Chapter 2763 Intermission 2
After any battle that seems to be mutually beneficial, both the warring parties and the people watching next to them will actually consider who won and who lost the battle. From an American perspective, the purpose of this operation of the Sims Fleet has actually been achieved. The U.S. fleet completely destroyed the oil fields and refining facilities on Taragon Island. This is the most critical and essential goal!
As for the price paid, it is indeed huge. Four aircraft carriers have been sunk, and almost all the carrier-based aircraft on them have been lost. However, the structure of aircraft carriers in this era is relatively simple and the requirements are not high. In terms of replenishment cycle, it is faster than that of battleships and later generations. Aircraft carriers are much shorter, which is one reason why aircraft carriers are sometimes called secondary capital ships. Therefore, the sinking of four aircraft carriers is not unacceptable to the US Navy. Of course, it is not a good look...
Betty is right. If this battle ends now, the Americans will still make a lot of money. The oil and refining facilities on Taragon Island can provide Japan with an output of more than 9 million pounds per year! This amount of money alone is enough to purchase three Fury-class battleships, and the destruction of this important oil and petrochemical base will have a chain reaction. In a short period of time, it is difficult to see how much the Japanese will pay, but There is no doubt that this has a huge impact on Japan's war potential.
As a country whose national strength is far inferior to that of the United States, it was stabbed severely by the other side at this time. If the Japanese really dare not give it a try, then Betty can only say that Japan wants to gain a comparison in the future. No decent results are possible!
So, on this strategic issue, what is there to hesitate about? Of course, just copy the guy! In terms of analysis of the current situation and decisive action, the Japanese were far inferior to the British. In the later stages of the war, when the empire on which the sun never set was about to fall, the Grand Fleet, as the last reliable force in the hands of the British, invested in Norway without hesitation. In the decisive battle at sea, in fact, before the battle began, from Jericho to Sturdy, they all believed that the chance of victory was very slim, but they also fought for that glimmer of hope. And now, if Betty believes that the Japanese combined fleet still has the advantage, why don't you dare to take a risk?
"We have to sink at least 4 more American battleships in this naval battle to ensure the stability of the situation. Therefore, do not hesitate. When the Americans retreat, we must bravely face them! The fate of the Japanese Empire in the future may lie with it. It was decided in a few hours of fighting," Betty finally said.
"It is indeed impossible to wait for the other two aircraft carriers, and we cannot let go of the American fleet. In this case, we can only rely on the battleships in our hands." Shigetaro Yoshimatsu set the tone for the battle. Well, now the question becomes how to fight...
"The U.S. battleship squadron should have 11 battleships, 2 new armored cruisers and 2 old armored cruisers, a total of 15 battleships, and we have 13 battleships. Compared with the Americans, our Nagato-class and Fuso-class battleships Standard battleships have huge advantages, but the remaining five battleships cannot. I even doubt whether the two dreadnoughts still have an advantage when facing four large armored cruisers." Shimamura Hayao said.
"Isn't that true? The two dreadnoughts also have 10 12-inch guns." Kantaro Suzuki said.
"It's different. Let's not talk about the projection capacity. 10 12-inch cannons are definitely not as good as 16 10-inch cannons. The 12-inch artillery shells we use now are still old-fashioned artillery shells. Not only the projectile body has not been improved, but even the fuze is old. The fuze was not very reliable before, the shell exploded too early, and the armor-piercing ability was not high. If the new American cruiser has a vertical armor belt of more than 9 inches, then our 12-inch artillery will not be able to penetrate it at all." As General Secretary Chief of Staff Hayao Shimamura is very clear about the Japanese Navy's family background.
The development of the Japanese navy is still very rapid.
Dreadnoughts equipped with 12-inch guns were just a simple transition. Soon, the Japanese Navy began to build Kurama-class battleships and Kongo-class battlecruisers. During the war, 10 of the 12 battleships in the Japanese Navy were It is a super-dreadnought. The two dreadnoughts were quickly marginalized. Some modification work was carried out, but the shells were never replaced. After all, if there was a real war, the Japanese did not expect the 12-inch artillery to be of much use. After all, the two early dreadnoughts lacked not only firepower, but also their speed.
"So there are five weak ships in our fleet. Is it possible that there will be problems? And we can't throw away these two warships? This is really an annoying thing." Shigetaro Yoshimatsu said.
"That's right, we can't abandon these two battleships, otherwise we will have 11 battleships fighting 15 of the other side, and those armored cruisers will definitely be difficult to deal with. Their use of high-explosive bombs will cause us a lot of trouble, and speaking of Really, I think the Kongou-class side armor may not be that safe against a 10-inch artillery piece." Hayao Shimamura said, after all, how strong can only 8-inch vertical armor be? The American 10-inch artillery has an aspect ratio of 50 times and is equipped with new armor-piercing projectiles. But fortunately, the Japanese still have dome armor.
"In this case, let's put them at the end of the queue. If necessary, we can also maneuver with 11 fast battleships." Shigetaro Yoshimatsu said.
"The key to the battle is reconnaissance. We must intercept the U.S. fleet as soon as possible. Otherwise, even at the U.S. fleet's speed of about 18 knots per hour, they can travel about 35 kilometers in an hour. If they go too far, our bombers will The troops may also be unable to cope," Shimamura Hayao warned.
This is true. After all, the U.S. fleet has one night to safely pass through the Talau Islands. According to the results of the Fleet General Staff’s deduction, during the day, the U.S. fleet will be at the edge of the combat radius of the Talau Islands bomber group, and if Japan If the fleet cannot intercept them immediately, then once the Americans run away, the Japanese Navy's bomber group in the Talao Islands may not be of much use. What's more, you must consider that the bomber group will take off at dawn to catch up. Going to the battlefield also takes time.
"We have already arranged for reconnaissance, with submarines and seaplanes providing night reconnaissance. Although the effect is not very obvious, in addition, for the land-based air force, if we are willing to carry out a one-way attack, then the US fleet will definitely run It is within the range of our bomb attack," said Hayao Shimamura.
"This method can be implemented as a last resort." Motaro Yoshimatsu said.
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