At 9:00 a.m. on February 9, the German Navy Combined Fleet officially caught up with the Austro-Hungarian Empire Navy. The two immense fleets had formed parallel lines.
Both sides knew that this battle was unavoidable. Therefore, neither commander issued any further orders; they simply commanded their fleets to prepare for battle.
Attempting to seize Crossing the T would be nothing more than a waste of time. Although the German Navy Combined Fleet could have tried, relying on the superior performance of its warships, the Austro-Hungarian Empire Navy was no small force. If they truly did so, they might not be able to wipe them all out even by nightfall. Once darkness fell, the Austro-Hungarian Empire Navy might use the cover of night to vanish into the vast Indian Ocean. By then, it would not be so easy for the German Navy Combined Fleet to find and eliminate them again.
Moreover, Admiral Hipper and the other German Navy admirals admired the Austro-Hungarian Empire Navy's willingness to meet the German Navy head-on. Therefore, they wanted to crush the Austro-Hungarian Empire Navy in an open and honorable battle.
The German Navy Combined Fleet had six more capital ships than the Austro-Hungarian Empire Navy. Furthermore, the performance of its warships far surpassed that of the Austro-Hungarian Empire Navy. Thus, the German Navy Combined Fleet held an absolute advantage. If they still failed to defeat the Austro-Hungarian Empire Navy under such circumstances, or paid too heavy a price to do so, then the German Navy's admirals would be utterly incompetent.
The capital ships of both sides began forming long battle lines. The smaller and medium-sized warships started withdrawing, making room for the clash between the capital ships.
"Four Kaiser-class battleships will deal with the Austro-Hungarian Empire's four Austro-Hungarian Monarch-class battleships. Four Brandenburg-class battlecruisers will deal