The Fox of France - Chapter 468 (Patreon)

Chapter 468: Naval Battle (1)

As they maneuvered, the distance between the two sides narrowed to about four kilometers, and the British finally began to return fire against the French. However, the results of the British gunfire were the same as the French's—none of the shells hit their targets, with the nearest one landing a hundred to two hundred meters off.

This was quite normal for the era, as ship cannons lacked stabilizers and were greatly affected by the rocking of the ships, especially in the notoriously rough North Atlantic. Thus, missing targets at this range was to be expected.

The gap between the fleets continued to close. The French had more ships and also held a speed advantage.

In fact, there wasn't much difference between the British and French in terms of steam engine technology. If there was any gap, it was that steel was cheaper in France, allowing for a slight edge in performance stability due to less concern over the cost of materials.

Despite similar steam engine performance, French ships were generally faster due to differences in hull design and propeller manufacturing. This speed advantage meant that British ships could hardly compete with French ships in the civilian steamship market, except within Britain and its colonies.

Moreover, the British "Queen Elizabeth" had to reduce speed due to damage, slowing down the entire squadron.

The British had long recognized the French speed advantage as insurmountable, so they focused on stability and agility rather than speed in their ship design, prioritizing armor and firepower—a strategy somewhat reminiscent of another nation's military vessels in an alternate timeline. This choice, though strategic, meant relinquishing initiative on the battlefield, including the decision to engage or disengage from combat.

This was a disadvantage for a colonial power like Britain. If possible, figures like Nelson would have preferred a fleet that could swing the hammer aggressively rather than a "fleet of iron turtles."

However, they had no choice. If they only had "eggs" capable of swinging hammers, they'd be at a disadvantage when confronted by French "turtles" with hammers ready to invade. Moreover, French "eggs" might roll faster if everyone were to be "eggs."

The British believed they had a tactical advantage with their thicker armor and larger-caliber guns against the faster, but less armored and lightly armed French ships. Yet, as soon as battle commenced, the British realized their initial assessments were significantly off.

British naval strategy divided ship performance into six categories: speed, maneuverability, maintenance (navigational capabilities), and firepower, protection, damage control (combat capabilities).

The British thought their ships were superior in firepower, protection, and maneuverability, while French ships excelled in speed and maintenance. Damage control was considered roughly equal. The British hoped that even if the French had the strategic upper hand, a direct naval engagement would reveal a slight British advantage, assuming equal numbers.

However, the initial exchange of fire showed the British had misjudged the French, especially in terms of firepower. Despite the larger caliber of British battleship guns, the astonishing rate of fire from the French suggested no significant British advantage in firepower.

As for defense, British ships theoretically had thicker armor, but the actual effectiveness of this armor, given differences in metallurgy, was debatable.

The numerical disparity on the battlefield only compounded British concerns. Nelson's squadron, comprised of one modern battleship, three "super-cruisers" (smaller compared to their French counterparts but similarly fast, albeit with only standard cruiser armor), and six armored cruisers, faced a much larger French force.

Marshal Treveil's fleet boasted two battleships, two super-cruisers, and fifteen armored cruisers, with the armored cruisers alone outnumbering their British counterparts by more than double.

To maximize their numerical advantage, Marshal Treveil split his fleet into two divisions. The first, consisting of the battleships "Engelado" and "Caesar" along with six armored cruisers, aimed to suppress the British "Queen Elizabeth" and the super-cruisers. The second division, comprising the super-cruisers "Prosperity" and "Long Peace" and nine cruisers, focused on eliminating the British cruisers before concentrating fire on the British flagship.

Recognizing the formidable French lineup, Nelson feared the worst. The French advantage seemed overwhelming, and Nelson believed that if he were commanding the French fleet, the British would likely not escape.

As the slow dance of gunfire continued, Nelson ordered the best-conditioned super-cruiser "Yorkshire" to break through the French lines.

This command had two purposes: firstly, to quickly inform the homeland of the dire situation, as ignorance could lead to greater danger. Secondly, only French super-cruisers could catch the "Yorkshire," which, despite its speed, had less firepower and armor than the French counterparts. A head-to-head battle could still go either way, but sending two super-cruisers would significantly reduce the pressure on the French.

After issuing the breakout command, Nelson signaled the "Queen Elizabeth" to hoist

the "Z" flag, ordering the fleet to "The United Kingdom demands every man do his duty."

Knowing the fleet couldn't escape, their only option was to fight and inflict as much damage on the French as possible.

"Even if we're sunk, we must render the French fleet incapable of action for a while, to buy the United Kingdom more time."

The French ignored the escaping "Yorkshire" and continued to pressure the British fleet, splitting their forces to envelop the British from behind.

Nelson, aware of the French strategy to use their battleships to engage his flagship while their other ships targeted the British cruisers, knew he couldn't counter this move due to the overwhelming French numbers. Splitting his already limited forces would play right into the French hands. Instead, Nelson decided to concentrate all his strength against the French's first division.

Understanding that this move was anticipated by the French—who expected the faster and more numerous second division to act as a hammer to the anvil of the first division—Nelson chose to charge directly at them. This risky play aimed to inflict as much damage as possible before the "hammer" could strike.

The French's first division continued to circle, positioning for a T-bone shot. If the British didn't turn, they'd face the full brunt of this maneuver.

At this critical moment, the "Cambridgeshire," leading the British line, unexpectedly turned sharply right, charging directly at the French's first division.

This move, risking a direct T-bone position, could potentially disrupt the French formation by changing the engagement from a T to an X, provided the British could endure the initial French volley.

The "Cambridgeshire" as the spearhead, would bear the brunt of the French fire, shielding the "Queen Elizabeth." Once the "Cambridgeshire" fell, the "Queen Elizabeth," with its robust defense and powerful but slow-firing guns, would be in position to cause significant damage to the French ships.

"Prepare the main guns, but hold fire until ordered," commanded Nelson, opting for close-range engagement over inaccurate long-distance firing.

The British ships, more agile in turning, surprised the French, who couldn't avoid the head-on collision. Marshal Treveil, understanding Nelson's desperate gambit, saw no need to dodge. He recognized this as the most damaging strategy available to the British under the circumstances.

Facing direct fire, the "Queen Elizabeth" would sustain heavy damage but not enough to neutralize her combat capabilities. Her engines would roar, and her guns would thunder, albeit at a slower rate than the French.

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