True Intentions (Seeking Monthly Votes)

Colonel Sakamoto Shigenori, captain of the armored cruiser Kasuga, was the commander of the Combined Fleet's armored cruiser squadron. His orders were to lead the armored cruiser squadron and the protected cruiser squadron in wiping out the German Expeditionary Fleet's cruisers and destroyers, clearing the way for the Combined Fleet's destroyers to launch torpedo attacks.

"The Germans only have eight light cruisers and twenty-one destroyers. With the strength of our armored cruiser and protected cruiser squadrons, dealing with them will be no problem at all!" Colonel Sakamoto Shigenori was brimming with confidence. After all, armored cruisers and light cruisers were not in the same league at all. An armored cruiser's main guns could easily tear a light cruiser to pieces. Yet a light cruiser's main guns found it very difficult to inflict fatal damage on an armored cruiser. As for destroyers, there was even less need to mention them.

"Order the squadron to close the distance to eight thousand meters, then open fire!" Colonel Sakamoto Shigenori ordered.

"Yes, sir. But what about the protected cruiser squadron? They will probably need to close in even further before they can engage!" a staff officer raised an objection.

"Tell the protected cruiser squadron to wait for now. Our armored cruisers alone will be enough to deal with those German medium and small warships." Colonel Sakamoto Shigenori appeared supremely confident.

Seeing this, the staff officer could only refrain from saying anything further.

"Fire!" At the gunnery officer's command, the Kasuga's 40-caliber 254mm single-mounted guns and twin 45-caliber 203mm Main Guns began firing. The seven 40-caliber 152mm single-mounted guns along her sides also opened fire.

The other seven armored cruisers followed suit and launched their attack. Their 203mm Main Guns and 152mm Secondary Guns began pouring out shells.

The German Navy's eight light cruisers, all