What the hell is a private enterprise?

Chapter 260 Fire (2200 monthly votes in April)

Getting a ship weighing tens of thousands of tons to a stop from a speed of thirty knots is a very difficult task, so Dalton ordered the fleet to slow down to 25 knots in advance, at least to give the Second Fleet room to turn.

According to his plan, the Second Fleet should stop, then send helicopters or small boats to pick up the people on board, and start a tug-of-war of negotiations, making certain promises to obtain these amazing ships and then digest their technology.

But even when the distance was increased to ten kilometers, the Bismarck still did not slow down.

With the two formations densely packed together, continuing would almost certainly result in a collision.

When the distance has just been increased, missiles and naval guns still have a deterrent effect, but at such close range, ramming is the only means of defense.

If you don't want this to happen, either launch an attack now or turn away.

Dalton was torn between two choices, each with serious consequences, and his back was instantly soaked with sweat.

"They slowed down!"

With the attendants' exclamations, the Bismarck, which had previously only shown its bow, now revealed only half of its hull at an angle. The squadron, led by it, shifted to the right at an angle, and judging from the length of the smoke billowing from the funnel, its speed was also decreasing.

"Reduce speed to 15 knots and turn right!"

Dalton immediately gave the order, and the Atlantic Fleet immediately changed course to run parallel to Bismarck's fleet, as if they were about to pass each other.

Less than five kilometers.

Bismarck's voice was finally heard on the radio:
"What truth do you want to hear? How much are you willing to pay?"

Dalton breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness, it wasn't a truly mindless undead; at least it was a human.

"For example, your origins, where these warships were built, and why you are able to achieve speeds of nearly 70 knots."

We mean no harm; it's just that the Atlantic has a very important trade route. If we can clear up this misunderstanding, we can even vouch for your… 'empire'.”

"You acknowledge the legitimacy of the empire?"

"No, no, no, this..."

Dalton hurriedly refused, as this was a public radio frequency, and he would be in trouble if some civilian ship from who-knows-where picked it up.

"Why don't you listen to our conditions? The Empire needs the right to claim Antarctica; it's the foundation of everything."

"..."

Dalton's face stiffened, unsure how to respond.

……

Tang Wen knew, of course, that if they didn't come to Antarctica, this matter wouldn't be decided by just one party; the whole world wouldn't agree.

However, he really wanted to know where the other side's bottom line was, hoping to stall for time and gain some profit.

"This is impossible!"

Dalton's voice was firm and powerful; there was no need to even think about it.

Antarctica? Dominating an entire continent? But he still reassured them:

"According to international conventions, Antarctica is a common land of mankind, and no individual or organization can claim exclusive ownership; otherwise, they will face unanimous opposition."

"Mr. Bismarck, let's talk about something else. Perhaps you could clear an area on the foredeck where our helicopter will land, and then we can communicate aboard the USS New Jersey."

Dalton only denied the possibility of monopolizing Antarctica, but did not express any opinion. Subconsciously, he wanted to tell the other party that the matter was open to discussion, but it could not be shouted out in public.

But Bismarck seemed not to understand at all, and replied rigidly:

"The claim to Antarctica is the basis for negotiations. I will not leave the Bismarck. If not, the Second Fleet will achieve its objectives on its own."

Dalton clenched his fists, really wanting to go up and punch this fake Bismarck.

The real Bismarck was known as Iron-Blooded, but he was a carefully crafted persona and incredibly shrewd. This fake Bismarck, on the other hand, was like a voice puppet, which really infuriated him.

The six battleships faced each other several kilometers apart, maintaining a guarded distance, as the two men conversed, but not all of them did so.

The Carr was surrounded by two Perry-class destroyers, one in front and one behind, less than 100 meters apart.

The USS McClusky was very wary of the high-speed destroyer and, along with its companion USS Clarkling, only dared to advance and did not take any excessive actions.

In naval battles throughout history, smaller destroyers and light cruisers have often met the most tragic ends, as they are the first line of defense protecting the main fleet.

All three warships advanced simultaneously to avoid threatening the capital ship, deliberately entangled and held each other back.

The McClusky is taking pictures of the Carl like crazy, and although they don't see anything particularly special about its design, it's always useful to leave it to the experts.

They paid particular attention to the underwater hull shape of the Carl, which might be an important reason for its ultra-high speed, but so far they haven't found anything special about it.

The USS McClusky had participated in simulated nuclear explosion exercises and had radiation measuring instruments on board, which were secretly taken out and used.

However, after trying for a long time, the instrument still didn't respond.

"Isn't it nuclear-powered?"

The ship's technicians were astonished; even with the most comprehensive protective measures, nuclear submarines could still detect clearly abnormal values.

This information was quickly recorded. If it weren't for nuclear power, how could the small chimney of the Carl possibly accommodate hundreds of thousands of horsepower?

The two Perry-class destroyers were busy studying the USS Carl, while the latter was equally determined, attempting to entangle the two escort ships one against two to prevent them from getting close to the main fleet.

The public-frequency negotiations between the Bismarck and the New Jersey continued. The Bismarck went from the South Pole to the North Pole, then talked about the exclusive territorial waters in the South Atlantic, and then suddenly asked about the first-class treatment enjoyed by the citizens of the Empire.

Dalton felt he could talk to some people, but not others. What was infuriating was that Bismarck insisted on communicating on the public channel, leaving Dalton speechless and furious.

At this moment, the mainland also learned of the current situation and issued a direct order with a lot of demands, but there is no possibility of progress at the moment.

Instead, the two fleets gradually widened their distance and began to change positions. If Bismarck's fleet suddenly accelerated northward, he would have no way to stop it except by attacking, so he became increasingly anxious.

"Sir, if we cannot negotiate face-to-face, any communication between us is meaningless!"

The pressure was put on Tang Wen.

The opposing side was really anxious. Feeling like he had been tricked, Dalton decided to apply pressure and ordered the three battleships to enter a state of combat readiness, activating the Phalanx CIWS and opening the missile launcher covers.

Even the No. 1 turret of the USS New Jersey rotated slightly by 40 degrees, and the gun barrel was raised in a not-too-small position.

Whether viewed from the perspective of old or new naval tactics, this is a very severe posture of pressure.

Tang Wen certainly couldn't actually send someone to negotiate on the USS New Jersey. He had just roughly understood Dalton's attitude. Although he intended to "incorporate" Dalton, there were no concrete benefits to be gained. They were all empty promises that revealed Dalton's ruthless nature. Dalton had absolutely no real bargaining power.

After all, they are the world's leading power now. How could they possibly genuinely negotiate with an unknown force?
Just now, the system notified us that the formation had been detected by aircraft, indicating that we have entered the combat radius of land-based long-range aircraft.

If this drags on any longer, Dalton will definitely show his true tough side.

Just in time, the Second Fleet's existence is entering its final countdown.

Tang Wen prepared himself mentally, and Bismarck immediately responded:
“Mr. Dawson, if you really want to talk, let’s talk on the Bismarck.”

A few minutes later, Tang Wen, who was already prepared for a 50,000-ton bumper boat race, heard Dalton's reply:
"Okay, please reduce the speed to below 10 knots and clear as much deck area as possible."

Dalton was really going all out. He wouldn't have agreed to such a condition otherwise, but after Bismarck had prevented him from making any breakthroughs countless times, it became the easiest option.

Tang Wen: ? ?

How could they agree to that?!

I didn't think Old Deng was someone who would compromise easily. Isn't turning the turret tantamount to tearing off the mask?

Bismarck immediately continued on the radio:

"The Bismarck has no space for helicopter landings; you can only take our seaplane."

Making Dalton come by seaplane, that's finally unacceptable, isn't it?
“…Okay! But airplanes are too much trouble. I need to bring my assistant. Let’s use a small boat.”

"hiss--"

Tang Wen gasped. Who was the weaker party after all?
In reality, Dalton was under immense pressure; even his own officers were casting strange glances at him. But he had come with the title of Chief of Staff—he couldn't possibly be here to actually fight, could he?

If he can acquire a fleet unscathed, his reputation will be just as good!
What would you call it using a Three Kingdoms analogy? Feast at Hong Gate, today he's going to emulate Liu Bang!

"No, we must use a seaplane!"

Bismarck rejected him again. Dalton's veins bulged. It was only a few kilometers. The seaplane would have to land in less than a minute. This was clearly a deliberate attempt to make things difficult!

"Commander, we..."

Edwin's eyes flashed fiercely, but Dalton stopped him a second later with gritted teeth, responding in a way that met Edwin's bloodshot gaze:
"Okay, but we need two seaplanes."

"..."

Not only was Tang Wen dumbfounded, but the other warships of the Atlantic Fleet were also stunned for a moment, not understanding why they had to be so subservient despite having such a great advantage and air support.

Even the two Perry-class destroyers, which were busy circling the Carl at close range, couldn't help but stop. If it weren't for the Chief of Staff's authority, they probably would have questioned him on the spot.

They listened intently to the sounds coming from the public channel, and at the same time, they all began to resent the Bismarck. They were determined to stop Dalton from making any further unreasonable concessions should the other side make any more excessive demands.

On the bridge of the Bismarck, Tang Wen was also having a headache; he felt it would be impolite to push them any further.

"Or, should we bring them up and then get rid of them?"

Neither the ship girl nor Bismarck responded; this was not a combat order, and they had no right to speak.

Moments later, the hydraulic catapults on both sides of the Bismarck turned, and two Ar.196 seaplanes took off again, flying low toward the New Jersey.

Seeing that the other party was not causing any more trouble, Dalton finally breathed a sigh of relief. He could not agree to it if things continued like this.

Edwin, who used to respect him, now looked terrible, but still bowed and said:
"I wish you all the best in your negotiations, sir!"

"Of course I will, it's to infiltrate deep into enemy territory."

Dalton pretended not to notice his sarcasm; after all, as long as he could bring the Second Fleet back to Norfolk, he would be a figure of great renown in naval history.

A few kilometers is nothing to a seaplane; it took off and circled around to land along the route of the USS New Jersey.

Dalton, accompanied by his assistant, walked out of the command tower and stood on the bridge, straightening his clothes. He secretly thought that he must observe the interior of the Bismarck more closely later, as he might find something special.

He watched as Ar.196 gradually approached, its altitude dropping from several hundred meters to almost level with the mast and bridge.

The sound of propeller engines was already beginning to appear, though it was mixed with the sound of electric motors running.

Then came a series of rapid, sputtering sounds. He felt a sudden movement above him, and as soon as he looked up, he saw a pile of golden metal shells raining down, landing on the bridge with a clanging sound.

It's the Phalanx CIWS firing.

The M16 Vulcan cannon has a rate of fire of up to 4500 rounds per minute and is paired with the SPG-60 radar as the last line of defense for warships.

If a missile manages to penetrate multiple defense systems and threatens a warship, the Phalanx CIWS will use its extremely high rate of fire and exceptional maneuverability to intercept it.

To achieve the goal of locating and intercepting targets in the final seconds, the Phalanx CIWS is fully automatic, with the radar and firing system operating independently. Once activated, it fires directly at targets that meet the requirements, regardless of whether they are friend or foe, because there is simply no time for human intervention to make a decision.

The entire field system was shut down, but the Phalanx CIWS was just powered on to implement deterrence.

New Jersey, Iowa, and Wisconsin have all undergone modernization, each equipped with four Phalanx CIWS.

The high-speed aircraft approaching at extremely low altitudes was actually automatically locked onto by the Phalanx CIWS radar from the moment the Ar196 took off, and opened fire without hesitation once the target was detected approaching rapidly.

In fact, the USS Wisconsin opened fire first from its side, followed by the USS New Jersey.

Within two seconds, four Phalanx CIWS on the port side of the USS New Jersey and the bow of the USS Wisconsin opened fire almost simultaneously, instantly shooting down two unsuspecting seaplanes.

Hundreds of 20mm shells, streaked with red tracer, shattered the fuselage, turning it into a burning pile of debris in the blink of an eye.

Then the 20mm cannons didn't stop firing, and even one of Iowa's Phalanx CIWS quickly took aim, with five fire chains attacking until the wreckage fell into the sea before returning to its original position.

In less than five seconds, the two seaplanes became scrap metal on the seabed.

A spent cartridge fell onto the metal railing and bounced back, hitting Dalton's hand. The scorching heat made his hands and feet feel cold.

The heavy smell of gunpowder made it hard for him to breathe.

Tang Wen was the first to realize what was happening; he immediately recognized that the Phalanx CIWS was firing.

However, the Atlantic Fleet itself did not think so, especially the two Perry-class destroyers that were engaged with the Carl, who only saw clear signals to open fire.

The McClusky immediately created distance, its 76mm rapid-fire guns at the bow aimed at the Carl, while simultaneously making a sharp turn to avoid exposing its vulnerable midsection.

If there is any further provocation, the USS McClusky will immediately open fire to eliminate the most threatening destroyer.

The captain had carefully observed the Carr's armament and found that the greatest threat was the two quadruple torpedo launchers. At such close range, the threat was greater than that of the Bismarck. Just three or four hits could destroy an Iowa-class battleship.

Two planes have just been shot down, and the USS Carl is likely heading forward to engage the battleships with torpedoes!

He couldn't even imagine what it would be like for a destroyer at 70 knots to unleash a volley of torpedoes.

Locked on by the guns, the Carl immediately activated its engine boost and speed increase, increasing its speed from less than 10 knots to 20 knots in 5 seconds, attempting to get into the McClusky's blind spot.

"Stop!"

The captain of the USS McClusky shouted, then immediately gave the order:

"Fire at the seawater in front of the Carl and force them to stop!"

The MK75 was a very good light naval gun with a high tachometer, firing two shells into the sea about 30 meters ahead of the Carl.

However, the Carr's acceleration performance was beyond imagination, and it accelerated to 55 knots in the blink of an eye, easily reaching the gunner's aiming position. A 76mm shell grazed the bow and flew past.

Almost immediately, the four 149mm guns of the USS Carl began to rotate, and the two torpedo launchers also aimed at the USS McClusky.

The USS Clarkling on the other side was also on high alert, and activated its turrets after discovering that the USS McClusky had opened fire.

The USS Carl, having received no order to fire, would not return fire, but would merely lock on in response. However, with all four guns and torpedoes simultaneously aimed at the USS McClusky, its captain screamed in terror:
"Fire!"

The MK75's guns had a firing rate of up to 85 rounds per minute, with an output far exceeding that of the HMS Carr. In the blink of an eye, a burst of fire comparable to the Phalanx CIWS erupted as it fired several shells.

Clarklin joined the firing line three seconds later.

In just ten seconds, less than a minute after the two seaplanes were shot down, the battle began on three auxiliary warships.

Before Tang Wen could give any orders, the Karl was subjected to what could only be described as insane firepower.

Its 149mm gun has a rate of fire of only 7 seconds per round, and its rotation speed is far slower than that of the MK75.
Tier VI battleship Carl von Schönberger: -12250 (7x hits)

[4250/16500]

-4250 (3x hit)

[0/16500]

The Carl von Schoenberg didn't even have time to use damage control before its health was drained in the blink of an eye, and it suffered a secondary explosion of ammunition.

A small explosion occurred first in the middle of the ship, which blew the fragile hull into two pieces. The remaining ammunition and fuel were subjected to high temperature and pressure, resulting in a second explosion that was several times larger.

A mushroom cloud rose from the wreckage of the Carl, engulfing the two Perrys that were firing.

About ten seconds later, as the black smoke cloud completely obscured the area and continued to rise, the battle fleets on both sides heard a thunderous explosion.

【Our battleship is sinking! 】

"Damn it! Attacking someone in the back is unsportsmanlike!"

Tang Wen cursed angrily and issued the command directly in his mind:

[Full speed ahead, activate the smoke generator!]

(End of this chapter)