Chapter Text
強襲、第一遊撃部隊！
(Kyōshū, Daiichi Yūgeki Butai!)
The special assault aircraft “Tōka” was an unmanned drone modified from a captured spherical fighter Ignis, originally deployed on the Rubel Cruiser. Commonly referred to as the “Special Assault Unit,” it was developed as a dedicated ramming aircraft using an automated core, proposed by the 2nd Department of the Navy General Staff. These units repurposed Ignis fighters—which were abundant and reusable after repairs—as guided missile substitutes.
Rear Admiral Ryūzō Shinmei decided to utilize the legacy left by former 2nd Department Chief Rear Admiral Kameto Kuroshima. Alongside three Taiyō-class carriers stationed in the homeland as test units, he deployed the Tōka by lining them up on the flight decks of the Shōryū and the Ninth Fleet’s experimental carrier Rairyū before sortieing.
The Rairyū was a modified version of the French Navy’s first Joffre-class carrier, the Joffre. Constructed as an 18.000-ton-class carrier in response to the German Navy’s initiation of the Graf Zeppelin-class carriers before the war, it was meant to counterbalance Germany’s naval expansion.
However, due to Germany’s invasion, France capitulated before its completion. Later, when the Otherworldly Empire invaded, the Joffre was finished by the hands of the otherworlders. Yet, it was eventually sunk and recovered after engaging in battle with the Japanese Navy.
Though its air wing was limited to just 40 aircraft, its hull size and performance were comparable to the Unryū-class. The reason the capable Joffre was not utilized as a mainstay carrier ultimately came down to its low aircraft capacity.
But to return to the main subject—the Tōka, lined up on the flight decks of five carriers, successfully infiltrated the midst of the Two Thousand Fleet, their allegiance indiscernible.
Nearly identical to the Rubel fighter Ignis save for its coloring, the Tōka swooped in at low altitude amid the fleet battle, firing its four loaded rockets at the nearest Otherworldly Empire ships before launching itself into a ramming attack.
Along with the destructive force of its 500-kilogram bomb, the Tōka—functioning as an automated core-guided missile—slammed into enemy ships one after another, sowing even greater chaos. Though somewhat delayed, the composition of the 1st Striking Force that launched the assault on the Two Thousand Fleet was as follows:
1st Striking Force (Rear Admiral Ryūzō Shinmei)
- Battleships Ezo, Yamato
- Aircraft carriers Shōryū, Hoshō, Taiyō, Un’yō, Chūyō, Rairyū
- Large cruiser Myōgi
- Armored ships Ōikazuchi, Honoikazuchi, Kuroikazuchi
- Heavy cruiser Nagi
- Light cruisers Yūbari, Satsuki, Yasu, Suzuka, Minase, Uryū
- Special light cruisers Naka, Kinu, Kuma, Tama
- Destroyers Shimakaze, Hisame, Kirisame, Muku-555, Muku-661, Muku-715, Muku-733
- Submarines I-121, I-122, I-123, I-124, I-600, I-701, I-702, I-703, I-704, I-705, I-401, I-402, I-1501, I-1502, I-1503, I-1504, I-1505, I-1506, I-1611, I-1612, I-1613, Ro-401, Ro-402, Ro-403
- Seaplane carriers Haiki, Ondo
- Included: Assault icebreaker ship, iceberg carrier
Originally, the 1st Striking Force was supposed to merge with the remnants of the 2nd and 3rd Striking Forces, but their losses were too severe to rely on. Instead, reinforcements were drawn from the homeland standby unit, the Ninth Fleet.
After launching the Tōka assault aircraft, the Shōryū and Rairyū—along with the three temporary Taiyō-class carriers—teleported to withdraw from the front. Simultaneously, 24 submarines submerged and began deploying their payloads of guided naval mines.
The mine-laying submarines—four I-121-class, six I-1501-class (based on the German Navy’s XB-type minelayers), and three I-1611-class (based on the British Grampus-class)—scattered between 40 to 66 mines each. The 1st Striking Force’s dedicated submarines, including the I-600, also released externally mounted guided mines.
But mines weren’t deployed by submarines alone. The light cruisers Satsuki and Yasu—modified from Abdiel-class fast minelayers—could carry up to 156 mines each.
Then there was the cruiser Uryū, a refitted version of the French minelaying cruiser Pluton. Originally sunk in a mine accident in 1939, the ship had been salvaged and repaired by the Otherworldly Empire before being captured by the Japanese Navy.
With a standard displacement of 5.300 tons, a length of 152 meters, and a beam of 15,5 meters, it was practically a light cruiser in size. Though its main guns were rapid-fire destroyer weapons, its mine capacity was formidable at 290 units. The Japanese Navy had upgraded it with Akizuki-class 10 cm long AA guns, giving it comparable anti-air capabilities.
The three light cruisers—Satsuki, Yasu, and Uryū—dropped mines while operating cloaking devices, supporting the submarine units.
Meanwhile, as the carrier group retreated, the seaplane tenders Haiki and Ondo launched their Gyōsei Kai and Hiun seaplanes from their catapults. The Haiki was a refitted French Commandant Teste, while the Ondo was a modified Italian Giuseppe Miraglia. Though few in number, these aircraft used teleportation bombing devices to strike enemy ships within the chaotic Two Thousand Fleet.
During this time, the battleships Ezo and Yamato, the large cruiser Myōgi, and the heavy cruiser Nagi opened fire, exploiting the enemy’s disarray to maximize their gains. The special cruisers Naka, Kinu, Kuma, and Tama—functioning as heavy guided-missile ships—fired anti-ship projectiles, prioritizing nearby enemy destroyers to quickly eliminate threats. Enemy destroyers, lacking shields, were doomed if targeted—either shot down by AA fire or crippled in a single blow.
Amidst the battle, a report came into the flagship Ezo.
“Message from the iceberg carrier! They have collided with an unidentified ship!”
At this, Captain Akutsu of the Ezo glanced at Shinmei.
“Sir!”
“Exactly as expected, Captain.”
An Otherworldly Empire ship, hidden by its cloaking device, had tried to ram through the assault icebreaker ship and the iceberg carrier positioned ahead of it—using their ice-melting systems as shields—only to faceplant into the pykrete iceberg.
“They must’ve mistaken it for otherworldly ice. But this collision confirms it—there are cloaked enemies behind us.”
“Yes. It seems our mine deployment won’t go to waste after all.”
Senior Staff Officer, Commander Tadashi Fujishima allowed himself a satisfied grin. The enemy lying in wait to ambush the forces attacking the Two Thousand Fleet’s rear had just been flushed out.