Darkstone Code

Torpedoes have always faced many issues in actual combat. For example, if the torpedo is too large, its resistance in the water increases, and the requirements for buoyancy rise, making it very difficult to design heavy torpedoes.

They not only need a high-pressure air chamber capable of automatic pressure adjustment to ensure buoyancy, but also an independent thermal power chamber to maintain stronger propulsion, which are all design challenges.

However, if the size of the torpedo is reduced and its shape is changed, it can indeed move quickly and steadily in the water, but its damage becomes quite limited.

A forty-pound torpedo could cause some damage to warships, with most instances of piercing below the waterline coming from torpedoes. However, all countries have corresponding measures, which involve segmented sealed bottom compartments.

If a spot is unfortunately pierced, they quickly seal the compartment door at that location, so more water doesn't flood into the hull.

After sealing, the ship's waterline will change, and its speed will change too, as the breach creates a whirlpool that reduces speed, but no further changes occur.

If the power of the torpedo is increased, the problems become numerous and complex, and in actual naval battles, there often isn't an opportunity to launch torpedoes at close range. Instead of gambling at long distances, the main research focus of countries has been on artillery.

However, this time they are faced with improved torpedoes, with more explosives, better design, and more precise and stable launch guidance. These torpedoes will pose significant problems.

The Gafura immediately adjusted their battle lineup, targeting the expulsion of those Federation assault units as their main goal, fearing if their torpedoes could even sink battleships, allowing them to approach would be an unforgivable mistake.

The Gafura are very arrogant when proud, but when they become serious and careful, they become especially cautious.

This also gave the Federation Navy a chance to catch their breath, as the rear quickly readjusted to actively cope with the current complex naval situation.

At this moment, those ghost-like submarines, out of sight, had already reached places close to the Gafura positions.

Upon reaching the designated combat location, the first submarine launched two torpedoes in succession at their target, the Guardian Knight Battleship.

The technologically improved torpedoes have an additional spirit level at their heads and tails, which continually adjust the torpedo's angle. When the spirit level changes, a dynamic device in the torpedo adjusts the center of gravity to change its forward angle.

At the same time, a small hole at the torpedo's front intermittently releases air, with the bubbles enhancing speed and stability.

Launching torpedoes underwater is very stealthy, not until they approached the Guardian Knight Battleship did they surface. Seeing the torpedoes shooting straight toward the hull, the observer immediately sounded the alarm, but it was too late.

A huge water column suddenly surged up, followed by a second one. The newly improved torpedoes, having twice the explosives' amount of mainstream torpedoes, caused a qualitative change.

The Guardian Knight Battleship was pushed horizontally a dozen meters by the explosion-induced shockwave, and the hull showed obvious tilt.

A torpedo hit the left side forward of the Guardian Knight, with seawater flooding in as soon as the engine group was deprived of power. Simultaneously, the breach was too large, and the flooding was too fast, leaving the seal doors unable to close a minute after the explosion.

The Guardian Knight Battleship's damage immediately panicked the Gafura, followed by sudden death from shock!

The submarines carrying the improved, iterated torpedoes showcased an astounding result in their debut.

After a brief shock, those military observers became excited, realizing that the mighty and undefeated Gafura Royal Navy was actually defeated by submarines and torpedoes!

If they still do not understand why the Federation needed submarines, often only seen as nearshore or inland river engineering tools, to eliminate "pirates," then they are too foolish.

The countries of these military observers might struggle to catch up with Gafura's naval power regarding battleships, but they could follow the Bail Federal Navy's opportunistic approach, using submarines and torpedoes as attack methods.

Torpedoes causing significant damage to battleships implies that battleships will no longer be invincible at sea!

Before today, people believed only battleships themselves could defeat battleships, but now it's different, marking a groundbreaking innovation!

Ghosts lurking beneath the water attacked unguarded warships. Those involved didn't even know why they were being attacked, as the enemies were still far away!

But war doesn't stop because they are injured; the speed-limited, and even engine-stalled Gafura warships became like sitting ducks.

Federation soldiers may not be skilled at hitting moving enemy ships while on the move, but they are excellent at target practice.

With not much scattering, the ensuing volleys were very accurate, consecutively targeting four warships. Multiple shells struck the now trapped beast-like Guardian Knight Battleship, prompting the other side to raise the white flag.

They surrendered.

There was no need to let most of the main fleet sink here over a probing naval battle meant to showcase naval strength.

Though their ships look in bad shape, once towed back for repairs, they could almost be used again.

The soldiers of the Federation Navy cheered; they had won the war in an unexpected manner, but it's undeniable that the strength of the Gafura Royal Navy is unquestionable.

If not for the achievements made by submarines and new torpedoes, it is very likely the Federation Navy would have had to retreat and flee this sea area; they are not a match for the Gafura Royal Navy in such direct warfare.

But they won, and they cheered for their victory.

However, at this moment, the Commander-in-Chief of the Federation Navy fleet did not show much of a smile; he was pondering a question.

Everyone in the command room was awaiting his decision — whether to continue the fight or let the Gafura Navy go at this point.

The Commander-in-Chief was very hesitant; this naval battle had shown him that indeed, in direct combat, they still have a significant power gap with the Gafura Navy.

Submarines and torpedoes had changed this situation and granted them victory, but what about next time?

This exposure of submarines and torpedoes will definitely attract the attention of various countries, and they will focus their efforts on submarine research and anti-submarine research.

Once suitable anti-submarine equipment is developed, the role of submarines in direct naval battles will be diminished, so what will they use to defeat the Gafura Navy next time?

Will they face the terrifying enemy head-on with cannonballs?

Therefore, even after the Gafura warships raised their white flags, the Commander-in-Chief did not immediately lift the war status, and the soldiers remained at their posts; he was weighing his options.

At the same time, a voice in his heart was telling him that if he completely destroys this fleet now, it will be a fatal blow to Gafura.

Without one main fleet group, their remaining principal fleet group will inevitably have to guard their homeland constantly to prevent hostile forces from directly attacking it.

This will make the naval forces Gafura can freely apply on the sea extremely limited, and Gafura's influence in the world will consequently decline.

It would be difficult to rebuild an entirely new main fleet group within a few years; they might need at least six to eight years to regain the current fleet scale...

Six to eight years of development opportunity is too tempting.

The Commander looked at all the officers and generals in the command room, pursing his lips, "I am a sinner; all orders today come from me personally, and when we return, I will accept the judgment of the military court!"

As he spoke, he paused for a moment, not waiting for any reactions from others, and walked to the command platform, ordering the operator, "Notify all ships, continue the attack, and be sure to completely eradicate these pirates here!"

Meanwhile, on the other side, the Gafura people were dispatching various lifeboats to rescue those sailors who had fallen into the water and hadn't died yet; these sailors are Gafura's most precious wealth.

Each of them has fought countless battles and possesses combat experience and a stable psychological quality that others cannot match.

You can fix a broken warship, but the death of these sailors is the greatest loss, and it's difficult to cultivate a group of qualified sailors during peacetime.

At this moment, the Gafura Commander was also summarizing the gains and losses of the battle; he showed great composure, no matter how angry, fearful, uneasy, or hateful he felt inside, he would not show it.

Just when he was talking about personally apologizing to the Emperor, he suddenly looked at the fleet on the opposite side of the battlefield.

There was some change in the clouds in the sky, followed by a dense barrage of shells raining down on the battleship!

The Guardian Knight Battleship was targeted and completely lost its responsiveness, and the other ships were more or less damaged, making them unable to escape quickly.

A large number of soldiers were still firefighting and rescuing; they never expected that after raising the white flag, the other side would continue to shell them!

This was a real massacre, but no blood could be seen; all the corpses and the wreckage of the warships sunk to the seabed.

The eyes of the outer military observers widened, and regardless, they realized something major was about to happen!

The defeat of the Gafura Royal Navy was already enough to be a big deal, but what's scarier is that the Federation people had gone mad; despite having already reaped the fruits of victory, they still annihilated almost all the Gafura warships; are they trying to provoke another round of war?

If it is true, then what choices will everyone make?

The military observation ship quickly identified itself as harmless and swiftly retreated; at this time, if they don't leave, should the Federation people suddenly decide they should be left here too, it would be disastrous.

The sea gradually returned to calm, and at nightfall, almost all important figures within the Federation with any relation to national defense were awakened by this news.

Some even felt despair, because war seemed to be coming soon!