Chapter 120: Decisive Battle to the Death 2
TL: Etude
Are the cannons all adjusted? asked the captain of the Hope, Quik, loudly.
They are all set, Captain, ready to fire at any time! the gunnery officer immediately responded.
By this time, the weather had turned cold, and the temperature difference between the high seas and low lands caused the monsoon to blow from the land to the sea. This put the Alda fleet, which had set out from the harbor, in an upwind position, while the pirate fleet was in a downwind position.
Quik shouted, Men, we are in the upwind position now, we must seize this opportunity!
A sail warship equipped with cannons had many advantages when in the upwind position. The sea breeze tilted the ship, causing the cannons on the side facing the enemy ship to be slightly downward, making it easier to hit the enemys waterline.
Furthermore, being upwind meant less interference from smoke after firing, aiding in aiming and reloading, unlike being downwind, where one is affected by smoke from both their own and the enemys cannons.
However, the upwind position also had its disadvantages. For warships with multiple layers of cannons, the tilt of the ship meant that the lower cannons couldnt be opened when the waves were too high, significantly reducing firepower.
On the other hand, downwind had its advantages. Ships in the downwind position could use the wind to escape if they were losing, leaving the enemy behind. But for those in the upwind position, escaping wasnt so easy.
Overall, ships in the upwind position had a much greater chance of sinking the enemy. The role of a navy determined its tactics. During Earths Age of Sail, there was an interesting contrast.
Historically, France, a land military power, had its navy often playing secondary roles like covering landings or escorting merchant ships, rarely engaging in decisive battles. Their missions determined their reluctance to linger in battle, so the French navy often took the downwind position, firing a few shots before retreating.
In contrast, Britain, Frances arch-nemesis, had a glorious tradition of always taking the upwind position. With a policy of maintaining naval supremacy, the British navy dominated the world for two centuries. For them, naval battles were about annihilating the enemy, so their massive fleet often sought to sink enemy ships.
As the two fleets drew closer, Quik took over the steering himself, needing to adjust the Hopes angle to align its side cannons with the pirate ship. Maneuvering with the wind was risky, and at such a crucial moment, Quik chose to steer personally.
The gunners on the left side held their breath, eyes fixed on the distant pirate ship, waiting for the gunnery officers command.
On the pirate fleets side, Gaden and others were gradually getting a clear view of the Alda navys formation, with the leading Hope being particularly noticeable.
Is that the legendary ship without oars? Gaden, a qualified pirate, was extremely interested in all kinds of watercraft. Seeing the Hope, he got excited. The drugs he had just swallowed began to take effect, filling him with immense confidence. The initial panic of facing the Alda navy head-on had vanished.
Gadens mind was now fixated on how to capture that strange ship as part of his collection.
Have the slaves row harder! Everyone, prepare for boarding combat, ordered the pirate leader, eager to tear his enemies to shreds.
The sound of whips in the cabin grew louder.
The Hope awaited its long-anticipated moment. A pirate ship was trying to bring its side close for boarding, and some pirates were shooting arrows towards them.
Seizing the opportunity, the gunnery officer shouted, Fire!
Before his words fell, the gunners of the four cannons simultaneously lit the touchholes. Accompanied by smoke and fire, four solid cannonballs were fired in unison.
The pirates on the leading ship only saw four dark tubes on the opposing ship flash with fire, then their ship was enveloped in smoke.
Whats happening? Did their ship catch fire by itself? the pirates, ready to board the enemy vessel, were utterly confused.
Then, they felt the warship beneath them suddenly shake violently. Many were thrown off balance by the tremor and fell onto the deck, accompanied by a loud crashing sound as if someone was smashing the wooden planks with a huge hammer.
This was the effect of the cannonballs hitting the pirate ship. Compared to the sturdy hull of the Hope, the hulls of the pirates sail and oar ships were much thinner, and the cannonballs tore through them as if piercing through a layer of cream.
The pirate ship had two decks, and the rowers were positioned between the upper and lower decks. The cannonballs that penetrated the hull instantly claimed the lives of several rowers. However, the greater damage to the ships maneuverability was caused by the splintering of the hull. The splinters turned into lethal weapons, embedding into the flesh of the surrounding rowers.
The injured rowers began to wail in agony, writhing in pain on the deck.
The rowers who were not injured were stunned by the sudden attack and the horrific state of their companions. Many fell to the ground due to the violent shaking, including the pirates in charge of commanding the slaves. Everyone in the hold stared dumbfounded at the side of the ship facing the enemy, where four large shattered holes were glaringly visible.
They were stunned for only a few seconds before panic set in, cries echoing throughout.
Devils weapons!
Theyre using magic!
The chaos was such that no one could focus on rowing anymore.
Soon, the dire situation on the lower deck became known to everyone on the ship. This was an unprecedented situation for them. The normal procedure would have been to bring their ships side alongside the enemys and then board for a melee.
Some more experienced individuals knew that the navies of the southern countries were equipped with ballistae that could shoot from a distance, but the four dark tubes extending from the enemys ship were clearly not ballistae. They had never heard of ballistae that emitted fire and smoke when fired, nor were ballistae known for such precision and power.
The captain of the pirate ship was the first to react. He ordered his first mate, Go down and supervise those slaves yourself. Keep rowing hard; we must get closer faster, or well just be sitting ducks here.
The first mate snapped to attention, replying affirmatively before heading down to the lower deck.
You idiots, stop panicking. Get the ship moving!
The first mates shouting soon echoed through the lower deck.
Crack! The sound of whips lashing human flesh resounded in the cabin.
Lazies, get back to your posts! Row with all your might!
The pirate overseers began to shout threateningly at the slaves.
To prevent a drop in morale, the first mate personally ended the lives of those slaves who were injured and wailing in pain.
Under the threat of whips and death, the rowers quickly regained order, returning to their posts in trepidation and resuming their rowing.
While the pirate ship was in chaos, the four cannons on the left side of the Hope were reloaded for another round.
The first volley had been highly effective, greatly boosting the morale of the entire crew.
The gunnery officer, brimming with pride, drew his sword and pointed it at the pirate ship, commanding loudly, Fire!
The smoke from the first volley had not yet cleared when the second volley began.
Damn, another round! The pirate captain now detested the opposing strange ship.
The ship shook violently again, and it was clear they had been hit once more.
He silently prayed that not many slaves on the lower deck had died, but just as his prayer ended, a message that nearly made him faint reached him from below:
Were taking on water!
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