Execution Queue on the High Seas

Translator: Cinder Translations

...

Twelve warships formed a long column, silently sailing south under the lead of the flagship, the Unicorn. The fleet wasn't just sailing; the sound of explosions rang out repeatedly as the gunners aboard conducted live-fire training.

To best simulate a battlefield environment, live ammunition had been used for the shooting drills over the past two days, and the entire fleet sailed through a shroud of smoke.

Fleet Commander Tirpitz stood at the bow of the Unicorn, leaning against the railing, his pipe in hand, silently gazing at the sea ahead.

According to the interrogations of captured pirates, there were originally over 60 pirate ships stationed at West Harbor, though they would send at least 20 of those out to transport plundered goods.

With nearly 40 ships remaining, could his fleet handle it? This was the first time Alden's military forces were showcasing their strength to the world beyond the Northwest Bay, with the cooperation of the kingdom's military. If they failed, it would tarnish Lord Grayman's reputation. Failure could lead to serious consequences.

Externally, other regions of the kingdom had always looked down upon the Northwest Bay, and a failure would only deepen this disdain.

That wasn't the main issue; the real trouble lay within the Northwest Bay itself—failure would severely damage Lord Grayman's prestige among the local lords, potentially causing Alden's hard-earned status in the usurper wars to be lost.

Despite being a military man, Tirpitz was well aware of the current political climate in the Northwest.

The lords were in the process of forming an organization called the Customs Union. As with any alliance, there needed to be a leader, or a de facto dominant force. Although this alliance was proposed by Alden, the position of leader was not guaranteed to him. Every powerful territory (or those who considered themselves powerful) was vying for this position.

Alden desperately needed to enhance his political prestige again, and a military victory was often the most direct way to achieve that.

He glanced at the sailors on the deck, who were busy practicing reloading procedures, and recalled the words of encouragement often used by Admiral Austin.

"We are the most powerful, most efficient killing machines of this era!"

Equipped with epoch-making weapons with power comparable to legendary artifacts, and with soldiers who trained day after day to master every step of operating these "artifacts," they were ready to unleash a torrent of death upon their enemies when the time came.

Good rations ensured their strong physiques, strict discipline provided them with resilient spirits, ample pay maintained their high morale, and generous pensions relieved their worries.

What other army could perform better?

"We are the strongest!"

Tirpitz repeatedly chanted this phrase in his mind.

"Commander Tirpitz!"

The youthful shout interrupted his thoughts.

Tirpitz turned around and looked down to see a young officer cadet.

"Mr. Alan!"

Tirpitz greeted him with a formal title.

"Report, Commander, today's line battle tactical shooting training has been completed!"

The officer cadet Alan reported in a serious tone to the fleet commander.

Although the old ships like the Southern were left at Frand Harbor for repairs, the cadets from these ships were also assigned to the southbound fleet for practical experience. The navy seized every opportunity for real combat to train the next generation of competent officers.

"Good work. Let the artillerymen rest for a while. We might encounter fierce battles today."

"Yes, Commander!"

"Oh, and Mr. Alan…"

"Is there anything else, Commander?"

Tirpitz called the young officer cadet back.

"Once the battle begins, stay with the gunnery officer on the lower deck of the Unicorn and follow his orders."

Given his smaller stature, moving through the cramped ship's interior was convenient, making him well-suited for relaying messages and orders.

"Yes, Commander!"

Alan saluted and left with an excited expression.

"This will be the first time we use the line battle tactic in actual combat. I wonder how it will perform."

The naval line battle tactic was adapted from the army's line infantry tactics.

The army's line infantry tactic, invented by Lord Grayman, combined with his inventions of rifles and cannons, had played a significant role in the series of wars Alden had participated in.

In every battle, the orderly lines of Alden's soldiers armed with rifles became an indelible nightmare for the enemy.

They marched in sync with drumbeats, firing in unison at the command of their officers, efficiently harvesting the lives of their enemies.

After the army's great successes, Lord Grayman had ordered the naval officers to study how to apply the line battle tactic to naval combat.

With revolutionary new weapons and tactics, Paul Grayman was regarded within the military as a being blessed by the Lord of Light. How else could he explain his leading so many successes without a formal military education?

The naval high command, with a mysterious trust in the lord, immediately set to work researching the application of line battle tactics on the sea.

The navy changed its daily training from a mode of individual combat to a more cohesive "unified" approach.

At this time, with the narrow bow and stern of sailboats, only a few light cannons could be mounted, with the main cannons placed on the sides of the ship, perpendicular to the ship's keel. Thus, the specific tactic was: ships would face the enemy with their sides, forming a continuous line, allowing the fleet to maximize its firepower. This way, each ship could use half its cannons to fire at the enemy.

The naval command's "Naval Combat Regulations" defined the column as the standard formation for naval operations: "All warships in a division must strive to maintain a line formation in front of their division leader…"

According to this combat regulation, if a ship's captain deviated from the line formation during combat, they might be court-martialed afterward—regardless of the greater victory they might have achieved.

The new tactic also addressed another shortcoming of Alden's navy: despite being a recently established force, their combat capabilities on the sea were significantly inferior to traditional sea powers, such as the nations of the Horn Bay. In close battles, traditional naval tactics like boarding were beyond Alden's navy's capability to match.

Therefore, maximizing their range and firepower advantage, inflicting substantial damage on the enemy before they could board, and delivering a blow to their morale became the top priority in the navy's new tactical research.

(End of the Chapter)

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