I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1170 The Real Sea Power

Under Su Yao's command, the crimson dragon flag was raised on the mainmast of the "Dingyuan" and the bugle sounded.

Immediately afterwards, the Han fleet, with four Dingyuan-class destroyers as its core and more than forty modified gunboats and more than thirty wheeled boats, quickly changed formation, drawing a graceful arc on the sea and seizing a favorable T-shaped horizontal position.

They formed an elegant yet deadly battle line. Their broadside gun ports were all open, the dark muzzles like the fangs of a beast, menacingly pointed at the oncoming Roman fleet. Smaller, modified gunboats and agile wheeled ships guarded the capital ships like hounds protecting a lion.

Emilius stood atop the superstructure of his flagship, the five-oared warship "Jupiter," gazing at the unprecedented formation of the Han fleet, and a sense of unease settled over him. Contrary to his expectations, the enemy hadn't attempted to use speed to outflank them or retreat in panic; instead, they had formed a straight line, as if quietly awaiting their charge. This composure, imbued with an extreme confidence, made Emilius uneasy.

"A bluff!" He forcefully suppressed his doubts and roared, "Oarsmen, full speed ahead! Ramming! Ballistae and catapults, prepare—target: enemy behemoth! All troops, charge!"

The Romans were never afraid of sacrifice!

They were prepared for the Han army's firepower, knowing that this was a desperate charge and that many would inevitably fall on the way and be buried in the icy blue sea.

But for victory and glory, they must move forward!
Hundreds of Roman warships surged forward like a burst dam, their oars churning wildly and water splashing everywhere, charging fearlessly towards the Han army's thin battle line in a dense, overwhelming formation. Leading the charge were dozens of old-fashioned Libnan fast ships, laden with pitch and oil, intended as suicidal fire ships, their aim to create an opening for the main force to follow through with fire and chaos.

On the sea, the hoarse battle cries of Roman sailors, the rapid drumbeats of oarsmen, and the roar of ships cutting through the waves echoed.

"Enter firing range!" came the calm voice of the observer from the Dingyuan.

Su Yao slightly raised his hand, then suddenly swung it down: "Fire!"

The order was instantly transmitted throughout the entire Han army battle line via flag signals and bugle calls.

The next moment, the world seemed to be torn apart.

Boom! Boom boom boom boom—!!!
The four Dingyuan-class battleships, with over fifty guns on their starboard sides, along with the broadside firepower of dozens of converted gunboats, roared simultaneously with earth-shattering fury! Blazing flames erupted, and thick white smoke instantly enveloped half of the battle line, as if a wall of smoke had risen from the sea.

Countless scorching solid shot, chain shot (specifically designed to destroy sails and masts), and grapeshot, like the scythe of death, whistled as they swept across the narrow sea and crashed into the dense charging formation of the Roman fleet, setting the stage for destruction.

"Oh my God!"

"The Sea Eagle is finished!"

The Sea Eagle, a trireme, was charging at full speed, attempting to clear a path for the flagship behind it. However, a precise solid shot struck its bow just below the waterline. With a sickening crack of splintering wood, the ship lurched downwards, seawater rushed in, its speed plummeted, and it began to list. The Roman soldiers on board screamed in terror and jumped into the icy water.

But this is just the beginning.

The chain shot spun rapidly through the air, like a deadly iron whip, lashing the mainmast of a five-masted warship. The massive mast snapped in two, and the heavy sails and rigging crashed down, burying the soldiers on deck and instantly rendering the giant ship powerless, spinning helplessly in place.

Even more terrifying were the shrapnel bullets. When the Roman fire ships desperately charged within two hundred paces, preparing for their final, desperate assault, the Han warships unleashed a deluge of shrapnel like a torrential downpour. The dense hail of lead bullets and iron fragments created a death storm, instantly engulfing these swift vessels. Sails were torn to shreds, sailors on deck fell in droves, and burning oil barrels were overturned, igniting their own hulls. A dozen or so blazing torches suddenly appeared on the sea, billowing thick smoke—a truly gruesome sight.

The first volley of fire effectively halted the Roman charge. The vanguard suffered heavy losses, and their formation descended into chaos.

"Don't stop! Keep going! For Rome!" Emilius shouted hoarsely aboard the Jupiter, ordering the rowers to push forward at all costs. He knew that if they stopped, they would become easy targets for the Han army's artillery; only by charging forward and getting close enough to board the enemy could they take advantage of the Roman legion's infantry.

The Roman sailors displayed astonishing courage and discipline, braving the heavy cannon fire to maneuver their warships forward with difficulty. Following ships unhesitatingly bypassed burning or sunken allies and continued the charge. Ballistae and catapults began to return fire sporadically; stones and giant crossbow bolts streaked across the sky, landing around the Han warships and creating plumes of water, but their accuracy was pitifully low.

However, the rate of fire of the Han army's artillery far exceeded their expectations. Under the operation of well-trained gunners, the entire process—cleaning the breech, loading ammunition, aiming, and firing—was smooth and rapid. Before the smoke from the first salvo had even cleared, the second and third salvos had already followed!

Boom! Boom boom boom—!
Cannonballs rained down on the Roman fleet like hail. Several more warships were gutted by solid shot and slowly sank; many more had their sails damaged and were greatly slowed. Just as their suicidal fire ships were about to approach the Han Chinese behemoths, the wheeled hullers guarding the capital ships accelerated like sharks smelling blood! Though small in size, they were exceptionally agile, their bow-mounted cannons spitting out deadly grapeshot and rockets, accurately targeting the fire ships' vulnerable hulls and sailmen.

One of the wheeled boats, fearless of death, rammed directly into the side of a fire ship that was about to approach the "Dingyuan," using the ram added to its bow to push it away. At the same time, the Han sailors on board threw grappling hooks and grappling hooks, tightly entangled the enemy ship, and prevented it from getting closer.

A fierce close-quarters battle erupted on the sea. Flames, thick smoke, explosions, and shouts of battle mingled together. The Romans' charge, paved with their lives, ultimately failed to reach the four colossal ships that resembled sea fortresses, thanks to the Han army's tight defenses and fierce firepower.

Emilius watched helplessly as his fleet, like moths drawn to a flame, fell wave after wave on the charge, unable to advance an inch. A profound sense of powerlessness and despair nearly consumed him. His fervent hopes for numerical superiority and suicidal courage seemed utterly pale and laughable in the face of the enemy's futuristic tactics and firepower.

"Governor! The left wing Maximus squad has completely collapsed!"

"The flagship on the right wing, the 'Victory,' has had all its oars broken by chain shot and is no longer combat-ready!"

Bad news struck Emilius like a hammer blow.

At this moment, the Han army's battle line began a slow but deadly lateral movement. Maintaining optimal firing range, they were like a moving millstone of death, relentlessly engulfing and crushing the Roman fleet. After several volleys of fire from the broadside cannons of the Dingyuan-class warships, they even began precise spot-fire, focusing their attacks on the large Roman warships attempting to reorganize their formation.

At this point, the USS Jupiter, which was in the battle group, received special attention.

Several specially made heavy armor-piercing shells, with a sharp whistling sound as they tore through the air, struck precisely a heavy ballista position on the foredeck of the "Jupiter" that was fighting back fiercely!

Boom——! ! !
A deafening explosion rang out, instantly obliterating the ballista along with the dozen or so Roman soldiers struggling to operate it. Twisted metal components and wood chips mixed with blood and flesh splattered everywhere, leaving a horrifying, charred crater in the solid oak deck. The shockwave from the explosion, like an invisible hammer, violently hurled Emilius, who was standing not far away, to the ground.

"Governor!"

"Protect the Governor!"

The guards cried out and rushed forward, shielding the fallen Emilius with their bodies. He was dizzy and his ears were ringing. His face and body were covered with what he couldn't tell if it was dust or the warm blood of the fallen soldiers beside him. The strong smell of gunpowder and blood almost suffocated him.

Struggling to his feet with the help of his guards, he was met with a scene of utter hell. The Jupiter, the proud flagship of the empire, was now riddled with holes: multiple planks were pierced by solid bullets, and seawater was gushing in through several breaches; the Roman eagle banner flying from the mast was torn open by shrapnel and hung limply; several fires were spreading, and the sailors were desperately splashing water to put them out, but to little avail. Even more horrifying, the surrounding sea was littered with the wreckage of countless Roman warships, broken oars, and a dense mass of struggling, crying-for-help soldiers, while the four giant Han ships continued to calmly spew deadly flames not far away, like four invincible sea demons.

Defeated! Utterly defeated! The invincible myth that the Roman Empire had built up over centuries in the Mediterranean was utterly crushed today, in this narrow strip of water, by an incomprehensible force from the East. Emilius was filled with endless regret, despair, and humiliation.

"Retreat... Send the order... The entire army retreats... Take as many as you can... Preserve your strength..." Emilius used his last bit of strength to hoarsely squeeze out the order, then his blood rushed to his head, his vision went black, and he completely fainted.

With their commander unconscious and flagship severely damaged, the order to retreat only exacerbated the already collapsing Roman fleet. The remaining warships completely lost their order and will to fight, turning around like headless flies, desperately fleeing in whatever direction they deemed safe. The narrow strait entrance descended into utter chaos, with countless ships colliding and capsizing in their panic.

"Pursue! Those who surrender will not be killed, those who resist will be killed without exception!" Su Yao's calm command came through.

The Han army's wheeled boats and faster modified gunboats, like wolves smelling blood, immediately launched a fierce pursuit. They skillfully weaved through the chaotic Roman rout, using cannon fire and boarding maneuvers to clear out the remaining resistance and loudly urging surrender. White flags began to rise everywhere, and many Roman sailors and soldiers, seeing no hope of escape, laid down their weapons and surrendered.

As the afterglow of the setting sun bathed the blood-stained sea in crimson light, the scarlet golden dragon flag fluttered high atop the mainmast of the "Dingyuan."

In this battle, Su Yao didn't even have to take action himself; his fleet, which he had built himself, and his futuristic tactics had already dominated the battlefield.

The Battle of Artemisia ended with the complete annihilation of the main Roman naval force.

A new era has arrived, an era in which the Han Dynasty dominates the Mediterranean order.

(End of this chapter)