Chapter 1,100 Thomas’s Ambition

Chapter 1100 Thomas’s Ambition

"General Thomas, I understand your mood very well. To be honest, you, me and some people are under a lot of pressure to be in the position you are in today. I know you want to make up for the regrets of the Battle of the Indian Ocean. , I also believe in your ability, but it is still a little early to do this now. It is impossible for us to attack the main force of the German fleet, because they are all fast battleships. Although Hipper only has 5 in hand, those fast battleships can be supplemented at any time. ." Jericho said.

The admiral still remembers Sir Fisher's slightly hateful look when the resolution was passed. He really doesn't like Thomas. It's not that he can't tolerate failure, it's because he values ​​courage and fighting spirit more. In his opinion, Thomas is stable, but like Jericho, he is conservative. Lack of enterprising spirit. And this is why Jericho likes Thomas.

However, what Jericho didn't expect was that Thomas was definitely not as peaceful as he seemed. If Betty is a fighting dog, going up to bite the enemy when she sees it, then Thomas is a cheetah, agile and patient, using the most artistic tactics to kill the opponent when they are most careless!

"Now is the best opportunity. I have never hoped to hit the German High Seas Fleet in one fell swoop, because that is unrealistic. If the main fleets of both sides really have a big fight under unavoidable circumstances, the German fleet will certainly be destroyed. Annihilation, but the result of the Royal Navy is definitely something you don’t want to see. Therefore, this time my action target is only the branch of the German High Seas Fleet, those battlecruisers that scurry around in the North Sea and Norwegian Sea all day long. Their size is generally only 1 to 2 ships, and if arranged properly, then my fleet is more than 80% sure to catch them!"

"Moreover, now is the best opportunity for us to take action. The Germans have made mistakes in their assessment of our battleship repair speed. They do not believe that we can complete the repairs of all fast battleships in such a short period of time, so they are very wary. We We can take advantage of the mentality of the Germans and eat part of them. I have a hunch that if we don't take action, they will soon!" Thomas said.

"Huh?! Why?" Jericho frowned slightly and said, "Aren't the Germans always looking for trouble for the Russians in the Baltic Sea recently?"

"The freeze period is about to come. The German fleet cannot move easily in the Baltic Sea, and the Russians will not take any action. With such a powerful high seas fleet, neither the Kaiser nor the prince would be willing to look at them. Stay in the harbor?" Thomas said.

"And the most important thing is that His Highness the Prince has the time and the mind to take care of the navy's affairs. Because in winter, it is also impossible to launch a large-scale offensive on the eastern front. In the past few months, the North Sea blockade has been breached, and hundreds of Tens of thousands of tons of supplies are pouring into Germany, and neither the Kaiser nor that prince is willing to let this blockade be closed again, right?"

"Hey, what you said makes sense.

"Jericho touched his chin and said. "But the risk is still a bit high. It is said that Bavaria over there already has 8 ships! "And while Jericho was thinking about this, there was a sudden knock on the door.

"His Excellency the Minister of the Navy is waiting for you two in the conference room." The visitor said directly without hesitation. Jericho expressed his surprise. This time Thomas came to see his boss after taking office. Why did he pull him here? In this case, something can only happen!

"General Jericho is here too. That's great. The leaders of both fleets are here. I think we can talk about some important things today." Churchill nodded and expressed satisfaction. Sir Fisher was ill and did not come today, so the people present can almost decide more than 90% of the Grand Fleet's affairs.

"Everyone, the Russians are fighting on the Eastern Front with the Bavarian Army and the Austro-Hungarian Army in the Eastern Galicia region. The battle is very fierce and the consumption is very high. Although the Russians started well, they lack stamina. And the Black Sea channel is closed. , given the limited transportation capacity of the Trans-Siberian Railway, we must reopen a transportation line for Russia..." Churchill said.

"Holy shit! How to open it up? Take the Arctic Ocean? Let's not talk about the situation of the Arctic Ocean route. Even if the route is not a problem, navigation safety is also an issue! Now in the Norwegian Sea, German battlecruisers are turning around every three to five. This cannot be done once. To get the goods, let the Grand Fleet accompany you, right? Don’t you know that half of the Grand Fleet’s oil depots are now dry enough to run away with rats?!” Jericho complained crazily in his heart.

"The destroyers of the Grand Fleet are now cruising at a speed of no more than 18 knots. So... have the cabinet and you considered the issue of fuel consumption?" Jericho looked at the pen in front of him and did not give Churchill a good look at all. This is also It can be considered a soft confrontation.

"Well, this matter is a bit difficult. But this is a political task, and it must be carried out even if we face more difficulties. The Russians are facing a lot of pressure. And if something goes wrong on the Eastern Front, it will definitely be a problem for the Allied Powers system. It is an unbearable result. In short, the nature of this matter determines that he cannot negotiate, and the specific implementation can depend on the situation," Churchill said.

"So how are we going to support the Russians?" Jericho asked.

"The current plan is about once a week. It needs to be escorted by main warships, at least to reach Scandinavia. Then supplies will be delivered to Russia through neutral ships and land routes." Churchill said.

"Do you know how risky it is to do this? If it is only once or twice, then the large fleet can provide escort, even if it is all pulled out, but if it is once a week, this frequency is too frequent. After losing three super ships, After the Dreadnought battlecruiser, all our battleships are not as fast as Hipper's fast fleet. If they get the news, then Hipper's entry into the Norwegian Sea will be a very big threat to us, unless we can mobilize two battleships at a time Only a detachment (eight battleships), two light cruiser detachments and at least three destroyer detachments serving as escort missions can stop Hipper." Jericho paused and continued.

"And if Hipper gets additional reinforcements, such as a Bavaria-class battleship, then our situation will be more complicated. Even if we are lucky, or the Germans are timid, the fuel consumption of each voyage of the main fleet will be Tarsus. Unless we can restore the North Sea blockade and blockade all German surface ships within the North Sea, otherwise, our price will be a bit high."

Two updates today~~~! It’s a bit stuck--! Please bear with me.