The six destroyers of the Japanese Navy's 1st destroyer formation, the 'Muzuki-class' destroyers, also suffered heavy losses under the blows of the Imperial Navy's three 'White Tiger-class' light cruisers. Four destroyers were sunk, and two escaped with their broken bodies. However, even if the two destroyers escaped, they would not be able to participate in the battle in a short time.

In this encounter, the 1st Light Cruiser Formation and the 1st Destroyer Formation of the Imperial Navy can be described as a great victory in the world. Although there were many damaged warships, they were basically only slightly damaged. It seems to be miserable, but in fact, the performance of the battleship has not been affected, and it can still burst out with very strong combat power. Compared to the results they achieved, this loss was undoubtedly even more insignificant.

In this encounter, all six Nagara-class light cruisers of the 1st Light Cruiser Formation of the Japanese Navy were sunk, and four of the six Muzuki-class destroyers of the 1st Destroyer Formation were sunk and two were severely damaged. Of the six 'Muzuki-class' destroyers of the 2nd Destroyer Formation, four were sunk and two were slightly damaged.

Such a result is undoubtedly very brilliant. Originally, the Chinese Navy could not be compared with the Japanese Navy in terms of the number of light cruisers and destroyers. The Combined Fleet of the Japanese Navy, which originally consisted of 17 light cruisers and 32 destroyers, now has 11 light cruisers and 22 destroyers. On the other hand, the Pacific Fleet of the Imperial Navy still had 14 light cruisers and 24 destroyers.

When the battle report was sent to the battleship 'Fuxi', the flagship of the Pacific Fleet of the Imperial Navy, Admiral Liu Guanxiong, commander of the Pacific Fleet, couldn't help laughing.

"Chief of Staff, the 1st Light Cruiser Formation and the 1st Destroyer Formation are fighting very well! The fact that so many light cruisers and destroyers of the Japanese were sunk further expanded our superiority. I'd like to see if the Japanese know that this is the case. What kind of reaction will there be. Admiral Liu Guanxiong said.

"Yes, Commander. This battle is undoubtedly a victory. For the morale of the fleet, there will be a big increase. Next, it will be much easier for us to defeat the Japanese. Lieutenant General Li Dingxin said.

"What about our heavy patrol formations? When will you be able to reach the battlefield? The Japanese learned that their light cruisers and destroyers suffered such heavy losses. They won't give up. It is foreseeable that the heavy cruiser formation of the Japanese, I am afraid, is already on the way. Admiral Liu Guanxiong asked.

"Our heavy patrol formation, we will arrive soon. However, will our four 'Zodiac-class' heavy cruisers and four 'Zodiac-class' improved heavy cruisers be able to beat the four 'Myo-class' heavy cruisers and four 'Kaohsiung-class' heavy cruisers of the Japanese? "Lieutenant General Li Dingxin is a little unsure. Although, the Imperial Navy's 'Zodiac-class' heavy cruiser is a good heavy cruiser. However, the strength of the two heavy cruisers of the Japanese is also very strong!

"Our heavy patrol formation. It should be able to deal with the Japanese heavy patrol formation. The performance of a battleship is often not just based on the tonnage of the battleship and the number of guns. Admiral Liu Guanxiong said.

The Japanese Navy's 'Myo-Advanced' heavy cruiser has a full load displacement of 12,370 tons, a maximum speed of 30 knots, and is armed with five twin 50-caliber 203 mm main guns, four twin 127 mm secondary guns and eight 25 mm rapid-fire guns, and four triple heavy torpedo tubes.

The Kaohsiung-class heavy cruisers had a displacement of 13,400 tons and a maximum speed of 30 knots. It is armed with five twin 50 times caliber 203 mm main guns and four single 45 times caliber 120 mm secondary guns. Two 40-mm rapid-fire guns, four twin heavy torpedo tubes.

The Imperial Navy's 'Zodiac-class' heavy cruisers, on the other hand, have a standard displacement of 9,800 tons, a full load displacement of 11,200 tons, a length of 131 meters, and a width of 18.6 meters. The draft is 7.5 meters, and the maximum speed is 28 knots. It is armed with three twin 210 mm 50 times caliber naval guns and 10 105 mm single-mounted guns; 10 88-mm single-mounted guns; Eight 37-mm guns with four 533-mm torpedo tubes in the bow.

The 'Zodiac-class' improved heavy cruiser with an increased displacement of more than a thousand tons. The maximum speed was increased to thirty knots. The armament was replaced by three twin 50 times caliber 210 mm guns to three triple 50 times caliber 210 mm guns.

The Imperial Navy's 'Zodiac-class' improved heavy cruisers were fully capable of confronting the Japanese Navy's 'Myo-Advanced' heavy cruisers and 'Kaohsiung-class' heavy cruisers, and even did not fall behind at all. However, the original 'Zodiac-class' heavy cruisers were a little worse. There were only six main guns, four fewer than the heavy cruisers of the Japanese Navy. The only advantage is probably that the secondary artillery firepower is a little stronger.

Of course, in terms of soft power, the heavy cruisers of the Imperial Navy were still a little stronger. Both the sighting equipment and the fire control system are stronger than the heavy cruisers of the Japanese Navy. Therefore, if the heavy cruisers of the two sides really face off, it is still unknown who will die.

"If our 'Zodiac-class' final improved heavy cruiser or 'Temperance-class' heavy cruiser is there, our chances of victory will be greater." Lieutenant General Li Dingxin said. Compared with the previous two stages, the firepower of the four heavy cruisers of the final improved version of the 'Zodiac class' has not changed significantly, but the maximum speed has been directly increased to 35 knots. In addition, the defense is also stronger. The 'Temperance-class' heavy cruiser is the final improved version of the 'Zodiac class', with the main gun replaced with a 55-caliber 210mm main gun, making it more powerful armor-piercing.

"Rest assured, Chief of Staff. Our heavy patrol formation, even if it can't beat the heavy patrol formation of the Japanese Navy, can at least remain undefeated. In the end, it is still the duel between our capital ships that will decide the outcome of this duel, and this is the most important thing. Admiral Liu Guanxiong said.

Although the heavy cruiser was strong, it was undoubtedly much weaker than the capital ship. Whether it is a duel between destroyers or cruisers, it is just a test before the duel of capital ships. What really decides the outcome is the duel between the capital ships. This is the root of this decisive battle. If the heavy cruiser defeats the opponent, but the capital ship cannot defeat the opponent, it is still a defeat.

Lieutenant General Li Dingxin nodded and didn't say anything more. Although he was a little worried, he also believed that the heavy cruiser formation of the Imperial Navy was not so easy to defeat.

On the battleship Kii, the flagship of the Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet, the commander of the fleet, Admiral Isamu Takeshita, was thundering.

"Yaga! How could the losses be so big? Six light cruisers and eight destroyers were sunk, and two were heavily damaged, so that we lost a third of our light ships. And this is just the fleets of the two sides that have just clashed. If this continues, won't it be impossible for us to defeat the China Navy? "Isamu Takeshita was very angry, it was really their loss this time was too great.

"Your Excellency, Commander, our light patrol formations and destroyer formations have done their best. It's not that they don't try, it's that our enemies are too strong. Vice Admiral Keisuke Okada, Chief of Staff of the Fleet, sighed.

General Takeshita actually knew in his heart that this was the reason, and the difference in strength between the light ships of the two sides was indeed too big. This is the reason why the Japanese Navy's light ship formation is almost powerless in the face of the Chinese Navy's light ship formation.

"Your Excellency, Commander, although the light ship formations suffered heavy losses. However, we still have eleven light cruisers and twenty-two destroyers, which is not much less than the light cruisers and destroyers of the China Navy. If there is another battle between light ships, we may still have many opponents for them. However, these light ships are used to protect our capital ships, and there is no problem with that. As long as the capital ships of the Shina are defeated, the final victory will still be ours. Lieutenant General Keisuke Okada said.

"That's right, Chief of Staff, you're right. The duel of the capital ships is the most important thing. Our four 'Kii-class' battleships will certainly be able to defeat three 'Three Emperor-class' battleships and one 'Jinghai' battleship of the Chinese people. Admiral Isamu Takeshita said. In this regard, he seems to be full of confidence.

Although the Chinese Navy's 'Three Emperor-class' battleships were strong, the 'Jinghai' battleships were relatively weak. During the decisive battle with the British Navy, the Imperial Navy's battleship 'Pinghai' was sunk. From this, it can be seen that the 'Jinghai' battleship will be a loophole in the main ship formation of the Chinese Navy. Previously, the Chinese Navy also had five 'Five Emperor-class' battleships, which allowed this loophole to be filled. However, now that the 'Five Emperor-class' battleships have been transferred, this loophole has once again become apparent. It is precisely because of this that Admiral Isamu Takeshita had the courage to leave the military port and fight the Chinese navy in a decisive battle.

"Your Excellency, Commander, our heavy cruiser formation will soon enter the battlefield. Our light ships are no match for the Chinese people. However, our heavy cruiser formation will definitely be able to teach the people a hard lesson. Lieutenant General Keisuke Okada said.

"That's right, the latest heavy cruisers of the China people have been transferred, and the remaining heavy cruisers are all old models, and they are not at all the opponents of our 'Miao-advanced' heavy cruisers and 'Kaohsiung-class' heavy cruisers." Admiral Isamu Takeshita also thinks so.

At 7:23 a.m. on August 23, 4621, the heavy cruiser formations of the Chinese and Japanese navies entered the battlefield. They discovered each other almost simultaneously and were ready for battle. (To be continued.) )

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