Magic Underachiever

Da Liang's introduction of the turtle-class multi-functional combat platform he "invented" immediately attracted the attention of Marshal Hopkins.

As an important military commander of the empire, Marshal Hopkins certainly knew that a unified combat system could reduce a lot of logistical pressure. Moreover, the current Imperial Navy is a blank slate. After buying a large number of warships of various models and functions, it is a very troublesome problem for officers and soldiers to carry out training.

A unified maritime combat platform is good!

The abundant deck space can be freely matched with weapons and equipment according to actual combat needs. The Imperial Navy does not need to train ship members with different functions separately. The simple and clear later system can accelerate the transformation of the army to the navy.

Seeing that Marshal Hopkins was actually interested in such a "junk" warship, Lux mocked on the side: "If there really is a maritime combat platform that can integrate all the functions of warships, other countries would have built it long ago.

Governor, Marshal.

The most important performance indicator of a warship is survivability. A warship that has no survivability in a naval battle, no matter how strong its firepower and how many functions it has, is equivalent to nothing if it is sunk.

Let's take a look at the Black Fire Company's... Turtle-class multi-functional combat platform, its width reaches 20 meters. This certainly gives it a very rich weapons space, but it is also more likely to be hit on the deck by the cross-fire of the naval guns.

Its width and its skirt make the hull more stable and can carry some large-caliber artillery. But its speed can really be the same as that of a turtle, and its slow movement speed will make it the best target.

This is simply a floating coffin."

Marshal Hopkins was ordered to form the Imperial Navy in a critical moment, and he himself had only a vague understanding of naval warfare and warships. Just now, what he heard from Daliang made a lot of sense, and now what he heard from Lukes made even more sense.

Even though Marshal Hopkins had not figured out the relationship between the deck area and the chance of being hit, he knew that running slowly would definitely make it easier to get hit.

The marshal said to Daliang: "I think what Mr. Lukes said is very right. Since the navies of various countries have not built multi-functional combat platforms, there must be a reason. Perhaps the Imperial Navy can purchase a few Turtle-class multi-functional combat platforms as our training ships. I think its stability will allow our sailors to adapt to life at sea more quickly."

Marshal Hopkins was basically certain that this strange warship was used by the Blackfire Company and Marquis Whitehead to poach the Imperial Navy. It is definitely not possible not to buy it, so we will purchase a few ships as a gift to the Whitehead family...

At this time, Daliang said: "Marshal, don't be so hasty to draw a conclusion. Other countries do not have multi-functional combat platforms, and their technology cannot build such warships.

Anyway, this bidding meeting has not ended yet, so why not let my ship run in the sea, and then you will know where the value of this ship is."

Marshal Hopkin looked at Marquis Whitehead, and seeing that the Marquis did not speak, he said: "Since Master Liang strongly recommends your warship to me, then we will let the Turtle-class multi-functional combat platform enter the testing phase.

If it is really not suitable for the Imperial Navy, I also hope that... Black Fire Company can accept the final result."

Daliang smiled and said: "Of course, but the products of Black Fire Company must be fine products. Now please take a look at the sea trial performance of the Turtle-class multi-functional combat platform."

After that, Daliang snapped his fingers.

Then the Turtle-class hovercraft docked at the dock in the distance slowly started, and also attracted the attention of everyone in the stands.

The boat with lifebuoys actually entered the sea trial stage. There must be some shady operation. Then everyone was waiting to see how ridiculous the boat would perform. The reporters present also raised their cameras. They had already thought about what to write in tomorrow's newspaper. If the Fleming Empire Navy really purchased such a warship... the corruption involved would definitely cause a major reputational blow to the Fleming Empire.

The Turtle-class hovercraft had left the dock. It moved as clumsily as it looked. The poor design meant that it could only "squirm" at a speed of less than ten knots. It did indeed come from the dock of the nearby Saroyan First Steel Plant at this speed.

The reporters began to press the shutter of the camera, and the flash lights flashed to record this moment on the film.

Then... people saw white smoke coming out from around the rubber skirt of the boat.

No way, it broke down just after starting!

This ship is not here to bid, but to cause trouble for the Fleming Empire Navy!

There was a roar of laughter in the stands, and Marshal Hopkins's face turned extremely ugly. He gave Marquis Whitehead face, but he didn't expect the other party to slap him in the face.

"Governor..."

Marquis Whitehead reached out to stop Marshal Hopkins' words. He stared at the Turtle-class multi-functional combat platform on the water and whispered: "Keep watching, it seems to be rising..."

Marshal Hopkins looked at the sea surface, and sure enough... the warship with smoke coming out of the bottom of the ship was really rising gradually.

At the same time, the two large propellers at the tail of the warship, whose function was unknown, began to rotate.

At this moment, the laughter in the stands stopped abruptly.

Most of the people who could come to participate in this Imperial Navy Grand Fleet Tender were experts in this field. When they saw the warship they despised gradually rising and floating on the surface of the sea, they knew how the ship worked.

It...it actually uses the pressure formed by steam and water surface to lift the entire warship from the sea water to the surface, so fluid resistance does not exist for this ship.

The role of the two large propellers behind the hull is also obvious. It is itself the forward aerodynamic assembly used on airships.

What kind of thinking can people who can think of this kind of ship design have? This...this is definitely opening up a brand new ship system.

Everyone forgot that they were just mocking this warship wearing a lifebuoy. Everyone quietly watched the warship gradually accelerating on the sea. The shock in their hearts could not be described in words. Everyone guessed, when a ship is no longer blocked by water, it can increase its speed to a terrifying degree?

As the two propellers turned rapidly, the turtle-class multi-functional combat platform gradually increased its speed. Steam sprayed from the periphery of its rubber skirt, as if it was lifted up in the clouds. Without the resistance of seawater, the speed of the hovercraft increased very quickly, easily breaking through 40 knots, that is, 74 kilometers per hour.

But this is not the speed limit of the Turtle-class hovercraft.

Without weapons and equipment, the empty hovercraft does not touch the water surface at all. After exceeding 40 knots, its acceleration decreases but its speed is still rising...

50 knots!

60 knots!

Even the torpedoes can't catch up... No, the ship is above the water, so it's useless for the torpedoes to catch up.

Is this battleship going to trigger a revolution in surface ships?

(I will only update one chapter today because I am worried about my naughty child at home.)