Chapter 322: Battle of the Adriatic (1/2)
While Berengar's Jaeger Corps was in the process of hunting down and eliminating the Italian Skirmishers who had embedded themselves along Berengar's path to Milan, Grand Admiral Emmerich had begun the single most decisive Naval Battle of the Austrian War for Independence.
A massive force of several hundred Italian Warships had gathered; their goal was simple. To cause as much damage to the Royal Austrian Navy as possible. Unfortunately for them, the size of the Austrian Armada had been growing as the weeks passed by, and the Austrians now he over eighty Berengar class Frigates at their command.
Meanwhile, the cities of Venice and Genoa had been devastated to the point where they were incapable of producing new vessels. After the Privateers and Austrian fleets had begun sinking the Imperial trade convoys, the Emperor was left with only one option on the sea, and that was to trigger a large-scale naval battle and hope that God favored him.
As such, 80 Frigates flying the Austrian Flag had gathered in the Adriatic sea, across from them was what remained of the Imperial Navy, a mix of galleys, carracks, and caravels, most of which were armed with less than five cannons on board.
Grand Admiral Emmerich was at the lead vessel, the SMS Berengar, where he stood upon the bow, gazing at the hostile fleet in the distance through his binoculars; From what he could gather as he observed the enemy vessels, they were loading what few cannons they had with whatever they could arm them with.
Emmerich had a smug grin on his face as he gazed at the enemy armada; his Executive Officer noticed his expression and sighed heavily before asking the question on his mind.
”Sir, what are your orders?”
In response to this, Emmerich stowed away his binoculars before addressing the Executive Officer's concerns.
”Have the fleet load the guns; we are going to sail in between their fleet and tear them apart!”
In response to this, the Executive Officer sighed once more before accepting his orders.
”As you command Admiral”
After saying this he immediately proceeded to inform the fleet of their tasks. It did not take long for the fleet to be fully armed and prepped for battle, as such, They immediately began to sail towards the Imperial Armada.
When the Imperial Admiral saw this, he thought that the Austrians must have gone mad; after all, they were sailing right into the trajectory of their cannons. As such, he made a jest to his executive Officer as he witnessed the Austrian frigates closing in on them.
”It appears the Austrian Admiral has lost his mind, well, I am glad to see that they are making this easy for us!”
When the executive officer heard this, he began to chuckle before asking the question on his mind.
”Your orders, Admiral?”
In response to this, a wide grin appeared on the Admiral's face before letting his decision be known to all.
”Open fire when they approach; I'd like to see how their ships survive the barrage of our combined might!”
After saying this, the Imperial fleet prepared themselves for the upcoming battle. Though the Imperial Admiral's mood was relaxed, the same could not be said about his sailors. Many of them had heard rumors about the effectiveness of the Austrian weapons and spent what they viewed to be their last minutes praying to God for salvation.
Before long the Austrian vessels got into range of the Imperial Armada's primitive cannons, When the Imperial Admiral noticed this he gave the command
”Open fire”
Upon hearing this, the gunners lit the first set of guns where they were quickly fired off at the swiftly approaching Frigates. As the few cannons mounted on the galley fired onto the bow of the SMS Berengar, something happened that outright shocked the Imperial Admiral; the bow of the Austrian Frigate deflected the cannonball.
Due to the thin layer of steel plating covering the hull of the Austrian Vessels, they were well defended against basic cannonballs, and as such, it would take more than a few of them to pierce through the hulls of the Berengar Class Frigates.