Warhammer: Hail to the Void Lords!.

Chapter 527 06.0526: "Where the Epic Goes"

"Commander, our spies have found out that this man is Horatio Cochrane, and he belongs to the human organization called the Imperial Navy. He comes from a remote and unknown frontier called the Gothic Sector. Our intelligence only tells us that there is a large and powerful Imperial fleet there. Our main opponent this time is this hostile fleet that has come from afar to fight against our army."

The T'au Empire intelligence department displayed Horatio's holographic portrait and relevant information about the Gothic Fleet to the T'au Empire's senior commanders in the area one by one.

"Unlike most of the Imperial commanders, this man specializes in disrupting liaison operations behind enemy lines. His methods are extremely vicious and cruel!
Some time ago, he was the one who led many attacks on our transport fleet. During these operations, he also ordered the massacre of all the crew members in our lifeboats.

He will become a huge threat to us, and even threaten the safety of navigation in our home world, so we must not let him stay." The commander of the Fire Clan said angrily, gritting his teeth, and the eye that was blinded by the shrapnel was aching slightly.

Ether shook his head: "No matter how sinful a person is, he should be given a chance to naturalize before he truly realizes the Greater Good."

"Let the spies continue to pay attention and keep a close eye on his next voyage. We want him to appreciate the true meaning of the Greater Good and guide him to embrace a greater and more correct consciousness. Perhaps he will wake up and feel deep regret for his previous foolish behavior."

Ether's tone was undeniable: "Only after he clearly refuses to return to the Greater Good can we kill him. Before that, give him a chance."

"Yes, sir!" The Fire Clan's commander leaned forward and bowed, his face full of reluctance.
-
The Empire's Advanced Civilization World - Zhendan - Orbital Dock.

boom!boom!
Amid the sound of salutes, Horatio's First Attack Squadron returned.

The hulls of the ships were covered with scars, bullet holes were unevenly scattered all over, and charred burn marks were engraved on the dark green hull paint and white bows of the Gothic fleet, making the paint job, which was already pragmatic and majestic, become particularly solemn.

Although a certain price was paid, the ships were able to return to port safely, and it could be said to be a glorious triumph.

After the Epic entered the artificial atmosphere of the orbital dock, the officers and crew members on board slowly walked out of the ship and lined up neatly beside the Gothic-style ridge fence.

After two months at sea, the men's shirts were stained with oil and sweat, and they exuded an indescribable stench.

Many of them have uneven beards, looking as sloppy as wild men who have been released into the mountains and returned to the city.

Yet they were proud of these features, viewing their dirtiness and scars as proof of their loyal service in the Imperial Navy.

Having received the news in advance, Horatio, wearing a navy dress uniform and a red cape on his back, walked out of the warship with his team of officers, holding the navy power saber hanging at his waist.

He just stepped out with his left foot——

"Welcome to Lieutenant Colonel Horatio Cochrane, Saint of the Ecclesiarchy and the Sisters, Smasher of the Tau Trade Fleet, and Lord of the Void Sea Wolves, to visit Cathay!"

Amidst the warm cheers, he, who was regarded as a triumphant hero, could not help but marvel at the magnificent and huge scene before him.

Five phalanxes of the Zhendan triumphant army lined up in neat rows, cheering his arrival.

There were also young and beautiful girls from the dance troupe wearing high-slit cheongsams, waving folding fans and performing passionate dances.

The band beat drums and gongs and the firecrackers crackled, making the star port anchorage seem very lively and noisy.

He took a deep breath, inhaling the air that smelled of firecracker smoke.

To be honest, he really likes this smell. It allows him to recall the vague memories of his past life, just like a hidden gene engraved deep in his soul.

"I've heard of you for a long time, Lieutenant Colonel. Your elusive presence behind enemy lines has terrified enemy merchant ships and caused the Tau fleet to be in a state of panic. Your deeds have spread throughout the entire frontline planet. Everyone knows your achievements - on your first voyage, you destroyed 24 enemy ships with a total tonnage of million tons!!!"

The president of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce Alliance, who is also the governor of the planet, personally led a delegation to greet the commander of the first attack squadron.

"Thank you for your welcome. Our ship will stop here for supplies."

"Captain, perhaps the Epic will not dock here." Chief Technical Priest Lati walked slowly over with a businesslike smile, stopped beside Horatio, and performed her unique 'Lady Gear Salute' to the representatives of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce.

"Why do you say that, Father Lati?" "It seems that you don't want to leave the Epic?" Lati raised his eyebrows.

"Her combat application environment is more suitable for me. Compared with the long and lonely escort and patrol missions, I prefer the mission she is currently performing."

Horatio organized his words in his mind, pursed his lips and said, "But she is not a class ship. According to the regulations of the Imperial Navy, a lieutenant commander should command a small class ship."

Horatio's mind quickly scanned the Imperial Navy's military regulations.

Interestingly, although the organizational structure of the Imperial Navy looks no different from that of the British Royal Navy in the Age of Sail, one thing that shows is that its core is actually more like the British Navy of the Victorian era.

In the age of sail, any sailing vessel with three masts was classified.

A three-masted sailing ship had to be commanded by a naval captain.

In English, the word 'Captain' originates from the commander of the smallest unit that can be divided. For the army, it is the company commander (captain), and for the navy, it is the captain of an entire ship. According to regulations, basically every ship should be commanded by a naval colonel.

This is why the word "Captain" in English corresponds to two military ranks three levels apart (OF-2/O-3 and OF-5/O-6).

In the sailing age, under this big basket regulation, from the sixth-level light frigate with only 20-28 guns to the super-first-level battleship with 110 guns+, the largest maritime overlords were all commanded by naval colonels as captains.

So what did the lieutenant colonel command in the sailing age?
That's right, a two-masted schooner with no classification, two masts.

The term Lieutenant Colonel directly means "Commander". In the British Royal Navy during the Age of Sail, officers starting from this rank were allowed to independently command a non-rated warship.

At that time, Lieutenant Commander was not a clear military rank, but was only regarded as the deputy of Lieutenant Colonel, a temporary rank.

But by the Victorian era, these traditions had changed dramatically.

First, after ironclad ships developed into coal-fired steam turbines, masts had been replaced by chimneys, and the naval ranks of the sailing era that were divided by masts were no longer applicable to the new naval system.

Under the great historical trend of the Industrial Revolution, the old-fashioned and conservative navy finally made changes.

The Navy Department ordered that in order to cope with the unprecedented changes in a century, naval colonels would serve as captains of capital ships from now on.

All non-capital-class ships, such as destroyers and frigates, are commanded by lieutenant colonels. Yes, it was only in the Victorian era that lieutenant colonels began to officially command class ships.

A naval lieutenant commander commands a combat unit composed of torpedo boats, diesel submarines and other non-classified warships. Anyone from lieutenant to major can serve as captain of this type of ship.

From then on, even when Ancient Terra entered the missile age, destroyers became the main force of surface ships at sea.

However, naval countries led by Britain and the United States still implement the Victorian tradition - the captain of a missile destroyer is a lieutenant colonel, even if the size of the missile destroyer itself may be longer than that of a missile cruiser.

For example, the Belknap-class guided missile cruiser, as a guided missile cruiser, is only 167 meters long, not as long as the 172-meter Spruance-class destroyer of the same period.

However, the captain rank of the former is naval colonel, while the captain rank of the latter is naval lieutenant colonel.

The classification system and principles at this time have completely become a "self-justification" to satisfy the old-fashioned system inherited from the Victorian era, and do not represent their actual combat power and ship specifications.

After all, in terms of the length of the Belknap class, its armament is not as good as the subsequent "Kidd class" air defense destroyer developed from the Spruance class.

In the 41st millennium, this unchanging naval tradition was continued by the Imperial Navy, but this time, they finally found the afterglow of the Victorian era and perfectly adapted to the current situation of the Imperial Navy.
——A star zone fleet is allowed to have a maximum of 75 capital ships, including light cruisers, while the other to escort ships and destroyers are commanded by a naval lieutenant colonel.

"Fufufu~" Lati laughed. "Then you don't have to worry, because the E-type attack ship has a classified version since its design. It's just that she hasn't completed the necessary procedures to obtain the official classification yet."

(The upgraded version of the Spruance-class destroyer, the Kidd-class, was still a destroyer at this time, commanded by a lieutenant commander. Then...)
(The Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser upgraded from the Spruance-class destroyer. Yes, the Aegis cruiser with the destroyer hull modified. The captain changed from lieutenant colonel to colonel. This is the classification and grading of naval officers in the United Kingdom and the United States!)
(End of this chapter)