Chapter 6: Awaiting the Arrival of the East Wind

Looking at the solid and dashed lines on the operational map, Xia Shu calmly contemplated the various situations that might arise next. An ambush does not guarantee a successful annihilation, especially when the opponent is the highly maneuverable and fast-moving Betty fleet. Moreover, with dusk approaching in 7 hours, if the battle is not concluded before dark, the chances of the British vessels slipping away will significantly increase. To ensure thoroughness, Xia Shu insisted on incorporating 6 torpedo boat carriers, each with a maximum speed of only 18 knots, and the modified aircraft carrier "Bismarck," which was not in optimal condition, into the main fleet. The accompanying large torpedo boats also discarded all excess cargo except for coal, ammunition, and smoke agents, while the best-performing cruisers—the Magdeburg class and the Karlsruhe class—risked the danger of catastrophic explosions during combat, fully loaded with high-performance mines.

Will can change fate, yet it cannot dominate fate. When the afterglow of the setting sun descends, there will always be a side that receives the favor of history

As time passed, encrypted telegrams carrying information from various parties converged at the command center of the German High Seas Fleet aboard the flagship "SMS Friedrich der Große." This is currently the most formidable battleship in the German Navy, boasting the most powerful firepower, the strongest defenses, and the most advanced communication facilities, while also being the most expensive capital ship to construct. These "lofty" performance metrics instilled an unprecedented sense of honor among the officers and crew, who stood tall and spirited, filled with courage and conviction to defeat the seemingly invincible British fleet

The tonnage of active high-speed torpedo boats in the United Kingdom typically ranges from 5 to 6 tons, while the smallest cruiser in the Hipper fleet has a tonnage of 3,500 tons, and the largest, the "Seydlitz," is a colossal vessel exceeding 20,000 tons. Winning such a battle, where the large engages the small, seems hardly something to take pride in. However, since the onset of hostilities between Britain and Germany, this marks the first direct confrontation between the vessels of both sides, and the news of victory quickly sparked a wave of excitement among the crew members. Most of them are participating in naval combat for the first time, and the rigorous training they underwent has ensured the fleet's combat capability. Nevertheless, the opponent is the unparalleled Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, and it is inevitable that some tension will arise.

Throughout history, military commanders who can lead their enemies by the nose are the true artists of war. Xia Shu patiently awaited his staff officers to calculate the expected routes and meeting points of the four fleets involved. If Betty's battlecruiser squadron headed straight for Helgoland Bay, which was the return route for Hipper, in just over 7 hours, the main force of the High Seas Fleet and Hipper's reconnaissance squadron would be able to ambush Betty's fleet in the central North Sea, approximately 160 nautical miles from Helgoland Bay. Even if the British main fleet were to rush to assist at full speed, it would take at least 5 hours to arrive, and given the strength of Betty's fleet, it would be impossible for them to withstand the entire German High Seas Fleet for such an extended period.

Over 200 nautical miles away on the sea surface, the massive German High Seas Fleet advanced in a clearly defined and orderly formation. The only exceptions to this order were the battleship "Bismarck" at the tail of the formation and the two large torpedo boats escorting it, which were considered "restless". In order to allow the carrier-based aircraft to successfully take off and land on the flight deck measuring 133 meters in length and 21 meters in width, the "Bismarck" had to repeatedly turn to face the wind. Fortunately, after being fitted with a full oil boiler and undergoing comprehensive maintenance of the entire power system, this old ship, which had long been operating in overseas colonies, regained its service speed, enabling it to keep pace with the High Seas Fleet.

It is hoped that the victor is the party more deserving of victory

In order to make the British Navy believe that the shelling of Grimsby was merely a provocative act demonstrating the "existence significance" of the German Navy, the fleet operations staff led by Xia Shu made thorough preparations in advance: two weeks prior, a large number of naval infantry were dispatched under the guise of exercises to conduct a carpet sweep and maintain strict vigilance along the coast of William Port and nearby islands; starting from the day of the outbreak of war, a new communication codebook was put into use, and numerous fake radio stations continued to maintain frequent contact using the original frequencies and code rules. (In the history of World War I, in late August 1914, the Russian Navy sank the German light cruiser "Magdeburg" which was trapped by mines in the Gulf of Finland. Russian divers unexpectedly discovered a German naval codebook and signal manual among the wreckage of the German warship and provided it to the British, enabling the British Admiralty to easily decipher the German Navy's radio codes. With this advantage, the British fleet gained the upper hand in the Battle of Heligoland Bight, the Battle of Dogger Bank, and the Battle of Jutland.)

Based on these arrangements and considerations, Xia Shu ordered Hipel to command the cruiser fleet to launch a direct assault on the British coast, provoking the adversary in a manner they could least tolerate, enticing the Beatty fleet to pursue and intercept, and then, with the full strength of the entire German High Seas Fleet, to encircle and annihilate the Beatty fleet in the central North Sea

The summer tree gently closes its eyes, and the thoughts of memories have already begun to flutter away

A wise fleet commander should understand how to adjust the mindset of subordinates at critical moments, while a competent fleet chief of staff should calmly contemplate the overall tactics, identifying key opportunities for breakthroughs amidst the chaotic and complex information. In Xia Shu's view, the British home fleet at this time is not a proud and determined knight, but rather an avenger filled with righteous indignation and barely able to contain their anger. The reconnaissance reports from the German submarine forces indicate that although the British home fleet has not been able to mobilize all of its main warships (some have been dispatched overseas and not recalled in time, some are undergoing repairs in dry dock, and others have temporary mechanical failures), its overall strength still surpasses that of the fully mobilized German fleet. However, the faster British cruiser fleet departs from the closer Firth of Forth, while the slower battleship fleet sets sail from Scapa Flow in the northern North Sea. The two fleets appear to be responding to each other from a distance, and as long as they can seize the opportunity to act decisively, they can still form a local advantage and achieve a strategically significant victory. Once the British Navy loses its "fast heavy cavalry" force, primarily composed of battlecruisers, the tactical options for the home fleet will be greatly reduced, and the German Navy can leverage the speed advantage of its battlecruisers to offset or even reverse the disparity in overall strength.

Feng Yinggenor's tone shifted, and he spoke with a rhythmic cadence: "Many people regard the British Navy as an inviolable knight, believing it to be immensely powerful and exceedingly proud, possessing traditions that other navies lack, with victory being the inevitable meaning of its existence... Compared to the British Navy, we indeed have certain gaps that must be bridged over time, yet we also have our advantages— we do not carry the proud history of dominating the seas for three hundred years, nor the arrogance that arises from it; we do not have classic battles that the world reveres, nor will we rest on the laurels of past victories. At this moment, we are the underdogs in the eyes of the world, with some viewing our confrontation with the British Navy as a battle between peasants and knights. Despite the fact that this peasant dons shining armor, wields a sharp spear, and has his own unique techniques, these do not change the essence of the peasant. Well then, everyone, let the whole world see how the diligent, solid, and brave German peasant can topple the self-important and arrogant British knight!"

The officers burst into a fit of good-natured laughter

When reading the content of this telegram, General Feng Yingnuo's tone was calm, showing no signs of surprise. However, he may not have known the extensive and thorough groundwork that Xia Shu had laid to achieve this outcome, which would undoubtedly disappoint the senior ranks of the British Navy. In recent years, the British Navy has invested a significant amount of manpower and resources in the field of high-speed torpedo boats, with direct expenditures alone sufficient to construct 1.5 battleships of 20,000 tons or to form two to three maritime reconnaissance squadrons equipped with large airships.

A few minutes later, the communications officer delivered another telegram to Feng Yingnuo. He quickly scanned it and read aloud without any reservations: "The U-44 of the 7th Submarine Squadron has sighted the British Navy's fast-moving task force in Firth of Forth. It consists of 3 Invincible-class or Indefatigable-class battlecruisers (these two classes have similar tonnage and appearance), 3 Lion-class (in fact, there are only two ships in the Lion class, Lion and Princess Royal, while Queen Mary should be considered an improved version of the Lion class), 11 small cruisers, and 26 destroyers. This fleet, having left the anchorage of Firth of Forth, is heading southeast at a speed of approximately 24 knots—Betty indeed intends to ambush our artillery fleet on its return route."

The Hipel Fleet has successfully repelled the British high-speed torpedo boat group, sinking more than thirty enemy vessels, with no casualties on our side

At the outbreak of war, the German Navy's battlecruiser "Von der Tann" was stranded in the Mediterranean, while the German Navy could deploy a maximum of 5 battlecruisers in the North Sea, which included the relatively smaller-tonnage "Blücher". In contrast, the British home fleet had a total of 6 battlecruisers, including two Indefatigable-class battlecruisers owned by Australia and New Zealand but under the unified command of the British Navy, whose tonnage and firepower were superior to those of the German battlecruisers of the same period. If the two cruiser fleets were to engage directly, the British would undoubtedly be the stronger side, especially with the British battlecruiser fleet commander David Beatty, a young leader known for his adventurous spirit, making it almost inevitable that he would aggressively pursue the German battlecruiser fleet.

At the end, the fleet commander looked around at everyone and raised his voice, saying: "Boys, the fish is on the hook, and it is a sharp-toothed and powerful shark. If we want to enjoy this delicious shark fin, we will have to put in some effort."

At a normal flight speed of 130 kilometers per hour, the Hubert D-type biplane reconnaissance aircraft can conduct a patrol search over a sector of water 20 nautical miles ahead of the fleet in just forty minutes. Summer's requirement is that, as long as weather conditions permit, there must be at least two reconnaissance aircraft flying in the airspace near the fleet at the same time, with one responsible for the forward sea surface and the other for the flank, thereby ensuring that the concealed movements of the German main fleet are not compromised by British ships or neutral vessels.