Tsarist Empire: Please call me Tsarist Majesty

Chapter 138: War Breaks Out!!

The 1st detachment of the Pacific Fleet of the Tsarist Imperial Navy, with 4 Catherine II-class battleships, the battleship Navarin, the armored cruiser Tsarist Reich, the armored cruiser Rurik, the armored cruiser Pametzova and the armored cruiser Admiral Nasimov as the main force, together with several protective cruisers, also have a certain combat effectiveness.

As long as you do not encounter the main forces of the combined fleet, you can successfully get rid of the combined fleet of the Eastern Imperial Navy and arrive at the Cam Ranh Bay naval base, there should be no problem.

Plus, time is on their side.

The combined fleet of the Toyons will not arrive at Lushun Fortress until tomorrow.

When they found that the main forces of the Pacific Fleet had retreated, it was too late to pursue Xuan.

Even if the battleships of the Toyo are a little faster.

However, it is only more than two knots faster.

To catch up with the 1st detachment of the Pacific Fleet, it is simply impossible.

Besides, the endurance of warships of this era is generally not too high.

The 1st detachment of the Pacific Fleet of the Tsarist Imperial Navy could go to Cam Ranh Bay for supplies.

But the combined fleet of the Toyos, I am afraid, can only be replenished by transport ships.

After the withdrawal of the 1st detachment of the Pacific Fleet from the fortress of Lushun, the entire fortress of Lushun was put into combat readiness.

At the same time, the 2nd detachment of the Pacific Fleet, the remaining battleship Peter the Great, two Alexander II-class 947 battleships, the battleships XII Apostles and Gangut, and other old protective cruisers, all crossed the hull, aimed their guns outside the fortress, and used them as fixed naval batteries, cooperating with coastal defense batteries to increase the firepower of the entire fortress.

In this case, if the combined fleet of the Eastern Imperial Navy wants to defeat the entire Lushun fortress with the sea, it will be impossible at all.

The combination of powerful shore defense firepower and the firepower of battleships is enough for the Toyo people to drink a good pot.

February 8, 1804 morning. Above! The United Gold Fleet arrived at Lushun Fortress with great momentum.

However, by releasing the observation balloon, they found that the remaining warships in the military port were already less than half.

The most elite warships of the entire combined fleet of the Russian Imperial Navy have all disappeared.

This surprised the combined fleet up and down.

“Baga! Damn Russians? Where did they go with those Catherine II-class battleships and battleships Navarin, and with those armored cruisers? ”

Lieutenant General Heihachiro Togo was furious.

Originally, it was thought that using an undeclared war to raid the Lushun Fortress could block the Pacific Fleet in the military port.

However, in the end, it was found that the most elite warships had disappeared.

This is undoubtedly a great threat to the combined fleet.

“Your Excellency, will the Russians dispatch the most elite warships to prepare for a sneak attack on my door?”

The chief of staff of the joint team, Shimamura Susuwei Daisa, asked.

Vice Admiral Heihachiro Togo shook his head: “The Russians are not fools, they should know very well that with their strength, even if the entire Pacific Fleet is combined, they are not our opponents.” Not to mention the fact that with a few fewer battleships, it would be even more impossible to beat us. ”

“Then Your Excellency, Commander, you mean that the Russians fled?”

Shimamura Suio Daisa looked incredulous.

“That’s just my guess. Order the fleet, be prepared, and guard against a sneak attack by the Russians. At the same time, the situation was immediately reported to the country, and the domestic reconnaissance ships were requested to search for the movements of the Russians. In addition, after determining the movement of the Russian fleet, the army will act later! ”

Lieutenant General Heihachiro Togo ordered.

If these warships of the Tsarist Imperial Navy were heading for the transport fleet of the Imperial Army of the Eastern Ocean, then the army side would be dangerous.

After all, the transport ships of the army are almost unarmed.

Facing the battleships and armored cruisers of the Imperial Russian Navy is an absolute dead end.

Fortunately, the side of the Tsarist Imperial Navy did not do this.

They are simply to avoid the edge for a while and preserve their strength.

On the side of Lushun Fortress, after discovering the combined fleet of the Eastern Imperial Navy, it also entered a state of combat readiness.

However, the combined fleet did not want to resist the shore defense firepower of Lushun Fortress, so it did not choose to attack, but guarded from a distance.

This also relieved Vice Admiral Alekseev, commander of the Pacific Fleet of the Tsarist Imperial Navy.

At least, if the combined fleet of the Eastern Imperial Navy is dragged here, the 1st detachment of the Pacific Fleet will have more time to evacuate.

In the Toyo Empire, Vice Admiral Yamamoto Gonbei, Minister of the Navy, and Senior Admiral Sukehiro Ito, Minister of the Naval Command, did not dare to slack off after receiving the report of the Combined Fleet, and immediately informed Prime Minister Admiral Katsura Taro and the army side of the situation.

The East Ocean Imperial Army immediately stopped its actions.

The troops who were originally preparing to leave stayed on the transport ships.

The transport ships were also all left in the port and did not dare to go to sea.

The Imperial Army of the East Ocean was equally worried that they would be attacked by the warships of the Imperial Russian Navy.

By that time, the army has not yet come ashore, I am afraid that it will suffer heavy casualties.

The intelligence ability of the Toyo people is still very good, not only they have seriously infiltrated the Qing Empire, but they are full of their intelligence personnel.

At the same time, at sea, there are also a large number of reconnaissance ships disguised as merchant ships or fishing boats.

Two days later, the reconnaissance ship of the Oriental people in the East China Sea discovered the first detachment of the Pacific Fleet of each army of the Tsarist Empire, and after reporting this news to the country, the top level of the Navy and Army of the Eastern Empire breathed a sigh of relief.

“I didn’t expect that the Russians would be so timid and actually fled without a fight, they are simply cowards!”

General Katsura looked disdainful.

However, Lieutenant General Yamamoto Gonbei and Senior General Ito Yutaka had serious expressions.

“The Russians want to preserve their strength. The main forces of the Russian Pacific Fleet fled, probably preparing to converge their main fleet in Europe and then deal with the combined fleet of the Imperial Navy. In this case, the combined fleet will have more pressure! ”

Lieutenant General Yamamoto Gonbei had a hint of concern on his face.

Originally, they planned to first solve the Pacific Fleet of the Imperial Russian Navy, and then deal with the main forces of the Imperial Navy.

But now, that plan doesn’t work.

“There’s no way around it. Well, the main forces of the Russian Pacific Fleet fled. The remaining warships were again blocked in the military port of Lushun Fortress. Then, they can no longer have any impact on our next military operations. Our battle can begin. ”

General Katsura said.

The generals of the army and navy of the Eastern Ocean Empire nodded repeatedly.

On February 15, the war between the Eastern Empire and the Russian Empire officially broke out.

The 1st Army of the Oriental Imperial Army, with the support of the Navy, landed at Inchon and launched an attack on Seoul…