Chapter 1319
Mission Impossible
Chapter 1319 Mission Impossible
In all fairness, Aragones was right to take Sanya as the primary target of this wave of attacks. If Manila wants to start an all-out war with Haihan, it will undoubtedly be asking for trouble.Even if the Spanish Empire can be called a maritime power in the world, if it comes down to the South China Sea, the military strength of the colonial government in Manila is still not as good as that of the newly-emerged Haihan. Maybe not even [-]% confidence.
What's more, at the end of the year before last, Haihan recruited a large group of countries to form a paramilitary alliance in the name of a trade alliance in the South China Sea. Among the member states, Annan Champa and his ilk were nothing more than that, but Portugal and the Netherlands were very important to the Manila authorities. dreaded opponent.Although Portugal is still a vassal state of Spain in name, the Portuguese will not treat Spain as a suzerain overseas. If there is a chance to make things worse, Aragones has no doubt that the Portuguese will be cruel to him. There will be no talk of friendship between the two countries in the middle.
Not to mention the Dutch, if those red-haired ghosts know that Spain is going to war with Haihan, they will probably participate in it at their own expense and help Haihan fight against Spain.Although the Manila authorities are not afraid of the Dutch East India Company, they do not want it to be Haihan's help.
Cross-sea operations have extremely high requirements for logistical supplies, and the Spanish fleet does not have much advantage in this regard.On the contrary, Haihan, who is at home, can rely on Hainan Island to deal with the Spanish fleet once the situation is stabilized.At that time, even if the Spanish fleet, whose base is thousands of miles away, gains some advantages in the early stage, it will be difficult to fight the Haihan army for a long time on Hainan Island.If they had to withdraw to Manila in despair because of supply problems, it would be better not to make this trip at all.
Aragones didn't want to leave any opportunity for his western competitors to take advantage of. His tactical design was to directly destroy Haihan's center before everyone could react. Only in this way could it be possible to avoid falling into a protracted war.But the actual difficulty of implementing this tactic is not as easy as his own imagination. As the center of the country, Sanya, the capital of Haihan, is one of the most prosperous trading ports in the South China Sea. Its defense methods are also quite complete. The Spanish fleet wants to invade the city of Sanya , is not an easy goal to achieve.
In the past two years, intelligence personnel have successively transmitted information back to Manila. Aragones and the military generals are also generally aware of the defensive measures deployed by Haihan in the two main ports of Sanya, and let the fleet withstand coastal defense artillery and Haihan. It is indeed a bit risky for the navy's firepower to rush towards the port.However, if the Spanish fleet does not enter the port, the substantial damage it can cause to Haihan will be relatively limited, and the combat intention cannot be fully realized.In the process of formulating specific tactics, this contradiction has become the biggest problem plaguing the Manila authorities.
But Aragones has made up his mind that this battle must be fought, and the objectives of the battle must be clear. He cannot travel thousands of miles to Sanya just to show off his muscles and then come back.Either destroy Sanya, or annihilate the main force of the local Haihan Navy, one of the two must be achieved.Of course, if the latter can be achieved, then Sanya can probably be taken down as a matter of course.
Aragones entrusted this task to two of his most trusted officers, one was Juan Luis, commander of the Manila Armed Fleet, and the other was Joao Pinto, commander of the American Galleon Fleet.Both of these two men have made great military exploits in the areas they served in, and have received awards from the domestic royal family more than once.
Of course, their main opponents are naturally not strong men like the Haihan Army, but the aborigines in the colonial areas, those aborigines who are still stuck in the primitive era of slash-and-burn farming, hunting and fruit picking.In addition, there are fellow colonists from Europe, who are also the main combat targets of Spanish armed sailing ships, and they have fought more or less tough battles.
Together, the two fleets can make up about [-] combat ships, plus nearly [-] comprehensive supply ships for transporting armed personnel and supplies, it can be said to be a large-scale fleet .Among the ships belonging to the American Fleet, there are as many as eight large ships with a displacement of more than [-] tons, and each ship is equipped with more than [-] cannons. This is also an armed force that Aragones has high hopes for.
Although the Haihan Fleet is famous, according to the information Aragones has, its fleet size generally only has a dozen warships, and warships with a tonnage of more than a thousand tons are often only one or two in a fleet That's all.Although it is said that the artillery fire of the Haihan battleship is fierce, Aragones and the two fleet commanders believe that there is an exaggerated part of it, and even if it is fierce, it should not be able to match the armed forces of the Spanish fleet. After all, no matter the total tonnage Or the number of ships, the Spanish side seems to have a clear advantage.
It only took more than a month from the finalization of the action plan in Aragones to the departure of the two fleets after they completed their preparations and assembly. This is already a very fast response in the history of the Spanish fleet.However, this kind of preparation efficiency is also because Aragones knows that it is difficult to hide the fleet's movements from everyone, and Manila is not a pure land. If there are no spies and eyes of Haihan people in this city with a large proportion of Chinese, he absolutely does not believe it. .Once the other party's spies notice the actions of the Spanish fleet docked in Manila Bay, they will definitely try to send the news back to Hainan Island, and the official has no effective way to stop such means, unless the harbor is completely blocked one month in advance. Ships come in and out, but this is obviously impossible.If the preparation time is not shortened, it is tantamount to exposing one's own action plan in advance.
Even so, Aragones was actually a little worried about whether his own movements would be noticed by the Haihan people in advance, but now that the arrow was on the string, he had to send it out. Even if the news leaked, he could only count on his own fleet to move fast enough , can attack the door of Haihan people before they can react.
The two commanders of Louis and Pinto naturally knew the importance of racing against time, so after setting off from Manila Bay in the early morning, the fleet traveled at full speed all the way, heading west to the target area.The little time gained during the voyage might be transformed into a victory on the battlefield.
This large fleet of nearly [-] sailing ships went to Hainan Island, which can be described as the largest military action taken by Spain in the Far East in recent years.Aragones expected to use this operation to save Spain's declining situation in the Far East, and the two commanders also placed high hopes on this operation. If they can successfully defeat the Haihan Army and attack Sanya Port City, then this feat It is enough for them to be commended by the royal family, and they are even likely to be awarded titles. Aragones has already assured them that after victory, he will definitely use all his domestic connections to ask for credit for them from the royal family.
It is a great honor for both commanders to step into the ranks of nobles by relying on their military exploits.Even for this reward, they have to try their best.Although the Haihan army is invincible in the legend, it is a majestic Spanish fleet that can cross oceans and open up colonies overseas for the Spanish Empire.Before there was a real fight, the two commanders didn't think their chances of winning were too small. If they could defeat Haihan, they would really become famous in one battle.
However, due to the different speeds of the ships in the fleet, although it is said to be advancing at full speed, it is actually only at the "full speed" of the slower supply ships and troop carriers. The daily mileage is only about [-] to [-] nautical miles.Although the two commanders were anxious, they did not dare to order to abandon the supply troops, so they could only slow down the sailing warship to maintain the integrity of the fleet.
At dawn on the fifth day of departure from Manila, the watchmen on the mast came with a piece of good or bad news.Several light sailboats with unified standards appeared on the nearby sea, heading east side by side at intervals of three or four nautical miles.Judging from their formation alone, it is not difficult to judge what targets these ships seem to be searching for on the sea.Although these light sailing ships did not hang any flags that could indicate their identity, some sailors who were familiar with Haihan recognized that this kind of sailing ship should be built by Haihan, and its unique sail shape made it recognizable at a glance. belongs.
Pinto, the commander of the American Fleet leading the galleon, was the first to get the news. After he heard that it was the Haihan sailboat, he realized that something was wrong.He will not regard this encounter at sea as a coincidence, even if it is true, he must not let these sailing ships of Haihan nationality leave safely, so as not to expose the whereabouts of the fleet, and it can also be used to train troops and let his men think that they are coming soon. Warm up for sea battles.
Pinto immediately issued a combat order, requiring the fleet to encircle and suppress several light sailing ships that appeared at sea.After the signal flag was raised on the flagship, several leading sailboats immediately adjusted their course and headed towards the several light sailboats to the west.
But these unidentified light sailing ships were obviously full of vigilance against the Spanish fleet. Just after adjusting their course here, several light sailing ships on the opposite side immediately turned their heads and turned to the north, obviously aware of Spain's intentions.
That being the case, Pinto had no other choice, and immediately ordered a pursuit.However, the Spanish crew soon discovered that the galleon they were proud of did not show a clear advantage in terms of speed, and the distance between them and the target did not seem to be shortened under full speed.Moreover, the control of these light sailboats is obviously more flexible, and they are constantly changing their course as they flee northward, leading the Spanish galleon galloping across the sea like flying a kite.
The fleet pursued for more than half an hour, but there was still no sign of being able to capture the opponent, and seeing the opponent's constant change of course, it was obvious that there was still room left, and they deliberately led them for a ride on the sea.Pinto had no choice but to give up the pursuit. If he continued the pursuit for one or two hundred nautical miles, he might not be able to catch these light sailing boats that were as slippery as fish.It is said that Haihan sailing boats have excellent maneuverability at sea, and Pinto has seen the real ones today. The absolute speed of these light sailing boats is obviously faster than his own sailing boats, so it is very good to follow behind like this Difficult to catch them.
Pinto resolutely gave up the pursuit, commanded the fleet to return to the correct route, and at the same time sent a flag message to the Manila fleet that came later, explaining what happened just now.Although this little episode made Pinto feel a little embarrassed, the task of raiding Sanya was still more important at the moment, and he couldn't waste too much time on the way for these damned flies.
But not long after, not only Pinto, but even the crew of the Manila Fleet discovered that things were not that simple. Several light sailing ships that they had chased before turned back from a distance, and at a distance of five or six nautical miles, they met Spain. The fleet sailed parallel to the west.Obviously, these ships have given up their original course, and they are relieved to monitor the movement of the Spanish fleet at close range.
Pinto sent out several ships to drive them away again, but these light sailing ships slightly extended the distance, but they did not give up tracking and monitoring the Spanish fleet.After repeating this several times, Pinto had no choice but to give up his plan to drive them out of sight completely.
After this scene lasted for several hours, the ships were still following closely like a gangrene, and an ominous omen was born in the hearts of the two Spanish commanders.These sailing ships suspected to belong to Haihan are so bold, I am afraid they will not be civilian ships, and they are not even in a hurry to rush back to Hainan Island to report the news, they just follow them all the way a few nautical miles away. , definitely did not have any good intentions.Just looking at the size and tonnage of these ships, it is impossible to come forward to challenge the Spanish fleet. What is their purpose?
Louis, the commander of the Manila Fleet, suddenly remembered a rumor about Haihan. It is said that the Haihan people have mastered a unique skill similar to magic or witchcraft, which can instantly transmit information hundreds or even thousands of miles apart. With this skill, he maintains close ties with overseas colonies, and at the same time applies it to command on the battlefield, allowing the commander to freely mobilize troops outside his field of vision.
Of course, the authenticity of this rumor needs to be verified, but if the Haihan people can use this kind of skill at sea, then they probably have managed to transmit the traces of their own fleet back to the base camp.Once this assumption is established, the consequences can be quite terrifying. The destination I am rushing to now is very likely to be the sea cemetery that the Haihan people have already arranged.Thinking of such terrible consequences, Louis quickly ordered someone to send a signal to Pinto's flagship, asking him to suspend his advance and try to meet to discuss the next action.
(End of this chapter)
In all fairness, Aragones was right to take Sanya as the primary target of this wave of attacks. If Manila wants to start an all-out war with Haihan, it will undoubtedly be asking for trouble.Even if the Spanish Empire can be called a maritime power in the world, if it comes down to the South China Sea, the military strength of the colonial government in Manila is still not as good as that of the newly-emerged Haihan. Maybe not even [-]% confidence.
What's more, at the end of the year before last, Haihan recruited a large group of countries to form a paramilitary alliance in the name of a trade alliance in the South China Sea. Among the member states, Annan Champa and his ilk were nothing more than that, but Portugal and the Netherlands were very important to the Manila authorities. dreaded opponent.Although Portugal is still a vassal state of Spain in name, the Portuguese will not treat Spain as a suzerain overseas. If there is a chance to make things worse, Aragones has no doubt that the Portuguese will be cruel to him. There will be no talk of friendship between the two countries in the middle.
Not to mention the Dutch, if those red-haired ghosts know that Spain is going to war with Haihan, they will probably participate in it at their own expense and help Haihan fight against Spain.Although the Manila authorities are not afraid of the Dutch East India Company, they do not want it to be Haihan's help.
Cross-sea operations have extremely high requirements for logistical supplies, and the Spanish fleet does not have much advantage in this regard.On the contrary, Haihan, who is at home, can rely on Hainan Island to deal with the Spanish fleet once the situation is stabilized.At that time, even if the Spanish fleet, whose base is thousands of miles away, gains some advantages in the early stage, it will be difficult to fight the Haihan army for a long time on Hainan Island.If they had to withdraw to Manila in despair because of supply problems, it would be better not to make this trip at all.
Aragones didn't want to leave any opportunity for his western competitors to take advantage of. His tactical design was to directly destroy Haihan's center before everyone could react. Only in this way could it be possible to avoid falling into a protracted war.But the actual difficulty of implementing this tactic is not as easy as his own imagination. As the center of the country, Sanya, the capital of Haihan, is one of the most prosperous trading ports in the South China Sea. Its defense methods are also quite complete. The Spanish fleet wants to invade the city of Sanya , is not an easy goal to achieve.
In the past two years, intelligence personnel have successively transmitted information back to Manila. Aragones and the military generals are also generally aware of the defensive measures deployed by Haihan in the two main ports of Sanya, and let the fleet withstand coastal defense artillery and Haihan. It is indeed a bit risky for the navy's firepower to rush towards the port.However, if the Spanish fleet does not enter the port, the substantial damage it can cause to Haihan will be relatively limited, and the combat intention cannot be fully realized.In the process of formulating specific tactics, this contradiction has become the biggest problem plaguing the Manila authorities.
But Aragones has made up his mind that this battle must be fought, and the objectives of the battle must be clear. He cannot travel thousands of miles to Sanya just to show off his muscles and then come back.Either destroy Sanya, or annihilate the main force of the local Haihan Navy, one of the two must be achieved.Of course, if the latter can be achieved, then Sanya can probably be taken down as a matter of course.
Aragones entrusted this task to two of his most trusted officers, one was Juan Luis, commander of the Manila Armed Fleet, and the other was Joao Pinto, commander of the American Galleon Fleet.Both of these two men have made great military exploits in the areas they served in, and have received awards from the domestic royal family more than once.
Of course, their main opponents are naturally not strong men like the Haihan Army, but the aborigines in the colonial areas, those aborigines who are still stuck in the primitive era of slash-and-burn farming, hunting and fruit picking.In addition, there are fellow colonists from Europe, who are also the main combat targets of Spanish armed sailing ships, and they have fought more or less tough battles.
Together, the two fleets can make up about [-] combat ships, plus nearly [-] comprehensive supply ships for transporting armed personnel and supplies, it can be said to be a large-scale fleet .Among the ships belonging to the American Fleet, there are as many as eight large ships with a displacement of more than [-] tons, and each ship is equipped with more than [-] cannons. This is also an armed force that Aragones has high hopes for.
Although the Haihan Fleet is famous, according to the information Aragones has, its fleet size generally only has a dozen warships, and warships with a tonnage of more than a thousand tons are often only one or two in a fleet That's all.Although it is said that the artillery fire of the Haihan battleship is fierce, Aragones and the two fleet commanders believe that there is an exaggerated part of it, and even if it is fierce, it should not be able to match the armed forces of the Spanish fleet. After all, no matter the total tonnage Or the number of ships, the Spanish side seems to have a clear advantage.
It only took more than a month from the finalization of the action plan in Aragones to the departure of the two fleets after they completed their preparations and assembly. This is already a very fast response in the history of the Spanish fleet.However, this kind of preparation efficiency is also because Aragones knows that it is difficult to hide the fleet's movements from everyone, and Manila is not a pure land. If there are no spies and eyes of Haihan people in this city with a large proportion of Chinese, he absolutely does not believe it. .Once the other party's spies notice the actions of the Spanish fleet docked in Manila Bay, they will definitely try to send the news back to Hainan Island, and the official has no effective way to stop such means, unless the harbor is completely blocked one month in advance. Ships come in and out, but this is obviously impossible.If the preparation time is not shortened, it is tantamount to exposing one's own action plan in advance.
Even so, Aragones was actually a little worried about whether his own movements would be noticed by the Haihan people in advance, but now that the arrow was on the string, he had to send it out. Even if the news leaked, he could only count on his own fleet to move fast enough , can attack the door of Haihan people before they can react.
The two commanders of Louis and Pinto naturally knew the importance of racing against time, so after setting off from Manila Bay in the early morning, the fleet traveled at full speed all the way, heading west to the target area.The little time gained during the voyage might be transformed into a victory on the battlefield.
This large fleet of nearly [-] sailing ships went to Hainan Island, which can be described as the largest military action taken by Spain in the Far East in recent years.Aragones expected to use this operation to save Spain's declining situation in the Far East, and the two commanders also placed high hopes on this operation. If they can successfully defeat the Haihan Army and attack Sanya Port City, then this feat It is enough for them to be commended by the royal family, and they are even likely to be awarded titles. Aragones has already assured them that after victory, he will definitely use all his domestic connections to ask for credit for them from the royal family.
It is a great honor for both commanders to step into the ranks of nobles by relying on their military exploits.Even for this reward, they have to try their best.Although the Haihan army is invincible in the legend, it is a majestic Spanish fleet that can cross oceans and open up colonies overseas for the Spanish Empire.Before there was a real fight, the two commanders didn't think their chances of winning were too small. If they could defeat Haihan, they would really become famous in one battle.
However, due to the different speeds of the ships in the fleet, although it is said to be advancing at full speed, it is actually only at the "full speed" of the slower supply ships and troop carriers. The daily mileage is only about [-] to [-] nautical miles.Although the two commanders were anxious, they did not dare to order to abandon the supply troops, so they could only slow down the sailing warship to maintain the integrity of the fleet.
At dawn on the fifth day of departure from Manila, the watchmen on the mast came with a piece of good or bad news.Several light sailboats with unified standards appeared on the nearby sea, heading east side by side at intervals of three or four nautical miles.Judging from their formation alone, it is not difficult to judge what targets these ships seem to be searching for on the sea.Although these light sailing ships did not hang any flags that could indicate their identity, some sailors who were familiar with Haihan recognized that this kind of sailing ship should be built by Haihan, and its unique sail shape made it recognizable at a glance. belongs.
Pinto, the commander of the American Fleet leading the galleon, was the first to get the news. After he heard that it was the Haihan sailboat, he realized that something was wrong.He will not regard this encounter at sea as a coincidence, even if it is true, he must not let these sailing ships of Haihan nationality leave safely, so as not to expose the whereabouts of the fleet, and it can also be used to train troops and let his men think that they are coming soon. Warm up for sea battles.
Pinto immediately issued a combat order, requiring the fleet to encircle and suppress several light sailing ships that appeared at sea.After the signal flag was raised on the flagship, several leading sailboats immediately adjusted their course and headed towards the several light sailboats to the west.
But these unidentified light sailing ships were obviously full of vigilance against the Spanish fleet. Just after adjusting their course here, several light sailing ships on the opposite side immediately turned their heads and turned to the north, obviously aware of Spain's intentions.
That being the case, Pinto had no other choice, and immediately ordered a pursuit.However, the Spanish crew soon discovered that the galleon they were proud of did not show a clear advantage in terms of speed, and the distance between them and the target did not seem to be shortened under full speed.Moreover, the control of these light sailboats is obviously more flexible, and they are constantly changing their course as they flee northward, leading the Spanish galleon galloping across the sea like flying a kite.
The fleet pursued for more than half an hour, but there was still no sign of being able to capture the opponent, and seeing the opponent's constant change of course, it was obvious that there was still room left, and they deliberately led them for a ride on the sea.Pinto had no choice but to give up the pursuit. If he continued the pursuit for one or two hundred nautical miles, he might not be able to catch these light sailing boats that were as slippery as fish.It is said that Haihan sailing boats have excellent maneuverability at sea, and Pinto has seen the real ones today. The absolute speed of these light sailing boats is obviously faster than his own sailing boats, so it is very good to follow behind like this Difficult to catch them.
Pinto resolutely gave up the pursuit, commanded the fleet to return to the correct route, and at the same time sent a flag message to the Manila fleet that came later, explaining what happened just now.Although this little episode made Pinto feel a little embarrassed, the task of raiding Sanya was still more important at the moment, and he couldn't waste too much time on the way for these damned flies.
But not long after, not only Pinto, but even the crew of the Manila Fleet discovered that things were not that simple. Several light sailing ships that they had chased before turned back from a distance, and at a distance of five or six nautical miles, they met Spain. The fleet sailed parallel to the west.Obviously, these ships have given up their original course, and they are relieved to monitor the movement of the Spanish fleet at close range.
Pinto sent out several ships to drive them away again, but these light sailing ships slightly extended the distance, but they did not give up tracking and monitoring the Spanish fleet.After repeating this several times, Pinto had no choice but to give up his plan to drive them out of sight completely.
After this scene lasted for several hours, the ships were still following closely like a gangrene, and an ominous omen was born in the hearts of the two Spanish commanders.These sailing ships suspected to belong to Haihan are so bold, I am afraid they will not be civilian ships, and they are not even in a hurry to rush back to Hainan Island to report the news, they just follow them all the way a few nautical miles away. , definitely did not have any good intentions.Just looking at the size and tonnage of these ships, it is impossible to come forward to challenge the Spanish fleet. What is their purpose?
Louis, the commander of the Manila Fleet, suddenly remembered a rumor about Haihan. It is said that the Haihan people have mastered a unique skill similar to magic or witchcraft, which can instantly transmit information hundreds or even thousands of miles apart. With this skill, he maintains close ties with overseas colonies, and at the same time applies it to command on the battlefield, allowing the commander to freely mobilize troops outside his field of vision.
Of course, the authenticity of this rumor needs to be verified, but if the Haihan people can use this kind of skill at sea, then they probably have managed to transmit the traces of their own fleet back to the base camp.Once this assumption is established, the consequences can be quite terrifying. The destination I am rushing to now is very likely to be the sea cemetery that the Haihan people have already arranged.Thinking of such terrible consequences, Louis quickly ordered someone to send a signal to Pinto's flagship, asking him to suspend his advance and try to meet to discuss the next action.
(End of this chapter)