Chapter 55: T-Formation Tactics

The battleship class lecture by Mikasa was very vivid; she started from the earliest ironclad ships, and midway she also talked about the T-shaped tactic she had used back then.

Qin Ge kept nodding as he listened to Mikasa's lecture, after all the T-shaped tactic is the most useful tactic for battleships, a gunnery tactic tempered by history and war.

Because the guns of ironclad ships at that time were mounted on both sides, only presenting the broadside to the enemy could produce the best combat effect. If the entire fleet's broadside faced the enemy's column and struck their vanguard ship, a terrifying effect could be produced.

And this T-shaped tactic is also the origin of the name 'battleship'; at the time, the side that used this tactic most should have been the Royal Fleet that created it.

The heyday of the T-cross head tactic was during the Anglo-Dutch Wars; it was broken after the Battle of Trafalgar and the Battle of Lissa. But the emerging T-cross head tactic was reorganized after the Battle of the Yalu and the Russo-Japanese War, reaching its peak in the Battle of Jutland during World War I.

T-shaped gunnery tactics have always been a classic of naval warfare, but there are counterexamples—for instance, in the Atlantic battle, the engagement of HMS Prince of Wales, HMS Hood, and the Bismarck was, while seizing a T-shaped position, sunk by the Bismarck's fourth salvo, which destroyed the Royal Navy's proud HMS Hood.

The reason is that T-shaped gunnery has a major flaw: one's ship course is fixed, making it easy for the enemy to aim, and the exposed broadside is large in area; if the enemy's firepower is fierce and long-ranged, adopting this formation feels like asking to be hit.

However, for shipgirls nowadays, this weakness can be neglected. Because shipgirls have a more agile movement than steel warships, and they are not as bulky nor as obviously exposed in broadside area as steel warships.

Therefore, for shipgirls today—especially those skilled in gunnery—forming a T-shaped tactic column that is fast enough and has good evasion can often achieve surprise.

Meanwhile, Li Chenming beside him was not idle either; after all, Qin Ge, an assistant teacher, sat right next to him, so whenever he didn't understand something, he would quietly ask Qin Ge.

When Qin Ge faced Li Chenming's questions, he showed no impatience, but instead explained in detail the parts he didn't understand. Moreover, he gave him a detailed explanation of each key point, showing where these points manifest in reality.

Thus, after one lesson, Li Chenming also benefited greatly. Moreover, he felt that his action of getting close to Qin Ge was very correct.

As the bell rang, Mikasa's battleship class ended; after everyone stood and saluted her, Mikasa nodded from afar at Qin Ge's position, then walked away alone.

After all, she had noticed Qin Ge's interaction with Li Chenming beside him during class, so she was also very pleased that Qin Ge could make friends at school in the role of an instructor. Thus she did not disturb them, choosing instead to leave first on her own.

At this moment, Li Chenming turned his head and said to Qin Ge, 'Qin Ge, shall we go eat together?'

Qin Ge nodded, 'Of course.'

'Then let's go eat together; later at the cafeteria I can also buy Z1 a bottle of cola.' Li Chenming said with a smile.

'Hehe.' Qin Ge gave a faint smile, looking at Z1 beside Li Chenming, who had a mature demeanor, and said, 'Chenming, you now have Z1, so how many units of oil does the school give you per week?'

'A total of 250 units,' Li Chenming asked with a laugh, 'And you? Having two Super Rare Shipgirls would surely give you a lot, right?' He asked, his tone showing no envy at all.

'Oh, mine is 700 units per week, which should also include some rewards for my work as an assistant teacher.' Qin Ge said while tidying up his books.

'Hmm, about right; I thought you'd have even more.' Li Chenming said, 'Summoning the most ordinary shipgirl yields 200 units of oil per week, while I summoned an elite, which gives 250 units per week; presumably, if one summoned a Super Rare Shipgirl, it would give 300 units per week.'

'Indeed, that's about right.' Qin Ge nodded, handing the tidied books to Banrenma, who then placed the books into her ship equipment space.

The two began to leave their seats and walk out of the classroom; as they passed some commanders, those commanders repeatedly nodded and saluted Qin Ge.

Leaving the classroom, five people walked together on the main road; Li Chenming said to Qin Ge, 'They salute you like this every day, and you keep returning the salute—doesn't that get tiring?'

Qin Ge laughed and shook his head, 'No, not really; one just gets used to it.'

'Suddenly I feel that being an instructor isn't easy either.' Li Chenming said to Qin Ge.

'What's not easy about it? If I can use my knowledge to let these commanders reduce their own casualties in future battles and create greater merits, then for me that is the highest honor.' Qin Ge said with a smile.

'Having an instructor like you is truly our fortune.' Li Chenming said somewhat emotionally.

'It's all the same.' Qin Ge chuckled.

'By the way, you're also a cadet commander this year; so if you graduate in two years, will you leave the Azure Lane Commander Academy, or will you stay here as an instructor?' Li Chenming asked.

'Of course I'll choose to leave, because I'm an assistant teacher here only because the previous instructor left Shenhua City due to some personal matters and returned inland. So when he comes back, I probably won't continue as an assistant teacher.' Qin Ge replied.

'Then what do you plan to do after leaving school?' Li Chenming asked, 'Will you be a lone wanderer doing daily mission commissions, join a certain city's grand fleet, or, with your current strategic and tactical cultivation, build your own grand fleet?'

Qin Ge shook his head, walking forward facing ahead, 'I haven't considered that; we'll see when the time comes. Besides, if I were to build a grand fleet, who would follow a newly graduated novice commander like me?'

'Me!' Li Chenming exclaimed excitedly, 'I feel that if you, Qin Ge, were to build a grand fleet, it would surely become a very powerful grand fleet, and under your strategic and tactical planning, this grand fleet could go very far.'

'So if you want to build a grand fleet, don't forget me—I will absolutely be the first to join your grand fleet!'

Qin Ge chuckled, 'Then I would truly appreciate your kindness; if it ever becomes necessary to form such a grand fleet, I will definitely let you be the first to join my grand fleet.'

'Hehe, then it's settled!' Li Chenming said to Qin Ge.

Qin Ge nodded, 'Yeah, just as we agreed.'