Persian Empire 1845

Chapter 665 Battle of the Black Sea (Part 2)

At 9:17 a.m., the distance between the two sides closed to about 10,000 meters. The forward main gun turret of the Russian flagship "Volkssoi" was the first to spew out huge flames and thick smoke, and a heavy shell roared towards the combined fleet formation!

boom--!
A thunderous roar shattered the calm of the sea as shells weighing hundreds of kilograms hurtled towards the Combined Fleet. A massive column of water shot into the sky about 500 meters in front of the Combined Fleet, marking the start of the firing calibration.

"Order the vanguard cruiser squadron to maintain distance and harass their left flank! Main fleet, turn right two compass points, maintain speed, we must cut into their vanguard!" Xerxes' orders continued to be issued. He was well aware of his own disadvantage in numbers and tonnage per ship, and he absolutely could not get bogged down in a head-on gun battle with the Russian battleships. He had to use maneuverability to attack their relatively weak points.

The combined fleet began a bold maneuver, turning right to attempt to cut in front of the Russian column and concentrate fire on the leading Russian warships.

Popov immediately saw through Xerxes's intentions. "Trying to infiltrate? Dream on! Order the vanguard to accelerate, and the right-wing cruisers to move forward and block them!"

The Russian fleet also began to adjust accordingly, with the vanguard battleships accelerating forward and the cruisers on the right flank pouncing like hounds, attempting to intercept the combined fleet's advance. The situation on the sea instantly became complex and unpredictable.

At 9:25 AM, the distance between the two sides closed to approximately 7000 meters. The main warships of the Combined Fleet, including the flagship Abbas and its sister ships, finally roared in response!

Dozens of large-caliber main guns opened fire simultaneously, creating an astonishing spectacle. Shells streaked across the sky with a piercing whistle, crashing into the vanguard Russian battleship, the Three Saints. Instantly, plumes of water rose around the Three Saints, and deafening explosions echoed continuously. A shell struck its forward deck, igniting a fire and billowing thick smoke. But the Three Saints stubbornly continued forward, fiercely retaliating with all its main guns.

The battle quickly intensified. Hundreds of cannons from both sides fired wildly, smoke billowed across the sea, and explosions were deafening. Huge columns of water rose and fell, as if the sea itself were boiling.

A Russian shell exploded near the port side of the Abbas, shrapnel clattering against the armor above the bridge with a sickening thud. Xerxes swayed, grabbing the railing for support; a cut on his face from the flying debris grazed him, but he paid it no mind.

"Report damage!"

"The port secondary gun position has been destroyed, and three people have been killed! A near miss has caused minor flooding, and the damage control team is handling the situation!"

"Keep shooting!"

Popov looked at the Three Saints, which was struggling in the distance, and then at the Combined Fleet, which was maneuvering nimbly. He was filled with anxiety. The enemy's tactics were even more cunning than he had imagined.

"Order the second battleship squadron to flank to the left and outflank their right flank! We can't let them continue this hit-and-run tactics!" He decided to split his forces and use their numerical advantage to launch a pincer attack.

This is a risky decision. While splitting forces could create an encirclement, it could also lead to a dispersal of strength, giving the enemy the opportunity to defeat them one by one.

Xerxes immediately noticed the change in the Russian army's formation.

"An opportunity!" A glint flashed in his eyes. "Order the entire fleet to hard port! Concentrate all firepower and attack the lead ship of their second flanking squadron, the Rostislav!"

This caught Popov completely off guard. He hadn't expected the enemy to be so decisive, daring to suddenly switch targets during a major battle. The Rostislav was an older battleship, with relatively weak speed and firepower. Instantly, it became the target of concentrated fire from almost all the capital ships of the Combined Fleet.

Shells rained down on the "Rostislav" like hail. Its thick armor began to crumble under such intense fire. Several loud explosions followed as its rear turret was hit, triggering a secondary ammunition detonation that blew the entire turret into the air! Then, a shell penetrated a seam in its armor near the waterline, causing fatal flooding!

The Rostislav slowed down noticeably, began to list, and thick smoke and flames poured out from multiple breaches.

"Well done!" Xerxes couldn't help but pump his fist. Damaging or even sinking an enemy battleship would be a huge achievement!
However, the joy of victory was short-lived. Just as the Combined Fleet concentrated its firepower on the Rostislav, the main Russian forces had already approached from the flanks and rear, completing the initial encirclement of them. Dense shells began to rain down on the Combined Fleet from multiple directions.

The situation has taken a turn for the worse!

A massive shell struck the bow of the old Ottoman battleship Mahmud in the Combined Fleet. The enormous explosion nearly tore the bow apart, seawater rushed in, and the ship sank rapidly. In less than ten minutes, the warship, along with hundreds of sailors, disappeared beneath the surface, leaving only a huge whirlpool and floating wreckage.

Another Iranian cruiser, the Shiraz, was also hit by multiple shells, burst into flames, lost power, and helplessly spun around in place, becoming a sitting duck for the Russian army.

Xerxes' heart was bleeding. Every warship lost was a precious asset to the empire.

"This can't go on!" He realized that they had to break out immediately, or their entire army would be wiped out.

"Release smoke! All ships turn southwest, maximum speed, disengage from combat!" He decisively issued the order.

Each ship immediately released thick white smoke and went full speed ahead, desperately trying to break through to the southwest, towards the Bulgarian coast and the Bosphorus Strait.

Popov wasn't about to let them escape so easily. "Chase them! Don't let them get away! Everyone who can move, chase them!"

The Russian fleet pursued relentlessly, its artillery fire remaining intense. The breakout attempt was equally brutal. The rearguard ships of the Combined Fleet were under immense pressure, with warships constantly being hit, slowed, and then overwhelmed by more shells.

Around 1 p.m., the remaining ships of the Combined Fleet, under the cover of smoke and with their desperate courage, finally managed to distance themselves from the pursuers and enter Bulgarian coastal waters. The coastline here was complex and close to their own controlled area. Fearing encounters with shore-based artillery or mines, Russian Commander Popov reluctantly ordered a halt to the pursuit.

The first naval battle with the Russian fleet resulted in the loss of an old battleship and two destroyers for the Combined Fleet, with almost all the remaining ships damaged and more than 1000 officers and men killed or wounded. However, the Russian fleet also lost more than four destroyers and suffered 1200 casualties. In terms of losses, the two sides were not far apart.

However, the Black Sea Fleet was not the victor. Not only did they fail to annihilate the main force of the Combined Fleet, they were also led by the nose and suffered a humiliating defeat. More importantly, they allowed the enemy to successfully attack Crimea, causing extremely negative consequences within the country.

(End of this chapter)