Chapter 38

"Since our goal is to capture the enemy's ships, long-range artillery battles are not in our favor. What about boarding and engaging in close combat?"

Two privateer ships had been trailing the Boyle family fleet from a distance. The pirate leaders on the Yangwei were holding a meeting to discuss specific plans for the raid. Luo Zhengdao turned to look at the senior members present, including the one-eyed captain, Faul Chobain, and bluntly proposed his idea.

The bearded one-eyed Faul Chobain was a hereditary vassal of the Flusseur family, always following his lord's orders. However, when it came to technical details, he didn't need to be overly polite to Luo Zhengdao and raised an objection:

"Lord, close combat is not in our favor. The Boyle family fleet is larger, with more sailors. The outcome of boarding would be very pessimistic."

Hearing this, the attendees nodded in agreement. The casualty rate in close combat was always shockingly high. Although pirates were not afraid to die for wealth, if they could easily complete the raid without risking their lives, who would willingly throw themselves into a hopeless situation?

Seeing this, Luo Zhengdao did not insist on his own opinion. He turned to the boatswain, Zola Hegel, who had a thoughtful expression, and asked:

"Zola, what do you think?"

"The Boyle family fleet is a tough nut to crack. We can't act rashly; we need to find the right opportunity."

Putting aside moral and legal considerations, no one could achieve success in any profession without proper preparation. Without this awareness, rashly entering a field, whether through deceit or incompetence, would inevitably lead to failure. Piracy, being a risk-free business, was not a place for fools or those who lacked the ability to think. For pirates, the courage to draw blood and the wisdom to assess the situation were both essential.

At this moment, as Luo Zhengdao watched the pirates discussing, he recalled an ancient text he had once studied, and a smile appeared on his lips.

In the old world, the bandit leader of the Spring and Autumn period, Dao Zhi, said that before taking action, bandits must accurately judge whether the situation is favorable, which is called wisdom; guessing the location of hidden valuables and striking accurately is called brilliance; leading the charge when the action begins is called bravery; staying behind after the action to ensure a fair distribution of loot is called righteousness; and finally, distributing the loot fairly among the subordinates is called benevolence. Thus, even to become a competent bandit leader, one must possess various professional qualities to ensure success. A band of unorganized misfits would never achieve greatness. Therefore, even bandits have their code.

This sense of detachment from reality made Luo Zhengdao feel many emotions. He said softly:

"Ah, life is like a play, and a play is like life!"

The core issue of the ongoing debate was not whether to attack this tough target but when the right moment would be. If the timing was too long, the enemy might realize something was amiss and take evasive actions, causing the fat target to slip away. The pirates were naturally unwilling to let this happen. Soon, the subordinates' attention focused on their leader, Luo Zhengdao. Since there were significant differences of opinion, and it was difficult to persuade the others, they decided to focus on him.

The quick-witted boatswain, Zola Hegel, stood up and said solemnly to Luo Zhengdao:

"Captain, we have discussed for a long time. What is your opinion now?"

Seeing this, Luo Zhengdao stroked his chin, scanned the varied expressions of the attendees, and smiled. He picked up a drawing pen and drew a circle on the tactical whiteboard, which marked the positions of both sides, and said:

"We will concentrate all our efforts on the flagship and resolve the battle in the shortest time. I don't believe these traitors have the courage to fight to the death. Once the flagship is defeated, without unified command, they will scatter and flee. At that time, we can choose which ship to attack."

Hearing this, Vena Dubov expressed serious concern and unease, frowning and saying:

"Will, this is a very risky move!"

Due to his穿越者的傲慢本性 (穿越者 means "穿越者" which can be translated as "穿越者" or "穿越者" in this context, but it's a bit awkward, so I'll use "穿越者" for simplicity), Luo Zhengdao had little patience for cautious behavior, even from those close to him. He rebutted bluntly:

"Alright! Do you have any better suggestions?"

This comment immediately chilled the atmosphere. Luo Zhengdao's approach was indeed too simplistic and brutal. If the half-elf beauty had a better plan, she would have said so. Such a blunt question was almost a rebuke.

The meeting room fell silent for a while. The one-eyed captain, Faul Chobain, laughed and stood up to break the awkward tension, saying:

"Since we've decided to act, let's discuss the specific battle deployment."

Discussing specific issues avoided the question of who was right or wrong, allowing the meeting to proceed smoothly. After some back-and-forth, the attendees' views gradually aligned. The boatswain, Zola Hegel, summarized the group's opinion:

"… We will penetrate the enemy fleet from the middle to the rear, concentrating the Yangwei's firepower on the flagship's stern. The Chaoyong will be responsible for distracting the other enemy ships. We must aim to cripple the flagship in one strike, and the rest will be easy."

Indeed, the task before the pirates was extremely challenging. Although it was well-known that the critical areas of a sailing warship were in the stern, where the captain's cabin, rudder, and command deck were located, this did not mean it was the easiest part to attack.

In the new world, the design of conventional warships placed important facilities in the stern for several reasons. The wind direction came from the stern, and the rudder system, which could only be placed there, was crucial. Sailors knew that due to the wind direction, the toilet was located at the bow, and no one would want to reverse the order, making the entire ship smell.

If the enemy's cannon fire destroyed the rudder or rudder post in the stern, the entire warship would quickly lose its ability to turn, becoming a stationary target. Additionally, attacking from the stern had an extra benefit: it avoided the bulkheads designed to protect against broadside attacks.

If luck was on their side, a single cannonball could penetrate the entire deck from the stern to the bow, bouncing and causing massive destruction. Just imagining this scene in one's mind could evoke a deep, bone-chilling fear, a terrifying image that could only appear in a nightmare.

From a data analysis perspective, the comprehensive battle plan proposed by Luo Zhengdao and his team was flawless, maximizing their advantages. The real challenge was whether they could implement it in reality.

Based on Zola Hegel's years of pirate experience, the plan to attack the flagship, though seemingly audacious, was not without merit. The risk factor in this plan was controllable, unlike speculation, which was not about the amount of investment but the ability to control the risk. The biggest risk to the success of the surprise attack was that only the Yangwei could be committed to the main assault, while the enemy had a numerical advantage. Although the enemy might be overconfident, if the pirates were not cautious, they could easily become the hunted.

After some deliberation, the boatswain smiled confidently and said to the attendees:

"Since the captain thinks this plan is good and everyone agrees, I will check the preparation of the short-barreled heavy cannons. If they fail to fire when the battle starts, it will be a disaster."

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao nodded in agreement:

"The short-barreled heavy cannons are the most critical part of the plan. Zola, make sure there are no mistakes."

Among the various weapons used in naval battles in the new world, the short-barreled heavy cannon was a unique and unconventional weapon. In the old world, similar short-barreled, large-caliber cannons were called carronades. These short, thick cannons sacrificed range to maximize firepower, making them formidable close-range weapons. If used correctly, a single shot from a short-barreled heavy cannon could destroy an entire enemy ship, whether using solid shot, grapeshot, or canister shot, with terrifying effects in battle.

Luo Zhengdao vaguely remembered the first time he saw these short, squat iron cannons, which reminded him of the large ceramic jars used for pickling vegetables in his childhood. The caliber-to-length ratio of these cannons was indeed exaggerated.

If asked about the power of a 60-pound stone shot from a short-barreled heavy cannon and what it would feel like to be hit by one, Luo Zhengdao sincerely hoped he would never have to find out the answer to this absurd question.

As the meeting concluded, Luo Zhengdao said to his subordinates:

"Follow the plan. The Chaoyong will provide support from the outside, and the Yangwei will attack alone. Everyone, prepare accordingly!"

About half an hour later, the sunlight began to shift westward. Through his monocular, Luo Zhengdao clearly saw the Chaoyong hoist a series of signal flags indicating "ready." He then raised a brass speaking trumpet and shouted:

"Full speed ahead, attack!"

The Yangwei, unfurling all its true magic patterned sails, reached its maximum speed of 22 knots in just a few minutes. This massive wooden warship, resembling a residential building, charged at the Boyle family fleet like a runaway horse.

Compared to the average cruising speed of about 10 knots for the enemy's two-masted fleet, the Yangwei, equipped with true magic patterned sails, had the speed to circle around the enemy ships. This significant speed difference was the key reason Zola Hegel supported the seemingly rash attack plan. In any era, the faster side always had the initiative, able to pursue and attack when the situation was favorable and retreat when it was not. In the old world, nomadic tribes used this strategy to frustrate countless armies of agricultural civilizations, which could not catch up with their four-legged enemies.

---

The page turned, and the advertisement began.

The page turned, and the advertisement ended.