I Became a Captain of the British Empire

Naval battle off Newfoundland (5)

“Check enemy gun fire! 30 seconds until impact!”

The screaming report resounded like an echo. Right before I dropped my binoculars, I saw the main gun door spitting out flames.

shake-

With the sound of the bridge floor resonating, my body moved like lightning.

“Shut over to port! Slow down Yanghyun! turn the key! 25 to the left!”

“Turn the key! 25 to the left!”

“Yanghyun slow down!”

The helmsman hurriedly turned the steering wheel, but nothing changed at once. Soon, a deep bass sound resembling a whale’s cry was heard, and the floor shook.

“Everyone, be careful!”

“Captain!”

Damn, I almost lost my balance. With the help of the Chief Warrant Officer, I barely managed to hold on to the railing without falling. In the sea in front of me, Repulse’s player was turning, breaking waves of white foam. The 30,000-ton giant tilted violently as if an earthquake had occurred.

“An enemy bullet! Fifteen seconds until impact!”

Calm reports turned to screams. Everyone looked at the invisible sky and broke out in a cold sweat. Since it was the first bullet, it would not be a hit bullet. I can’t be sure, but the odds are slim. So please…

“I hit it!”

Along with a voice that was nothing short of astonished, a column of water covered my eyes. Countless vibrations hit the bridge.

driving me crazy. Is it a choke bullet?

“Report the damage!”

Countless voices poured out of the Jeonseong Hall.

“Partial flooding in the bottom of the ship! The maintenance team is moving!”

“Engineering department, no problem!”

“Main turret, all right!”

He broke out in a cold sweat and sighed.

Fortunately, it doesn’t appear to have been a direct hit. But I can’t be relieved. The next shot has a high probability of being a hit.

“The gunnery field! Is it possible to open fire now!”

“The bumps haven’t calmed down yet! Please wait!”

“Fire as quickly as possible! You must leave immediately!”

“… Let’s do it!”

A slightly displeased voice. But there is no time to bruise. I just want him to understand my situation.

If you stay on course here, you will only be beaten equally. You have to change direction to avoid aiming. However, if you just run away, one day you will be shot by him.

However, it is very difficult to fire from the main gun during rapid maneuvering. No, it should be considered almost impossible. The barrel stabilizer is also difficult to perform during such sudden maneuvers. Therefore, there is no choice but to maneuver after shooting according to the gunner’s senses or the timing of reloading.

“Stay tall! Medium speed!”

I was instructed to stay calm and stop turning. Fortunately, the stability was quick, and the 15-inch guns aimed at the target quickly spewed out huge flames.

I don’t even want fame. I just want the water column to cover my eyes.

“Turn the key! Uro 25!”

The floor tilted again. The fortress on the sea shook like fallen leaves, and each member of the bridge lost their balance and twisted. An impatient voice flowed from the hall.

“Damn it, how the hell did you shoot the cannon at all?!”

Those were the words of the gunsmith. Everyone heard it, but no one condemned it. The turn was distracting, and the situation was just as bad.

It is not as easy as it sounds to aim the main gun accurately on a ship that rocks like a roller coaster back and forth.

“Enemy ship, 2nd round fire!”

Again, the New Mexico-class gunfire flashed.

Hit time 30 seconds. You have to think of the best course of action.

“Captain, orders!”

This is not something for the commander-in-chief to decide. As the captain, I have to be in charge of the ship. I quietly closed my eyes.

Think, Samuel Lewis! please tell me some way

a headache comes

However, nothing came to mind. Only the echoes, screams, and shakes were bound in my head like shackles.

Damn it, I think my head is stiff.

“sh*t! All over the port side! Medium speed as it is in Yanghyeon!”

“Shut over to port!”

Turn the boat once to sharpen the angle.

The tilted Repulse’s player took a sharp course. As expected, a call came from the firing squad.

“Captain! The rear gun cannot be used!”

“For now, just fire the front guns!”

“Damn it, talking and turning the key.”

… I think I can hear him muttering something, but I deliberately pretended not to know.

It’s enough to do the joints later.

As I closed my eyes and shook my head, the watchman let out a squawk like a pterosaur.

“Ten seconds until impact!”

I grabbed the railing. It sounded like the sound of shells cutting through the air.

It may be an illusion, but it is a fact as much as the beating heart. If I let go of the tension even a little, it seems to stop.

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Please hold on to this one more time!

Bang-!

Before long, the shock covered his whole body. My eyesight went down rapidly.

My back hurts.

“Damn it!”

“Captain!”

I fell to the floor and stood up with the help of the operative. Looking around, I saw a few people like me who had collapsed.

It seems to be a direct hit this time. Could it be fatal?

“Dodge!”

“A hit on the port armor belt!”

“And, penetrating bullets?!”

For a moment, a tumultuous clamor was heard.

what? Was there even a flood?

Waiting with anxious heart…

“doesn’t exist! Cracks in the bottom of the ship caused flooding!”

A sigh came out. Judging from the similar sounds coming from everywhere, it seems I’m not the only one who’s on edge.

“Insert the maintenance team and fix the course! Counterattack with the front guns!”

I secretly wiped my sweat while listening to the footsteps of the sailors. I didn’t know that this tactic would work…

“Captain, the direct hit just… .”

“I deliberately sloped the armor belt to induce a ricochet. It’s really luck that you fit right in that spot.”

I answered with a smile on purpose to the officer who showed me that I couldn’t understand.

Also known as tea time, it is a tactic used occasionally in famous naval battle games. A technology that increases the effective armor thickness by artificially inclining the armor belt. You can imagine that if you cut a sausage obliquely, the area will increase.

Actually, it was a skill only used in tank battles, so I didn’t think it would be used in naval battles.

I really didn’t know if it would work… It seems I was pretty lucky.

“What would have happened if it had hit the upper part instead of the broadside?”

“It should be left to chance.”

Right now I can only give you that answer. Ignoring the warlord’s frown, I purposely put my eyes on the binoculars. I could see the guns of the New Mexico class quietly staring this way.

damn, what do i do? It should have come in moderation. I regret so much. Even if I close the distance with him as it is now, I was just lucky this time. There is no guarantee that it will block the next shot.

In an instant, the New Mexico-class gunfire flashed.

“Enemy ship, open fire!”

“The distance?!”

“About 15,000m!”

Damn it, it’s too close!

If it hits at this distance, it will break through. If you’re unlucky and hit something like the bow turret instead of the side…

An eerie thought crossed my mind.

HMS Hood. A devastating ship whose ammunition magazine was detonated by Bismarck’s blow. Come to think of it, wasn’t he also a battle cruiser?

My heart was beating like it would stop.

“Damn it, Yanghyun exclusive! Continue shelling and advance!”

“Captain! It’s too dangerous! Smoke screen and reversal!”

“It’s too late! You can’t escape his bombardment at this distance! It’s better to take one shot and hope that you die first!”

I think I could see the chief officer’s face distorted, but he deliberately turned his head and leaned against the railing.

If we go on like this, we will only step in the footsteps of Hood. Could it be that in this world, Repulse is sunk instead of Hood? no! That much should be blocked. something, some way…

“Ex-Captain! Former Captain! Look over there!”

It was then.

“what’s the matter?!”

“Report from the Battleship Squadron!”

The communications officer who shook my shoulder urgently pointed to the sea and said,

It was good not to see or hear.

I could see clearly before my eyes two high-speed warships charging with volleys of fire.

A vessel that vibrates with gunfire.

On the bridge, where the smell of gunpowder and the sound of the waves were mixed, Arthur Horus Walker, the captain of the battleship Warspite, raised his voice as he approached the window.

In the second decisive battle, the old commander’s command did not faint from the gunfire and roaringly colored the bridge.

“Don’t think that they will treat you as shooting while maneuvering! Make sure to close the gap within 3 rounds!”

“Order, I understand!”

‘It’s revenge from the last battle. Even for Admiral Hozzers, I must take at least two ships!’

He was a captain who swears by clenching his fists. As if to understand his determination, the Warspite roared with the roar of the Japanese Imperial Army and galloped across the sea. The silhouette of a burning battleship could be seen sparsely beyond the blazing 15-inch guns. The captain raised an eyebrow and shouted.

“What are the destroyers doing!”

“Currently advancing rapidly from the front and rear! 13th destroyer, open fire!”

“Okay, let’s not lose our criminal record to the little guys! Smash the enemy before their torpedoes reach! Break the key! Uro 15!”

“Uro 15!”

Warspite’s hull, which twisted through the waves, was a source of pride for him. The eight main guns roared like wild beasts.

At the same time, voices of controversy were growing on Hood’s sailing bridge. Next to Admiral Pound, who silently looked at the chart with his arms crossed, the Chief of Staff shouted.

“Admiral, how about raising a retreat flag right away? The enemy line isn’t completely broken yet!”

The face of the fleet command was not very bright despite the favorable war situation.

This is because the charge of the squadron of battleships was not agreed upon at all.

The final charge, they remembered, was after the enemy ship had been completely disabled.

“The 2nd Battleship Squadron, rush in! The distance between both sides is about 14000!”

At the report to the communications officer that followed, everyone opened their eyes wide and wrinkled their faces.

At this rate, even battleships with short-range 12-inch guns would open fire.

Sure enough, orange smoke began to be seen from the rear of the US battleship row.

“Enemy Wyoming-class fire begins!”

“Hey Frenchy, do you want to give them a criminal record?”

While everyone was staring at the horizon with tense eyes, Pound approached the Jeonseong Hall alone and said, An answer filled with fighting spirit came immediately.

“Not at all!”

“Okay, then we’ll go in.”

“Admiral! This ship is a battlecruiser. If you approach clumsily and get hit… .”

“Don’t ignore Hood, Chief of Staff!”

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Pound cried impatiently. In front of the huge Ilgal, the staff only shrank their bodies. The admiral continued without hesitation.

“The side armor of this ship is comparable to that of a battleship. If so, shouldn’t we lead the war with a close-range engagement without worrying about deck damage?”

“It is, but… Still, isn’t it too dangerous for the flagship to get close… .”

“Sometimes you have to show a courageous fighting spirit to get your hands on victory.”

The admiral turned around and put his hand in front of the bridge window. Numerous flames were soaring in the sea of smoke. Now was the chance. His experience screamed so.

“It’s not the Mighty Hood that’s going to be beaten by a mere 14 inches. Correspondent, raise the beacon! Spread the jyeongjin and close the distance! Destroyers prepare anti-ship torpedoes, and air squadrons prepare raids to annihilate the enemy!”

The British Navy’s charge, which held its head at high speed from the beginning, took the form of pushing as if it were wrapping the front of the US Navy’s battle line. In an instant, the line of battleships, which formed an oblique line, colored the sea with the roar of Japanese imperialism. The admiral nodded in satisfaction.

Victory is certain.

At the same time, he looked at a battlecruiser leading the line. Beyond the binocular lenses, the hull, engulfed in the water column, wobbled precariously. Admiral Pound nodded quietly.

“You must feel something too. Fortunately, it wasn’t too late.”

Hood’s main gun lowered the elevation again and returned to sight. When the four forward guns aimed at the same altitude, a report was heard from the Jeonsong-gwan.

“Target, enemy New York-class battleship! The 15th bullet, firing!”

The main gun of the giant ship fired again at the burning ship.

Mississippi’s Battle Bridge.

Located at the top of the cage-type mast, this place is over 30m high, but even that was covered in acrid smoke from the flames. From the bridge, where the acrid smell spread, Admiral Herbert looked at the sea quietly with a bandaged face. Steel fortresses were burning one after another.

“What are the destroyer squadrons doing! Deploy the smoke screen quickly!”

“It’s too late! Engaging the enemy escort fleet!”

“Damn it, get rid of the cruisers! Are you going to get hit by a battleship gun and be stunned? Go and give the aircraft carrier cover!”

“The 19th Destroyer Squad is annihilated!”

The admiral frowned at the reports of the line collapsing moment by moment as he looked to the rear.

The Idaho, which followed right behind, was hit by a number of 15-inch guns and was not a horse. The forward mast had collapsed, leaving no trace, and the combat bridge had disappeared somewhere. The main guns, which had lost contact with the control room, continued aimlessly firing in different directions. The water column struck the ship again.

The ships behind them were already engulfed in flames, making it difficult to even determine what state they were in. The British battleship line also caught fire and suffered through wounds all over the hull, but they charged regardless.

“They know no fear. Whether it’s reckless or brave, I don’t know for sure.”

His face was gloomy, but he did not show anger. Are you trying to judge calmly until the end, or do you not even have the strength to get angry?

The captain looked at the admiral, not knowing which one. He just waited for orders with anxious eyes. Before long, a vibration knocked at my feet.

“Through the rear barbette! Fire!”

“Close the bulkhead! God damn it, we have to block the explosion!”

“Turret 3 is out of order!”

mountain beyond the mountain.

The captain shouted with a half-straight face and urged the officers. Looking back at the noisy bridge, Admiral Herbert muttered quietly.

“It’s over.”

He sighed out the window and called the captain without turning his head.

“Captain, what are the remaining means of resistance?”

“Turret 2 is still alive.”

“Is that all?”

The captain kept his mouth shut. As if he wasn’t expecting an answer, the admiral immediately waved his hand and sent him away. There was something else that caught Herbert’s eye.

Battlecruisers still bravely approaching beyond the smoky water.

The six main guns sparkled and shone again.

What do you believe in and rush forward so bravely? It is unknown.

“Enemy fleet! Distance 12,000!”

“Light signal from Idaho! Big blow to the engine room! No navigation!”

“Wyoming, sending retreat request!”

The report reached the admiral’s ears like a scream. But he had no solution. Feet are sluggish and fists are broken.

What more can I do? It was a moment to quietly close my eyes and prepare for the end.

“Admiral! Over there!”

At the words of the captain who frantically grabbed and shook him, Herbert nervously turned his head. However, after that he couldn’t say anything. An explosion that rips through the sky filled the battlefield.

“Admiral! Enemy battleship… !”

A similar situation occurred in Hood. To the alarmed call of the Chief of Staff, Admiral Pound made no reply.

No, I couldn’t, but that would be correct. Even he couldn’t hide his surprise because something happened.

Everyone on the bridge just looked at the place where the incident happened with their eyes wide open.

The incident that caught the attention of both fleets took place in the center of the US battleship row. As everyone turned their heads, the battleship Texas fired a raging fire from the center of the hull.

Texas, the second battleship of the New York class, was being rammed by Hood’s 15-inch guns. The 305mm thick side armor plate prevented penetration for a long time, but the strength was gradually approaching the limit due to successive bullets. On top of that, when the range was reduced to 12,000 m, it could no longer provide defence.

It was just two direct hits. One shot penetrated the armor belt a little behind the No. 2 main turret, devastated the detonator and engine section in front of the boiler, and damaged the No. 2 turret barbette. This was an acceptable wound. However, the shell that penetrated the barbet of main turret No. 3 in the center of the hull was not.

Originally, placing a turret in the center of the hull should be avoided.

However, the New York class was already designed to be close to 20 years old.

They are too old to accept such new technology.

The shells that went directly to the ammo rack of turret number 3 realized a phenomenon that could be called the end of physical destruction. The turret, which had been boiling with the energy of the shells, eventually erupted to its limit, like a volcano erupting. Rays rose like fireworks, and a roar accompanied by shockwaves split the battlefield.

Covered in thick smoke, Texas disappeared as if it were being sucked into the cold Atlantic Ocean, leaving behind a desperate scream. Only heavy oil and flames floating on the sea proved that a warship had been there.

“… What a terrible ending.”

Admiral Pound spoke softly from the bridge where silence lingered.

Mississippi’s bridges were in mayhem.

The detonation of the ship in the center is clearly a turning point. However, it is not positive for the US Navy. Rather, it can be seen as a symbol of their end.

Admiral Herbert, who knew this fact better than anyone else, firmly asked the communications officer.

“Can you send a signal to the aftertaste?”

“The mast is still standing.”

“Raise the retreat signal. We become bait and catch them.”

he said boldly. But there were no voices of rebuttal.

Who will stop the admiral’s decision?

What’s more, the officers on the bridge all had a determined look on their faces.

“Admiral! Lexington!”

Following the report of an observer, Admiral Herbert went to the left end of the bridge and looked at the sea area pointed out by the sailor. A flat-deck giant ship with smoke from steam turbines was pulling back.

“I was already on the run.”

“Good judgment.”

The admiral nodded to the captain who said as if to add. He understood the captain’s contorted expression. But it was unavoidable.

“Don’t blame Marshall, Captain. My country did the same.”

With a pat on the shoulder, the admiral turned to look at Mississippi’s ships.

Where did I go wrong? Apparently, he was the one who decided to advance last night. The admiral clenched his fists.

It’s your own mistake that you don’t have to think about again. Why did you make that decision?

It’s embarrassing to say now, but the admiral had such a question. Even an enemy with only battlecruisers would have already outpaced his fleet in speed. The carrier is a whopping 3 times the difference, and all enemy ships are new ships armed with 15-inch guns.

It was a formidable opponent from the beginning for his fleet, which had a lot of numbers, to win. But he was clearly full of confidence. Was it arrogance?

In hindsight, the army’s urging of operations would be one of the reasons. Because their demand was to end the war within two to three months.

But the Navy harbored hope that it might be possible. So, it was impossible to blame the army.

If so, someone else must be held accountable.

Admiral Herbert bowed his head.

“I can’t believe I’m careless… It’s something to live long and see.”

I thought I was very careful. But it was arrogance.

Confidence in defeating the Royal Navy flew as a dagger.

He blamed himself, but it was pointless now.

“Admiral, escape… !”

“No, this ship induces the enemy until the very end. Disperse all surviving ships and escape! The destroyers smoke and help the capital ships escape!”

The admiral, who gave orders like thunder, turned his head against the background of the busy footsteps of his subordinates. After taking a deep breath, he looked at the barrage of gunfire and said,

“I’m sorry, Admiral Taylor. The 16th Task Force ended like this.”

On the sides of the downed battleship, survivors struggled, holding on to floats. Flames soared from the heavy oil that spread to the sea, and the destroyer, whose deck was swept away, drifted and was struck in two by a blind torpedo.

The admiral couldn’t bear to see it through to the end. On the surface of the water dominated by heavy oil, flames and graphite, even the sound of gunfire was heard as a painful echo.

“I have left too much of a burden on your task force. I have nothing to say.”

The admiral let out a lament and closed his eyes.

Immediately after, a flash of light coiled around the bridge.

“uh… ?”

As I watched the Mississippi while frantically giving steering orders, I was overcome with doubt. The battleship, which had been advancing steadily, was suddenly enveloped in thick smoke.

It’s strange. Boiler exploded?

“Look! Check it!”

“I can’t see anything!”

Damn, what the hell is going on? Did you shoot a smoke grenade? I wonder if such a thing exists in this era.

Anyway, I looked at the battlefield again with tense eyes.

“Admiral, I heard an explosion, maybe… .”

The operative whispered next to me. Eyes flashed open.

“Could it be here?”

I hurriedly picked up my binoculars and checked the scene where the smoke exploded. The thick graphite was instantly scattered in front of the strong sea breeze. Eventually, the outline of the steel began to appear.

“ah… .”

The stern soaring high was dyed in a gloomy color.

The screw that has stopped rotating is floating in the air.

The main gun stopped and didn’t even dream.

“Look here, sailor.”

I called the watchman who was looking blankly at him. He smiled at the sailor who blinked as if asking what was going on. It was a powerful laugh.

“… Carve a kill mark. As a big guy.”

Apparently, luck struck.