Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 953

Episode 953: Battle of Corsica (9)

The Empire’s challenger-class front lines entered the enemy camp again, facing a headwind. The sailors of the imperial fleet charging forward gathered their spirits. In order to advance through a headwind, one had to meander (moving in a meandering zigzag manner) while avoiding the wind. Naturally, speed decreased with speed and distance increased with distance, and sailors had to pay more attention to handling the sails than to fighting. Suddenly, there was one more enemy.

The good news was that the empire’s sailors were accustomed to dealing with headwinds. This was because the mission of controlling trade routes to and from the empire’s headquarters and patrolling the east and west coasts of Shinji could not be properly accomplished by waiting for favorable winds. Thanks to this, the imperial government, including the imperial navy, was seriously considering installing steam engines on all ships.

-Is it cheaper to put a steam engine on it? Or would it be better to sell them all and replace them with new ships? But both the sailors and officers of the Imperial Navy had something else to worry about. It was a problem of lack of experience. Not since the Battle of the Yellow Sea has dozens or hundreds of ships lined up to engage in group warfare. Thanks to this, for most executives and sailors, this was their first experience of group combat.

Because of this, the sailors and officers had to constantly gather their wits. The command of the Imperial Navy was well aware of this, so the formation changed when re-entering against a headwind. The re-entering Challenger-class ships were moving in pairs. Two ships paired together would protect each other’s weaknesses and deal with the enemy.

The two assault ships also showed different movements. Instead of looking at the front of the ship, I looked at the fleet’s situation from the left and right sides of the fleet. In the Imperial Navy, it was to perform a mission called ‘herding dog’. Its mission was to save allies in danger using its mobility regardless of the wind and its powerful firepower and defense.

* * *

The Imperial Navy repeated entry and re-entry three times. As a result of the three attacks on the combined fleet, about 30% of the combined fleet was sunk and about 20% suffered serious losses and were separated from the camp. Half of the fleet was gone, but the fighting spirit of the combined fleet was still alive.

“The enemy’s movements have slowed down!”

“They are human too! They are not monsters!”

“Try contact! Close combat is the answer!”

As the officers said as they turned their soldiers around, the movement of the challenger-class front lines was gradually slowing down. This was because the sailors quickly became tired of the double hardship of constantly adjusting sails and fighting while repeating entry, breakthrough, and re-entry. As the monster-like Challenger-class battle lines gradually became dull, the battleships of the Combined Fleet clung tenaciously like a school of sharks attacking a sperm whale.

Among the warships of the combined fleet that rushed in this way, the most active ones were pirate ships hired as mercenaries.

* * *

When hiring pirates, the leadership of the Allied Fleet presented the following conditions.

-I will pardon all previous piracy acts.

-If you make a big contribution in a naval battle, you will be rewarded.

-Challenger-class battleship.

Defeat: 700 Venetian ducats or 900 French libras.

Sink: 1000 ducats of Venetian gold or 1200 libras of French gold.

Capture: 10,000 ducats of Venetian gold coins or 112,000 libras of French gold coins.

-Ironclad ship.

In case of defeat or sinking, twice the amount of a Challenger class battleship is paid.

Marque: 100,000 ducats or 1.2 million libras of Venetian gold.

But the pirates also noticed.

“Attack an ironclad ship? That’s bullshit!”

What the pirates were really aiming for, having given up on assault return from the beginning, was a Challenger-class battleship.

“If you take over a Challenger-class battleship, you’ll run away immediately!”

This was the pirates’ real intention.

-slope? What if I just quit piracy in the future? Are you going to continue pirating in the future?

-repulse? Sinking? And what if you die?

-The capture prize is only 10,000 ducats? barely?

-If I make a Challenger-class battleship as my own, how much can I earn?

The captains of the pirate ships with these intentions rushed at them like crazy.

* * *

Coooooo!

“It’s stuck!”

“Throw the hook line!”

“Oarsmen come up too!”

After many sacrifices and attempts, several pirate ships and Venetian galleys were able to cling to the challenger-level lines. Even for the ships that stuck to the challenger-class battle line, the first floor decks were miserable. Sailors who had been subjected to concentrated fire from military fire trucks installed on the first deck and mast watchtowers of Challenger-class battleships were lying all over the place, and the floor was muddy with red blood.

After a fierce struggle, the eyes of the pirates and Venetian sailors who had clung to the Challenger-class battleship were filled with evil. The pirates and Venetian sailors attached hooks to the side railing of the Challenger-class battleship, which was one floor higher than the pirate ship and Venetian galley, and began to climb up the rope with swords in their mouths.

“Cut the rope!”

“Fire the single gun! Fire!”

bang! Tatang!

The imperial sailors on the challenger-level front lines who were allowed to make contact were not just there either. He cut the hook rope with the sailor’s sword or ax he had, or he aimed the short gun or long gun he had at the heads of approaching enemies and pulled the trigger. The pirates and Venetian sailors fell into the sea when their lines broke or their heads were punctured. However, the pirates and Venetian sailors threw the hook rope again and climbed aboard. On the other hand, he leaned out of the railing and sniped at an Imperial sailor who pulled the trigger.

Tatang!

“Kaaak!”

“evil!”

Imperial sailors who had been shot fell into the sea with a scream or disappeared behind the railings, and pirates and sailors climbed up the rope to take advantage of that moment.

* * *

The two assault return ships were busy moving around, but at some point, they were the Empire’s challenger-level front lines that were stuck one by one. When they were stranded like that, battleships from the combined fleet came from all directions and attempted to make contact. Or, he attempted a crash tactic of running at full speed and striking the side of the challenger-level battle line.

Most of the battleships that attempted collision tactics like this were able to be stopped by assault return ships, but there were also cases where collisions were allowed due to missed timing. Although there have been no sunken Challenger-class battleships yet, most of the battleships were in a serious condition due to accumulated damage.

“This isn’t so good… Check how much ammunition is left! Also check the condition of the artillery!”

“yes!”

The smile on Lim Gil-bok’s face as he gave the order suddenly disappeared. The smile had disappeared into the dust. Im Gil-bok stroked his dust-stained face and looked at the view outside the bridge. Lim Gil-bok muttered softly as he looked at the scene of melee taking place all around him.

“This isn’t really good…”

Just then, Gyun Si’s report came in through Jeon Seong-gwan.

“A large fleet appears in the rear! Affiliation unknown! Confirming!”

“what!”

Lim Gil-bok, frightened by the inspection report, ran to the rear window of the armored bridge. Gilbok Lim put the telescope to his eyes and muttered.

“I heard that the French fleet diverted… Where did it come from? Was it a trick of deception?”

Worried about the worst, Lim Gil-bok focused his gaze on the mast of the approaching fleet.

“The military flag…”

Lim Gil-bok’s face suddenly brightened as he looked at the military flag fluttering from the mast.

“It’s the Portuguese Navy! Now we can take a breather!”

* * *

“I managed to get the timing right. Whoa.”

Admiral Ricardo, who was examining the situation from the flagship, finally sighed with an expression of relief. It was Ricardo’s fleet that left Lisbon as soon as he heard that the combined French and Spanish fleet had passed through Gibraltar. Admiral Ricardo passed through the Strait of Gibraltar and joined the fleet stationed in Ceuta and headed for Corsinca with all his might.

“Getting the timing right is the most important thing!”

If they arrived before the battle began, there was a high possibility that they would become targets of the combined fleet or serve as the vanguard. However, it was certain that if I arrived after everything was over, I would only have an appetite. The best thing to do was to jump in when the fighting on both sides was at its peak. If it was successful, maximum effect could be achieved with minimum loss.

For this reason, Admiral Ricardo diligently released a spy ship to check the situation while moving at full speed. As a result, Admiral Ricardo, who confirmed the information that the French fleet was bypassing Corsica, divided the fleet into two.

-The main force continues like this and enters the Tyrrhenian Sea to attack the enemy fleet.

-The detachment pursues the rear of the French fleet and attacks the rear of the French fleet as well.

-Keep in mind that the empire must start a naval battle before entering it.

-Keep in mind to minimize the losses of your fleet.

And Admiral Ricardo drove the fleet into battle at the best moment.

* * *

The intervention of the Portuguese naval fleet clearly decided the outcome. The Allied fleet, losing nearly 70% of its fleet, was scattered into four divisions and routed. Aldan’s ships fled to Corsica, while others fled to Sardinia and Naples. However, the exhausted imperial fleet did not have the strength to pursue them. And the Portuguese fleet had no will to pursue its fleeing enemies.

-All sailors were exhausted as they went straight into battle after a long voyage.

On the surface, this was an excuse, but there was another ulterior motive.

-The cause and practical benefit have already been taken care of.

-It is certain that this naval battle will not be the end, so unexpected losses must be avoided.

Eventually, the Portuguese and imperial fleets returned home to Livorno. Admiral Ricardo, who was looking at the imperial battleships in disarray here and there, turned his gaze to the sea north of Corsica and muttered.

“It doesn’t look like it will be an easy battle on that side either…”

* * *

As Admiral Ricardo expected, the naval battle that took place in the northwest waters of Corsica was also a difficult battle. At this time, the world’s most powerful assault ship was deployed, but there was only one ship. The fleet that participated in the war was also problematic. In the case of the Empire’s escort fleet, its firepower was good, but its defense was a problem. In the case of our friendly Florentine fleet, the main force was galleys equipped with about 20 guns.

On the other hand, the opposing French fleet consisted of 60 large three-masted ships equipped with over 40 guns and more than 20 auxiliary ships. The Spanish fleet was also added, making it a large fleet of about 110 ships. In terms of numbers alone, the power difference was 1:3, and the Empire was number 1.

In the end, both sides were engaged in a fierce battle until the Portuguese contingent arrived.

* * *

Ultimately, the naval battle ended in victory for the Empire and the Florence-Portuguese alliance. France lost 50% of its battleships, Spain lost 70%, and Venice and Habsburg suffered near annihilation. However, it was not an easy victory for the empire either. Eight escort battleships were sunk, and all of the Challenger-class ships had to go to a shipyard in Florence for repairs.

“If this happens, the true nature of a challenger will be revealed.”

Son Il-won bowed his head at Hyang’s words.

“This happened due to the warden’s lack of ability. I ask for forgiveness.”

“No, this is unavoidable. There were too many opponents. And it is also Jim’s fault for overlooking this.”

And not long after, Hyang smiled bitterly at the information that came from Corsica.

“It finally broke through.”

– Mobilizing French Navy divers to search for sunken friendly ships.