Jagged Germany: Chapter 1311 feed the fish
On the heavy cruiser 'Tone', Rear Admiral Ryuzaki Rukichi looked serious. As the former captain of this heavy cruiser and also the commander of the naval battleship formation this time, he undoubtedly shouldered a very heavy responsibility. It is not only necessary to protect these vulnerable transport ships, but also to provide fire support for the landing force at dawn tomorrow.
In the eyes of Major General Ryuzaki Rukichi, this is almost an impossible task. After all, the fleet he commanded was too weak. The task that should have been completed by a capital ship is now entrusted to a heavy cruiser like them, which is really difficult for some strongmen.
Of course, the navy of the island country suffered heavy losses in the previous naval battles, and there were not many capital ships left. This made them afraid to take risks with the remaining battleships.
"General, there are too many transport ships that need to be protected. Once the German Navy really enters the Sulu Sea, it will be difficult for us to resist them!" Said Nishi Shinzo, the captain of the heavy cruiser Tone.
"I know! But what can we do? Didn't the previous investigation by the Lu Air Force say that there is no German fleet on the Sulu Sea? Now we can only pray to God Amaterasu, and pray that this time the operation will not encounter the Germans The warship." Major General Ryuzaki Rukichi seemed very helpless.
Da Nishi Xinzang Colonel also looked helpless. Their fleet is too weak, and the Germans can catch them all with just a few capital ships or heavy cruisers.
However, what Major General Ryuzaki Rukichi and the others did not know was that the German Navy did not deploy warships in the Sulu Sea. The sea area here is too narrow, and there is not much room for warships to maneuver here. Once it is besieged by enemy bombers or torpedo attack aircraft, it may be sunk. Therefore, the German Navy does not intend to deploy capital ships here. But when necessary, some surface ships may still be dispatched to attack.
Only this time, what Rear Admiral Ryuzaki Rukichi and the others are going to face is not the surface fleet of the German Navy, but the equally ferocious underwater wolves.
At 3 o'clock in the morning on March 3, the submarine force of the German Navy completed the mobilization. 10 of the 12 submarines were ambushed on the only way for the island fleet. The other two ships were too far away to arrive in time. But 10 submarines are undoubtedly able to cause great casualties to the island fleet.
"General, the destroyer 'Changbo' found a suspicious target underwater, which is suspected to be a German submarine." A staff officer reported.
"German submarine?" Major General Ryuzaki Rukichi's face suddenly turned ugly.
The transport ships they protect, although the displacement is not small, but the defense is too weak. All it takes is one heavy torpedo to sink it. Once it hits a German submarine, the consequences will be unimaginable.
"Order the destroyer 'Nagaba' to sink the German submarine!" Major General Ryuzaki Rukichi ordered.
"Hi, General." The staff officer immediately went to convey the order.
"General, will the Germans have discovered our actions?" Colonel Daxi Xinzang was a little worried.
"Who knows? I pray that we just happened to be hit by a German submarine! Otherwise, this operation will be in trouble." Major General Ryuzaki Ruyoshi said.
Submarine No. U-441, under the cover of night, raised its periscope.
Their current position is only two kilometers away from the island fleet. From the periscope, it can be clearly seen that a large number of island nation fleets are sailing slowly.
"Prepare to attack, target the transport ships and merchant ships of the islanders! Since the islanders want to attack Borneo, let them swim from the Sulu Sea to Borneo!" Major Hansen said.
"Sir, those islanders will probably die in the belly of the fish before they swim to Borneo!" A German officer said.
"Torpedo ready, launch!" Major Hansen ordered.
"Boom! Boom!"
The four torpedo tubes at the bow of the U-441 submarine all fired torpedoes. Four 533mm heavy torpedoes rushed towards the target at high speed. Because this time it is the islanders' transport ships and merchant ships that are going to be attacked. So these torpedoes are scattered. There is no need to concentrate on attacking a transport ship or a merchant ship. In that case, it would be too wasteful.
"Hurry up and reload, and try to launch another round!" Major Hansen ordered.
In a submarine of the German Navy, in addition to the torpedoes in the launch tube, there are another 12 torpedoes in reserve. However, reloading takes time.
The submariners began to fill the torpedoes in a hurry. Major Hansen used the periscope to track the torpedoes.
"Boom!"
A violent explosion sounded, and the flames erupted on the side of a merchant ship. The fragile hull was easily torn apart in the explosion, and a large amount of sea water poured into the hull.
"Damn it, the other submarines started first!" Major Hansen couldn't help cursing.
Subsequently, explosions sounded one after another among the island fleet.
One after another transport ships or merchant ships were hit by heavy torpedoes.
These heavy torpedoes easily caused severe damage to those transport ships and merchant ships that were difficult to repair. Because the hull is fragile, and the number of watertight compartments is not many. Therefore, once these transport ships and merchant ships are severely flooded, there is a high possibility that they will sink.
"Eight Ga! German submarines! More than one submarine!" Major General Ryuzaki Rukichi cursed.
"Wolf pack! This is the wolf pack tactics of the German submarine force. During the last world war, his submarines dealt with the British like this. We were targeted by their wolves." Da Nishi Xinzang's face was pale .
"Order all the destroyers to attack and sink the German submarines. They can't let them slaughter our transport ships and merchant ships like this again!" Major General Ryuzaki Rukichi ordered.
At this time, many merchant ships have been hit. Even some merchant ships have been sunk. Countless island army soldiers fell into the sea. Some island country soldiers who did not know water sank after splashing a few times in the sea, and more guide rod soldiers were holding some floating objects and floating on the sea surface. However, it is not far from the land. Their final result is very likely to freeze to death in the sea, and then become food for various fish in the sea.
"Launch!" Major Hansen gave the order again. He hopes to further increase their achievements.
The torpedo tube at the bow of the U-441 submarine fired a torpedo again. Four heavy torpedoes once again rushed to the island fleet in chaos.