What the hell is a private enterprise?

Chapter 379 Pay-to-Win Skills

This high-speed torpedo boat is actually somewhat similar to the idea of ​​the IJN back then.

However, the large torpedo boat ultimately proved to be a complete failure, because oxygen torpedoes themselves were not cheap, and it was difficult to achieve their purpose as long as there were aircraft circling overhead.

Now we not only have jet-powered carrier-based aircraft, but also missiles. Is a speed of 60 knots enough?

It's fine for dealing with less maneuverable anti-ship missiles, but it would be quite dangerous if the US used heavy air-to-air missiles to attack ground targets.

After pondering for a while, Tang Wen recalled the high-speed smoke generator he had used last year, which could cover his entire body.

In World of Warships, high-speed smoke generators are basically a feature of Italian warships.

However, this peculiar consumable seems to have appeared in the real world not as a device, but as a special mechanism that cannot be developed through experience and has only made brief appearances in events.

Even different smoke generators have been banned, which can only mean one thing:
—Damn game balance.

However, Tang Wen was not giving up. He searched through the panel and finally found something in the "Consumables" section:
He rarely uses "consumables," and the effects of his items are usually just a bunch of dispensable things like "range +15%", "turret rotation speed +15%", or "torpedo speed +5%".

The key issue is that each warship has to be purchased, with prices ranging from 50 to 300 million silver coins, which is completely uneconomical.

But this time, beneath the dense array of consumables, three names emerged from a forgotten corner:
[Standard Smoke Generator: When activated, it produces a smoke effect, affecting the accuracy of being hit by artillery fire and the observation range (effective time 30 minutes, smoke duration 30 minutes, cooldown time 30 minutes).]

Gold Coins: 1000

[High-speed smoke generator: When used at full speed, the warship is enveloped in smoke, increasing speed by 25%, affecting accuracy when hit by artillery fire and observation range (effective time 30 minutes, smoke duration 1 minute, cooldown time 30 minutes).

Gold Coins: 1500

【Flying Smoke Generator: Equipped on carrier-based tactical attack aircraft, it can provide cover for surface ships, affecting the accuracy of artillery fire and the observation range (effective time 30 minutes, smoke duration 30 minutes, cooldown time 30 minutes)

Gold Coins: 2500

It turns out that ordinary items have been transformed into pay-to-win skills.

Scroll up further and you'll find special consumables:

Torpedo Reload Booster: Reduces torpedo reload time to 5 seconds after use; cooldown time is 240 seconds.

Silver coins: 300 million

Excellent, that's roughly equivalent to doubling the attack capability of a torpedo-launching ship.

Tang Wen currently has 10975 gold coins. If he sells Kaga, he can get another 11000, which should be enough to equip ten ships.

The high-speed smoke generator can also provide a 25% speed bonus, so... a destroyer with speeds of over 70 knots?

The flying smoke generators were also very useful. Once the Zeppelin was salvaged, aircraft could be deployed to cover the entire battle group and defend against a significant amount of aerial attacks.

However, the expensive X-class Kleber is not worthwhile; once you unlock it, the VIII-class Fantasy-class is sufficient.

[Experience -739200]

Upon seeing a line light up, Tang Wen prepared to replicate the "Blizzard" torpedo.

However, when he returned to Goose City and rushed to the shipyard in the South Pacific, he discovered the problem:

[Blizzard 533mm Torpedo:]

The warhead weighs 270 kg, the warhead itself weighs 2.7 tons, the warhead is 8.3 meters long, and the speed is 200 knots.

[Research cost: 407150 experience points (23950 * 17)]

Tang Wen counted them carefully to make sure there wasn't an extra zero.

A 17-year technology penalty means... damn, the Russians made this thing 20 years ago?
Let's take another look at the remaining experience points: 422560
[Experience -407150]

As the painful notification sound rang out, Tang Wen immediately became penniless again, with only a pitiful 1.5 experience points left.

If we also consider the modification of the Fantasy-class to adapt to supercavitating torpedoes, then it would probably be completely wiped out.

The experience gained from sinking U-boats dozens of times was not only exhausted but also cost a lot of money.

Looks like I need to gain some experience before the final battle.

Based on past combat experience, the more outnumbered and disadvantaged our side is, the longer we survive and the more experience we gain, even in defeat—more than in a narrow victory. Our worst ships right now are the Sperm Whale and the U-boat, but if they were to attack alone, they would likely be mercilessly destroyed.

Tang Wen also had ideas on how to enhance submarine combat capabilities:

Imitating the Japanese I-400 series, they equipped submarines with catapults to launch aircraft from the sea.

Even with significant reductions, the "gnats" still have a range of over a thousand kilometers. Constantly harassing and maneuvering the Imperial warships while dragging them out is truly a great way to generate profits.

Moreover, this method doesn't consume much experience or silver coins; a quick glance shows it only takes a few hours, making it quite cost-effective.

……

"Hi, Mr. Tang."

Shell's Asia Pacific president, Sean, visited Tang Wen carrying two cases of milk (just kidding), two large boxes.

Upon opening it, one finds a beautiful small porcelain bottle and an ancient painting.

Sean said the porcelain was from the Ming Dynasty imperial kiln, and the painting was a copy of a Song Dynasty painting by a famous Qing Dynasty artist—in short, it was just right.

Although he couldn't understand it, it was much better than malted milk powder and brain supplements, so Tang Wen warmly invited him to visit his home and specially asked the ship girl to prepare authentic coffee for him.

Tang Wen experimented with various drinks, which consumed a lot of coffee, and he stocked up on a lot of coffee beans he had taken from the Prince of Wales.

Sean immediately sensed the difference in the aroma, took a sip, and said contentedly:

"This makes me feel like a warm Mediterranean breeze is blowing through me. You are a true expert."

He could sense the other person's kindness from the coffee, so he smiled as well.

Of course, Tang Wen knew why he had come:
"Shell has collected data around Miãos Island, but it does not appear to have found high-grade oil fields like those in the Spratly Islands."

Seeing that he got straight to the point, Tang Wen also spoke frankly:
“Geigin has developed unique exploration and mining techniques that are very different from the mainstream methods used in the world in the past. It seems that we are the only ones who possess these techniques for the time being.”

"Can I listen to it for a moment?"

"...I'm sorry, I don't actually know either, and this is a trade secret."

Sean and he both smiled simultaneously, clearly knowing they couldn't ask any more questions, and then asked:
“We are very interested in the cooperative mining plan proposed by Geikin, but only if we know what the expected returns are.”

Tang Wen: "Give us six months and we can increase the daily production of Mionas Island to 20 barrels, with estimated reserves of over 3 million tons, all of which are high-grade, low-sulfur crude oil."

He had already done his homework: Mionas Island has an area of ​​3.15 square kilometers and, once fully developed, will produce 1.5 tons per day, which translates to 11 barrels.

However, to better deceive people, they simply quoted double the price.

"20 barrels? That's a good number."

Sean blinked. Last year, the average daily production of crude oil was only 130 million barrels. This is nearly one-sixth of the total, and it is high-grade crude oil.

Even if the profits are split with the Gajkin and Pawa authorities, it would still bring in at least $4000 to $6000 million a year.

This figure is probably less than 2% of Shell's revenue, possibly around 1.2% to 1.5%, and the costs of investment and maintaining stability also need to be calculated.

Of course, he would agree even if it were less, because Shell was actually very interested in Geiger's "special exploration technology".

We definitely can't interfere in the Spratly Islands, but it's hard to say what will happen in the Chuawa Islands.

But he still pretended to hesitate:

"Investing in a new oil field requires a lot of capital, this..."

"Although increasing production will take time, we can extract crude oil for testing within a month. After that, Shell can jointly fund the construction of the island, which will cost approximately... $4000 to $5000 million."

We need you to handle things locally in Jawa and confirm the revenue sharing.

Sean: "When can we start?"

Tang Wen glanced at the calendar next to him; today was June 10th.

"Soon, but the locals will need to be evacuated."

(End of this chapter)