I Became a Plutocrat in World War I: Starting with Saving France-Chapter 214: Revised - Maritime Maneuver Warfare

The development of the Royal Navy is quite interesting, constantly inventing its own nemesis time and again.

During World War I, the Royal Navy was undoubtedly the world’s number one, unmatched in tonnage, quantity, and advancement.

Standing at the top, all it needed to do was maintain this advantage and keep developing, and there would be no problem. Even if there were any odd ideas, they should have been secretly developed.

But the "enterprising spirit" of the Royal Navy was simply a boon for its adversaries.

Alternatively, it could be seen as a sense of crisis. Despite having the most and the most advanced battleships, it constantly worried about the possibility of some cheap, simple equipment defeating its battleships.

Thus, torpedo boats were invented.

Across the La Manche Strait, France had originally been frowning: How could its navy keep up with Britain? Britain was just over a hundred kilometers away, which battleships could reach in about three hours. If one day Britain got offended, it could easily wipe out the French Navy and besiege France from the sea...

In the long term, would France become a vassal of Britain?

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Would maritime trade be blockaded by Britain?

But Britain developed torpedo boats, and the French Navy was overjoyed, thinking, "We can’t match your regular warships, but this torpedo boat is something we can afford to build."

So two hundred torpedo boats were produced and were still under continued development.

The Royal Navy regretted it deeply, feeling as if it had shot itself in the foot.

Why develop torpedo boats? Now any country that builds a few torpedo boats can threaten battleships, which might capsize unexpectedly!

No, something had to be done to counter these torpedo boats.

Thus, "torpedo boat destroyers" were created.

These were equipped with larger engines to achieve higher speeds than torpedo boats and armed with main and secondary guns. They could provide protection around battleships or even drive torpedo boats away to a safe distance.

Simultaneously, they were small in tonnage and low in cost, so it wouldn’t be a significant loss if they were sunk by torpedo boats.

Additionally, they were equipped with torpedoes, which could also pose a threat to slower battleships and were not without fighting power...

The Royal Navy thought it could rest assured, leaving the torpedo boats to be handled by the "torpedo boat destroyers."

However, they could never have anticipated that these "destroyers," used for miscellaneous tasks, would eventually replace battleships entirely during World War II.

"I still don’t understand!" Tijani pondered for a while, then looked at Shire with confusion: "Can torpedo boat destroyers really fight against battleships in the future?"

"They don’t need to fight battleships, General," Shire answered calmly. "They just need to be faster than battleships. Battleships simply can’t catch up, rendering them effectively nonexistent in the eyes of destroyers."

Naval battles differ from land battles, where ambushes, sneak attacks, and road restrictions are possible.

Naval warfare takes place in the open sea, and with enough speed, slower battleships can barely keep up, neutralizing their artillery.

This is also why, while producing Dreadnoughts, Britain also developed battlecruisers, making speed a priority by sacrificing armor and firepower, to catch up with their targets.

But if even battlecruisers couldn’t catch up to destroyers, destroyers would have the conditions to engage in maneuver warfare at sea.

(Note: The speed of most battleships is around 20-21 knots, the speed of most battlecruisers is around 25-26 knots, while the first destroyers had a speed of 27 knots, and many later destroyers exceeded 30 knots.)

Tijani was skeptical: "But destroyers also can’t get close to battleships..."

Shire interrupted Tijani: "Firstly, destroyers don’t necessarily need to get close to battleships. They can leverage their higher speed and better maneuverability to outmaneuver battleships. For example, attacking ports and merchant ships without battleship protection, or blockading sea routes."

Tijani was taken aback, then nodded in agreement.

He had studied Shire’s tactics and saw similarities with how Shire used bicycle-mounted troops for maneuver warfare, leaving powerful enemies behind and striking at their weak points.

And the enemy couldn’t possibly protect every port and convoy with powerful battleships and cruisers.

"So!" Tijani nodded slightly: "Our development direction is to continuously enhance the performance of torpedo boat destroyers, equipping them with more advanced engines to improve speed, while further strengthening firepower and armor!"

Shire nodded in acknowledgment. Tijani showed good understanding.

If no other warships could match the destroyers’ speed, destroyers would only have to face destroyers.

To fight maneuver warfare at sea, they would need an advantage over enemy destroyers in firepower, armor, and speed.

Tijani was quietly delighted.

Previously, Tijani had always worried about Shire’s talents being limited to the army. If that were so, his father wouldn’t consider long-term cooperation with Shire.

Now, hearing Shire’s "third-school" ideas, he thought the view was both novel and logical, potentially a new tactic in naval warfare, which might satisfy his father.

Then, eagerly, Tijani asked: "Major, from your tone, it sounds like torpedo boat destroyers have other advantages?"

"Of course!" Shire replied: "Torpedo boat destroyers themselves carry torpedoes, which are like large torpedo boats, and can also pose a threat to battleships."

Tijani frowned: "But that’s very difficult. Approaching during the day is almost suicidal, and at night, even if they manage to launch a sneak attack, they might miss the target. If discovered, it would be hard to escape, almost impossible to succeed."

"You’re correct, General," Shire responded word by word: "But that’s the case now. What if we improve the range and accuracy of torpedoes in the future?"

Tijani instantly widened his eyes, having never thought in that direction.

But upon reflection, it made sense. If torpedo performance could be significantly improved, destroyers might hit battleships from a greater distance.

If the day came when torpedoes had a greater range than battleship cannons...

The more Tijani thought about it, the more he agreed, and he unconsciously exclaimed, "God, if torpedoes are advanced enough, battleships would be vulnerable, and one day they would be eliminated by destroyers."

Shire smiled silently, tacitly agreeing.

Actually, Shire was misleading Tijani; the real game-changer in naval warfare would be aircraft.

In Shire’s mind, he considered how bombers could drop torpedoes into the sea.

No destroyer, no matter how fast or sneaky, could exceed the effectiveness of aircraft carrying torpedoes.

Aircraft are fast and cheaper to produce, and a single torpedo could potentially take out a battleship. What could be more cost-effective?

However...

Shire could develop aircraft but not torpedoes.

That responsibility would fall to Wells.

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