That those few small special squads could carry out decapitation after decapitation and yet keep their own fleets very nearly without loss.
Rested upon the T5 King-of-the-Hill-class Heavy Interstellar Comprehensive Strategic Escort's guarding of the friendly fleet upon the field.
A warship whose star-shield was upon the point of being spent could in an instant come by a new shield's protection.
Which is as good as being brought back to full life upon the spot!
And these were T5-grade warships and main-force T4s besides.
What such a thing can accomplish upon a field is very great indeed!
King-of-the-Hill-class Heavy Interstellar Comprehensive Strategic Escort
Ship type: interstellar escort
Technology grade: T5
Hull armor strength: 1,000,000–1,100,000 units
Star-shield energy value: 100,000,000 units
Cruising speed: 1,000 star-knots
Warp engine: grade-9 warp engine
Hull length: 5 kilometers
Mass: 5,110,000 tons
Complement: 3,000
Starship weapons: 500 T5-grade twelve-mount 1000mm-bore heavy close-in energy cannon
10,000 King-of-the-Hill-class multi-function defensive interstellar missiles (100 launchers)
Special performance:
Comprehensive star-shield system; King-of-the-Hill guardian module; King-of-the-Hill wartime energy core
Lilith at this moment could not help opening this class's materials again, and then raising her head to look at the field pictures sent back.
And said in admiration, "No wonder she is called a comprehensive strategic escort.
"These functions are a great deal more than an interstellar escort's before.
"Above all the King-of-the-Hill guardian module and the King-of-the-Hill wartime energy core program.
"The former can give friendly ships a star-shield.
"And the latter can run under conditions of war, giving the escort more energy — and can even convert certain energies upon the field!"
Hearing Lilith's praise.
The corner of Zhao Chen's mouth rose slightly.
This is why he chose this T5 King-of-the-Hill.
To the eye, everyone would likely think at first glance that the granting of star-shields is the most important thing.
In truth the King-of-the-Hill wartime energy core program is this escort's most important technology.
Understand that in a state of war a warship's engine energy can in the main only be supplied outward; only out of war can raw materials be spent to lay up a store of engine energy.
Even the T5 Hades, in a state of war, can convert energy only at low efficiency.
But the T5 King-of-the-Hill is another matter: she is fitted with two sets of engine energy, one regular, and one of this kind.
And this one can run only in a state of war; it can, without hindrance whatever, produce energy in an unbroken stream and supply it to the ship's several fighting districts — chiefly that module which grants the shields.
Were it not for this function, how should so small an escort bear the vast energy consumption of granting star-shields to other warships?
Understand that to grant a star-shield is, in energy consumption, a terrible thing.
So this T5 King-of-the-Hill uses another technology besides: not only can she go on producing energy in war, but through certain particular modules upon her hull she can absorb the energy particles that battle raises within the space about her.
Only under these two technologies together can the T5 King-of-the-Hill's small body meet so great a consumption.
Otherwise she could likely not hold out three minutes.
To return to the point.
Under these tactical dispositions of Charlotte's.
The Owl Dragon fleets pressed slowly forward.
Though no few defensive works were set upon these mechanical planets.
Yet because the Owl Dragon fleets advanced slowly, as often as not only one or two mechanical planets' defensive weapons could threaten them at any one time.
The other mechanical planets could only stare, and wait until the Owl Dragon fleets advanced within their own firing range.
Which meant besides that by then the mechanical planets before them had already been destroyed or taken by the Owl Dragon fleets, and lost their capacity to fight.
Though this manner of fighting of the Owl Dragon fleets' looks somewhat slow.
In fact its effect is very plain.
For the quarter Charlotte chose to attack from is the line nearest that greatest mechanical planet in the center.
This was the thread Zhao Wan'er had given her before — that the greatest mechanical planet might hold some particular meaning for this Mechanical Divine Church.
And at the same time the intelligence scouted by the T4 Banshee-class Light Interstellar Stealth Scouts showed that through this stretch of time they had intercepted words of the sort of the altar is under attack.
Bringing this intelligence together, Charlotte took this manner of attack.
And the fact proved this choice of Charlotte's no error.
The Mechanical Divine Church's fleets, against the Owl Dragon fleets' attack, moved the great mass of their strength outright to defend and bar this line.
Which looks like nothing but preventing the Owl Dragon Legion from closing upon that greatest mechanical planet.
At this moment Zhao Chen, through a deep-space telescope, could already observe that greatest mechanical planet; one side of it was red, as though burning.
That should be the place Zhao Wan'er struck before.
"Tell Charlotte: save for destroying the defensive weapons upon that greatest mechanical planet, there is to be no further shelling of it.
"Send interstellar marines to land and fight, and find means to come by intelligence of use to us," Zhao Chen ordered.
"Yes." Lilith passed this thought of Zhao Chen's to Charlotte.
And at the same time another piece of news came through to Zhao Chen.
"Commander, we have received three communication documents," the communications officer said, looking toward him.
"Read them."
"One is from the commander of the Silver Mechanical Angel Legion, telling us that the Mechanical Divine Church rebels engaged with them are, for some reason, attempting to quit the fighting and move in support toward this quarter. They will, by our agreement, contrive every means to stop them, and annihilate them entire outside the ring."
Zhao Chen narrowed his eyes; so this Mechanical Divine Church's chief nest had called outward for relief.
"The second is from the Angel Race.
"The Holy Angel King sends word that, upon your requirement, they have kept a close watch upon the Demon Race's legion fleets.
"They have of a sudden found a great quantity of demon legion fleets urgently drawn away.
"The direction they are drawn toward seems to be [redacted]."
That direction and coordinate is exactly the quarter where this star system lies.
Which is the very thing Zhao Chen had warned the Holy Angel King of before.
"Reply to the Holy Angel King: say that the plan of battle upon my side goes very smoothly.
"This is a rare chance of counter-attack for the Angel Race; whether they can seize it rests upon their own ability," Zhao Chen said, his voice low.
"The third document is from our interstellar scout fleets.
"Within the Demon Race's territory they intercepted the other side's communications.
"The Demon King has ordered several demon legions moved toward us, and bids us have a care."