In 1558, Tang Shunzhi of the Ming Dynasty compiled the book "Wu Bian", which recorded in detail the structure and laying method of a "underwater mine" to combat the Japanese invaders who infested the coast of China at that time. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

This is the earliest artificially controlled, mechanically fired anchor mine, which uses a wooden box as a mine shell, putty sticks to the seams, and the black powder is packed inside, and its firing device is not knotted with a long rope, and is detonated by human fire.

There are 3 iron anchors under a Sevastopol rope drop under the wooden box, which controls the depth of the mine body in the water.

In 1590 A.D., China invented the earliest floating thunder - the "underwater dragon king cannon" with incense as the timing fuse. Nine years later, China's Wang Minghe invented the "underwater thunder" that uses ropes as the line to touch.

In 1621 AD, the "Underwater Dragon King Cannon" and "Underwater Thunder" were improved to trigger drifting mines for the fuse of the collision line, and damaged enemy ships in naval battles many times.

It was not until the eighteenth century that Europe and the United States began to use mines in real combat. During the American Revolutionary War, North Americans attacked British warships anchored at the mouth of the Trava River in Philadelphia, and on January 7, 1778, gunpowder and mechanically striking fuses were loaded in small beer kegs to make mines and drift down the river.

Although it did not encounter a warship at that time, it suddenly exploded when it was picked up by British sailors, killing and injuring some people, which is known as the "Little Barrel War".

In the mid-19th century, the Russian B. C. Yatubi invented the electrolyte-triggered anchor mine, which was used by Tsarist Russia in the defense of the harbor during the Crimean War of 1854-1856.

Since then, various types of mines have been continuously developed and improved, and have been widely used, and in the American Civil War and the Russo-Japanese War of 1905, mine warfare achieved quite good results.

Since then, various countries have attached greater importance to mine warfare and have invested a large amount of manpower and material resources to step up the research and manufacture of various types of mines. In World War I, the two sides laid a total of 310,000 mines of various types, sank 148 surface ships, sank 54 submarines, and sank 586 merchant ships, totaling 1.22 million tons.

In modern naval warfare, mines are an indispensable weapon, and an old-fashioned mine that costs a lot is enough to kill a modern warship costing tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of dollars.

The Mediterranean Fleet was deployed in the waters of Gibraltar this time, and it was the trigger-type "Underwater Dragon King Cannon" and "Underwater Thunder" brought by Ouyang Shuo, which were thousands of them, and the inventory of the War Readiness Administration was emptied.

The mine manufacturing technology is in the same vein as the Ming Dynasty's firearms manufacturing technology, and after the improvement of the No. 7 Research Institute, the explosion is more powerful, the more sensitive the trigger, and the more hidden it is placed on the sea.

This secret weapon, Shanhai City, has been kept secret, and after one was developed, there were no large-scale naval battles in the Great Xia Dynasty; The second is also out of the need for secrecy, as a strategic weapon.

When he provoked the Moroccan national war, in view of the complicated situation in the Mediterranean, Ouyang Shuo decided to let the underwater dragon king cannon come out, and it was used in this sea battle, and it was really hit with one hit.

Although the Western technology tree is ahead of the East, it is a cut behind in mine technology. Therefore, neither Casillas nor Alexandre Farnese expected that they would be attacked by mines.

This carelessness, or arrogance, has produced bitter fruits.

Although Alexandre Farnese urgently ordered the battleship to stop, the sail battleship that was sailing rapidly could have stopped.

The sound of explosions is still heard.

A large number of warships were attacked by mines, and the seriously damaged ones were slowly sinking.

To make matters worse, in just a few moments, the two formations of the Mediterranean Fleet quickly approached, formed a line, and began to fire at the Spanish Armada.

The two formations, one south and one north, opened fire with full firepower, and aimed at the sails, masts, and gun muzzles of the enemy ships, thus making the enemy ships lose their ability to sail as the first target.

As mentioned earlier, it is difficult to achieve decisive results in a short period of time by simply shelling battleships against each other, and the only way is to break the mast.

A battleship without a mast and following the sail trend is like a toothless tiger.

Alexandre Farnese was no slouch and quickly calmed down, commanding the fleet to fight back, and the brave won when they met on a narrow road, and the Armada had a numerical advantage, not without the power to fight back.

It's just that if the bombardment continues like this, the Mediterranean Fleet will have a positional advantage in the end, and it will attack from both sides, and if it is two to one, the Spanish Invincible Fleet will be crippled if it is not destroyed.

The accident came to Casillas, who had eased up a little, and looked at it, and in the blink of an eye, nearly thirty capital warships had sunk in the Armadada.

This loss made Casillas's face pale.

The Armada was the property of the whole of Spain, and it must not be defeated all at once.

"No, you can't fight like this."

Casillas immediately reacted that if the Armada really suffered heavy losses in this battle, then the Gallic fleet and the Roman fleet would never give Spain a second chance to enter the Mediterranean.

Only then will it be called real despair, in the end, the face is small, and the interests are big.

"Retreat, retreat!"

Casillas approached Alexandre Farnese and gave the order to withdraw his troops.

"What did you say?" Alexandre Farnese couldn't believe it.

I don't want Casillas to be resolute, but he said firmly: "General, at this juncture, the preservation of the fleet is the first priority, you don't know the delicate situation in the Mediterranean, right?" ”

When Alexandre Farnese heard this, his expression was silent, and he understood it at all. Although unwilling, Alexandre Farnese had to admit that Casillas had a point, gritted his teeth and said: "Then withdraw!" ”

"Withdraw!"

Soon, the order to retreat was conveyed.

Unfortunately, even if the Spanish Armada wanted to withdraw, not all warships could be withdrawn. Neither by a mine, nor by a mast broken by the Mediterranean fleet, will not be able to go.

Such warships actually accounted for a third of the entire fleet.

Moreover, the Armada had already entered the depths of the minefield, and it was very difficult to stop in a hurry at this moment, and to turn the bow of the ship again. In the process, it inevitably encountered mines laid in the sea again, and was hit again.

It's really a disaster.

Fortunately, the Spanish Armada is a well-trained and mature fleet, from commanders to generals, to sailors and crews, all of whom are experienced.

Therefore, although there were successive changes this time, in the end they were panicked but not chaotic, and one after another the battleships completed a gorgeous turn in the bursts of artillery fire, and the collective U-turn was completed. In the process, you can also fire back.

The heritage of the old maritime empire should not be underestimated.

Seeing that the enemy was about to withdraw, Alvaro naturally did not let it go easily, and ordered the fleet to bypass the minefield and continue the pursuit. Relying on the territorial characteristics of the Great Xia Dynasty, the Mediterranean Fleet was a little faster than the Invincible Fleet.

In addition, the warships of the Arma were more or less attacked by mines, and it was easier for them to be caught up by the Mediterranean Fleet and encounter constant bombardment.

Cannonballs streaked across the sky and exploded on the deck, causing people to turn on their backs.

At this moment, both Casillas and Alexandre Farnese had a headache.

"No, you can't just leave. If it continues like this, the fleet will have to be slowly consumed. At the critical moment, Alexandre Farnese made a decision, and immediately ordered twenty warships to turn their bows again, end to end, and block the pursuit route of the Mediterranean Fleet by means of a wire across the river.

The remaining warships took the opportunity to flee in disarray.

When Alvaro saw it, he sighed, his expression was complicated, and said, "Count you out!" "He was born in Spain, and now although he is his own master, he can't bear to face his old club again.

It's just that no matter how unbearable you are, you still have to fight.

…………

An hour later, the Spanish Armada, which had severed its arm, finally escaped the pursuit of the Mediterranean Fleet, crossed the Strait of Gibraltar again, and withdrew in disarray.

Die before you go on the expedition, it's really sad.

The whole battleship was shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere, and Casillas was ashamed, remembering the bold words before departure, and the strange glances cast by the other Mediterranean lords, Casillas could hardly raise his head, and really had no face to face these allies.

Seeing that the Spanish Armada was deflated in front of the two formations of the Mediterranean Fleet, with more than half of the warships lost and their strength suddenly reduced, these Mediterranean allies were really shocked in their hearts and had different expressions.

In this way, the already strange situation in the Mediterranean is afraid that it will be reborn.

As for Caroline and Reinier, the two Moroccan lords, they were already dead at this time, and they knew better than anyone that Morocco's last chance to win was completely buried in a big explosion.

Rainier had a strong temperament, killed himself on the spot, and went to the royal city of reincarnation.

Caroline didn't have the courage to kill herself, so she locked herself in the cabin and never saw anyone again. She was just waiting for the moment when the system pronounced the death of Morocco and went to the place of trial together.

At this moment, another warship came to the sea area ahead, and it was the fifth formation of the Mediterranean Fleet stationed in the base point city. According to the plan, the fifth formation itself was responsible for intercepting the Armada.

Compared to Alexandre Farnese, Álvaro still has to be more skilled and precise in his calculations.

With the current wreckage of the Spanish Armada, it was not afraid of the provocation of the fifth formation, and even was sure to win the battle. It's just that Casillas, who was still in a state of panic, was reluctant to fight any longer, fearing that the fleet would be dragged by the enemy and then overtaken by the other two formations pursuing behind.

At that time, under the front and rear attacks, the invincible arma is afraid that it will be difficult to escape.

Therefore, when he saw the fifth formation, Casillas didn't think about it, and directly transferred twenty warships to intercept it again, while the remaining main force guarded the flagship, made a detour, and fled back home in embarrassment.

The proud Casillas, this time was completely frightened by the Mediterranean fleet.