The fleet command simulation system at Central Defense University, named “Apprentice Admiral OL,” is a flagship military education product designed by the Commonwealth.
The AI will make a rough estimate of the combat power of existing main fleet compositions from various countries, then assign a numerical value of 10,000. For example, an assault ship is 10, while a Dreadnought is 500. Commanders can then use these data units to build and organize their own fleets. Of course, you can play to extremes, assembling 1,000 assault ships or twenty Dreadnoughts, but as we all know, unless in special circumstances, those who play to extremes generally end up dying miserably.
For onlookers who view the simulation battle as a grand war film, how both sides choose their fleet composition is already a major highlight.
Auxiliary command computers, of course, cannot completely replace hundreds of thousands of sailors, assault troops, and officers of all ranks, nor can they fully reproduce morale, fighting spirit, and the subtle effects of psionics. However, since this is a simulation battle anyway, achieving a general average is sufficient. So far, no one has expressed significant doubts about the system’s calculations, and it is currently the mainstream application system for military education worldwide.
Yu Lian, however, felt that this design was not entirely reasonable. A truly excellent commander should not focus on defeating an enemy of equal strength with existing forces, or at least not put most of his energy there. What he should consider is how to concentrate forces exceeding the opponent's in the shortest time possible, in a specific battlefield, and annihilate them.
As the saying goes, it’s better to break one finger than to hurt ten. This was also taught to Yu Lian by his most admired Li Instructor.
But no matter what, this battle must be fought now.
For Thomas Quinn… that hardworking, upright, gentle classmate whose future was stolen.
Give me strength! Though I'm sure you're still very healthy, Toby!
Yu Lian began to assemble his fleet, and his choices immediately caused a stir. This time there were no 'boos,' because everyone was stunned.
Yu Lian did not follow the conventional strategic composition everyone expected; the assault ship formation was reduced to the extreme, with fewer than two hundred ships remaining. Moreover, he chose a Lancer-type that the Commonwealth had finalized three years ago. This assault ship has limited cabin space, carrying a maximum of only twenty assault troops, but it has enhanced mobility, flexibility, and more close-range firepower, and it creatively installed a new type of mirror shield.
When this design from the Dawn Design Bureau was first announced, it was widely ridiculed. After all, what is the point of an assault ship that cannot charge into battle with assault landing craft formations for boarding actions?
As a result, even the Commonwealth Navy has only politely purchased a few dozen ships as experimental units to this day.
“Apprentice Admiral” truly lives up to its reputation as the Commonwealth’s best-selling tactical simulation system; as long as the upgrade fees are paid, all ship information in the database is updated in real-time. Even new ships that have just been launched can be selected, and their data is, of course, identical to what is disclosed by the media and official sources.
It seems Central Defense University has paid enough for the upgrades, probably the only military academy in the entire Commonwealth to do so.
Yu Lian began to make his choices again. This time, his choices left even his own people a bit confused.
“Fina… how did this guy change so much after an internship?” Annie whispered.
“His personality hasn’t changed much, but he’s started to become conservative at his core!” Zhi Xia sighed, “I heard he was severely injured. It sounds heartbreaking.”
“Yu Lian is still Yu Lian, just more mature,” Liuli smiled serenely.
Feifei said nothing, continuing to smile. Merely sitting there, she was already like the Chang'e fairy veiled in moonlight.
Yu Lian creatively selected forty Armory Ships and thirty Aircraft Carriers—and not the assault armored Aircraft Carrier type like lexington, but very standard large transport Aircraft Carriers, with tens of thousands of various aircraft, both manned and unmanned, on board.
As for the Armory Ships, they were the Imperial Executioner-class, finalized over forty years ago, an extreme firepower type. They were equipped with four large-caliber railguns, four gamma-ray cannons, and one tachyon light spear cannon. Additionally, dense firing ports covered their entire bodies, capable of launching double-digit proton torpedoes and triple-digit missiles in a single volley.
However, this extreme firepower type meant that its own defenses were very fragile; once infiltrated and boarded by enemy assault ships and assault craft, the entire ship could become a most dangerous and deadly explosion point.
During the Independent War, an Imperial Fleet composed of over forty Executioner-class ships was thrown into disarray by Marshal Ziriko’s small assault ship clusters. Each of them carried enough weapons to turn the entire Earth into a doomsday wasteland, but they all became giant torches in the Centaurus stellar sky.
Since then, this type of ship has been removed from the naval rosters of all nations.
Actually, Yu Lian didn't think the Executioner was a good ship, at least its damage control design was a mess. But, wasn't there no other choice?
Oh, I really hope the Punisher enters service soon! I remember it was next year or the year after? Ugh, even after service, it doesn't seem to be highly valued by the Empire, and by habit, it's opened for purchase and even production by allied (subordinate) nations. Should I find a fake identity and get the production authorization?
Sigh… I should have known not to offend that blonde and her red-haired attendant.
Yu Lian’s final choices were six Dreadnoughts and forty Guardian Ships, all of which were hard-shelled, thick-skinned, long-health-bar 'big turtles.' In space, they were completely an indestructible wall.
“Is this guy completely giving up on boarding actions? Is he going to decide the outcome with firepower?” Unlike his confused companions, Autumn Mountain Yawata pushed up his glasses, feeling that he seemed to have grasped something.
Subsequently, when he saw that Yu Lian’s choices for the Dreadnoughts were primarily defensive models, he became even more certain of his idea.
Autumn Mountain Yawata wanted to remind Wien, but knew that doing so would be a violation, and given Wien’s arrogance, even if he knew he might fall into the opponent’s dense firepower net, he would still stick to his tactical choices.
On the other side, Wien had also completed his formation. Fighting in the computer room, he couldn't hear any sounds from outside. He also wasn't planning to observe the opponent's formation; on one hand, it would be suspected of cheating, which didn't fit his arrogant persona, and on the other hand, he had always agreed with Founding Father Marshal Li’s attitude towards war.
“He fights his, I fight mine!”
In short, play your own style, don't dance to the opponent's rhythm.
Six Dreadnoughts, twelve battlecruisers, and a small number of auxiliary ships, along with a relatively large assault ship group. These were the choices he made.
By the way, since Titans are special hero units, a mere computer software cannot simulate them. So, Dreadnoughts are the limit of what everyone can choose in this “Apprentice Admiral OL.”
Of course, Wien's fleet composition was also a relatively extreme choice, entirely prepared to charge into the enemy formation and engage in a messy fight. However, Wien was very confident in his fleet operations, believing he could make it messy but not chaotic, chaotic but not damaged.
The Dreadnoughts he chose were also types with high speed, fierce firepower, and extremely strong assault capabilities, which indeed matched his consistently aggressive and fiery personality.
The audience began to cheer. Wien's choices, though a bit extreme, were within everyone's common understanding, and they were particularly exciting and visually appealing. It was like on a football field, someone setting up a 4-3-3 formation for a full-scale attack, which always made people feel their blood boil.
As for Yu Lian… well, does ten-zero-zero count?
Then, the extreme but still somewhat conventional aggressive flow versus the extreme, beyond-conventional turtle flow battle began.
As the battle unfolded, Wien was indeed startled by this extreme formation. He still remembered the last time he had a simulation battle with Yu Lian; the opponent's choices were similar to his own, both employing high-speed assault tactics. The battle was indeed intense—assaults, strangulation, chaotic fights, ship capture and recapture, encirclement and counter-encirclement—which left the surrounding onlookers with their blood boiling and utterly engrossed.
To use a football analogy, it was an exhilarating and epic goal-fest.
But now, 4-3-3 against parking the bus, what's the point of that?
“Coward!” Wien spat, thinking, if you had fought me to the very end, I would have respected you as a man, but now…snort, I misjudged you! Has your temperament changed just from one injury?
Following his original plan, he spread out his warships, with the heavily armored Dreadnoughts and battlecruisers leading the way, advancing while firing in volleys. The auxiliary fleet also began its first round of fire support projection.
This assault tactic was nothing new, but the reason it wasn't new was precisely because it was so effective that it had been overused. Moreover, even the most mediocre tactic depends on who is using it. At least, Horatio Wien, who appeared outwardly aggressive and reckless, was someone meticulous in fleet maneuvers.
His fighting style was reckless, but his actual execution was not reckless at all.
The main cannon bombardment of the assault fleet did not significantly shake Yu Lian’s turtle formation, which was already within his expectations. So, he decisively began to split his forces.
The assault ship group, relying on their small bodies and flexible movements, swarmed towards the opponent's front. Meanwhile, the battlecruisers and Dreadnoughts under his command executed a very beautiful enemy-front turn, turning their heads and rushing towards Yu Lian’s flank.
Armory Ships and Guardian Ships are both heavy, specialized warships; their speed and turning are not flexible, which is why they cannot participate in chaotic battles.
But at this moment, swarms of fighter jets and drones had already poured out from Yu Lian’s Guardian Ship group, engaging in a fierce dogfight with Wien’s assault ships and aircraft.
No one expected that in this (simulated) fleet engagement, the most brutal strangulation battle would erupt between these smaller vessels.
It was as hard to accept as if, in the cold weapon era, the most intense part of a grand battle had occurred between unarmored light infantry.
At this point, Wien, who had just completed his enemy-front turn, was also met with a head-on blow from Yu Lian.