The eastern island chain of the "Shattered Star Sea," the naval battlefield between the Garratt Duchy and the Golden Palm Federation.
Toot!
At this moment, thick smoke billowed across this sea, where magic element had been sealed away and which had become entirely the domain of mortal war machines. The two sides' strongest fleets sailed back and forth in line-ahead formations.
The line tactics that had shone so brilliantly in the Age of Sailing Warships were by no means outdated, even thirty years later.
Or rather, in the hands of All Heavy Gun Battleships that required no external power, these tactics had instead gained even greater vitality.
At 10:50 a.m., under the pressure created by the Mythical Warship · Nagelfar, the cruiser fleets advancing ahead of both sides exchanged probing artillery fire.
At 11:12 a.m., Federation Fleet Commander Idi Ernest ordered a change in formation to better facilitate combat.
He ordered the main fleet's First and Second Squadrons to accelerate to fifteen knots and sail ahead of the Fourth Squadron.
However, due to a "communications malfunction"—in truth, an information war led by the Duchy's Electrical Engineers—he failed to promptly order the Fourth Column to slow down, throwing the Federation fleet's formation into some confusion.
At around 11:20 a.m., in order to seize a favorable firing position, Duchy Fleet Commander Evan ordered the entire fleet to make a major turn in the enemy's presence.
After entering the Age of Giant Ships and Great Cannons, without the influence of sea winds and currents, the importance of seizing the T-Head became increasingly apparent.
Like Sailing Warships, modern battleships and cruisers could only bring their maximum firepower to bear when attacking from the flank.
Thus, presenting one's own flank to the head of the enemy battle line had always been the combat situation fleet