Chapter 218: Mobile Warfare at Sea

The development of the British Navy is very interesting. It has invented its own natural enemies time and time again.

During World War I, the British Navy was undoubtedly the best in the world, far ahead in tonnage, number and level of advancement.

Standing at the top, he only needs to maintain this advantage and continue to develop without any problems. Even if he has any strange ideas, he should keep them hidden and develop them secretly.

But the British Navy's "enterprising spirit" was a boon to its opponents.

Or it can be said to be a sense of crisis. As the country with the most and most advanced battleships, it is always thinking about whether there is any cheap and simple equipment that can defeat the battleships.

So the torpedo boat was invented.

France, across the English Channel, was originally worried: What if the navy couldn't keep up with Britain? Britain was just across the channel, only a hundred kilometers away, and it would only take three hours to reach it at the speed of a battleship. If Britain was provoked one day, it could easily destroy the French navy and then surround France from the sea...

In the long run, will France become a vassal of Britain?

Are African colonies out of control?

Will maritime trade be blocked by Britain?

As a result, Britain developed the torpedo boat, and the French Navy was overjoyed. Although regular warships could not compare with them, they could still afford to build torpedo boats.

So two hundred torpedo boats came out and are still being developed.

The British Navy is regretting this. Isn't this making things difficult for themselves?

Why build torpedo boats? Now, any country that builds a few torpedo boats can threaten battleships. If they are attacked unexpectedly, they will capsize in the ditch!

No, we have to find a way to deal with this torpedo boat.

So there was the "torpedo boat destroyer".

This thing has a larger engine and a faster speed than a torpedo boat, as well as main and secondary guns, which can provide protection around battleships and even drive torpedo boats away to a safe distance.

At the same time, it has a small tonnage and a low cost, so it would not be a pity even if it was sunk by a torpedo boat.

In addition, it is equipped with torpedoes, which can also pose a threat to low-speed battleships. It is not without the ability to fight...

The British Navy thought they could now rest assured and leave the torpedo boats to the "torpedo boat destroyers"!

However, they probably never imagined that it was this type of "destroyer" used for miscellaneous tasks that eventually completely replaced the battleship during World War II.

"I still don't understand!" Tijani thought for a while and looked at Charles in confusion: "Can a torpedo boat destroyer fight against a battleship? I mean in the future!"

"It doesn't need to fight against the battleship, General." Charles replied calmly: "It only needs to be faster than the battleship, and the battleship will never catch up with it. In its eyes, the battleship is equivalent to nothing."

Naval warfare is different from land warfare. Land warfare allows for ambushes and sneak attacks, and is also restricted by roads.

Naval warfare is a vast world. As long as the speed is fast enough, it is almost impossible for a slow battleship to catch up, and its artillery will naturally be ineffective.

This is also the reason why Britain developed battlecruisers while producing dreadnoughts. Battlecruisers sacrifice armor and firepower in pursuit of speed, only in this way can they catch up with the target.

But if even the battlecruisers cannot catch up with the destroyers, the destroyers will be fully capable of fighting mobile warfare at sea.

(Note: Battleships mostly travel at 20 or 21 knots, battlecruisers mostly travel at 25 or 26 knots, and the first destroyer traveled at 27 knots, and many destroyers traveled at speeds exceeding 30 knots.)

Tijani was skeptical: "But destroyers can't get close to battleships either..."

Charles interrupted Tijani and said, "First, a destroyer does not necessarily need to get close to a battleship. It can use its higher speed and better maneuverability to deal with a battleship. For example, it can attack ports and merchant ships that are not protected by battleships, or blockade waterways."

Tijani was stunned for a moment, then nodded.

He had studied Charles' tactics, which were similar to Charles' use of side tricycle troops to fight mobile warfare, leaving the powerful enemy behind and attacking the enemy's weak points.

It is impossible for the enemy to protect every port and every merchant caravan with powerful battleships and cruisers.

"So!" Tijani nodded slightly: "Our development direction is to continuously improve the performance of torpedo boat destroyers, equip them with more advanced engines to increase speed, and strengthen firepower and armor!"

Charles nodded, Tijani had a good understanding.

If other warships cannot catch up with the destroyer, then the destroyer's opponent is the destroyer that can catch up with it.

If you want to fight a mobile war at sea, you should have an advantage over the enemy destroyers in firepower, armor, and speed.

Tijani was secretly delighted.

Prior to this, Tijani had been worried that Charles' talent for equipment was limited to the Army, and if that was the case, his father would not be able to work with Charles for long.

Now, after listening to the ideas of Charles' "third faction", he felt that this view was both novel and reasonable, and it might be a brand new tactic in naval warfare, and his father might be satisfied with it.

Then Tijani couldn't wait to ask: "Major, from your tone, do torpedo destroyers have other advantages?"

"Of course!" Charles replied, "A torpedo boat destroyer carries torpedoes itself. It is equivalent to an enlarged version of a torpedo boat. It can also pose a threat to battleships."

Tijani frowned. "But it's very difficult. It's almost suicidal to get close during the day. Even if you sneak attack at night, you may not be able to hit the target because you can't see it clearly. Once you are discovered, it will be difficult to escape. There is almost no chance of success."

"You are right, General." Charles responded word by word: "But that is now. In the future, what if we improve the range and accuracy of torpedoes?"

Tijani's eyes widened instantly. He had never considered this direction.

But on second thought, it makes sense. If the performance of torpedoes can be greatly improved, it means that destroyers may be able to hit battleships at a farther distance.

One day, if the torpedo can reach farther than the battleship's guns...

The more Tijani thought about it, the more he felt it was right. He exclaimed involuntarily, "God, as long as the torpedo is advanced enough, the battleship will be vulnerable to it. One day, it will eliminate the battleship."

Charles smiled without saying anything, which was considered as his agreement.

In fact, Charles was misleading Tijani. What could really change the situation of naval warfare was airplanes.

In Charles' mind, he was thinking about bombers that could carry torpedoes and drop them into the sea.

No matter how fast the destroyer is or how careful the sneak attack is, it cannot compare to an airplane carrying torpedoes.

Airplanes are fast and cheap, and a single torpedo can potentially take down a battleship. What could be more cost-effective than this?

However……

Charles can develop aircraft but cannot develop torpedoes.

That depends on Wells.

(End of this chapter)