When Fatty arrived at the forward command room, it was already a scene of bustling activity. Combat staff, communicators, intelligence officers, and coordinators of various military branches were shuttling back and forth. The enormous hall was filled with a variety of instruments, all fully operational. Groups of data, combat reports, charts, and directives were constantly being gathered here, organized, and then sent to the main command platform where Russell and Bernadotte were located.
Tian Xingjian walked up to the command platform, saluted Bernadotte and Russell, and Russell pointed to a nearby command computer and said, "Your position is there. Except for being unable to issue orders, you have the same permissions as we do. The overall plan is not here; you’ll have to rely on the real-time intelligence and data in the computer to make your inferences."
Fatty nodded and eagerly sat down to start reviewing the information. This command terminal was identical to the one Russell was using: interstellar maps, planetary maps, troop strength, firepower, logistics, combat units, enemy intelligence, all clearly visible.
Combat reports showed that the 4th Mixed Fleet had successfully attracted the attention of the Empire’s Space Stationing Fleet at the jump point. As they approached the jump point, they suddenly split in two, forming a V-shape in space. The stationing fleet in front of them was forced to start their engines and turn their bows to prepare for engagement; otherwise, when the two legs of the V closed in, the stationing fleet would be completely overrun.
After bypassing the stationing fleet, the 4th Fleet once again dispersed, with four scattered teams engaging the pursuing Imperial Fleet, turning the entire region upside down. This tore apart the pursuing fleet and the stationing fleet, preventing them from maintaining their firepower reserves on the jump point. Follow current novels on NovᴇlFirᴇ(.)nᴇt
Russell and Bernadotte keenly seized this opportunity, ordering the 4th Fleet to turn around and cooperate with the forced breakthrough of the 1st and 2nd Mixed Fleets.
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The battle at the jump point was already underway. In the rear, giant transport ships full of landing troops had also taken off. Fatty kept flipping through the data, needing to first figure out the current strength comparison between the enemy and friendly forces.
His intuition told him that Liebgoet would not easily give up the opportunity to strike at the Federation Fleet at the jump point. Damn it, where would the old guy hide his blade?
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This is the flaw with space defense: the defenders will never know at what moment the opponent’s warships will appear in the vast region outside the jump point. A few minutes later, these warships will activate their energy shields, and the defenders only have a chance to destroy a significant number of the attackers’ warships by catching them at the moment of their breakthrough.
Since the 4th Fleet was equipped entirely with the newly produced warships of the Federation, and the crew and officers’ control and coordination were increasingly proficient, under Admiral Brown’s command, they stretched the pursuing fleet and the stationing fleet into a single line. Then, they turned around and bit into the middle of this line! At this moment, the 1st and 2nd Fleets broke through the jump point. To threaten these warships that had not yet activated their energy defense shields, there were only a few Imperial warships, and the Federation almost broke through the jump point at the lowest cost!
However, the 4th Fleet, with a five percent loss, stubbornly broke through the encirclement of the Imperial Fleet, including the pursuing fleet and the space stationing fleet. Just as they were preparing to turn back and form a trident with the 1st and 2nd Fleets, they unexpectedly encountered another Imperial Fleet that had appeared behind the 1st and 2nd Fleets!
Liebgoet, with his deep and calculating mind, had this fleet hidden between a planet and its moon twenty thousand kilometers away for a long time. Although it hadn’t awaited the opportunity to ambush the 1st and 2nd Mixed Fleets, it had encountered the chance to clamp down on the 4th Fleet!
This ambush put Admiral Brown, commander of the 4th Mixed Fleet, in a difficult position. Originally, he only had to turn back to cooperate with the 1st and 2nd Fleets’ offensive to crush the two Imperial Mixed Fleets. But now, with the emergence of Gazalin’s ambush fleet, he couldn’t turn back. Not only could he not turn back, but it also gave the two Imperial Fleets the chance to bite tightly on his tail and follow him through the squeeze of the 1st and 2nd Fleets.
Even the most brilliant commander couldn’t control the war’s direction at this moment. Russell seized the opportunity, allowing the 1st and 2nd Fleets’ breakthrough to avoid major losses, while Liebgoet chose the perfect ambush point. Although this fleet didn’t manage to ambush the 1st and 2nd Fleets, they managed to intercept the 4th Fleet.
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Fatty watched the incoming orders, ship data, strategic situations, and space maps from the front lines tensely. The appearance of the third Imperial Mixed Fleet was indeed a surprise. Although he knew Liebgoet had arrangements, Fatty couldn’t find the enemy’s deployment in the previous interstellar maps!
Overall, it seemed that the Federation had always been in control, leading Liebgoet by the nose. However, he had his fleet quietly stationed between a planet and its moon twenty thousand kilometers away. No matter what happened, once this pre-prepared piece was put into the battlefield, it would immediately change the situation! Instantly altering the state of things, simple and effective.
Fatty took a deep breath and cursed, "Old fox." He thought, "If I were Brown, what would I do?" This was a question he couldn’t imagine an answer to.