Power and Empire Chapter 1216: The wheel of empire

The showers caused the streets of Yue'an City in the south of Salander to be shrouded in a curtain of colorlessness, and Reposti, commander of the Third Banner of the Southern Army, watched the raindrops climbing on the window. I thought in my heart that the weather this winter doesn’t seem to be smooth,

Winter is a very beautiful season for the southern part of Saland. Unlike the cold and white snow falling in the northern region, the southern part of Saland is full of sunshine and green due to the influence of the warm air currents of the ocean. Meaning,

Everywhere you can see the romantic and passionate Salander girls, dressed up and gorgeously walking by, dressed in gorgeous waterproof capes, and they are like a group of chirpy birds, silver A string of beautiful sounds like a bell, such a beautiful scene, almost people forget the war that cost the entire Salander a heavy price.

"I now finally know why in the lyrics of Salander poets, winter is the nature filled with transparency, and it is an ode to the abundance of human life.

Some people even say that nature often plays a role in alleviating dissatisfaction among the populace...General, don't you eat something? "The young lieutenant Li Sidan, who was sitting opposite, reluctantly retracted his gaze from the beautiful shadow on the street in the distance, with a faint emotion in his mouth. He was only in his early 20s and was immature, but he wanted to show that he was in his 30s and 40s. Vicissitudes

"Young is good!"

Reposti, who was sitting opposite, couldn’t help but let out a sigh. Faisalik’s second band and his third band had been training for sea crossing operations for 3 months. From officers to soldiers, every One person has been tumbling in the sea for three months. Even the head of the banner, himself, only returned to Yueansi where the regiment headquarters is located ten days ago.

With a bit of thought, Reposti filled the dark beer glass with rough clay pots and drank it in one fell swoop. The richness of this dark beer shipped from the southern part of Vijay is Saran. The fruit wine that Germans like is incomparable. If you close your eyes carefully and taste it, you can still feel the fragrance of wheatgrass from the homeland, which brings up the faint homesickness in his heart.

As the Southern Army enters the southern part of Salander, the soldiers' misses for their hometown are becoming more intense. In response to this situation, the Southern Governor Statunko asked His Majesty Falcon for instructions to allow the Southern Army to rotate on a quarterly basis. , This proposal has been approved by Fatty, allowing the existing 40,000 soldiers of the Southern Army to be divided into four parts, three in Salander, and one in the southern coastal area of ​​Vijay.

It rotates every quarter, which can ensure that everyone can spend a quarter in their hometown every year, and winter is the time for their flag regiment to return to the country, but the order from the legionary department is to let themselves continue Stay in Salander, and stop the cross-sea training and rush to the legion to report

The door of the "pop" restaurant was pushed open by an officer of the Falcon Army. The officer with a serious face set his eyes on Reposti and walked straight over. He hesitated and asked, "Is this Mr. Reposti? ?"

"Yes, I am Riposti" Riposti nodded and got up from his seat. He saw the silver cross representing the adjutant of the Legion Ministry on the chest of the officer.

"This is the order signed by Governor Statunko himself." The officer took out a sealed document from his arms and handed it to Reposti, saying, "Because of the urgent matter, Lord Governor will no longer I'm meeting with all the adults alone"

"Oh, what's the emergency?" Reposti's face was stunned for a moment, and asked in surprise

"Military secrets, I am not very clear!" The officer hesitated with embarrassment on his face before whispering, "I just heard that it was an order from your majesty. The South China Sea must be opened this winter! Although the governor did this Ample preparations were made, but because the navy was involved in combat operations, I rushed to the fleet base in northern Saland to discuss the matter overnight."

"It seems that what should come will always come!"

Reposti's eyes flashed with a cold light, and he felt that the command book in his hand was so hot. This was a sign of war! Compared with the unique enthusiasm of the young adjutant, Riposti’s eyes, who have seen various scenes of the Dead Mountain and the Sea of ​​Blood, can no longer look at all of this indifferently.

Beneath this calm and beautiful appearance, what he saw was the empire’s rolling chariot before it was about to start, the sound of metal crashing in the military preparation, winter, a beautiful season, but it is also a rare sea in southern Salander. The quiet period. According to the strategic deployment set by His Majesty Falcon in June, it is absolutely impossible to miss such an excellent time to attack, but I don't know where the sharp sword of His Majesty Falcon will fall across the sea this time!

At this time, at Victon Naval Port in the north of Salander, the Minister of the Navy Dusterenkai, who had just returned from the Barrow Sea in Northern Europe, stood in front of a huge map, and he also received from Order to strike the Normandy island chain,

As the squadrons were sent to explore the sea route to Obaro some time ago, most of the fleets have now returned to the naval port. The densely packed battleship masts are like a huge forest in the direction of the naval port.

In the lobby of the Fleet Headquarters, the lights are brightly lit, Commander Fry of the Second Squadron, Commander Iffinger of the Third Squadron, Commander Frederick of the Fourth Squadron, and Philip, Commander of the Fifth Squadron. Trunk, Commander of the Sixth Sail Squadron, Tiegl, and Commander of the Logistics Fleet, Rosvre, are sitting around the two sides of the long table, all eyes are on the map on the wall

In front of these imperial navies, the Secretary of Naval Intelligence, Yorus, who is in charge of collecting maritime intelligence, is holding the wooden whip in his hand, pointing on the map behind him, and saying, "The Normandy island chain is the southern part of Salander. The sea area is about 400 nautical miles in length. There are 131 islands, large and small. It used to be controlled by the Salander navy and later fell into the hands of the Normans.

In order to become a logistics line to support the army, the Normans built a lot of small ports on these islands as transfer stations. Although some of them were destroyed when the Normans evacuated, the ones close to the coastline were kept within a hundred miles In these dotted ports, the port of Antoros is definitely the most important natural port among them.

It is located in the right concave part of Antoros Island in the middle of the island chain. It is a natural peaceful harbor. There are very few wind and waves. Even the storm in the southern sea seems to have never eroded this place.

I once went there personally under the makeup of a businessman. Ships from Normandy to Salander usually choose to dock in the port of Antoros. Even if there is no trade, they have to supplement food and fresh water there instead of North Europe. Some merchant ships in Luolai will also choose to sell part of the goods here in exchange for supplies. Therefore, the focus of our battle should be whether we can occupy here in one fell swoop before the Normans reacted, thereby completely cutting off the Normans’ seas. Line,

"According to the latest intelligence brought back by the merchant fleet, the Normans attached great importance to the defense of the port of Antoros. There were 31 warships alone, with a force of 11,000, and three strong fortresses were built and It’s not far from the northernmost port of Normandy. Once the report is received, the Normandy troops docked in Normandy will also move. It is worth noting here that our enemy may not only be the Normans, but in the waters of the Port of Antoros. There are also a considerable number of pirates nearby. The combat effectiveness of these pirates is not strong but it is enough to threaten our logistics supply line"

"Pirates? What a surprise!" Hearing the words of Secretary of Intelligence Yoros, Commander Fry of the Second Squadron asked, "Do you know the specific dens of these pirates? Since they can stay in Anto for a long time. The sea area of ​​Ross Harbor proves that these guys must have a very secret stronghold nearby. I think this is an opportunity not to be missed for us, or we can spend a little money to obtain some useful information from these pirates. !"

"I think this proposal is good! But you need to be cautious." Du Stellenkai nodded and agreed. His black hair is a bit solemn. He is only in his twenties, and he should be an important minister of the Empire. One, the Minister of the Imperial Navy, who holds a thousand miles of water in his hand, has long lost the arrogance of the hairy boy.

He stared at the map and said with a slight frown, "Although our intelligence is clear, the Normans are not fools, so contact with these pirates is very dangerous. Since we can beg for food in the Antoros Sea, we should contact Normandy. There is an inextricable relationship between people and what kind of person to send to contact will be the key to this event! And now there is still a problem, because many fleets have just returned, and the veterans on the ship have also been rotated. Normandy People have eyes like Salander. In order not to attract the attention of the Normans, I decided that no more than 30 warships will be mobilized in this battle, and as the main warships, many captains who have just graduated will be taken care of! "

The commander of the logistics fleet frowned and asked, "Are the recruits and interns also going to attack?"

"Of course!" exclaimed the wild Frye. "After all, they were distributed to the fleet because of the war. Sooner or later they have to experience the taste of the "first battle", yes. For most or even all recruits, this battle may have come too early.

But at this stage, fighting is inevitable, and it is impossible to fight with only a few veterans"

"Well said, our imperial navy doesn't need scumbags!" Dusterenkai turned and looked at the stars of the night sky outside the window and said, "Aren't we the same at the beginning? We didn't dare to face the 20-meter-high blood swelling waves. I dare not listen to the thunder god’s roaring navy, what do we want them to do?

"All the recruits are participating in the war in the name of training at sea! There is no time for them to sit and admire the war, let them dispatch! Spread their wings and soar like young eagles!" Dusterenkai's eyes flickered,

While giving orders, he couldn’t help feeling sad. He didn’t know how many recruits could return to the fleet port unharmed after this battle, but this was the only way for the Imperial Navy, and it was also a hunting. The secret order specifically mentioned in the letter of Your Majesty Eagle,

The imperial navy needs an effective training system. If it is in accordance with the usual practice, let the soldiers practice in the port for one year, and then practice on the deck for another year, and finally be eligible to truly set foot on the battleship, then the imperial The naval strategy has to be postponed to at least three years later, so only the **** battlefield can make those recruits who have just stepped on the deck of the battleship become the one who truly makes the Obaro continent tremble in the shortest time. Strength,

And Ulcondo’s Northern Fleet has been tempered in this way to produce a quick product. Although it is still unable to compare with the true strength of the Empire’s Offshore Fleet in terms of combat effectiveness, it is powerfully suppressed compared to the northern navy of the old warships. Is more than enough,

According to the report last month, His Majesty Falcon has officially appointed Urcao as the commander of the Northern Navy. He is separate from his own commander of the Southern Navy, and the rank has also advanced to the Deputy Commander of the Navy.

Wealth and wealth are in danger. Ulcondo, a man from the East Court, has a rocket-like promotion speed. Dusterenkai also sees one thing clearly. Your Majesty’s ambition is not just a southern part of Salander. It's the vast and boundless coastline of the entire Europa! This is a battlefield that is vast enough to make oneself enthusiastic. No naval commander will face such ambitions and be indifferent

"If there was a hint of hesitation before, it is no longer there." Dusterenkai withdrew his gaze from a distance and looked at the map behind him again, like a fire invading his heart, secretly.

"If the empire needs a powerful navy that can deter the entire continent of Obaro, if what your Majesty has in mind is the entire coast of Obaro, then let Obaro be under your majesty’s wings. Tremble, even if you sacrifice your life, you will continue to execute it without hesitation

In the first ten days of November, in the cloudless southern sea of ​​Salander, seven long-tooth warships lined up in a long column on the calm sea and marched against the wind and waves. , There are merchant ships passing by from time to time on the sea. They all watched in amazement as the naval fleet flying the Falcon flag silently marches southward

"What is that? Asked some merchants who have rarely seen the weird appearance of the Dragon Tooth Ship

"The battleship of the Falcon Kingdom, haven't you seen it!"

Some people who know this disdainfully say that although the Falcon Empire has almost unified the entire continent of Ikadiva, for the true main continent of Obaro and the more distant Middle Belgian continent, the so-called Ikadiva The continent of China is just a peninsula separated from the main continent. Naturally, no one would call the Falcon Empire, but only the Falcon Kingdom

"Nonsense, of course I know this is the battleship of the Falcon Kingdom, but what are they doing here?"

The businessman who was robbed of white face muttered awkwardly and instinctively realized that this calm-looking but menacing fleet is definitely not good for the visitors. Perhaps, the southern seas of Salander will no longer be quiet, but if It’s ridiculous to judge that a peninsula will fight the entire Obaro.

In the flagship command room. Frye, the commander of the Second Squadron, was wearing only a gray linen and was lying on the table, examining the chart. The topography of the southern seas of Salander is very complicated and it is dizzying to see. There are more than one hundred small islands, like countless broken chains of pearls, scattered on the chart. Even if Frye was a pirate, for this The complicated sea area is also quite a headache

It’s not that the main route of the sea is very dangerous, or there are too many reefs, but because there are many small islands that protrude from the water from time to time. Some small islands are not large because of their small size. It was recorded on the chart by the Ministry of Intelligence, which made Frye difficult to judge. These dotted islands are exactly the terrain that pirates like.

Because it is a good hiding place, any fleet can hide between those islands without knowing it. This is of course a headache for those searching for them.

According to the collection of the Ministry of Intelligence, there are a total of 7 pirates in the Antoros waters. Among them, a pirate named Ruhr is the most powerful, controlling the passage north of Antoros and often looting from the Nordic countries. Luo Nan's passing ships,

It is said that this man named Ruhr was a fisherman in northern Normandy before he became a pirate. He fled to sea as a pirate because he killed the tax officer who communicated with his wife. Some people also say that this pirate of Ruhr It was a troubled nobleman from Scandania in Barrow, Northern Europe. Some people even rumored that this Ruhr was the brother of Duke Oona, one of the two major forces in Scandania. Because of his dissatisfaction with the family, he brought The subordinates were angry and joined the pirates and went into exile here

Anyway, anyway~IndoMTL.com~ This most powerful pirate leader has never dealt with the Normans. Because of the Nordic Barrow route he controlled, the Normans’ commerce line to the north was severely traumatized, and Sa Rand’s defeat made the Normandy, who desperately needed to expand his access, become even more aggressive towards this guy who was against him, but after several encirclement and suppression campaigns, he still let this Ruhr slip away

"Commander, I don't think it is a way to find it like this!" The adjutant said with his finger on the map. "Almost every island has been drawn, but I still can't find the hidden place of the Ruhr pirates. I have to find one among these dotted islands. Boat, and this is an area familiar to the other party. It is too easy to avoid us. In fact, we can find another way."

"Oh, what method?" Fry raised his head and asked

"Define an area, and then throw ten Thor bullets on each island!" The adjutant said with a smile on his face, "I believe the other party discovered us a long time ago, but was hiding in a dark harbor. That’s all, as long as the Thunder God’s cannon fires and the mouse does not get out of the hole, can’t we use smoke to smoke? When the other party is panicked, he must first think of fleeing by boat. In terms of speed, our dexterous Dragon Tooth is the winner. The adjutant who passed the huge sail battleship snorted coldly, and said with a sneer.

♂♂