Soon after the Ming and Spanish ironclads had to separate from the group and fight alone due to their respective concerns, Alfonso, Sun Guozhen, Inu Yangdong and others led their respective battle lines to charge towards each other almost at the same time.

The generals on both sides have known for a long time that their countries have ironclads. When they saw the water column caused by the shell fired by the Fengyang today, they understood deep in their hearts that today's battle could not be said to be the final glory of the sailing battleship.

.

Because of this mentality, one side wanted to desperately open the mouth of the bay and rush in to massacre the opponent's transport ship, while the other side was basically unable to maneuver and had to hold on to the mouth of the bay. Therefore, the battle was full of cruelty and bloodshed as soon as it started.

According to the example of the sailing battleship battle line of this era, both sides would line up the battle line and start firing from a distance of about 800 meters, and then continuously adjust the shooting to gradually close the distance. During the maneuver, they would seize each other's T-shaped positions.

Head. Finally, when the distance is reduced to less than 500 meters, it is the real moment of battle.

But on this day, when Sun Guozhen and Inukai Touji led the battle line, they had no such idea at all. They rushed into the Spanish battle line and narrowed the distance between each other's battle lines to 300 meters.

rice!

The result of such a close distance is that the hit rate of both sides is extremely high. Suddenly, sawdust flying across the hull caused by the shell hitting the hull, and screams caused by shrapnel cutting into the human body occurred one after another. There were also captains on each ship.

The roar of the gunners and the roar of the gunners. The sea outside Manila Bay completely boiled in an instant.

Originally, according to the idea of ​​Commander Alfonso on the Spanish side, the number of second-level battleships on both sides was equal, and the difference in first-level battleships was only ten. It can be said that the strength of both sides was roughly equal. Under such circumstances, he was prepared to use his own battleships.

The column is divided into two columns: forty first-level battleships and another ten first-level battleships and second-level battleships each form one row. Then the forty first-level battleships fight with the opponent's first-level battleships, and the other battle column has to find a way to insert.

Enter the bay.

As a result, Sun Guozhen and Inukai Toji made such a sudden charge, their own formation was in chaos! At this time, it was really difficult to separate ten first-level battleships to join the second-level battleships.

"Hey, send a signal. After the opponent's two rows of warships sail out of our battle line, the first-level battleships will come forward to intercept them and intercept them on the west side of the harbor. Our second-level battleships will complete the formation as they advance, and then move towards the bay.

Dash!"

The order was given well, but it was too difficult to execute: the Philippine Squadron was doing well during this period, but the overall condition of the expeditionary fleet that came to the rescue was not very good. In addition, it had to adjust the battle line while the opponent was fiercely attacking.

This difficulty is not ordinary.

However, after all, it is the most powerful navy on the earth at the moment, and the Castilian people of this generation may be the most skilled Castilian people in history. Therefore, although it is difficult, the huge Spanish fleet follows the signal of the flagship

, began a slow adjustment.

And on the other side.

"Is our ship damaged in battle?"

"General, our ship was attacked by twelve enemy guns. There were varying degrees of casualties on the hull and deck, but the mast, rudder, etc. were not damaged. Except for three gun positions that were knocked out, the rest of the battle force was intact."

"What's the status of this battle line?"

"Uh, General, forgive me, our battle line is too long, and the lookouts on the battleships in the rear cannot tell the details. The battle damage report of each battleship is transmitted through semaphores, which also takes some time."

"Hey, forget it. Send a signal to the warships behind. Those whose speed is not damaged can follow the ship to make the next maneuver. Those whose speed is damaged and cannot keep up are allowed to leave the battle line."

"yes!"

"Okay, send a signal to General Sun. After the battle column completes its turn, it will turn back from south to north and then back to the east. Please ask General Sun to turn back from north to south."

"As you command!"

In the charge just now, Inukai Touji led his ship Shaanxi to take the lead and rushed into the enemy's formation. Although he was in the middle of the enemy ship, his artillery on both sides could fire, and the firepower was maximized. But it was inevitable.

He suffered artillery shells fired back from both sides at the same time. In just such a charge, his ship received twelve shells.

His ship was the first to attack, catching the opponent off guard. Even so, it was hit by twelve shots. The other nineteen warships following him had a natural chance of being hit after the opponent reacted.

It was getting higher and higher. The Guizhou battleship, the last battleship in the battle line, was already covered in thick smoke. One of its masts was broken, and its speed suddenly dropped to less than five knots.

Therefore, when the Inukai battle line turned like this, two of the twenty battleships immediately fell behind.

"Yo Xi, I thought that four or five warships would be left behind in such a charge, but I didn't expect that there would only be two. After all, we were charging all the way just now, and there must be at least thirty enemy ships passing by on both sides of us. Ah.

,Sorry, I spoke in Japanese again.”

The staff officer next to him smiled slightly and said nonchalantly: "General, it seems we are quite lucky today."

"Yes, who can resist the might of our Emperor? We are the navy of the Ming Dynasty that is favored by His Majesty the Emperor."

On his side, two warships temporarily withdrew from the battle, but the situation on Sun Guozhen's side was worse: when he charged just now, Sun Guozhen rushed into the Spanish Philippine Squadron, and the opponent had been recuperating for a long time.

The reaction, morale and hull condition are not comparable to the already extremely tired expedition fleet.

Therefore, after Sun Guozhen rushed down the battle line, he was annoyed to find that there were actually three battleships on his side that had to leave the battle line. There was also a battleship that simply got stuck in the Spanish formation and did not escape!

"General, the three masts of the Fuguo in the rear were broken and all power was lost, so it is stuck in the formation."

"Hey, TMD!" Sun Guozhen, who had been Yu Zigao's deputy general in Funing Town in his early years, is now a gray-haired veteran in his fifties. But his temper over the years has not changed: "These Koreans

It’s really not possible! Look at the Guiguo, didn’t it rush out with us? Fuck, compared to the Japanese, the Koreans really don’t know how to fight.”

This kind of words that affect unity are not easy for a staff officer to accept anyway. So after laughing awkwardly for a while, the young staff officer suddenly raised his finger: "General, General Inukai's flag signal came from the lookout post."

"Hmm? Separate into outflanks? Okay. Pass the order and let the subsequent ships follow our actions."

"As you command!"

The two rows of first-class battleships of the Ming Army began to turn following the orders of their respective commanders. Taking advantage of this period, the Spanish fleet also began to adjust quickly. Viscount Alfonso even commanded the Philippine branch that he had led for many years.

The first-class battleships in the fleet quickly formed a horizontal formation from north to south. If Inukai Touji's battle array completed its turn and rushed directly up, it would just hit the T-shaped head!

Of course Inukai Touji, who was experienced in battle formations, would not rush into it so stupidly. After the turn was completed, he saw that his side had lost the opportunity. He simply ordered his side's battle line to turn from north to south again: I can't take it.

Go to the horizontal line above the T, but you will never do the vertical line below the T! Let's fight in parallel, let's fight again!

But in this way, Alfonso, who had been caught off guard before, realized his strategic intention: to isolate the first-class battleships of the Ming Army on the west side of the harbor.

Now, guarding the entrance of the harbor are sixty second-level battleships of the Ming Dynasty. They are arranged in two rows, one behind the other, thirty ships in a row, and they are firmly anchored at the entrance of the narrow Manila Bay.

"TMD, I actually want to be a living target!" Zheng Wei spat out the betel nut in his mouth, and looked behind him habitually: "General, I remember that last time we sent a group of landlubbers from the Army to land, they just unloaded the cargo.

It only took three days, right?”

"Yes, Captain, three days. But this time our transport ship is unloading cargo but not people, and there are some simple pulleys and the like at the docking place. It won't take three days no matter what."
Chapter completed!