Chapter 218 Mobile warfare at sea

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

During World War I, the British Navy was undoubtedly the world's number one, with tonnage, quantity and advanced level.

Standing at the top, he only needs to maintain this advantage and continue to develop without any problems. Even if there are any strange ideas, they should be hidden and developed secretly.

But the "enterprising spirit" of the British Navy is simply a blessing for its opponents.

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

So the torpedo boat was invented.

France, across the English Channel, was originally frowning: What if the navy can't keep up with Britain? Britain is just across the way, only more than 100 kilometers away, and it will only take three hours to get there at the speed of a battleship. If one day he provokes Britain, he can easily destroy the French navy and then surround France from the sea...

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

Will the African colonies be out of control?

Will maritime trade be blocked by Britain?

As a result, Britain developed torpedo boats, and the French Navy was overjoyed. Regular warships could not match you, but torpedo boats were still affordable.

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

The British Navy regretted it. Isn't this embarrassing for themselves?

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

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

So there is a "torpedo boat destroyer".

This thing is equipped with a larger engine and has a faster speed than a torpedo boat. It also has main guns and secondary guns. They can provide protection around battleships and even drive torpedo boats away from a safe distance.

At the same time, it has a small tonnage and a low cost, so it is not a pity even if it is 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 that it could rest assured now, and the torpedo boats would be handed over to the "torpedo boat destroyers"!

However, they probably never thought that it was this kind of "destroyer" used for miscellaneous work that eventually completely replaced the battleships in World War II.

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

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

Naval warfare is different from land warfare. Land warfare can be ambushed, sneak attacked, and there are restrictions on roads.

Naval warfare is a vast sea and sky. As long as the speed is fast enough, it is almost impossible for the slow battleship to catch up, and its artillery will naturally not work.

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

But if even battlecruisers cannot catch up with destroyers, destroyers are fully qualified to fight mobile warfare at sea.

(Note: Battleships mostly have a speed of 20 or 21 knots, battlecruisers mostly have a speed of 25 or 26 knots, and the first destroyer has a speed of 27 knots, and many destroyers have a speed of more than 30 knots afterwards)

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

Charles interrupted Tijani: "First of all, destroyers don't necessarily need to get close to battleships. They can use their higher speed and better maneuverability to deal with battleships. For example, attack ports and merchant ships that are not protected by battleships, or blockade waterways."

Tijani was stunned, then nodded.

He had studied Charles' tactics, which was similar to Charles's use of the side three-wheeled troops to fight a mobile war, leaving the powerful enemy behind and attacking the enemy's weak points.

And the enemy could not protect every port and every 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 then strengthen firepower and armor!"

Charles nodded, Tijani's understanding was good.

If other warships can't catch up with the destroyer, then the opponent of the destroyer 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 destroyer in firepower, armor, and speed.

Tijani was secretly happy.

Before this, Tijani had always been worried that Charles' talent in equipment was limited to the army. If this was the case, his father would not be able to cooperate with Charles for a long time.

Now after listening to Charles's "third faction" ideas, he felt that this view was both novel and reasonable, and it was likely to be a brand new tactic for 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: "Torpedo boat destroyers carry torpedoes themselves. They are equivalent to enlarged torpedo boats. They can also pose a threat to battleships."

Tijani frowned: "But this is very difficult. It is almost suicidal to approach 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 discovered, it is difficult to escape and 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 the range and accuracy of torpedoes are improved?"

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

But it makes sense when he thought about it. 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 range of torpedoes exceeds the range of battleship guns...

Tijani thought more and more about it, and exclaimed unconsciously: "God, as long as the torpedoes are advanced enough, battleships will be vulnerable in front of it. One day it will eliminate battleships."

Charles smiled and said nothing, which was considered as tacit agreement.

In fact, Charles was misleading Tijani. What can really change the pattern of naval warfare is aircraft.

In Charles' mind, he was thinking about whether bombers can throw torpedoes into the sea.

No matter how fast a destroyer is or how well-planned a sneak attack is, it can't compare to an airplane with a torpedo.

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

However...

Charles can develop airplanes but not torpedoes.

This depends on Wells.