But over the following weeks, the East Sea Alliance and the Xister Kingdom seemed to notice that their merchant convoys were suffering an unusual number of losses. A little investigation revealed that numerous Vela raiding fleets were operating in the Silver Moon Strait.
The two powers changed tactics. Instead of transporting supplies in small convoys, they assembled vast fleets to carry large quantities of supplies and personnel in a single voyage.
That caused the raiding fleets considerable trouble. Once the Xister Kingdom Fleet and the East Sea Alliance Fleet joined forces, their combined force was enormous. Even a fraction of it could easily form a fleet of several hundred ships.
That was too much for Vela's raiders. As formidable as the Steam Gunships were, there were only so many of them. Enough ants could still bring down an elephant.
Besides, Vela had chosen to raid trade routes precisely because it did not want a large-scale naval battle. Engaging such a vast fleet could turn a raid into a decisive battle at sea, which was not part of the Vela Navy's plan.
By rights, the Vela Navy was strong enough to be more confident. After all, it had destroyed most of the East Sea Alliance Fleet's main force in the previous battle.
But the East Sea Alliance had underestimated its enemy then, while Vela had been fully equipped and had mobilized nearly its entire naval strength.
Now, to sustain the raids, the Vela Navy had rotated its fleets. The ships it could muster in the Silver Moon Strait amounted to only a third of its previous force.
The combined navy of the East Sea Alliance and the Xister Kingdom outnumbered those Vela ships by more than twenty to one. Even with a clear advantage in weaponry, Vela could easily suffer severe