Reborn In 17th century India with Black Technology-Chapter 1180: WWI: Siege of the Americas (4): Devastation

Chapter 1180: WWI: Siege of the Americas (4): Devastation

Hawaii.

The Bharatiya fleet was divided into three separate battle groups, each designed to operate as a self-sufficient fighting force.

In every battle group, 14 Delhi-class battleships formed the main force, acting as the main defensive wall, similar to heavy infantry in a conventional war. Positioned at the very front were two Ramachandra-class battleships, serving as the spearhead of the formation and leading the charge. On both flanks, two Ayutthya-class battleships guarded the sides, protecting logistics ships and smaller vessels from surprise attacks.

Supporting the heavier ships were lighter combat vessels. Each battle group included 48 Colombo-class Clippers and Chennai-class Frigates, which sailed alongside the battleships to strengthen defensive coverage and provide additional firepower whenever needed. These ships helped fill gaps in the formation and reacted quickly to sudden threats.

Beyond that, every battle group also fielded around six Siam-class frigates, a combined total of 64 Kolkata-class frigates and Amaravathi-class Clippers, and seven Malaka-class light frigates. These ships had flexible roles, ranging from launching fast skirmish attacks and distracting enemy formations to escort duties and emergency transport. When required, they could also carry ammunition, supplies, or wounded personnel back to safety.

Each battle group was further supported by seven Guwahati-class military transporters, responsible for storing and moving logistics supplies, along with eleven Magadha-class full-metal military transporters. These Magadha-class ships not only carried large amounts of supplies but were also capable of delivering them directly to frontline vessels when necessary. Their all-metal construction made them durable and well-suited for operating under combat conditions.

The central battle group, positioned between the left and right formations, had a composition largely similar to the other two. However, instead of two Ramachandra class battleships, it carried only one. In exchange, it was reinforced with both Maharaja Ramachandra class battleships and the Kathmandu class military transporter, the flagship on which Agni himself was stationed. This made the central group the most powerful of the three, a fitting choice since it was expected to face the main European fleet head-on.

Agni stood on the deck of the BNV Purshotam, a Kathmandu-class military transporter, watching the horizon as he anticipated the arrival of the Europeans. The other military transporters remained docked in the harbour, standing by for orders so they could carry out their assigned duties when called upon.

The atmosphere was tense yet quiet. No one spoke unnecessarily, and everyone’s eyes, like scopes locked onto a distant target, were fixed on the East, battle intent burning in their souls.

Admiral Vikramaditya, stationed aboard one of the two Maharaja Ramachandra class battleships, lowered his binoculars and let out a slow breath.

"They’re here," he muttered, pulling down the sunglasses resting above his temple as he turned around, ready to assume full command.

He greeted his subordinates with a brief nod before giving his orders. "Battle Groups Two and Three, once the enemy attacks in a dispersed formation, operate under Conventional War Tactic Five from the rulebook. As for our battle group, we will proceed under Conventional War Tactic Number Three."

The communications officers immediately sprang into action. Since the ships within the same battle group were still linked through the threaded communication line, orders were transmitted quickly among them. However, to relay commands to the other two battle groups, the fleet relied on the firework communications system to ensure the messages reached them across the distance.

"Conventional Tactic Number Five?" Vice Admiral Rama Varma Tampuran, commander of the Second Battle Group, murmured as he finished reading the decoded message.

He looked back at his crew and gave a firm nod. "The admiral has made his decision. Relay the orders at once and prepare for combat."

The same thing happened in the battle group number three.

In the blink of an eye, the European fleet got closer and was only a few kilometres away from Hawaii.

The European battleships were older, and their gun ranges were limited, but the same could not be said for the Bharatiya Navy.

"Commander, the enemy is within range."

"Parameters?" Vikramaditya asked calmly.

"Target bearing east, range 2.4 kilometres."

"In that case—" Before he could finish the sentence,

"Boom!!’’

To the north, a massive artillery shell, launched like a missile, shot into the sky, piercing the clouds and leaving a blazing trail behind.

The Second Battle Group opened fire first, taking the lead in the engagement. Just as Vikramaditya regained his senses and was about to finish his sentence for the second time, another explosion thundered across the sea, this time from the Third Battle Group as they began their bombardment as well.

The corner of his mouth twitched. "Aren’t these guys too eager?" he muttered with a faint chuckle.

But in the very next moment, the smile vanished, and his relaxed demeanour morphed into that of a cold, iron-blooded military commander. He clasped his hands behind his back and fixed his gaze toward the east, his eyes sharp and focused.

"As the main battle group, how can we fall behind? We have to show why we are equipped with more firepower, shouldn’t we? So let’s do exactly that."

"Target the enemy and open fire with haste."

He narrowed his eyes into a cold, threatening gaze, as if he could already see the enemy warships lurking beyond the horizon.

"Turret One, X axis 312, Y axis 845."

"Turret Two, X axis 298, Y axis 872."

Like a giant beast awakening from slumber, the main and secondary batteries of the Ramachandra class and Maharaja Ramachandra class battleships began to rotate in smooth, precise motions, their massive muzzles slowly tilting toward the sky.

On deck, the sailors, already aware of what was coming, quickly plugged their ears with ear protection and braced themselves by gripping the railings and battlements.

BOOM!

A thunderous explosion tore through the air, sending violent vibrations coursing through the metal hull of the ship, so powerful that even the cooks deep within the lower decks felt the tremor. The shockwave from breaking the sound barrier was no trivial force.

The four main guns, each a 35 calibre cannon, launched nearly 500 kilogram armour-piercing shells that sliced through the air at speeds exceeding 700 meters per second, travelling at more than twice the speed of sound and pushing beyond the Mark 2 barrier that humanity had yet to surpass.

BANG!

The Targeting system was still not advanced enough, so quite a few artillery shells missed the target. But, the ones that hit? They were like a falling natural disaster, ripping apart anything in their way, be it humans, artillery modules, or even the bloody hull itself.

"Ahhh!"

"Help!"

"Oh Lord, have mercy!!!"

The first wave of bombardment that arrived with desperate screams originating from every direction was enough for Don Diego de Los Rios y Quesada, admiral of the European fleet, to grasp what kind of monstrosity he was facing. His face turned pale, and his heart seemed to sink to the pit of his stomach. Yet despite the overwhelming odds stacked against him, he was still a seasoned and capable commander.

’We just have to get close.’

He regained a sliver of fighting spirit and roared at his subordinates, "Split up! Disperse into independent groups, each centred around a single battleship. As soon as we close the distance, surround the enemy completely and encircle them. We have more warships, choke them to death!"

His orders rang out, the vicious intention not hidden.

On the other side, Vikramaditya watched the Europeans’ movements and raised his eyebrows in pleasant surprise.

The enemy had acted exactly as he predicted. ’Well, this is going to be shorter than I imagined,’ he thought to himself.

In truth, Vikramaditya thought highly of the enemy commander. He wondered if he himself would have the courage to make such a bold decision when facing overwhelming odds. Because he respected his opponent, he tried to think from the enemy’s perspective, imagining how one might attempt to disable his fleet while artillery rained down and retaliation was impossible. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

A natural conclusion came to him: splitting the fleet was the best option. Doing so would spread the ships far apart for accurate targeting and give greater flexibility in movement. When Vikramaditya first reached this conclusion, he believed he was only seventy to eighty percent correct.

But now, watching the enemy formation break apart exactly as he had expected, a wave of relief washed over him.

Soon, the battle groups two and three began to play their role. The battleships moved forward at maximum speed, while the frigates and Clippers caught their tail and followed their lead.

As the Bharatiya Empire continued to unleash volley after volley, with even the Delhi-class battleships joining the bombardment, European vessels began to fall one after another. After all, most of the enemy fleet consisted of repurposed civilian ships, whose weak armour and poor manoeuvrability could not hold out for long under such overwhelming firepower.

Only a few hours since the bombardment started, nearly 100 ships had sunk or halted, while the remaining suffered damage to varying degrees. The opponent, reaching a range where their naval guns could reach the Bharatiya ships, started to counterattack, but sadly, they were going up against the full metal Ramachandra class battleship and the even deadlier Maharaja Ramachandra class battleship. Their cannon balls had a minor effect on the Ramachandra class battleship and almost had no effect on the Maharaja Ramachandra class battleship.

The battle was chaotic, filled with blood-curdling screams and falling meteor-like cannon balls that were enough to make the Pacific shores of Hawaii turbulent.

The European attack groups moved around the Bharatiya battle groups, trying their best to encircle the Bharatiya fleet. At the same time, the Bharatiya fleet, almost as if cooperating with the enemy’s plan, began to loosen its formation, increasing the distance between each battle group.

Admiral Don Diego’s brows were furrowed, looking like a dried-up riverbed. On the surface, everything was unfolding according to his plan, yet an uneasy feeling gnawed at his heart. The operation was proceeding a little too smoothly, and it made him restless.

If only he had a bird’s eye view of the battlefield, he would have understood the truth. Although it appeared as if the Bharatiya fleet was being forced to spread under European pressure, in reality, it was shaping a massive death zone, an area where any enemy ship that entered was all but doomed.

Using this invisible killing field, Battle Groups Two and Three steadily pushed the scattered European ships inward, herding them toward the centre. At the same time, the First Battle Group applied the same strategy in reverse, forcing other enemy vessels outward.

Step by step, the European fleet was forcefully brought into 2 battle groups, two battle groups in a chaotic formation, two battle groups where there was no cooperation between, and in an illusion that they were still in control of the rhythm of the battle.

This, for the Bharatiya Navy, was like fresh meat waiting to be slaughtered.

6 hours since the battle started, and the laying of the trap was complete.

Admiral Don Diego finally seemed to understand what had happened, "Oh no, we are trapped," he exclaimed, but it was too late.

"Boom!"

"BOOM!"

"BOOOM!!"

The concentrated bombardment was relentless, taking lives as if Yamma had employed the Bharatiya Navy to fulfil his year-end quota.

The Maharaja Ramachandra class battleship, in particular, faced no real opposition. It carved a path of devastation wherever it sailed, raining destruction and becoming a true instrument of death. Its sheer power traumatised the Europeans so deeply that the survivors eventually gave it a name, ’The Sailing Scythe of Lucifer Morningstar.’

Don Diego realised he had been completely defeated.

"Hoist the white flag," he said through gritted teeth, his expression pained and his breathing laboured.

That’s right, the moment he understood there was no chance of victory, he chose to surrender without hesitation in order to save as many lives as possible. As soon as the decision was made, it felt as if a wave of relief washed over him.

For the past few weeks, ever since intelligence reported that the Bharatiya Empire’s Pacific Fleet was stationed in Hawaii, his nerves had been stretched to the limit. He had known from the start that he would eventually have to face this terrifying enemy. He had planned endlessly, devised countless strategies, and refined multiple tactics, all of it leading up to this very day.

But alas, when going up against absolute power, his strategy meant nothing. Not to mention, the opponent was hardly a brute, a commander that only relied on force; on the contrary, the strategic play of his counterpart was not weaker than his own. So, as if it were almost natural, his defeat came without a doubt.

"Thud!"

"Ahh, the admiral has lost consciousness, call the medic, oh no, he is bleeding, help."