader on HMAS Australia opened the armor cover above the magazine, loading room and hoist tube to ensure a high firing rate, pushing shells into the main gun chamber. Due to the characteristics of night battles at close range, the 4.7mm secondary guns on HMS New Zealand finally came in handy, and the bored secondary gunners rubbed their fists excitedly. The last batch of sailors who had dinner in the ship's cafeteria rushed out with beef rolls or wheat bread, disappearing into the narrow corridors like Parisian sewers. The Second Battlecruiser Squadron, which had not fired a shot since leaving port, awaited the bugle call for battle, awaited the slow rise of the Nelson naval flag, and awaited the honor they would create!

  "The experience of the First Scouting Group tells us that when the main fleets of England and Germany are roughly equal in number, we are always the losers...". Admiral Müller hesitated, choosing his words carefully, trying to downplay the frantic cries of just a few minutes before, searching for a way to save face. "Since our main fleet is far superior in numbers to that of the First Scouting Group, then we should take advantage of this numerical superiority."

  At 19:48, the Second Destroyer Flotilla on the port wing of the First Scouting Group had already spotted a rapidly moving shadow about one thousand yards to the west in thick sea fog. Due to the destroyers' low freeboard, the British did not spot the German destroyers, so the First Scouting Group had four minutes more warning time than Admiral Moore.

  The order to prepare for battle was quickly given. Although the short but unusually fierce sea battle at 17:50 had not yet subsided, the German Navy sailors were somewhat exhausted, but the well-trained Atlantic Fleet officers and men still cheered up after hearing the alarm horn and prepared for battle.

  "Commander's tower, the British fleet is emerging from the sea fog, there's a bit of weak moonlight!" The lookout on the foremast of the Lützow's command tower exclaimed in a somewhat surprised tone. Although they had a general idea of the British position, neither the lookout nor the rangefinder on the commander's tower could penetrate the fog and spot the elusive British ships. At 19:52, the Second Battlecruiser Squadron inadvertently emerged from the sea fog, where there was a bit of thin starlight, and suddenly everything became clear, with more detailed data finally being reported back by the lookout.

  An experienced fleet staff officer calculates the approximate course and speed of the enemy based on the parameters of the lookout tower and the data from the bottom measuring instrument, and identifies them one by one on the sea chart. "The British fleet is at 268 degrees, about 4200 yards away, and the two fleets are still approaching!"

  The German-trained staff officer reported the unsatisfactory data in a tone as cold as ice. The battle was about to break out, and the atmosphere inside the command tower was slightly depressing. General Senger looked at the navigation chart with dense German-style precision and frowned:

  "Will that mediocre old man stay behind and pester us or join Betty's First Battle Cruiser Squadron?"

  "Captain, be optimistic, we have the initiative in our hands!" The rough hand unconsciously placed on the wedding ring on her ring finger, the lookout tower's more detailed report came back through the telephone line. Wang Haiting's fingers rotating the wedding ring paused for a moment, then turned her head and shouted: "Command, Levushov number left rudder fifteen, speed 25 knots, maintain course! The first reconnaissance fleet follows the flagship and gradually turns!"

  Hipper's tactical maneuver suddenly cleared the fog from Scheer's mind. The First Scouting Group was heading roughly due north, while the British Second Battlecruiser Squadron was heading northeast, keeping an angle of about 40 degrees with the First Scouting Group. At this time, the advantage of the First Scouting Group's broadside firepower was not yet apparent, but when Hipper accelerated the First Scouting Group to its maximum speed and turned left, a perfect T-shaped cross was formed, which meant that the British advantage in gun numbers and caliber would be greatly discounted in the sea battle, while the First Scouting Group could freely use its broadside guns, even the Moltke-class battlecruiser with an offset main turret design had the possibility of firing all its broadside guns.

  Three Invincibles were secretly recalled to home waters, and the Grand Fleet's strategic deception before the war was quite successful. Beatty's vague and real advance route also greatly confused the British fleet, which had been prepared in advance. Fortunately, Scheer had enough wisdom and breadth of vision to see through the conspiracy, admit his mistakes, and turn the tide; five battlecruisers faced two British fast battleships and eight battlecruisers, with risks that could not be overstated, while Hipper calmly chose to stake his honor, status, and future, leading the First Scouting Group to fight alone, buying time for the High Seas Fleet. Even the young and arrogant Commodore Singler had to look up at Scheer with a mixture of gratitude and regret.

  "Admiral, I must say that's a good move!" Singler took a deep breath and blushed as he used the most unaccustomed phrase of praise for Germans. "To avoid us occupying the T-head position, Moore will inevitably choose to turn left, maintaining a parallel line of battle or directly disengaging from combat. In foggy weather, this tactical movement may not be as difficult as imagined, but the embarrassing thing is..."

  The signal halyard on the mainmast of the flagship Levizof was unusable in the black-painted night, and the signalman had to climb up the icy mast to send the message "All ships turn left rudder 15 degrees, speed 25 knots, gradual turn" with a searchlight to the following ships, while the wireless room repeated the order.

  At 8:00 pm, the First Scouting Group turned first, followed by Admiral von Mülle's Second Scouting Group. The large fleet accelerated suddenly and steamed at full speed across the North Sea.

  "General, you can't take a light turn of action, just hold on for one more hour, General Betty and his First Battle Cruiser Squadron will easily be able to catch up, but once we turn around, everything is over!" The chief of staff of the Second Battle Cruiser Squadron stroked his chest, trying to make his tone calm, with an almost pleading tone.

  "Chief of Staff, it's not that I'm timid or weak. The two Queen-class ships have just been completed and haven't even entered service yet. The three Indefatigable-class battlecruisers have traversed over 10,000 miles in combat, exhausted to the point of collapse." Admiral Muir's temples gleamed with gray hair under the light of the command tower, his turbid eyes filled with complex emotions that were more distant than eternity: "The Second Battlecruiser Squadron is almost unable to withstand a single battle under the conditions of a line-of-battle engagement!"

  "Although the Royal Princess sank, we still have nine fast battleships!" The chief of staff did not give up his efforts to persuade, but the respect in his words decreased again: "The purpose of the German tactical maneuver is to make us turn northwest, disintegrate our numerical advantage, and let the fast fleet continue to maintain a divided state!"

  "But, General, how confident are you that the British will turn around?" Just then, Lieutenant General Leventsov, who had just played a brilliant game of doubles with him, jumped out and asked.

  "Ten o'clock!" Wang Haitian tightened his woolen military uniform, casually pulled over a chair and sat down, stretching out in a comfortable pose, looking drowsy. "Alright, I'll take a short nap first, the fleet command will be temporarily taken over by the deputy commander."

  The era of dreadnoughts, due to the widespread use of hardened armor, the increasing thickness of the main fleet's armor, the design of watertight compartments and wet compartments, and the relatively perfect damage control system, the clash between spear and shield requires more time to ferment. As a result, the duration and intensity of naval battles continue to lengthen and expand. Human energy is always limited, so even the commander-in-chief of a fleet who bears direct responsibility for the rise and fall of a fleet cannot start commanding the fleet from the moment it leaves port. Instead, he arranges rest time according to the situation at sea, and that period is usually taken over by the deputy commander.

  Wang Haitian's order shocked the entire command tower, as it was rare for a deputy commander to take over command of the fleet in an imminent naval battle. After the initial shock, a sense of calm and certainty spread among the crowd, as they realized that the Navy God was telling them through his actions that the British Second Battle Cruiser Squadron was not to be feared.

  "Deputy Commander takes command!" Lieutenant Colonel Zorvath stepped onto the stage of the fleet commander's unavoidable duty. "Notify all ships in the First Reconnaissance Fleet to keep a distance from the target ship, conserve ammunition, and do not seek to destroy the enemy ship, just try to entangle them!"

  Muir's brigadier-general, who had been pouring out his troubles all this time, fell silent until the lookout tower reported seeing flashes from the German main guns. The old general then muttered a few words to his chief of staff.

  "Obey orders, Colonel!"

  At 20:04, another round of skirmishes in the Battle of Jutland, which had lasted for dozens of hours, broke out!

  The first time I wrote a historical piece, I hadn't found my own style yet, nor had I grasped the key to writing about naval battles. I wasn't even clear on the essential elements of a thrilling story, and there were many forced personal touches. As a result, the evaluation and grades were very poor. Now I have some regrets, regretting that I used this military piece as practice. I'm a big fan of giant warships and cannons, and having written about Jutland, what should I do with my next military piece? Must I really go back in time, it's not powerful enough...