Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 950

Episode 950: Battle of Corsica (6)

Of course, the word ‘nearby’ did not mean physical distance.

“Huh? Will it actually move like this?”

Operations that showed even the slightest interest – most of which were negative – inevitably ended in unexpected difficulties due to unexpected enemy control. Thanks to that, that kind of word started to spread. It wasn’t just in practice. Hyang, who was evaluated as a ‘crazy nerd’, mobilized all his virtuosity to create ‘War Game’. The war game named ‘Myosan (??)’ from Sun Tzu’s The Art of War was immediately introduced into the military officers’ curriculum.

Next, the township issued an order disguised as a recommendation to use this not only in the training process but also in the process of planning actual operations to anticipate possibilities. The military’s response to this was not bad.

“There is also the practice of ‘silent silence’…”

And in times of peace, there were many cases where the county directly participated in war games. From Hyang’s perspective, it was an ‘analog RTS game’ in which people played instead of computers. It was semi-entertainment for Hyang, but the other party felt like death.

-Even if you win, if you lose, you’ll have a hard time!

If he won against Hyang, there was a high possibility that he would be criticized or slandered, saying, “I took victory from the emperor.” On the other hand, if he lost, he criticized him harshly, saying, ‘Isn’t the military officer’s qualifications lacking?’

“We should think about His Majesty’s military talent!”

Even when I protested like this, the response I received was criticism.

“Still, a military officer who only studies military tactics all year long shouldn’t lose! Don’t make excuses!”

There were various war games that Hyang attended. There were many small-scale actions carried out by the Army and Navy, and many large-scale actions conducted with neighboring countries as virtual enemies. And Yang, who attended large-scale war games, always played as an enemy of the empire. And in most cases, scent won.

In the discussions that followed while analyzing the results, Hyang always said this.

“Keep in mind that the enemy also knows your strengths and weaknesses! And don’t forget that the enemy is also getting stronger! Don’t assume that the enemy will always do what we think!”

All the generals present responded with one voice to Hyang’s words.

“I will keep this in mind!”

Looking at that scene, Hyang muttered to herself.

‘I heard that the general who told me not to make prejudicial decisions wasted his promotion, right?’

After World War I, Japan’s greatest enemy became the United States. At the time, the Japanese Navy frequently engaged in war games against the United States. At that time, the general of the Japanese Navy, who played the role of the United States, won game after game. The way he won was simple.

It was a thorough reversal of the ‘fleet battle’ and gradual interception’ that the Japanese Navy had blind faith in at the time – in other words, it was a proper understanding of America’s capabilities and use. At the time, the general responded to his colleagues who called him a coward.

“Forget the idea that the U.S. military will act the way we think!”

After that, the general could not go any higher. And the Japanese Navy, unable to abandon ‘fleet battle’ and ‘decreasing interception’, accepted an even more disastrous result.

* * *

Son Il-won, who had experienced being attacked by Hyang several times, looked at the map and thought again from the beginning.

-The size of the enemy’s fleet is very large.

-For a fleet like that to properly operate, a wide sea area is needed.

-The strength of our navy’s battleships is that they have stronger performance than theirs. Firepower, defense, and mobility are all superior.

-If it were such a wide sea area, we would rather welcome it.

‘wait! ‘They probably don’t know this either, right?’

Son Il-won began to think the opposite, as he had learned from Hyang.

-If I were the enemy, I would try to neutralize even one of the empire’s strengths. That way, the probability of winning increases.

-Among firepower, defense, and mobility, the easiest to neutralize is mobility.

‘To tie up our fleet…’

Son Il-won, who was looking at the map with a devouring expression, stopped at Corsica.

‘In that place…’

By blocking the strait between Corsica and the Tuscan Islands with a large fleet, the imperial fleet could be tied up. Of course, if it was a return line, there was no problem in breaking through. Challenger-level front lines would also struggle, but breakthrough would be possible. The problem was the escort fleet of the transport fleet traveling between Suez and Livorno and the battleships of the Florentine Navy. The qualitative main force of the current fleet was the assault return ships and challenger-class ships sent from Shinji, but the numerical main force was the escort fleet and the fleet of the Florentine Navy.

In the case of the escort fleet, its mobility and defense, excluding firepower, were on par with European ships, and the Florentine fleet was exactly the same. It was certain that if the escort fleet and the Florentine fleet were stranded by the enemy fleet in the strait and became involved in a melee, they would suffer serious damage. If the escort fleet and the Florentine fleet suffered serious damage, supply routes would be problematic.

‘The powerful firepower that our imperial army is proud of is only possible if proper supply is maintained. Then…’

“It’s not Tyrrhenia. The enemy’s destination is Corsica. The strait between Corsica and the Tuscan Islands.”

The staff members all looked like they did not understand Son Il-won’s conclusion.

“Do you mean Corsica?”

“The strait is too narrow for a large fleet to engage in maneuver warfare. All the battleships that are going in will be tangled up and stranded.”

Son Il-won immediately responded to the aides’ point out,

“Aren’t we also stranded?”

Despite Son Il-won’s explanation that followed, the aides still looked skeptical.

“They said that. “Can they use a certain level of cunning?”

“These are the people who insist on ‘chivalry’ or something, but insist on a head-on collision to the point of stupidity. Are you that smart?”

“Tsk!”

In response to the staff’s disbelief-filled response, Son Il-Won clicked his tongue without realizing it, and the staff became astonished. Son Il-Won asked the staff with a pitiful expression.

“Before making a grave decision, I always What were you shouting?”

“The enemy doesn’t move as we think… ah!”

The staff members who responded conditionally turned to look like they had been punched, and Son Il-won said to the staff with a sharp expression.

“We. The guys you’re dealing with aren’t land guys, they’re sailors. These guys risked their lives every day fighting with pirates who had no idea about chivalry. Don’t forget this and think about it again.”

At Son Il-won’s order, the staff members once again looked through the data and analyzed the situation. As time passed, the staff members let out a long sigh.

“Whew~. It seems that Captain Thieves is right.”

“If it’s Corsica, there’s a good chance we’ll get a shot.”

“If that’s the case, then reconsider your strategy accordingly. ah! They say the Portuguese fleet is coming, so take this into consideration.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Don’t forget that the enemy’s fleet is coming here at this very moment, so I won’t disappoint you, right?’

“I will do my best!”

In response to Son Il-won’s subtle threats, the staff planned the operation all night long. Two days later, Son Il-won, who reviewed the operation plan submitted by the staff members who had become Kimchi, nodded.

“It’s okay. I’ll ask you to proceed like this. And are you dispatching the scout ships and scouts properly?”

“Yes, Captain.”

* * *

The operation report submitted by Son Il-won was immediately uploaded to Yu Eung-bu.

‘The enemy’s plan is that the most effective tactic is to force a large fleet into that narrow strait?”

Yu Eung-bu looked at the report several times with a puzzled look on his face.

“No matter how I look at it, I don’t understand it. But maybe I’m mistaken. Because I am from the army.”

Yu Eung-bu, who was well aware of his limitations, immediately took the documents and stood up.

“It would be quicker to ask His Majesty.”

Hyang received the naval operation plan submitted by Yu Eung-bu and prepared the map and plan. He looked in turn and continued his analysis.

“Hmm… the enemy definitely has grounds to act like this.”

“But if you look at the strategy, isn’t it a good strategy?”

Hearing Yu Eung-bu’s words, Hyang shook his head.

“No. “I think it’s a good strategy.”

Hyang’s explanation that followed was very similar to Son Il-won’s.

“……If you really look at it that way, it can be said to be a good strategy.”

When Yu Eung-bu agreed, Hyang wrote down an order on a blank sheet of paper and spoke. He added,

“I don’t think they were simply thinking of tying up our fleet and beating it with numerical superiority. “It will be the perfect situation to use the time-honored tactic of ‘hammer and anvil.’”

As soon as he finished speaking, Hyang handed over the written order to Yu Eung-bu.

– Proceed as planned, but keep in mind the possibility of a diversionary attack by the enemy and deploy the fleet. Adjust.

– Keep in mind that the fleet is more valuable when out on the sea than when it stays in port.

* * *

The combined imperial and Florentine fleets, which modified their operations based on the orders sent by the governor, were busy. Countless While the scout ships were patrolling the Ligurian Sea and the islands of Corsica and Sardinia, the imperial escort fleet, the Florentine fleet, and one assault return ship left Livorno and moved to Genoa, while challenging the two disqualified return ships remaining in Livorno

. The self-sufficient battleships prepared for battle by rechecking the status of their gunpowder and shells. In particular, the busiest ones were the assault return ships. Smoke was billowing from the funnels of the assault return ships, which had moved to the sea in front of the port so that they could depart at any time. Soared up.

While fully prepared and waiting for the enemy, the ships that had gone out to scout for Sardena began to hurriedly return to Livorno.

– Enemy large fleet discovered!

– Enemy fleet continues to head north! At least 120 ships!

– Correction ! At least 150 ships!

– Confirm the military discipline of Spain, Venice, and Habsburg!

– Confirm many fronts of unknown affiliation! Presumed to be pirates based on size and scale!

Son Il-won and his staff analyze the reports brought by the scout ships and learn the enemy’s intentions. “There are more than 150 ships… If so ,

it would be impossible to build a line connecting Bastia and Coscana.”

“That’s right. Rather, it is more likely that we will adopt a sack-shaped formation connecting the south and Tuscany.”

Son Il-won nodded at the words of the senior staff. In order to tie down the imperial fleet even a little more securely, the imperial fleet must be drawn in further. Just like that, when the imperial fleet came in, they would tie the mouth of the sack and pound it from all sides.

“….. Otherwise, as your Majesty said, it would be to hold on by acting as an anvil. In that case, it would be better suited to be a

Hak-in-jin rather than a sack.” “Are there any among them who are a Hak-in-jin with that much skill?’

“The world is wide and there are many skilled sailors.”

While talking with the staff, Son Il-won’s eyes were fixed on the map.

‘The problem is whether a bypass fleet exists. If there is a diversionary fleet, it will be a crane wing, and if not, it will be sacked.’

Two days later, scout ships that had advanced to Corsica returned with urgent information.

-Another large fleet moving west of Sardinia and Corsica!

Son Il-won smiled bitterly and muttered at the reports from the scouts.

“I lost to Your Majesty again…”