Darwin, northern Australia, temporary residence of the Imperial Eastern Front Command. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 infoGeneral Cai Songpo is anxious about the commanders of the Imperial Army, Navy and Air Force to discuss the next offensive plan of the Imperial Army.

"General Zhu, where did the 16th Army go?" Admiral Cai Songpo asked.

"Commander, we have just advanced to the Bay of Carpentaria. I have to admit that the area of this Australia is also a little too large. It's hard to imagine how great the strategic depth of an empire is that Australia is so huge, several times larger than Australia's territory! Lieutenant General Zhu Yimin, commander of the 16th Group Army, said with emotion. The 16th Army, as well as the ten infantry divisions of the vassal states, numbering more than 300,000 men, were now enough to spend a lot of time marching in northern Australia alone. The pace of advance of the infantry is not fast in the first place, advancing twenty kilometers a day, which is already sky-high.

"Haha, the strategic depth of the empire is enough to collapse any opponent. However, there must be a solution to the Australian problem. We can't just keep it going. Admiral Cai Songpo said.

"Commander, we think this is actually a good solution. Since the U.S.-Australian coalition no longer has any military strength in northern Australia, we only need to leave a small number of troops to advance here. Moreover, we can use the sea instead of the land march to speed up the attack. Ships sail on the sea, how can they reach two or three hundred kilometers a day. It is entirely possible to land in an important cover city in Australia and then deploy a division or a regiment of troops. The landed troops were then responsible for sweeping around and controlling these areas. In this way, the speed can be greatly improved. Admiral Chen Shaokuan, commander of the Pacific Fleet of the Imperial Navy, said.

"That's a good idea. What do you think? Admiral Cai Songpo asked.

"Commander, this is a good solution. Anyway, the US-Australian coalition doesn't have much army in northern Australia, and we can even send only a small number of Imperial Army to participate in the offensive, mainly using the troops of vassal states to control northern Australia. In particular, the Annam infantry, whose combat effectiveness is inferior to that of the Fuso infantry, is still no problem in controlling the rear. Major General Sun Fumin, deputy commander of the 1st Army, said. The commander of the 1st Army was concurrently held by General Cai Songpo. But after he became commander of the Eastern Front, the affairs of the group army were handled by Deputy Commander Sun Fumin.

"Yes, Commander. In this way, we will be able to assemble the main forces and use them to attack the more important Australian cities. Lieutenant General Zhu Yimin, commander of the 16th Group Army, also said.

"Well, let's go with this plan. However, this will require the Navy to provide us with more transport ships and escort warships. Admiral Cai Songpo said. If this battle plan is adopted, then the Imperial Army will be highly dependent on the Navy in future operations. Transportation was the responsibility of the navy, and fire cover for landing operations was also provided by the navy. Even safety during the voyage is the responsibility of the Navy.

"Commander, it is the responsibility and obligation of the Imperial Navy to cooperate with the Empire to win this war." Admiral Chen Shaokuan said.

"The second issue is our next offensive plan. After the US-Australian coalition forces were eliminated by us with eight infantry divisions, they no longer dared to send troops to the north. Their armies were either concentrated in southeastern Australia or in the area east of the Great Dividing Range. Therefore, the next step is to attack the eastern cities of Australia directly and destroy their living forces. There is intelligence that the Americans are sending reinforcements to Australia. At the same time, they are also further expanding the Australian Army. Obviously, they are planning to increase their army and defeat us with their superiority in numbers. Admiral Cai Songpo said.

"Commander, then let's attack the important cities in eastern Australia. Anyway, now the sea control is under our control. We can attack from the sea. Lieutenant General Zhu Yimin proposed.

"Hmm." Admiral Cai Songpo nodded.

"So, which of the many cities in eastern Australia do we choose to attack? Keynes? Townsville? Rockhampton? Or Brisbane? Admiral Cai Songpo asked. These cities are all large cities in the eastern part of the Great Divide. Of course, the so-called big cities are only relative to other towns in Australia. In a populous empire, such a city is far from a big city.

A group of people looked around the map, and of the cities, Keynes was closest to the Imperial* army, while Brisbane was the southernmost point. Brisbane is also the largest of these cities.

"Commander, or we'll do a big deal and attack Brisbane directly. Brisbane is the largest of these cities and is only a thousand kilometres from Sydney. After taking Brisbane, the US-Australian coalition forces north of Brisbane are all surrounded by us. We can encircle and annihilate them. After taking Brisbane, it will be much easier to gradually push towards Sydney. Major General Sun Fumin suggested.

"Commander, I also approve of the attack on Brisbane. After taking Brisbane, it can even use Brisbane as a fulcrum to hold another landing battle around Sydney. Completely defeat the US-Australian coalition. Lieutenant General Zhu Yimin also said.

"With our current sea and air superiority, covering the landing of the army in these places, there is no problem at all. However, the US-Australian coalition is not stupid, and they may abandon these coastal cities and retreat inland. Admiral Chen Shiying, commander of the Navy's South Ocean Fleet, said.

"It's a possibility. However, once the coastal cities fall into our hands, their supply lines will be cut off by us. If we don't get supplies at that time, it will be a problem for the US-Australian coalition to survive, let alone continue to fight us. Lieutenant General Zhu Yimin said.

"Well, let's wait for the next landing site, Brisbane. This time, the landing was dominated by the Marines and the 1st Army. After taking Brisbane, the 16th Army and the Fuso Army landed in Brisbane. As for northern Australia, an infantry division was drawn from the 16th Army to lead ten infantry divisions of the Kingdom of Annam to take charge of the sweep. Admiral Cai Songpo said.

"Yes, Commander." Everyone replied.

At this moment, a communications officer walked in quickly.

"Report to the Commander, an urgent telegram from home." The communications officer reported.

Admiral Cai Songpo immediately took the telegram and read it, and after reading it, his face was a little heavy.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Military Intelligence Agency has received information that a fleet of Americans consisting of two aircraft carriers and five 'Montana-class' battleships and three 'Iowa-class' battleships has disappeared more than half a month or even earlier. The General Staff speculated that the fleet might have reached the waters of the South Pacific, and asked the Imperial Navy to take extra care to avoid a sneak attack by the U.S. Navy. Admiral Cai Songpo said.

"What? The US Navy has been gone for so long, and the MIA is only now informing us? Admiral Chen Shaokuan and Admiral Chen Shiying were suddenly anxious.

"Those two aircraft carriers of the Americans are easy to deal with, we now have six aircraft carriers, and we can completely crush them. However, those eight battleships may not be easy to deal with. In particular, the overall performance of the 'Montana-class' battleships is no worse than our 'Tokai-class' battleships, and even stronger. Although the main guns of this class of battleships were only 406 mm, they were armed with a full twelve. Although our four battleship detachments now have nineteen battleships, if they encounter the eight battleships of the Americans, I am afraid that they will be killed and defeated. Admiral Chen Shaokuan said.

"Our battleships are all too old, they are all twenty or thirty years old. Once encountering the Americans' 'Montana-class' battleships and 'Iowa-class' battleships, it is estimated that they will only be dealt with and tortured. Admiral Chen Shiying also said.

"Is it so serious?" Admiral Cai Songpo frowned. In this case, the plan for a surprise attack on Brisbane would probably need to be changed.

"Yes. Unless we can detect them first and then sink them with carrier-based aircraft. Otherwise, once you are close to the other party. Or in a night fight, we will not be the opponent's opponent at all. Admiral Chen Shaokuan said.

"However, the country has ordered the 11th Carrier Strike Group and the 12th Carrier Strike Group, as well as the 1st Battleship Detachment and the 2nd Battleship Detachment, to urgently go south to reinforce you. When reinforcements arrive, we should be able to defeat the American fleet. Admiral Cai Songpo said.

Hearing that there were reinforcements going south, and it was still a very strong reinforcement, General Chen Shaokuan and General Chen Shiying breathed a sigh of relief.

"If that's the case, then there's nothing to be afraid of. The four 'Donghai-class' battleships of the 1st Battleship Detachment and the three 'Three Emperor-class' battleships of the 2nd Battleship Detachment have been modernized and refitted, and their performance is no worse than that of the Americans' cutting-edge warships, and they can completely confront them. As long as they can insist on the carrier-based aircraft taking off for combat, they will be able to sink them in one fell swoop. Admiral Chen Shiying said.

Although the battleships of the US Navy were strong, this was the era of aircraft carriers and carrier-based aircraft, and there were no unsinkable aircraft carriers. No matter how strong an aircraft carrier is, as long as it receives more bombs and torpedoes, it will be sunk.

"So, will the plan to attack Brisbane wait until the Navy has dealt with the U.S. fleet before proceeding, or will it be carried out on a limited basis?" Admiral Cai Songpo asked. The landing in Brisbane, without the support of the Navy, was impossible.

"I think we can do what we can and lure the American fleet out. Then get rid of them, lest you look for them throughout the South Pacific. Admiral Chen Shaokuan said. (To be continued.) )