"Damn it, I was caught up in the end! If Iowa hadn't run too slowly, we could have waited until nightfall to avoid the opponent's attack!" Dewey sighed at the ship shadow that gradually became clear in the distance. Iowa's arrival was a huge strengthening for the US fleet and a burden. There was no reason. This guy's speed was a bit slow, and he should pay 70% of the responsibility for being caught up this time!

However, it is obviously not the time to study this. It is historical necessity for the Japanese fleet to catch up with it. The hatred between the two sides is irreconcilable. Perhaps the US and Japanese governments have not declared war yet, but the largest group fight since the emergence of the Steam Iron Crafts is about to begin!

Since you can't escape, then face it directly! With the change of signal flag on the mast of the Iowa battleship, the US and Russian fleet began to turn its course and headed towards the Japanese fleet with its back against the sun! Both sides were in a decisive battle. The number of US and Russian fleets was two more, and the quality of the Japanese fleet seemed to be higher! This was really a battle with close strength! At least that's what the Americans thought.

The American actions also fell into the eyes of the Japanese. The long-awaited battle officially began. The nine main battleships of the Japanese fleet lined up in sequence from the front to the back. The two second-class battleships were the Fuji and Hachishima, followed by four armored cruisers obtained by Japan from the crossers. From front to back, the Asama, Yakumo, Himezu and Izumo, and then the first-class protective cruisers Kasuhi and two second-class protective cruisers.

The formation of the Americans is similar to that of the Japanese, and the Americans also concentrated their most elite warships in front! The strongest one is naturally the USS Iowa battleship, and then the USS Brooklyn armored cruiser. The only thing that has changed is the battle position of the New York. This warship is the weakest among the large USS Russian fleet warships, and because it carries captured Japanese and British prisoners of war, it was replaced behind and located in the sixth position. Majiphin was temporarily assigned to the New York.

Behind Brooklyn are three Russian armored cruisers, namely the Liurik, Bayan and Parada. Behind is the New York, and at the end is the Sherry's protective cruiser formation. The formation has not changed. They are the Olympia, two Colombian-class protective cruisers and two second-class protective cruisers.

"It is impossible for the main fleet in front to open up the situation in a short period of time. Our only chance is to compete against the protective cruiser. We have 5 warships, and the opponent only has 3 ships! It is also an absolute advantage in tonnage. If you can defeat the opponent's defender within 1 hour, then there will be a turning point in the battle!" Before going to the New York, Majiffen specifically emphasized with Shelley that the reason is very simple, because in the competition between the first-class warships between the two sides, the US fleet was basically suppressed!

Although Dewey, Shelley and others were somewhat dissatisfied with Majiffen's opinions, they all admitted that Majiffen, who had rich combat experience, had a high tactical level! He repeatedly emphasized that there was a reason for the impact of elite warships on the entire battle situation during the naval battle line.

In the Battle of Dadonggou in the Qing Dynasty, the biggest mistake of the Japanese tactics occurred at the beginning. If the Japanese most elite fast fleet entangled Munich, the strongest combat power, and the two Zhiyuan ships, at least the fierce Munich could not easily kill the weak ships in the Japanese fleet. Indeed, the Japanese fast fleet quickly solved warships such as Chaoyong Yang Wei, but at the same time they also lost more elite warships like the Sanjing Ship, which was not worth the loss in terms of exchange.

The biggest problem with the US fleet now is that in addition to Iowa who can suppress Fuji from its attributes, Brooklyn seems to be able to block Yashima, it is absolutely impossible to face the other four armored cruisers against four Japanese-level armored cruisers! The two Munich-classes will definitely not be able to beat their upgraded versions, and it is only a matter of time before they lose. Essen believes that the Liurik is not as good as Munich, and the kneeling speed may be faster, let alone New York, there is no defense, firepower, and blood (tonnage) and blood.

Faced with a situation where there is almost a defeat later, all the Americans can do is to get the New York and Olympia closer, and when necessary, 2-to-1, barely keep the draw. "If we are lucky enough, our armored ships have hope of stalemate with the opponent for more than 2 hours. If it is longer, it may not work. And the only chance to break the deadlock depends on the battle of the protective cruiser formation!" Dewey said in the pre-war tactical arrangement. In this case, the US fleet finally met the opponent!

"From a tactical perspective, the Americans had done the best before the fight, but relatively speaking, what the Japanese did not do very well. They used second-class battleships to deal with the most fierce existence in the American fleet. The facts subsequently proved that the second-class battleship of the USS Fuji was indeed inferior to the Americans' Iowa battleship. Unfortunately, the Americans and the Russians did not seize this opportunity." A British officer who participated in the war commented on the deployment of the two sides before the fight.

Before the Japanese fleet finally arrived, the US fleet completed the adjustment of formation and course. The warships of the two countries pulled out two battle lines, almost parallel to the south. This was a national war. Both the Americans and the Japanese showed caution. The two sides slowly approached, and the relative distance gradually approached from 5,000 meters to 4,000 meters, and 3,500 meters to 3,000 meters, the Fuji fired the first shot to start the war!

The double-mounted 10-inch heavy artillery barrel at the beginning and end of the Fuji suddenly shrank backwards. With the huge sound of cannons, two huge fireballs gushed out from the muzzle. Two 227kg shells roared to the US fleet in the distance. A few seconds later, two huge water columns were blown out just 20 meters away from the Iowa! Then, other Japanese warships also opened fire, and balls of flames were jumping on the side strings of the warships, and tons of deadly shells roared towards the target.

The Americans were not willing to be outdone. With a burst of violent vibrations, shells flew out of the gun mouth. However, compared with the Japanese firepower, the American fleet had a numerical advantage, but its total firepower projection was at a disadvantage at the beginning. The Americans' worse artillery skills further expanded this disadvantage! However, even so, the two sides were still indistinguishable from the beginning! For the two newly emerging empires, both sides tried their best. They would never retreat unless they had to!
Chapter completed!