Empire Conquest-Chapter 852 - 96: Strategic Contraction
Zhou Yongtao was leafing through the intelligence documents when Lin Shiping walked over to the window, lighting a cigarette.
Strictly speaking, the severe impact on Task Force 51 was indeed unexpected, inevitably forcing the Empire’s Navy to adjust its combat deployment.
Simply put, the strategic directions related to the Navy in the Southern Subcontinent and East Ocean have been affected.
The intelligence documents brought by Lin Shiping had already provided a detailed explanation of this issue.
Firstly, the Southern Subcontinent.
After Task Force 51 suffered heavy losses, an awkward situation arose. The Empire’s Navy, with its three carriers deployed in Fan Flame Ocean, could not complete the strategic blockade of Fanluo Country without a carrier battle group of three carriers in both Mua Sea and Bengal Bay. Only then could strategic blockade and deterrence be maintained, keeping the always resentful Fanluo Country in check.
With Task Force 51, this problem simply didn’t exist.
If Fanluo Country dared to act rashly, the Empire’s Navy could maneuver Task Force 31 to the northeast of North Fan Flame Ocean and simultaneously deploy Task Force 51 to Mua Sea.
Even with one less carrier, it could still cut off Fanluo Country’s maritime routes, imposing a comprehensive strategic blockade.
Being blocked and unable to receive aid from the Newland Republic, the Fanluo Authority would certainly have reservations and might not actively engage in war.
The only way to resolve this problem is to deploy Task Force 61, stationed in the Southwest East Ocean with two carriers, to Fan Flame Ocean.
In this way, it can still collaborate with Task Force 31 to blockade Fanluo Country from both east and west directions.
Clearly, this involves the strategic deployment in East Ocean.
One of the main tasks of Task Force 61 is to support Task Force 41, which is usually based at Treasure Harbor on the Howay Islands.
In fact, the Fourth Fleet is the only fleet of the Empire’s Navy deployed overseas.
According to the strategic deployment of the Empire’s Navy, after war breaks out with the Newland Republic, Task Force 61 is expected to take the initiative to move forward and determine specific combat actions based on the situation. The key point is that if Task Force 41 is under too much pressure, Task Force 61 must act more proactively.
To put it directly, it must raid the Wangxi Canal when necessary.
It can be seen that in the East Ocean direction, Task Force 61 is actually a backup for Task Force 41, having significant value.
One might also consider the Sixth Fleet as the strategic reserve for the East Ocean side.
Because it can advance to the central East Ocean, using Yotun Port as a forward base, from a military perspective, the strategic deterrence posed by the Sixth Fleet to the Newland Republic is not less than that of the Fourth Fleet, possibly even stronger, allowing it to control the overall strategy.
If Task Force 61 is sent to Fan Flame Ocean, then in East Ocean, Task Force 41 would have to fight alone.
Such a situation has never occurred in the past few decades!
Even during the Boi War, the Empire’s Navy retained a powerful Task Force with several carriers in the Southwest East Ocean.
Of course, back then, the Newland Navy did not have the capability to challenge the Empire’s Navy.
Now, the Newland Navy can deploy 5 carriers, even 6, in East Ocean. Task Force 41, with only 3 carriers, might not withstand it.
The current situation, to put it directly, neglects both ends.
And this is not the full extent of it.
In fact, there are contingency plans for this kind of scenario in the strategic plans of the Empire.
Transform passivity into action, changing the strategic situation through proactive strikes before the situation gets completely out of control, or making the situation favorable to the Empire.
Simply put, it involves concentrating all forces, actively seeking a decisive battle with the Newland Navy, and even considering a surprise attack if necessary. Even if it comes to the worst, it can raid the Wangxi Canal, destroying canal locks to prevent the Newland Navy from quickly reinforcing East Ocean.
Only after stabilizing the East Ocean situation would Task Force 61 be considered to assist Fan Flame Ocean.
Of course, if assured, it might even be like the last major war, achieving a decisive victory in Fan Flame Ocean first, then turning back to deal with the Newland Republic.
The problem is, this strategy is not a secret at all.
As early as over a decade ago, after the Boi War ended and the Empire’s Navy’s development was restricted, the Military Intelligence Bureau obtained reliable intelligence.
The Newland Navy had made a comprehensive revision of its strategic plans in response to strategic adjustments made by the Empire’s Navy.
The key is to utilize Fanluo Country to tie up the Empire’s Navy, then find an opportunity to annihilate the Empire’s East Ocean Fleet, seize control of East Ocean, and capture the Howay Islands. Whether to continue fighting would depend on the engagement situation, especially the comparison of forces between both sides.
The Newland Navy has clear objectives.
After the outbreak of war, it first aims to seize control of the sea, then capture the Howay Islands.
How to achieve this objective?
To be honest, it’s no secret.
If the Empire’s Navy leaves heavy forces in East Ocean, it would simply wait and exploit the advantage of its home base to defeat the Empire’s Navy.
The Newland Air Force possesses thousands of strategic bombers, capable of crushing any fleet approaching their homeland.
If the Empire’s Navy reinforces Fan Flame Ocean, addressing its rear concerns first, the Newland Navy would then launch a proactive attack, striving for an annihilation battle near the Howay Islands.
