This battle can basically be regarded as the first battle of the Fifteenth Fleet. Wu Yunfeng would rather be conservative than be too aggressive in order to avoid failure. This is completely understandable. The first battle is crucial for any new army. If you win the first battle, everything will be easy. If you lose the first battle, morale will be greatly affected.
"Compared to the rookies in the Fifteenth Fleet, the Fourth Fleet is definitely a veteran among veterans. The Spaniards know this best. In the past hundreds of years, the Spanish were once the maritime overlords, spanning the seven seas, seizing colonies and plundering wealth everywhere. Their naval combat experience is also quite rich. The so-called expert can tell if there is anything when he reaches out his hand. As soon as the Fourth Fleet appeared, the Spaniards realized that something was wrong.
Facing the White Army Navy was the Spanish Third Fleet. The commander of the fleet was called Gianluca Gianluca, and his military rank was admiral.
Among the senior figures in the Spanish Navy, Gianluca Zambrotta is a very famous general. He was unsmiling, serious, fair, upright and selfless, and won the support of officers and soldiers at all levels of the Spanish Navy.
Since the Spanish lost their interests in the Far East and America, he had a deep prejudice against the white navy. This time the Spaniards actively participated in the Amsterdam Conference and proactively dispatched fleets to form the Western United Fleet. Gianluca Zambrotta's opinion was very important. In order to defeat the White Army Navy, he even went into battle himself.
This time, Zambrotta led the Spanish Navy¡¯s Third Fleet to fight. He originally hoped to rely on strong firepower to repel the attack of the White Navy. This time, Zambrotta brought more than fifty large warships, all of which were the latest and most advanced warships launched. The warships with the smallest displacement exceed 1,200 tons. Gianluca Zambrotta felt that such a powerful fleet lineup was enough to give the White Navy a hard time. Unexpectedly, as soon as the battle began, the Spanish warships were entangled by the navy in white.
Wu Yunfeng is still very cunning. He knew that his subordinates were not good at mobile combat and were not very capable of handling weapons. Only by working together can we win and avoid losses. He ordered all the warships to be arranged in an iron barrel array, with their muzzles facing the outside. No matter how the enemy comes, where they come from, or how many they come, they will be hit with a bombardment.
This method is very simple, very crude, and very effective. The officers and soldiers of the Fifteenth Fleet do not need to think about how to occupy the upper wind position or how to avoid enemy artillery fire. They only need to think about firing. They fired cannonballs frantically, blasting the nearby sea surface like boiling water.
In the face of the fierce artillery fire of the white-coated navy, the Spanish warships could not get over smoothly. Zambrotta tried to change his formation several times without success. You want to retreat but you don't want to. I had no choice but to bite the bullet and fight. As a result, several Spanish warships were hit by cannonballs, exploded and burned, and finally sank.
Fortunately, the opponent's White Navy's Fifteenth Fleet was obviously a little conservative and did not dare to let go of the fight. If they take the initiative and fight Spanish warships one-on-one, the Spaniards' losses will definitely be greater. This gave Gianluca Zambrotta a chance. Zambrotta arranged several assaults and successfully forced his opponent back a certain distance.
However, it is not easy for Zambrotta to cause effective damage to his opponent. The artillery fire of the White Navy warships was too brutal, and the Spanish warships were no match at all. In terms of gunnery skills alone, the Fifteenth Fleet was no worse than the other fleets. As a result, the Spanish lost more than ten large warships in the continued fighting.
Ten large battleships are also quite heartbreaking for the Spaniards. At the very least, Zambrotta was in great pain. Due to the continuous encroachment of the White Army, the number of Spanish overseas colonies has become less and less. Spain's treasury revenue is also getting smaller and smaller. The navy's military expenditures are of course also greatly affected. It is now impossible for the Spanish Navy to add new warships. If one is destroyed, there will be one less ship.
However, Zambrotta still has illusions in his heart. He felt that his opponent was not actually very powerful, but that his artillery fire was more powerful. If the artillery fire of both warring parties is the same, the White Army Navy is no match for the Spanish Navy. Once they seize the opportunity, the Spaniard still has a chance to turn the tide. Therefore, even after receiving news of the withdrawal of the British naval fleet, Zambrotta did not order a retreat. He is waiting for his chance.
As a result, the expected opportunity did not come, and what Zambrotta was waiting for was the fourth fleet of the White Army Navy. As soon as the Fourth Fleet appeared, Gianluca Zambrotta's expression suddenly changed. The admiral, who had a serious expression and never uttered curse words, cursed for the first time: "Damn it! You scumbag British people, they are simply sons of bitches!"
No wonder Gianluca Zambrotta reacted??, it will be so intense. In fact, he is really no stranger to the Fourth Fleet of the White Army Navy. The original commander of the Spanish Fleet in the Far East, Vice Admiral Herbert, was Gianluca Zambrotta's former subordinate. After Herbert found an opportunity to transfer to the country, he reported everything about the white army and navy to Gianluca Zambrotta in detail. Therefore, Gianluca Zambrotta is no stranger to the White Army Navy.
The sudden attack of the Fourth Fleet of the White Army Navy happened to be the focus of Herbert's report. Because, when in the Far East, the most active squadron of the White Navy was the Fourth Fleet. The First Fleet of the White Navy has always been in the northern Pacific. To be precise, it has been performing missions in the waters around the Sea of ??Japan. It has never appeared in the Southeast Asia.
The Second and Third Fleets, because they were performing other tasks, did not actually stay in Nanyang for a long time and were transferred to other sea areas. For most of the time, the Fourth Fleet played the role of the boss in the Nanyang Sea. The other squadrons of the White Army Navy that later entered Nanyang all learned from the Fourth Fleet. Experienced officers and sailors from the Fourth Fleet are also constantly sent to other squadrons to take on important tasks.
It can be said that all the squadrons later formed by the White Army Navy have the shadow of the Fourth Fleet. A large number of officers and sailors were transferred from the Fourth Fleet to build the new squadron. There are at least five squadron commanders who once served as deputy commanders of the Fourth Fleet. They were all taught by Chen Zhan hand in hand. As for the captains and deputy captains transferred from the Fourth Fleet, the number is even more numerous.
If you want to find a "mother" role among all the squadrons of the White Army, it must be the Fourth Fleet. The greatest contribution of Fourth Fleet Commander Chen Zhan is not actually leading the Fourth Fleet to victory in battles and occupying areas of sea, but training countless outstanding officers and sailors. For this reason, Xu Xingxia issued a special order to promote Chen Zhan's military rank to admiral, alongside Chen Xinhai and others.
Since the Fourth Fleet has been fighting in Nanyang for the longest time, it is naturally this Fourth Fleet that has impressed the Western powers the most. Later, it was this Fourth Fleet that was the first to enter the Indian Ocean, the first to enter the Atlantic, and the first to break out a naval battle with the Western Combined Fleet. Therefore, Herbert paid the most attention to the Fourth Fleet and had the most detailed information.
Zambrotta¡¯s combat experience is very rich. As soon as the Fourth Fleet of the White Army Navy appeared, he realized something was wrong. Although Zambrotta was reluctant to admit that his skills were inferior to others, he had to face reality. His mind is still calm and he has not lost his reason. He can continue to tangle with the 15th Fleet of the White Army Navy, but he must not tangle with the 4th Fleet of the White Army Navy.
"The whole army retreats!"
Zambrotta ordered decisively.
Numerous Spanish warships hurriedly turned around and retreated.
"Attack!"
"The whole army attacks!"
Wu Yunfeng immediately seized the opportunity and ordered a counterattack.
With the big brother of the Fourth Fleet protecting him, he can finally let go and fight.
When the officers and soldiers of the Fifteenth Fleet learned of Big Brother's arrival, their morale was immediately boosted, and all actions became more proactive. The artillery fire they fired was even more fierce. The cannonballs screamed in the air and slammed into the Spanish warships. The shell exploded, stirring up countless water jets. The entire sea surface was boiling.
The battleships of the Fourth Fleet also found an opportunity to fire. They were veterans of naval warfare, and their art of bombardment was extremely proficient. As long as there is the slightest chance to fire, they will not let it go. But listening to the sound of cannons, a large number of cannonballs roared and fell towards the Spanish warship. As a result, the sea became even hotter. The Spanish warships were under attack from the two fleets of the White Army and Navy, and were in danger.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
Soon, two Spanish warships were hit and set on fire.
The Spaniards¡¯ luck is really bad. To their south, the 15th Fleet of the White Army Navy intercepted them. To their north, the Fourth Fleet of the White Army Navy appeared again. The Spanish warships caught in the middle had no choice but to withstand the cannonball attacks in vain. Zambrotta's face was as gloomy as water, but there was nothing he could do.
If the opponent only has the Fifteenth Fleet of the White Army Navy, perhaps Zambrotta can successfully organize a retreat and return the entire army. However, with the Fourth Fleet blocking the rear, Zambrotta had no choice. The Fourth Fleet is not a rookie, and any of his actions cannot deceive the other party. If it is self-defeating, the situation will be worse.
In the end, with no other choice, Gianluca Zambrotta had no choice but to give the order with a sad expression to disband the battle formation Each ship fought on its own and escaped. Basically, such an order was tantamount to admitting that his fleet was completely defeated. If even an organized retreat cannot be carried out, what is it but a rout? Let's all rely on destiny and luck!