Chapitre 45: Chapter 45: The Informal Pack Experiment
After hearing about the titles Americans bestowed upon themselves, Zhang Hainuo just smiled and shrugged it off. After all, in the time to come, he still had to continue playing the game of hunter and anti-hunter with them.
After entering the summer of 1917, the British and American navies further increased their escort efforts on the Atlantic routes. This meant larger escort convoys with more participating vessels. In the next two outings, Zhang Hainuo encountered fewer and fewer solo voyages of British and American cargo ships. When encountering large escort convoys from the enemy, he felt increasingly isolated. However, convening other submarines through the submarine command not only consumed time but also required waiting for other submarines to regroup after dispersing. Thus, golden opportunities were wasted time and time again.
In his fifth sortie on the North Atlantic route, Zhang Hainuo tasted the bitterness of a zero-record single sortie for the first time: he couldn't launch a single torpedo until the supplies onboard were exhausted. After drifting on the Atlantic for six weeks, he could only return to Wilhelmshaven port in disappointment. His total record remained at 41,000 tons, just one step away from the title of ace boat commander.
Feeling extremely frustrated upon returning to Wilhelmshaven, Zhang Hainuo once again found Colonel Georg, the commander of the 3rd submarine squadron. Georg was also helpless. They had submitted their report in May, but now it was the end of September, and the response from the naval headquarters was still under discussion.
Without orders from the naval headquarters, they couldn't officially organize the submarines into tactical groups for team combat.
"Are we just going to sit here and wait for death?" Zhang Hainuo muttered to himself in Chinese. Colonel Georg obviously didn't understand, but Zhang Hainuo's expression revealed some important information.
The colonel walked to Zhang Hainuo's side and whispered, "Lieutenant, come to the conference room at headquarters tomorrow night at eight!"
Zhang Hainuo faintly felt that something must be happening behind this, but since the colonel deliberately spoke softly to him, he didn't inquire further.
"Alright, I'll be there on time!"
After completing the procedures for the next departure's supplies, Zhang Hainuo didn't linger here but quickly returned to his submarine. Since the 10 torpedoes brought on the last voyage were returned intact, he ordered the crew to take out the torpedoes from the torpedo tubes for technical maintenance and inspection. Along with the maintenance of the pipeline system on board, this busy work took a day and a half.
After the maintenance work on the submarine was basically completed, Zhang Hainuo, as usual, invited all the crew members to the best restaurant in Wilhelmshaven city for a meal. Although this meal often cost him a month's allowance, he didn't need to send money back to Fink Manor at all. Moreover, with additional subsidies and rewards for sea combat, he was always very generous when paying the bill. This generosity also became one of U171's crew members' capital to boast to their peers—after other submarines returned to port, the crew members mostly went their separate ways, and sometimes the boat commanders would treat, but generous ones like Zhang Hainuo were indeed rare.
When Zhang Hainuo returned to the port area, it was already quarter past seven. After tidying up his attire a bit, he bid farewell to the crew members and came alone to the submarine command headquarters. At this time, apart from the duty officers, there was no one else in the hall. Just when Zhang Hainuo doubted whether he had remembered the time incorrectly, the voice of the colonel came from the dim corridor:
"Lieutenant, this way! You're the only one missing now!"
The only one missing?
Zhang Hainuo couldn't help but quicken his pace. Besides himself, who else would come today?
After entering the conference room, his doubts were answered—wearing the same dark blue naval uniforms with the submarine unit insignia, these dozen or so officers mostly held the ranks of lieutenant and captain, with at least two medals on their chests.
These people were not completely unfamiliar to Zhang Hainuo; they all belonged to the same submarine squadron as him. However, since Zhang Hainuo had recently joined this submarine unit and spent most of his time at sea, he still couldn't recall many of their names.
Zhang Hainuo was about to count how many officers were present when the colonel pulled him to the front.
"I believe everyone has heard of him. He is Lieutenant Hainuo von Finkenschtein, the promising star of U171! He was the first to propose the idea of multi-submarine coordinated combat, which we will discuss today!"
Although the ages and physique of these officers varied, when Zhang Hainuo's gaze met theirs, without exception, they all nodded slightly towards him, showing a form of respect and acknowledgment among officers.
Next, the colonel asked Zhang Hainuo to explain the tactical idea to everyone, and then proposed to voluntarily form a submarine task force to "test" this new tactic.
Zhang Hainuo thought that the boat commanders would all enthusiastically agree, but in the end, only three of them stood up to respond.
Later, Zhang Hainuo learned from the colonel that this did not mean only three out of twelve boat commanders agreed with his proposed multi-submarine coordinated combat approach. It was because this test was unofficial, meaning it did not receive approval from the naval headquarters. In the strictly hierarchical German military, although such an approach had some rationality, once a problem arose, participants would not only damage their reputation but also risk their future in the navy!
"This test was originally voluntary. It doesn't matter if you don't want to participate, but I request you to keep this matter confidential for the time being as an individual request from me! Now, the others can leave! The three who are willing to participate, please stay!"
It was evident that Georg was highly respected in this submarine squadron. After the boat commanders who were unwilling to participate left, instead of leaving directly, they came over one by one to shake hands with him, saying words like "wish you success" and "good luck."
Zhang Hainuo also believed that these German officers, who valued honor over life, would not do anything detrimental to others for their own benefit.
After the others left, the colonel gestured for the four boat commanders, including Zhang Hainuo, to stand together.
"Let me introduce you. This is Lieutenant Hainuo von Finkenschtein, the commander of U171. I'm sure everyone has heard recently; he's the rising star of our submarine force!"
Zhang Hainuo friendly and humbly glanced at the other three boat commanders, most of whom he still didn't know well because he had recently transferred to this submarine force, and most of his time was spent on sea combat, so he didn't have many opportunities to meet other boat commanders.
The three men were not very old, and at this moment, they looked at Zhang Hainuo with friendly eyes.
"This is Lieutenant Wilhelm Ganeer, the captain of U133!" The colonel introduced the oldest of the three to Zhang Hainuo first.
This person had a square face, a big head, was not tall, slightly chubby, and appeared to be around thirty years old. He bore a resemblance to the character Pig Dad from cartoons.
After shaking hands, the colonel added, "Lieutenant Ganeer's total tonnage sunk has exceeded 80,000 tons, making him one of the top ten ace captains of our 3rd squadron!"
Top ten ace captains!
Zhang Hainuo couldn't help but think that appearances could be deceiving. Such a seemingly amiable person turned out to be a ruthless killer at sea, sinking British ships with ease.
"Pig Dad" simply smiled.
"And this is Captain Margarete von Ockwe, the commander of U93! Including the last sortie, the total tonnage of ships sunk has reached 92,000 tons, ranking seventh among the aces of the German Navy!"
The colonel's tone carried a clear note of admiration as he introduced this individual.
Seventh ace of the Navy!
Zhang Hainuo couldn't help but gasp. With a tonnage of 92,000, this person's record was only slightly lower than Hesen's. Moreover, he was a handsome young man in his late twenties, standing almost 5 centimeters taller than Hesen. With a cold expression on his face, he exuded an aura of authority.
"Lieutenant von Ockwe, I've heard a lot about you. It's an honor to meet you in person today!"
Although his voice was soft-spoken, it carried magnetism and refinement, devoid of any arrogance despite his extraordinary achievements.
"Thank you! It's also an honor to meet you!" Having spent nearly a year in this era, Zhang Hainuo had become adept at such pleasantries.
Afterwards, the two exchanged nods in mutual understanding.
"Oh, and there's this one!"
Following the colonel's gaze, Zhang Hainuo's eyes fell on the third captain. At first glance, he almost exclaimed. This person stood close to 6 feet tall (183 cm), with an average build but sharp, eagle-like eyes and a small, straight nose...
"Roland von Seckendorf, Naval Lieutenant, in charge of U167's affairs!" the man introduced himself.
This was a completely unfamiliar name. Zhang Hainuo couldn't believe his ears, but the officer in front of him did bear a striking resemblance to Carl von Dönitz. Although Zhang Hainuo had never seen a young photo of Dönitz, this man's demeanor and appearance were remarkably similar to the famous German submarine commander!
However, Zhang Hainuo quickly remembered that the notorious "Sea Devil" in history was not as tall, and while their faces were similar, this man was already in his thirties, whereas Dönitz at this time would have been under 30.
Taken aback by the resemblance, Zhang Hainuo almost forgot his manners. He quickly shook the man's hand. "Lieutenant Seckendorf, it's an honor to meet you!"
"Is there something wrong with my face?" The Dönitz-like lieutenant noticed Zhang Hainuo's puzzled expression.
Quickly explaining himself, Zhang Hainuo said, "Oh, sorry! I just think you look remarkably like someone else!"
Seckendorf didn't mind at all. On the contrary, he seemed interested. "Oh? Then you must introduce me to him sometime!"
"Carl von Dönitz, do you know him?" Zhang Hainuo asked hopefully.
Seckendorf shook his head. Zhang Hainuo looked at the colonel and the other two captains, who also wore puzzled expressions.
"Alright, let's get to the point!" The colonel interrupted their conversation and took a seat.
"Lieutenant von Fenskerstein's U171 is ready to sail. Lieutenant Ganeer, how many more days do you need to prepare U133?"
"Pig Dad" responded without hesitation, "One day!"
"And you, Garrett?" The colonel seemed familiar with this ace captain.
After a brief pause, the ace replied, "Two days!"
"My U167 still needs to replace a generator and some wiring. Three days!" Without waiting for the colonel's question, the Dönitz-like officer spoke up.
During this exchange, Zhang Hainuo observed three distinctly different personalities.
"Does anyone object to setting sail together with all four submarines, or should we depart separately and rendezvous in the Atlantic?" With this question, the colonel scanned the faces of the four captains.
"I have no objections to either!" Seckendorf relinquished his choice.
"What do you say, Captain?" "Pig Dad" turned his gaze to the cool ace.
After a moment's thought, von Ockwe spoke with dignity but without arrogance, "How about departing separately and then meeting at a designated location? Lieutenant von Fenskerstein, what do you think?"
"I agree!" Zhang Hainuo glanced at the other three captains and then said to the colonel, "We'll depart in batches!"
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone