10 minutes.
For the high command of the two factions' joint fleet, this was, beyond doubt, the most terrifying 10 minutes.
75,000 interstellar missiles of every model and every form, carrying out a full-coverage firepower strike upon the designated attack areas. That was, quite simply, an attack of the annihilating kind! And the attacked areas were, without a single exception, the positions of the elite fleets. Including even the command ships of over 80% of this joint fleet's high-ranking officers — all of them were within the range of this round of attack.
Zhao Chen stared at the battlefield footage sent back by the T3 Silver-Rats, which lay in wait about the battlefield, capturing the battlefield's images from every angle. It was, too, on account of those five T3 Silver-Rats' grip on the battlefield situation that Zhao Chen could know, with precision, the positions of all the enemy fleets' high command and elite fleets — and could thereby carry out a precision firepower strike. This, just this, was the importance of battlefield intelligence!
And in this round of attack, the T3 Judicator-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ship's interstellar missiles of every model had, one might say, shown forth their divine and awesome might.
Of these, the most numerous were the 10,000 Judicator Type-I conventional interstellar missiles. This class of interstellar missile was of conventional range, its power, too, run-of-the-mill for the T3 grade, unable to carry out an attack upon a distant battlefield. It was chiefly aimed at the mid-and-short range — but against an enemy fleet where a great number of interstellar warships were, still, T2 interstellar warships, this class of interstellar missile was already quite enough to give them a hard time.
Besides, there were the 2,000 Judicator Type-II mid-range heavy interstellar missiles — which, upon the foundation of the former Type-I missile, had their missile power increased; ordinarily they were paired with the Type-I missiles, carrying out attacks against certain key target units.
And apart from these, there were, moreover, the 2,000 Judicator Type-III ultra-long-range medium interstellar missiles, which were chiefly responsible for long-range strikes — this class of interstellar missile's main targets being the carrier starships to the rear of the enemy fleet. In that round of attack just now, these Judicator Type-III ultra-long-range medium interstellar missiles had directly destroyed close to 30 T2-grade carrier starships, along with some key enemy targets on the distant battlefield.
Beyond attacks against key enemies, there were, too, in fact, the 500 Judicator Type-IV mid-to-long-range submunition cluster missiles, aimed at small and medium targets — this class of interstellar missile, in this present round of attack, had, beyond doubt, the visual effect turned all the way up! Its power was perhaps not the greatest, but the attack range of a single interstellar missile was the widest. After it flew to the designated area, it would burst apart, scattering out 300 submunition interstellar bomblets, to detonate within the target area. Though the precision wasn't high, for striking small and medium enemy ships within the range, it was the most fitting — the more so for this enemy fleet before them, richest of all in cannon-fodder-grade T1 interstellar warships. One such submunition cluster missile, with a stroke of good luck, could even directly slaughter over 100 T1 and T2 interstellar warships!
And last, there were, moreover, the 500 Judicator Type-V heavy anti-energy-shield special interstellar missiles, aimed expressly at the enemy's flagships. These were used expressly against enemy ships possessing star-shield defenses. From the name, their function was plain to see.
It was precisely under the coordination of these several models of interstellar missile that the T3 Judicator-class Heavy Interstellar Missile Ship staged, straight off, a very carnival of judgment!
"Reporting — our five T3 Judicators have completed their attack; of the interstellar missiles launched, the interception rate was 25%. Of the 132 attack areas, 67 now have no starship-energy-signal response. In the remaining attack areas, a portion of enemy interstellar warship units survive. The precise enemy-kill data still needs later tallying." The wolf-girl Baixue, at the very first moment, reported to Zhao Chen with a whole face flushed crimson. Given the chance, the wolf-girl Baixue truly wanted to loose off another volley. This was, quite simply, satisfying beyond all measure! Watching the interstellar missiles she'd launched set those interstellar warships alight, the wolf-girl Baixue felt for all the world as though every last cell of hers were leaping and cheering.
"Very good — your fleet has completed the task. Prepare to receive resupply from the T3 Virgos. What comes next, just leave to the other fleets." Zhao Chen handed down the order.
"Yes." The wolf-girl Baixue responded, but there was, still, a note of loss in her words. Because she could roughly guess it: for this battle, her fleet's combat task was, more than likely, at its end here. For the T3 Judicator's resupply time was very long; even with a specialized T3 Virgo-class Heavy Interstellar Supply Ship carrying out an efficient resupply — 10 minutes of free-flowing, exhilarating firepower output needed a full 100 minutes of resupply time from a single T3 Virgo. And 100 minutes? The wolf-girl Baixue looked with scorn upon that interstellar fleet she'd set alight — an interstellar fleet of just this sort, under the attack of their Owl Dragon Fleet, could it hold out 100 minutes?
The wolf-girl Baixue ended the comm with Zhao Chen, leaned back against the captain's chair, lit herself a cigarette, and, blowing out a smoke ring with relish, wore the look of one thoroughly at ease.
"Prepare to receive the interstellar supply ship's resupply operation. Though we can't do another round as thrilling as that, maybe there'll still be a few small shots to fire yet."
With that, the wolf-girl Baixue narrowed her eyes, admiring that stretch of "beautiful scenery" she herself had created, a trace of an intoxicated smile at the corner of her mouth.
And at the same time, over on Zhao Chen's side, he received the most professional data report from the T3 Silver-Rat-class Light Interstellar Stealth Reconnaissance Ships on this round of the missile ships' firepower strike.
"Reporting — according to the T3 Silver-Rats' tally, this firepower strike of the five T3 Judicators directly destroyed 60 of the enemy's T3 interstellar warships, close to 2,000 T2 interstellar warships, and close to 20,000 T1 interstellar warships! Besides which, of the surviving enemy fleet, close to 30% were caused damage of varying degrees by the firepower attack just now. And, at the same time, the command systems of several enemy fleets have been paralyzed!" Lilith reported.
What astonishing battle results!
A mere 10 minutes of attack, and it had gravely crippled an interstellar fleet of 60,000 interstellar warships! Who could believe that this was the result wrought by a mere five interstellar warships?
"That round of interstellar-missile bombardment by the five T3 Judicators just now directly consumed 1 billion star coins." Lilith, at this point, didn't neglect to add this one point.
10 minutes, and a whole billion fired off. This money-burning speed — by all estimates, of any interstellar fleet of the same scale within the Galactic Alliance, not one burned money as fast as Zhao Chen.
"Convey my order — the T3 Phoenix is to deploy its interstellar fighters and interstellar drones, and make ready to seize interstellar air-superiority. At the same time, the T3 Phantom Assassins are to carry out a decapitation operation against the enemy fleet's remaining T3 interstellar warships! The T3 Blizzards and the T3 Imperials, make ready for a frontal charge — in accordance with the pre-set battle plan, interpenetrate and split apart the enemy fleet-group! The T3 Triceratops, 20 minutes from now, are to enter the battlefield, and carry out annihilation-style combat upon the enemy fleets that have been split off. The remaining T2 interstellar warships, continue to hold the defensive formation!" Zhao Chen handed down the second stage of the battle orders.
Following upon the T3 Judicators —
The T3 Imperial-class Heavy Interstellar Battleship, at last, had its chance to make its appearance.
Its huge hull was second only to the T3 Phoenix-class Heavy Carrier Starship's. Were one to look from the outside, one would find that this interstellar battleship's bow position bore no bow-cannon attack module of any kind. But it was at just this moment that the seamlessly fitted hull armor at the bow position gave rise to a single seam, which thereafter spread apart to the two sides. Exposing, in the middle, a hidden, dazzlingly bright giant bow cannon.
The Imperial-class heavy cluster-pulse bow cannon!