RM Vol 3: For a World without Boundary – Chapter 21-4: The Hunt for Bismarck (Part 4)


    "Vice Admiral!" The ensign in charge of fleetmunication reported. "I''ve tried establishing contact with the Fifth Destroyer Squadron, even going as far as broadcasting on an open channel, but all I get was statics, sir. And it''s not ourms that were on the fritz, the Prince of Wales had also been unable to reach any vessel of the Fifth Squadron."


    Vice Admiral John Hond frowns,ing up with many possibilities as to why their scouting destroyers were out of contact. It''s either the entire fleet''sms were bloody scraps, or the Fifth Squadron was gone. Either way, it''s bad news. "What''s theirst transmission?"


    "They reporteding into contact with the Belkan convoy and theirst known coordinates, sir."


    "Signal the Prince of Wales, Suffolk, and Norfolk, all vessels are to set a course to thest known position of the Fifth Destroyers Squadron, going at a full, with Suffolk and Norfolk going ahead at a 15 km distance, acting as screening parties. And inform the rest of the Home Fleet of the newest development." The Erusean Vice Admiral shot out a string of orders. "Is there any allied scout ne in the area?"


    The gship''s Captain overlooks a war table and shakes his head. "There isn''t any sir. Ark Royal and Hermes called off their aircraft for the night."


    Smacking his lips, the Vice Admiral says. "Such unfortunate timing. By the time we reach their location, it would have been noon of tomorrow with the Prince of Walesgging behind us. The Hood and our escorts could have sailed at 30 knots if it weren''t for the limiting speed of the Wales."


    The Captain adds. "At the first ray of sunlight, we can either send out a spotter first, sir. That will at least help us in locating the Fifth Squadron faster."


    "I just hope we still have a Squadron left to locate by then." Vice Admiral Hond said before turning around. "I will be in my quarter if you have a need of me. You have the con."


    "Have a good evening, Admiral."


    By the dawn of the next day, they never find any sign of the Fifth Destroyer Squadron. Rather, they find their very own Moby Dick. A great whale that is in the shape of the Bismarck herself.


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    At the break of dawn in the open sea, the Bismarck and her escort, the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, are sailing at a deliberate cruising speed. With their long-range radars already picking up the signatures of iing Erusean warships, the high-ranking officers in charge of the two Belkan vessels waste no time whipping their crew in tip-top shape. Each member of the dayshift crew is given a healthy breakfast and only the finest of coffee to ensure their rity in the uing engagement. And while the mess hall is working up a storm of delicious food that makes the nightshift crew go green in envy, all sectors of the ships are given astbat check. Officers go from quarters to stations, making sure that all mechanical instruments and the rted personnel are green and ounted for. Admiral Tallh and Captain Lindemann of the Bismarck belong to one such inspection party. Having taken a trip to CIC and the gunnery stations in Bismarck''s main turrets, they end their vessel-length trip bying up on the bridge.


    "Admiral and Captain are on the bridge!" Lindemann''s XO announced, making sure that the bridge crew was at attention before turning over to the pair of officers. "I hope the morning has been treating you well, ma''am, sir."


    "If you mean by waking up at 4 am and having to walk the length of the Bismarck as your daily exercise is a good thing then yes, the morning has been treating me well, Commander." Admiral Tallh replied jokingly, making Captain Lindemann chime in. "At least the pancakes were great."


    Tallh and Bismarck''s XO nod. "Yeah, can''t go wrong with that in the morning."


    The trio of officers-inmand then make a few small talks, before easing themselves into their working groove. With the Fur Spaniard convoy arriving in safe Spanish water, Bismarck and Eugen had detached themselves from the convoy in the middle of the night. Now, they''re sailing North, awaiting the arrival of the Erusean''s pride Home Fleet with its closest detachment consisting of four vessels.


    "What''s the ETA of that Capital Squadron?" Tallh asked while idly gazing at the morning ocean with a low-hanging mist. Though the sea is calm for the moment, the weather forecast had informed them of an iing Antic storm.


    The XO, being the one to have the con prior to Tallh''s and Lindemann''s arrival, answers. "By 07:00 hour, the heavy cruiser Norfolk and Suffolk will being into the range of our main gun, 42 km away with their capital ships trailing behind them at a distance of about 5 km."


    Lindemann asks. "Theirposition hasn''t changed?"


    "None whatsoever, Captain. That squadron still only has the battlecruiser Hood as the gship, the battleship Prince of Wales, and the cruisers Norfolk and Suffolk. But the rest of the Home Fleet that has been scattered across the Antic is now reconvening. And it should be noted that ONI has picked up new force deployment from the Erusean maind. It appears that they''re prepping to reinforce the Home Fleet. The ETA on that front is still muddied though, I''m afraid."


    Hearing that Tallh nods beforementing with a confident tone. "They''re like sharks that smelled blood, they won''t stop until the Bismarck is sunk. It doesn''t have to be said that they will do anything to stop us in open water, then, they will encircle an entire fleet around us, effectively making a trap room. Unfortunately for them, technologies make for wonderful power multipliers. Say, have they sent out their scout nes, yet?"


    "That they have, Admiral, and per your order, we allowed them to get close enough to spot us, rying our location to the Erusean. Once it''s done, we knocked them right out of the sky. Though they know of our heading, they won''t know what will hit them, ma''am."


    Tallh smirks at the XO''s answer. "Good, and let''s keep it that way before the main course. I''m intending on only engaging the iing squadron in visual range, thus limiting our capability, giving them a false chance and for them to make a report to the Home Fleet."


    "So by the time the rest of their fleet arrives, we will go all-out, catching them by surprise and hopefully sink a majority of them before they escape." Captain Lindemann added. "And if any does escape from our reach, our naval air wings will no doubt swoop in for the finishing blow. Boom goes the proud Home Fleet."


    Tallh nods. "If all goes to n, we can achieve both naval supremacy of the Antic and the desired oue that the Reich Marshal required from us."


    "I will have tactical prepare for a close-range engagement at under 30 km and less." The XO said. "Shall we wee them with a salvo of our finest 432mm AP shells?"


    "That will be quite a weing fanfare. Proceeds." Tallh nodded, letting the XO excuse himself.


    Now left alone, Lindemann speaks in a small tone. "Radar or not, there''s still a risk that they will scratch Bismarck''s paint job."


    Tallh smiles, replying. "I doubt they could even hit our broadside unless we let them get as close as 20 km or less. And I highly doubt that both of us would allow them that chance. We still have an entire fleet to sink, after all."


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    Per the predicted hour of 7 am, Bismarck has sighted the squadron led by the HMS Hood. Knowing that an engagement between both parties is mere minutes away, action station alerts are sounded on all vessels. And despite Bismarck has range advantage over the Erusean warships, her guns are silenced, awaiting the order from her Admiral inmand. Around three minutester, HMS Norfolk and HMS Suffolk spot the Bismarck and the Prinz Eugen. They then start shadowing her at the hypothesize maximum engagement range of the Bismarck. It''s only ten minutester that the HMS Hood and HMS Prince of Wales join them, by then, both parties can spot each other''s vessel through the use of high-magnification optics.


    HMS Hood then radios in a report for her fleetmand as both sides sail parallel to each other. They''ve managed to report their coordinate and heading before a barrage of radio static sts through theirms, causing the total copse of theirmunication structure. The sudden disabling of their radios doesn''t bold well for Vice Admiral Hond of the Royal Navy. However, he knows that they have gone too far to be deterred by the failure of theirmunication equipment. As such, he is quick to utilize the backup signal intelligent system, using floodlight and Morse code. That said, it will only be useable for vessels close to each other, and thebat at hand won''t allow them such luxury.


    "Signal the Norfolk, she is to lead the Suffolk ahead and cut across the enemy battleship at afortable distance. We don''t know the capability of their vessels so advise them to proceed with caution. And until ourms system is fixed, they''re to engage at their discretion until the enemy''s sunk. After that, tell the Prince of Wales to follow us in. The Hood has a weak topside protection, it will serve us well to close the distance as soon as possible. As such, Hood and Wales will cut straight into their formation to around 15 km if possible. All guns are to be loaded with armor piercing and aim at the enemy battleship. Expect toe under heavy enemy fire."


    "GOD SAVE THE KING!"