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>>3793996
>Contact Bretagne

Ay, it's back

>>3794385
Yeah sorry. bit of a weird past month, Papa Petain frowns on my shenanigans.

>Contact Bretagne

You frown and cross your arms, mulling over the Abyssal’s response. “I’d like to talk to Bretagne”

The carrier betrays a faint trace of emotion, almost imperceptibly cocking her head to the side in confusion. “Our Lady has already sent her word.”

You sail towards the carrier, holding your hand out expectantly for the headset. “I’d just like to talk to her myself.” a protest begins to form before you shoot the Abyssal a dour glare, “If you’d like I can simply talk to her after we make our way back- I’m sure there’s a lot my sister and I could tell each other.”

The Abyssal seems to briefly ponder this before removing her headset and passing it to you, turning her attention to the rest of the carriers, who all appear to be busying themselves, managing their aircraft and preparing to launch.

You ignore her and don the headset, keying the mic. “Bretagne- It’s Provence.” you begin.

The line is silent for some time before you hear your sister’s voice. “Ah, Dear Sister,” she answers in a polite tone. “Is something amis?”

“I was hoping you could tell me that.” you mutter, glancing down at L’Audacieux who appears to be growing more uneasy, moving herself closer to you and watching the Abyssal carriers. “Your carrier told us that there’s an issue with submarines.”

“Ah- yes.” the voice at the other end answers, taking a noticeable edge onto its polite tone. “Some of our girls ran into a patrol of submarines up the coastline. Nothing to fret but we don’t want Hood being spoiled to our plans, now do we?”

“I suppose not.” you admit dryly. “How far out are they?”

“About two or three dozen nautical miles. There shouldn’t be much of an issue if you make a good pace.” She pauses for a second before continuing “If there wasn’t anything else, it’d be prudent to make your way back quickly, no doubt they know where you are, you’re not exactly the quietest group out there.”

Your destroyer escort pulls up right alongside you, still not taking her eyes off the carriers. She glances down at your hands to make sure you haven’t keyed the mic to reply to Bretagne. “Why are they launching fighters?” she asks you in a hushed whisper..

You glance over at the carriers where the first wave of aircraft have begun climbing from the decks. Sure enough, even through their Abyssal appearance you note that none of the planes are carrying any sort of ordinance.

You ponder a response to your question before your sister’s voice sounds in your ear again.“If that’s it, I’ll see you soon Dear Sister.” she finishes in her calm and polite tone.

>you had a question for Bretagne
>You had a question for L’Audacieux
>It might be time to act

>>3794648
I don't really have any questions, but...

>You had a question for L’Audacieux

>>3793996
HOLY SHIT HE IS BACK
based madman OP

>>3794648
>You had a question for L’Audacieux
L'Audacieux, how many ASW planes have you seen that don't carry depth charges?"
HINT HINT
If we tell Bretagne we noticed it she will likely know the game is up. Hopefully our buddy is smart enough to get our drift.
Something is wrong here

>>3795452
>You had a question for L’Audacieux
L'Audacieux, how many ASW planes have you seen that don't carry depth charges?"

“I’ll see you soon.” you reply to your sister, half distracted while the aircraft ascend. You turn down to L’Audacieux where the destroyer eyes you with a concerned and worried look. “How many anti-submarine aircraft have you seen that don’t carry depth charges?” You ask, careful not to keep your voice unheard by the carriers, though that’s hardly difficult as the Abyssals continue launching further flights.

She ponders the question briefly and leans in with a whisper. “It doesn’t make any sense. If they’ve already located the submarines there’s no need to send an unarmed patrol, especially if they have escorts with a solid sonar contact, why send out fighters?”

You shrug “They’re worried about enemy aircraft. Why else?”

L’Audacieux looks noticeably uncomfortable at the implication, glancing around the Abyssal formation, “I didn’t think this looked like an anti-submarine formation.” she remarks dryly

Ahead of you. The last of the fighters stream off the carrier’s deck and the Abyssal turns back to you, with an inscrutable expression. “Are you satisfied with Our Lady’s explanation?”

You nod and remove the headset, tossing it in the general direction of the carrier. If the Abyssal finds your gesture annoying, they still refuse to show any emotion. “We’ll be returning to Our Lady’s fortress now.” she replies, managing to catch the thrown headset.

“What happens then?” you ask.

“The Menials will be roused and their squadron leaders will take them on ASW patrols.” she explains offhand. “A show of force must be made against the heretics. Please keep pace, if we make good time they cannot keep pace with us while submerged.”

As if to accentuate her point, several of her aircraft buzz high above your heads, slowly circling the convoy protectively.

You accept the answer, not wanting to tip your hand against your sister or her forces, but your ignorance becomes difficult to contain when after some travel time the convoy finally arrives in line of sight of the carrier. Towards the east distant and unmistakable noise of high caliber anti-aircraft fire becomes audible.

>follow the Abyssal obediently and continue on to the Fortress
>attempt to press the issue
>other


>>3795434
Yes OP returns. Good to see people still care and sorry for dropping the ball so hard.

>>3795691
>follow the Abyssal obediently and continue on to the Fortress
We should bide our time. If we run during the chaos of a battle our chances will be better. Better to play along.

>>3795827

>follow the Abyssal obediently and continue on to the Fortress
>We should bide our time. If we run during the chaos of a battle our chances will be better. Better to play along.

You offer a shake of the head in warning at L’Audacieux’s apprehensive glance towards the distant gunfire. She seems to understand the gesture and returns a small nod. The anti-aircraft fire in the distance begins to pick up noticeably as smaller caliber guns join in.

You continue following the Abyssal fleet onwards. As you near the fortress and the details begin to present themselves you notice a grouping forming in the water between the two shattered halves. Your favorite battleship appears to be busy, offering instructions too distant to be heard to a duo of cruiser sized Abyssals. Above them, in the tangled pathways linking the two halves of the carrier, Bretagne stands impassively, watching the fleet as you return.

It isn’t until you slow to a stop along with the rest of the practice fleet that the battleship seems to regard you. “You returned.” she offers, the tone carrying a judgement that implies she was expecting something to the contrary.

You cross your arms and glare at the Abyssal, offering no reply as L’Audacieux hovers protectively by your flank. If she’s intimidated her body language doesn’t betray her, but she diverts her attention to one of the nearby Abyssal destroyers. “Gather the menials and the rest of the flotilla leaders, we’re pushing west to intercept.”

The Abyssal destroyer straightens up and offers a salute, pounding. “Yes Warmatron.” it offers in an obedient tone, before sailing quickly into the fortress.

“Dear Sister, you’ve returned.” Bretagne warmly greets from the shattered hulk of the carrier with an unreadable smile. “Come. If you continue malingering down there Hood is sure to hear about it.”

You decide to follow, stepping onto the rusting steel of the fortress before your sister and following her into her impromptu throne room.

“I apologize for all of this business.” Bretagne explains idly. “We ought to have been more prepared. It would be disastrous if Hood were to be made aware of our plans.” she frowns bitterly, “as is it’s quite the inconvenience to have our affairs disrupted like this.

“Maybe we should strike now..” L’Audacieux interjects from behind you. The boldness and suddenness of her comment taking you briefly off guard.

>>3796037
Your sister also is taken aback and her calm drops ever so briefly, her expression betraying a look of unconcealed hate and anger towards the destroyer over the interruption. She quickly hides it, but the effect is not lost on you or your escort and L’Audacieux pushes herself instinctively towards you.

“There is much to do before we’re ready little one. But I do admire your courage and drive.” She turns to you and offers a brief smile. “But the pair of you have been busy all morning. Perhaps it’d be prudent to take a break? You must be famished after managing an exercise all by yourself.”

>accept and return to your quarters (you have matters to talk over with L’Audacieux)
>Accept and return to your quarters (switch perspective to Lorraine)
>Accept and return to your quarters (switch perspective to someone else)
>decline, you’d very much like to spend more time with your beloved sister
>decline, you have a counterproposal and think you’d be more useful elsewhere
>other

>>3796046
>Accept and return to your quarters (switch perspective to Lorraine)
Now we just have to hope Lorraine can break through. We can go over to them when they break through the Abyssals

>>3796081
>>3796046
Actually I'm switching to this
>accept and return to your quarters (you have matters to talk over with L’Audacieux)
We need to come up with that new escape plan. It's gonna be risky.

>>3796046
QM, question. Would we be able to hear the fighting outside from inside the base?

>>3796095
At the moment you can faintly hear the larger caliber guns if you listen for it.

>>3796085

>accept and return to your quarters (you have matters to talk over with L’Audacieux)

“That sounds like an excellent suggestion.-” you admit, turning to your escort with an encouraging look. “Let’s get to our quarters L’Audacieux, it has been a busy day.”

Your sister seems pleased by this outcome. “I’ll send for something to tide you over. I’m certain we’ll see Hood’s submarines off shortly- in the meantime if you require anything, I’ll be here.”

You take your leave- returning with your escort to the now familiar and still very dilapidated quarters that the pair of you have been given. L’Audacieux seats herself on a bed with an audible thud, drawing a thin dark green cloud from whatever mildew has been growing upon it. “She didn’t seem too happy with that.” the destroyer mutters with a bittersweet smirk as you shut the door behind you. “I think I’m running my hospitality pretty thin.”

You grimace in agreement, “she does seems to be growing more agitated with you.”

L’Audacieux shrugs. “I wasn’t thinking she’d take the comment well. But after spending so much time trying to prod us into attacking Hood it’s interesting that she’s suddenly so intent on holding us here.” The destroyer glances out the grimy window. “Whatever has the Abyssals here riled up. It’s definitely not submarines and might not even be Abyssals.”

“That was a lot of heavy cruisers to take on an anti-submarine mission, regardless of the show of force intentions behind the fleet.” you admit offhand.

“So what’s our plan?” your escort asks, “I get the sense you don’t want to sit this out.”

>opportunities will present themselves, hold tight and wait.
>opportunities will present themselves, hold tight and wait. (switch perspective)
>suggest a plan
>ask L’Audacieux if she has a plan

>>3796187
>opportunities will present themselves, hold tight and wait. (switch perspective)
We wait, and if the others manage to break into or near the base, we fight our way out to rejoin them.

>>3796205
>opportunities will present themselves, hold tight and wait. (switch perspective)
We wait, and if the others manage to break into or near the base, we fight our way out to rejoin them.

You glance at the entranceway. “For now, I’d suggest we hold position. Without any idea what’s going on out there we’d be rushing out blind.”

L’Audacieux doesn’t look happy at the suggestion but nods in acquiescence. “I understand your reasoning but we only have so much time before your sister gets tired of me and that other battleship gets tired of you. We’ll need to act eventually.”

“I don’t like it either,” you admit “but with no idea what’s out there we’ve got at least one- maybe two carrier groups dropping down at us and my anti-aircraft is pretty outdated.”

L’Audacieux grimaces. “That makes sense,” she admits in defeat.

You place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “We’ll get out eventually L’Audacieux.”

>>3796389
>(switch perspective)

You are battleship Lorraine. Currently the skies before you zip with the outgoing tracer of your battlegroup as your companions pour fire against the incoming Abyssal fighters working to wrest air superiority from your lone carrier. The friendly Gladiators doing their best to enact a fighting retreat to your formation, though the mixture of aircraft is making your anti-aircraft work difficult the occasional round seems to strike home.

“I’ve got contact on further aircraft incoming.” Le Terrible calls over the radio, “I think they’re adding bombers to the mix.”

“Tighten formation and watch your fields of fire.” Émile Bertin calmly orders the escorts. “If we can keep the fighters away the bombers should prove no trouble.”

You nod along and glance to your flanks, the newly arrived British cruisers seem utterly focused on the enemy, pouring their own fire into the Abyssal aircraft. “Glorious- how are your girls holding up?”

“Peachy.” comes the harsh Scottish accent of Edinburgh. “I think Minotaur’s having the time of her fucking life.” Minotaur seems to make your reply for you- bitterly cursing Edinburgh.

The dogfight continues for some minutes more, the likely outcome become more favorable as the melee makes its way above the formation and your girls are able to make more effective fire. You nearly allow yourself a smug satisfaction until Le Terrible’s voice pops up on the radio again. “Um-” she begins betraying an uncertainty that hasn’t appeared since she embarked on her one track quest to save her sister. “I’ve got a radar contact. On the surface.

“Provence?” you ask, not believing the hope you put into the question

“Actually a lot of radar contacts-” the destroyer corrects. “It looks like we made them mad. They’re on intercept course.”

“Shit.” mutters Edinburgh, mirroring your own thoughts.

>You can likely outrun, pull back and see if they follow you to friendly waters
>Aggressive attacks can catch them off guard
>Ask the British ships if they can get in touch with the rest of the Royal Navy
>Wait and see the composition of the enemy. There can’t be *that* many.

>>3796407
>Ask the British ships if they can get in touch with the rest of the Royal Navy
Running is a no go.

>>3796407
>Ask the British ships if they can get in touch with the rest of the Royal Navy
>Wait and see the composition of the enemy. There can’t be *that* many.

>>3796616
My only fear is that holding out till help shows up might be painful

>Ask the British ships if they can get in touch with the rest of the Royal Navy
>Wait and see the composition of the enemy. There can’t be *that* many.

“Edinburgh.” You mutter into the mic. “You mentioned something about some reinforcements from Spain?”

“Huh?” The Scot’s voice replies distractedly. “Oh shit- right. Give me a second.”

You curse bitterly at the lack of immediate information and eye the distant horizon, already dozens of thin whisps of dull black smoke rise up. It seems the Abyssal air cover has noticed the arrival of the fleet too and above you the enemy fighters begin to disengage. Though Glorious and your escorts have bloodied them, you notice a not insignificant number of enemies escape to coordinate further attacks.

“Edinburgh?” you ask again, sterner this time.

“Yeah- sorry.” she stammers. “I just got off the line with Rodnol. Like I said earlier they’re all the way in Spain. That’s a good ways away. She said at least a few hours. It sounds like they’re only fifty miles or so off Grenada.”

You grimace briefly over the news before keying up the mic again“How long?”

“A few hours?” her reply unusually devoid of her normal sarcasm. “She says she can make it in four if she goes flank speed. Three until she’s in firing range.”

You let out a quiet curse again and glance vaguely in the direction of Spain as if hoping to spot the British fleet. The only thing you spot is the approaching smoke plumes of the Abyssals. You take a moment, considering your options before keying the mic again. “Does anyone have a clear radar contact on the Abyssal fleet? It’d be nice to know how many are out there.”

Minotaur pipes up in response, her tone calm and even “It looks like we’ve got a pretty respectable screen of escorts with a good half dozen larger ships behind that- it’s hard for me to tell the class, but if they’ve got any capital ships they’re nearly in range.. Also those air contacts are matching course to those fighters. It looks like they’re linking together to run escort.”

“What’s the plan Lorraine?” Émile Bertin’s voice chimes in. “Are we holding ground or falling back?”

>fall back and buy time until the British arrive.
>run a fighting retreat to buy time and tell Edinburgh to direct Rodney against the carrier-fortress. Maybe they can cause some damage or find Provence and L’Audacieux
>attack the Abyssals hard and fast, gain surprise and pull them into a melee. Even if you’re the only big gun ship on your side. You’ve got a fair few experienced destroyers.
>try a long range gunnery brawl. Abyssals are shit shots right?
>other

>>3796740

>>attack the Abyssals hard and fast, gain surprise and pull them into a melee. Even if you're the only big gun ship on your side. You've got a fair few experienced destroyers.

>>3796764
>>3796740

I'm going to call it for tonight. Sorry- it is late and this is kind of a big juncture for both Lorraine and Provence so I'd like to allow a wider voting period. I'll try to pump them out faster tomorrow as the swing of events should calm down a bit.

>>3796740
>try a long range gunnery brawl. Abyssals are shit shots right?
Feign a retreat by turning away and laying smoke while aircraft make mock attacks, even if unarmed. Then try to cross their T in the confusion. If we cannot gain that advantage, then charge through the smoke and

>attack the Abyssals hard and fast, gain surprise and pull them into a melee. Even if you’re the only big gun ship on your side. You’ve got a fair few experienced destroyers.

>>3796912
Supporting

>>3796740
Support >>3796912

>>3797624
>>3797264
>>3796912

>Feign a retreat by turning away and laying smoke while aircraft make mock attacks, even if unarmed. Then try to cross their T in the confusion. If we cannot gain that advantage, then charge through the smoke and

You ponder your options, your turrets steadily pivoting with a groan of steel before locking position, watching over the enemy fleet. “We’ll hold them back at range with gun and smokescreen, if we act decisive enough we can hopefully take them off guard and gain a positional advantage. If that doesn’t keep them until Rodney arrives- we’ll throw down more smoke and let them close to torpedo range.”

Émile Bertin subtly moves herself towards your flank. Her expression betrays concern over your plan, though the others seem to be preoccupied with the distant enemy to notice and she clearly doesn’t want to erode any confidence they have. “They have a lot of escorts out there-.” she quietly observes, “are you sure you want to get in knife fighting range with them?”

You raise an eyebrow. “No- that’s why I’m suggesting we use smoke and gunfire to push them back. Besides, I’ve seen your girls train. They know what they’re doing and the British cruisers- despite Edinburgh being as insufferable as she is- are more than capable of taking on destroyers.”

Émile Bertin pauses briefly over your explanation before letting out a curt nod. “That seems sensible” she admits, “as long as you’ve thought it through, I have no objections.”

“Thanks” you respond. “We just have to hold out until we can get some sixteen inch guns throwing shells over our heads.”

“Not to put a downer on whatever it is you two lovebirds are conspiring over” Edinburgh’s voice interrupts over your headset. “But it looks like the first of the welcome committee has arrived.”

You turn your attention of the horizon. Where the first of the enemy ships seem to be barely cresting into distant view. Eyeing the distant rising monstrosities your guns begin to pivot into a more accurate solution and you mentally track the distant targets.

“Looks like a good thirty or so destroyers.” Émile Bertin reports, raising her field glasses, “a good sized group of cruisers, though it’s too far to tell what kind.” she pauses briefly, eyeing the numbers. “A pair of battleships. One of them looks pretty mean too.”

You raise your own field glasses, confirming the cruiser’s report with a grimace.

>pivot your guns to the battleships, you’re the only one who can trade fire with them (DC 35)
>concentrate on the cruisers, open the fight for your own cruisers to beat back the sizable destroyers (DC 30)
>break down the destroyers, it’s harder shooting but you can discourage them from closing if your thin their numbers (DC 30)

>>3797701
“Lorraine.” The soft spoken voice of Glorious chimes in unexpectedly. “What do you want me sending my aircraft? It looks pretty dense in there.”

“Try and keep them off guard and thin their own fighter support.- Strafe and bomb what you can and try to keep them on edge until Rodney arrives.”

“Right.” the carrier replies. Her tone clearly intends to build her own self-confidence for the coming fight. In any other circumstances it’d be endearing to you.

“Edinburgh.” you chime in again, “how much support does Rodeny have?”

“Uh-” Edinburgh hesitates, clearly betraying her ignorance over the question. “A pair of battleships. Three cruisers and a ‘flock’ of destroyers.” the report comes, oddly emphasizing the word ‘flock’ as a direct quote from the battleship.

>Have Rodney follow the coast and hit them from behind
>Rodney should arrive as fast as possible
>Rodney should hit the carrier.
>Rodney should split her forces.

>>3797704
>Rodney should hit the carrier.

>>3797723
>Rodney should hit the carrier.

“Fine.” you mutter. “That sounds like enough. Have her push towards the Carrier Glorious saw earlier. We’ll take on these bastards.”

“Are- are you sure?” Edinburgh asks nervously through the headset. “There are a lot of them out there and you’re really the only one that can hit them from here.”

You allow yourself a cocky grin and glance back at the cruiser, her expression clearly worried over the enemy fleet. “Rodney’s already coming from the west. She can reach the carrier before she can reach us and I’m sure our newfound Abyssal friends will find that fact very upsetting.”

“Oh.-” the light cruiser admits quietly. “That makes sense.”

“In the meantime. We’ll just have to hold our own here for the next few hours.” You turn your attention back towards the Abyssals, eyeing their line as the distant flashes appear- followed some seconds later by the dull boom of naval rifles. Through your headset comes the warnings of various voices, spotting the incoming fire.

You key your throat mic “Lay smoke and keep your heads down. Don’t let them get a firing solution on Glorious and get ready to drive off the destroyers if they close.” You let go of the key and let out a sanguine grin, it’s been a long time since you’ve had a good gunnery brawl.

>continue as Lorraine and manage the battle against the enemy (roll d100 for attacks and decide on a target)
>return to Provence. (is that naval gunfire? Roll a D100 to gauge the general success of Lorraine’s fleet)
>Switch to a member of Rodnol’s fleet. (Roll a D100 to gauge the general success of Lorraine’s fleet)
>switch to someone else. (Roll a D100 to gauge the general success of Lorraine’s fleet, unless you’re switching within the combat)
>QM what the fuck are these options! I want to do something else. This quest sucks

Rolled 20 (1d100)

>>3798156
>continue as Lorraine and manage the battle against the enemy (roll d100 for attacks and decide on a target)
Aim for the Battleships! Fire!

Rolled 16 (1d100)

>>3798156
>continue as Lorraine and manage the battle against the enemy (roll d100 for attacks and decide on a target)
En avant! Feu, sang et gloire!

>>3798397
>>3798423
What they said!

Rolled 40 (1d100)

>>3798432
Shit, forgot to flippin roll.

>>3798436
>>3798423
>>3798397
I think we shot bad :/

>>3798397
>>3798423
>>3798432

>continue as Lorraine and manage the battle against the enemy (roll d100 for attacks and decide on a target)
>>3798439
> 25

You take time to plot a firing solution- eyeing the Abyssal battleship standing in the rear of their formation. Even as your opponent’s rounds land ineffectually in the water before your fleet you hold your ground. You check your solution carefully before finally decided to announce your response. Eight guns sound out in unison, echoing loudly in response to the Abyssal fire.

The shells spend some time in air. Arcing distantly over the calm waters. Confident of your solution you prepare for a second salvo, loading adjusting and firing just as the first lands.

Your shells land dead on target. While most of them scatter due to wide beaten zone of your guns, you can see the effect of several rounds as the monster rolls with the impacts, grimacing angrily. They don’t seem to cripple her, but they do seem to give her pause and as she unsteadily recovers she begins giving inaudible commands to the destroyers, the ships began to widen their formation. At the flanks of their fleet, two distinct groups of a dozen or so bestial escorts begin to form. A pair of the more humanoid squadron leaders seem to prod the monsters onwards, gathering their numbers before pushing onto your formation. Between the two fleets, the Abyssal fighters have begun to reorganize and climb- trying to find high cover over the now visible bombers.

“Good shooting.” Émile Bertin compliments as your second volley brackets the battleship.

You glance over at the cruiser to offer a smug smile. Behind her, you note with satisfaction that the destroyers are carrying out your order. The girls begin laying smoke and slowly pulling away from the enemy.

The Abyssal’s guns sound again, paired with the naval rifles of the less imposing battleship. Surprisingly considering her damage, the first Abyssal’s shells land just a few hundred meters ahead of your bow, sickly red dye shooting up to mark her shots. The second’s shells fire far wider, landing in the far distance behind you.

“It looks like you made them mad.” Your light cruiser responds, her gaze drifting towards the groups at the flanks. “Escorts incoming along the flanks- I think they’re going to make a push with the bombers.”
>Keep the formation together and try and knock the bombers out with Glorious providing AA cover directly overhead against the bombers and fighters.
>Keep the formation together and have Glorious run her fighters against the enemy before theirs can get a significant altitude advantage
>Have your escorts push up to help Glorious intercept and keep the enemy escorts away.

Also. What does Lorraine do?
>Change fire to hit the escort leaders and try to disrupt their formation. (roll DC 230)
>Your already ranged in. Pour fire on the battleship (roll DC 40)

the enemy battleship has minor damage.

Rodnol is 2 1/2 hours from target

>>3798439
Nah- you actually rolled pretty well. I just forgot to post the DCs

Rolled 45 (1d100)

>>3798606
>Keep the formation together and have Glorious run her fighters against the enemy before theirs can get a significant altitude advantage
>Your already ranged in. Pour fire on the battleship (roll DC 40)

Rolled 26 (1d100)

>>3798606
>Keep the formation together and have Glorious run her fighters against the enemy before theirs can get a significant altitude advantage
>Your already ranged in. Pour fire on the battleship (roll DC 40)

Rolled 68 (1d100)

>>3798606
>Keep the formation together and have Glorious run her fighters against the enemy before theirs can get a significant altitude advantage
>Your already ranged in. Pour fire on the battleship (roll DC 40)

>>3798665
>>3798695
>>3798688
>Keep the formation together and have Glorious run her fighters against the enemy before theirs can get a significant altitude advantage
>Your already ranged in. Pour fire on the battleship (45)

"Glorious." You call keying your throatmic. "We've got enemy aircraft right up ahead- try and see if you can't intercept before they're right on top of us."

"Right." The carrier affirms enthusiastically. Her comment punctuated by the sound of miniature Gladiators rallying course and passing ahead of you towards the enemy aircraft.

You return your attention to the surface fleet again. Behind the aircraft and their heavy screen, the Abyssal battleships turn and begin to pick up their bombardment. The weight of fire is limited by their efforts to slowly close but their accuracy picks up even with the thin edges of the smokescreen partially obscuring you. The weight of their ranging shells begin to land ever closer.

You adjust your aim for their course and speed and give them a full broadside in response. The guns echo loudly, briefly deafening you to the sounds of the battle around you. Unfortunately when the rounds eventually shriek down the effects are less encouraging than your last volley. While a pair of rounds manage to impact the battleship they appear to offer no lasting damage, bounding off her hull to join the rest of the rounds that scattered harmlessly on the ocean.

"Lorraine- my fighters have made contact.- " Glorious reports in. "They're holding their own but there are quite a few Abyssals."

"I copy" you reply before trading another set of rounds with the battleships. "How are we looking on the escorts?"

"It looks like they're starting to try and close with us." Le Mars chimes in. "We should be able to brawl with them even in the smoke though. Maybe you should pull back? You're a bit exposed trading fire out there and the escorts know that."

>No, you're the only one that can keep the battleship distant and engaged. You'll risk being caught by the escorts if it keeps this bitch bush
>Good idea a mass torpedo run might leave you badly damaged, wait until the cruisers and destroyers drive off the attacking Abyssal escorts
>Glorious has bombers right? They may take high losses against AA, but they might be able to knock out one of the flanking screens
>Drop smoke and hit the escorts from afar with your cruisers and destroyers, you'll keep the battleships busy enough to avoid risk.

>>3798703
>Drop smoke and hit the escorts from afar with your cruisers and destroyers, you'll keep the battleships busy enough to avoid risk.
Brawling it is.

>>3798703
>Drop smoke and hit the escorts from afar with your cruisers and destroyers, you'll keep the battleships busy enough to avoid risk.

>>3798703
>Drop smoke and hit the escorts from afar with your cruisers and destroyers, you'll keep the battleships busy enough to avoid risk.

>>3798705
>>3798716
>>3798724

Sorry- someone give me a roll. Forgot to ask.

Rolled 84 (1d100)

>>3798726

Rolled 85 (1d100)

>>3798726
Someone remind me, what's the exact dice system we're using again?

Rolled 26 (1d100)

>>3798726

>>3798727
>>3798731
>>3798733

Dice are a 1d100 needing below a DC threshold. I forgot to specify it at 45 again. My bad.

>Drop smoke and hit the escorts from afar with your cruisers and destroyers, you'll keep the battleships busy enough to avoid risk.

You steal a glance towards the flanking enemies. Still out of torpedo range they seem to be closing towards you quickly and with reckless abandon.

"Change of plans-" you explain. "Break from the smoke. We need to get some fire on the escorts."

A chorus of affirmatives sounds in your headset and from behind you, the cruisers and destroyers begin to displacer and push themselves into firing position. The first to emerge from the screen is Le Malin, who begins taking accurate Scots towards the enemy forcing their way up your right flank.

While her shooting is accurate and disciplined- it's the pair of Minotaur class pushing up behind her that really make a difference on the enemy's number, hammering the formation with rapid fire six inch guns for the.The sole humanoid in the group raises her eyes in a vain hope of stopping the shells but presses steadily onwards despite the growing trail of her corpses the formation is leading as they persevere through the considerable distance between the two fleets.

You're not left with any time to gloat- as your attention is grabbed by the lead battleship you've been trading broadsides with for the past hour. Turning to offer full broadside she casts a hateful glare in your direction before firing with all five of her guns. Whether it's the now fading smokescreen or simply finally finding her solution the shells shriek through the air a d strike- impacting with white hot pain. You take a few scattered steps, your senses ringing with the impact. Even before taking a damage report you let out a futile volley. You're certain even before firing that it won't hit, but you're annoyed that your opponent finally found her mark.

>You also have minor damage.
>Rodney is two hours out

Before the battleship, her immediate screen begins pushing itself forwards. The cruisers maneuver to take advantage of the lack of smoke screen. The snow haired abominations seem to relish the opportunity to finally trade shells.

>Keep firing (roll) DC40
>Have someone change targets.
>change your plan altogether

>>3798744
If you're curious where the DCs come from I've been running dice up in accuracy for ranging shots as the fight goes down and down this time due to getting a hit (Because the Warmatron rolled better than you by a Longshot)

Rolled 96 (1d100)

>>3798744
>Keep firing (roll) DC40

>>3798747
>Keep firing (roll)
>Have someone change targets.
>change your plan altogether

The Abyssal warships return fire, their rounds continuing to fall. Clearly ranged in their shells begin to scatter worryingly close to your position, spraying you with geysers of dye and water. Your own outgoing fire hardly improved over your unaimed shot. Still reeling slightly from the hit, your shells continue to scatter wide of the pair amidst the waves- closer to the steadily closing cruisers than the capital ships. Your enemies don't seem quite as distracted. While their fire continues to splash around one round manages to pierce your casements. The defensive gun falls silent and you feel the heat of a small fire igniting on your rigging. It's hardly uncontrollable- but it doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

To their credit the cruisers, even Edinburgh, follow your directives and continue to pour fire into the advancing escorts. The enemy's outgoing fire, whether due to speed, stress, or general incompetence proves hilariously ineffective, scattering wide over the water before the British. Eventually even the humanoid destroyer leading the charge takes a round. The monster lets out a howling wail and staggers over the waves, her depleted escort surging ahead of the wounded Abyssal.

The other Abyssal wave seems a tad better coordinated or your escorts simply lack the mass firepower. Émile Bertin leads her squadron to pour firepower on the enemy, the friendly destroyers circle and take shots at the closing Abyssals. In turn the enemy seems to be advancing more cautiously, offering enough return fire to keep your ships off guard and even inflicting a few minor injuries on the light cruiser.

"My fighters are no longer effective and are returning." Glorious chimes in with a sad tone. "Enemy bombers have dropped ordnance and ran and their fighters are holding above the battleships."

>Continue pressing the attack (roll DC40)
>Change the plan
>Other

Rolled 95 (1d100)

>>3798767
>Continue pressing the attack (roll DC40)

>>3798768
>Continue pressing the attack (roll DC40)

Your rounds land continue to land wild as yet another set of barrages are traded. This time however the Abyssals deal more than superficial damage. A round from the smaller battleship lands true- sinking into your B turret and detonating the powder inside. The inside flash burns, critical machinery is torn asunder and the guns knocked off their mark. You let out a startled cry and stumble in the waves, briefly knocked off your balance by the force of the impact.

"Lorraine is hit!" A voice echoes.

Steadily you bit back the pain and stand again, turning your attention again to the pair of battleships trading fire with you as further rounds scatter the sea around you. You swivel your guns- tracking your remaining three against the Abyssals.

To your flank, you briefly note the British ships repositioning to drive off the remaining flank. Their opponents nothing but a series of shattered corpses bobbing in the waves. Their maneuvers are interrupted by a series of incoming rounds from their Abyssal counterparts as the cruisers begin to close into range.

"Lorraine we need to move." Émile Bertin calls. "You can't beat them in a gunnery dual and we need to buy more time."

>Rodney is one and a half hours out.
>You have moderate damage

>You're a battleship, you've been through worse, pick your targets and keep shooting (roll DC 38)
>Most of the torpedo equipped enemies are gone, return to the smoke and brawl with the rest. (Roll DC 45)
>Maybe it's time to pull the enemy into pursuit. Fall back and keep baiting for Rodney's return even if it pulls you further from her.

Sorry gents that's it for tonight again. Lorraine's journey continues in the morning.

Rolled 93 (1d100)

>>3798781
>Most of the torpedo equipped enemies are gone, return to the smoke and brawl with the rest. (Roll DC 45)

>>3798782
wtf is it with your rolls

>>3798782
>Most of the torpedo equipped enemies are gone, return to the smoke and brawl with the rest. (Roll DC 45)

You hesitate. Glaring angrily at the distant Abyssal battleship before finally acquiescing to the cruiser's logic with a small nod. "That makes sense. We'll put the smokescreen back up. I think the British have killed their flank and yours looks to be dying too," you mutter before spitting a glob of blood into the water. Incoming fire greets your defiant gesture but the shots scatter wide save for a single round that bounces against your belt. With a deep booming staccato, you return fire with your remaining guns.

Émile doesn't bother relaying your orders before concealment begins billowing out of the smokestacks of your escorts. The girls begin to turn and slowly retreat, allowing the screen to billow up and obscure the Abyssal fleets.

You continue to hear the sounds of the rapid fire six inch guns even as the smoke does its job as the British cruisers continue to pound the enemy escorts through radar directed fire.

They don't seem to be the only ones, in the distance the Abyssals own cruisers return fire, dishearteningly it seems they also have radar.

"They're closing into the smoke" you hear Le Terrible call into the radio, a worrying tone of excitement evident in her voice. Gunfire punctuates her comment as the Abyssals push forwards. "Shit." The destroyer mutters, losing her earlier enthusiasm. "They're breaking formation. It's hard to track them."

Before you in the cloud you spot the dark shapes of monstrous Abyssals passing through the fog, you do your best to hold your ground and track them, you own mediocre torpedo protection coming to mind every time a new one passes before you. The taste would be difficult under the most ideal circumstances, but wounded and short on casements your rounds continue to scatter wide. Your frustration builds at your own comparative inability to hit the monsters poking about the fog, especially given their apparent focus on killing your escorts

The fight takes longer than you expected, with odd reports of enemy contacts barking out for nearly half an hour before the gunfire begins slowly dying off, thankfully, despite your own comparative uselessness and the confusion of the firefight your own side's guns sound out the last blows in the melee. Your trust in you or girls was well placed.

"How is everyone holding up?" You ask into the mic.

Bordelais and Le Mars chime in with reports of no damage.

"Le Terrible was hit." The reliable voice of Émile Bertin reports.

"I'm fine," the destroyer reports in frustration. "I just took a few superficial hits to the superstructure."

"Everyone else?" You ask, pondering how severe Le Terrible's injuries might be. "Edinburgh?"

>>3799035

"Peachy." Comes the obviously strained reply, "we're holding up but these cruisers have our number and from what I can see on radar they're inviting the rest of their friends along, it's going to get pretty hot in here."

You consider your options at countering the second wave when another reply sounds through the headset. "I-" comes Legionario's voice, gasps of pain and worry tinting her words. "I think I got hit."

"How bad?" Comes Émile Bertin's reply before you can even key the mic.

"I- I think I'll make it." Comes the pained reply. "They caught me with torpedoes- I'm sorry"

>What do you do about Legionario or Le Terrible?
>What do you do about the angry cruisers and the second wave?


>>3798793

Yeah. You guys rolled pretty shit. Ity really hasn't helped Lorraine that the Abyssal rolls I've been doing to gauge their success have all been pretty phenomenal save for one.

>Rodney is one and a half hours out

>>3799038
>What do you do about Legionario or Le Terrible?
Legionario should drop back. Le Terrible sounds like she can stay in the fight.

QM, how badly outnumbered are we?

>>3799097
Roughly a third of the enemy escort remains, though you're not sure of what quality they are. I realized I didn't put a number to the cruisers- there are a trio of larger cruisers and a second duo of smaller cruisers.

Plus the battleship and any potential support that you can't see.

>>3799038
>What do you do about the angry cruisers and the second wave?
Keep them at a distance. If we can stop the escorts from getting in range, the Cruisers and Battleships can stand off.

>>3799038
Support >>3799097 and>>3799654
Keep our distance.

>>3800229
>>3799654

Penning it up now- if you're intending to directly engage the escorts, go ahead and roll off, but odds are you'll have to expose yourself to further fire.

>>3800229
>>3799654
>>3799097
>Legionario should drop back. Le Terrible sounds like she can stay in the fight.
>Keep them at a distance. If we can stop the escorts from getting in range, the Cruisers and Battleships can stand off.

“Legionario try and make your way back to Glorious,” you order the damaged destroyer. “Try and keep yourself out of sight from the enemy. Le Terrible if you think you’re able to keep going, I’ll trust you.” you add to the second wounded destroyer.

You expect a half-hearted protest given her drive to help your sister but the Italian destroyer just offers a pained grunt and an agreement before complying with your orders.

“Try and harass and knock out the remaining escorts before they arrive- if we can take out enough of them to rethink a direct assault we should be able to make it through this.”

“Let’s bugger the bastards.” Edinburgh calls enthusiastically into the radio.

The smokescreen whifts across the sea in front of you as a particularly strong gale acts up, allowing a brief observation of the enemy fleet. Abyssal classes or even types are always a headache for your to decipher and something you more often like to leave to the intel analysts who get paid for it. It’s not difficult however for your to size up the enemy fleet’s disposition. Ahead of you, closing through in the no-mans-land separating the gunlines are the Abyssal escorts that remain. It’s seems like whoever is directing the battle deliberately threw the chaff at you in the first wave. The remaining dozen or so destroyers are all humanoid in appearance and advance more cautiously towards your formation, holding a more disciplined battleline than their late more animalistic companions.

>>3800333

An eager pair of slightly larger Abyssals with small caliber triple turreted advance steadily behind, their own torpedos and smaller size than the trio of cruisers backing up the twin battleships, returning steady but relatively inaccurate radar guided fire into the smoke cloud. So fair their efforts are too ineffective to even hint what they’re aiming for though mostly seem to cluster around the British.

Right behind them as the capital ships make their way closer you’re able to decipher their appearances a bit better even through the mist. The less dominant of the pair strikes you as similar to many of the Abyssal warships you’ve tangled with before. The great maw of a cannon blends uncomfortably with the deathly pale skin and armor as though a separate beast from the Abyssal itself.

As the second becomes more clear her appearance begins to stir some very uncomfortable feelings deep within you. Despite her murderous intent and callous disregard for her underlings there’s a certain familiarity in the raven-haired monster. Beneath her layers of savage jagged armor there’s a vague sense of familial recognition that leaves a pit forming in your stomach.

“Bretagne?” you quietly ask, the question hanging uncomfortably in the air.

The dull chatter of outgoing cannons interrupts your thoughts as the first of the Abyssals make their way into the radar guided guns of the British cruisers. It looks like the escorts have begun to make contact.

>join the attack against the escorts (roll)
>it’s too risky, hold back everyone who can’t see and let the less accurate radar-guided fire try to thin the herd before pushing.

Rolled 97 (1d100)

>>3800339
>join the attack against the escorts (roll)

Rolled 47 (1d100)

>>3800341
I am convinced we're cursed.

>>3800339

>join the attack against the escorts (roll)

>>3800378
>>3800341

Believe it or not. this is the first time the cumulative roll for Lorraine has been below the Abyssals.

>join the attack against the escorts (forgot again to include the DC, but it’s less than 72)

You push yourself to the edge of the smoke’s gap, eyeing the closing of the incoming destroyers. Tracking the Abyssal’s movements you take a half second to mark your trajectory before firing. All six guns bellow loudly, clearly signaling your outgoing fire.

Were you shooting at the more single minded enemy escorts that your girls just fought off there’s a good chance your barrage would’ve pulverised it before the Abyssal was even aware of your presence. The escort you’re targeting however is more alert and experienced, the humanoid Abyssal manages to narrowly slow her speed and turn from your shells in reaction to the sound of your gun. She sends a look of surprised alarm in your direction before yelling out a warning to her comrades advancing besides her.

If the enemy had lost your shape in the smoke, they clearly have you sighted again and the battleships send another set of barrages your way. The rounds thankfully land wide, scattering in the ocean before you, providing little impact on your admittedly currently ineffective efforts against the Abyssals.

The efforts of your comrades are not nearly as fruitless and you spot one of the six inch shells from the British cruisers catch a destroyer in the arm, the Abyssal lets out a startled grunt before tumbling into the waves, their arm a mess of dark dark gore. Their remaining shots scatter wide, impacting the sea around several of the Abyssals.

Behind the line of escorts, the heavy cruisers begin to close to support, the distance between the two Abyssal formations shrinks relatively rapidly as the destroyers and light cruisers begin to slow to begin evasive action and offer what little return fire they can.

The cruisers seem more confident in their ability to return fire, ignoring your presence either due to confidence in her support of a single-minded adherence to orders the largest of them seems to scry the smoke before her with interest. Her guns pivot steadily before sounding off in unison, her comrades joining the barrage scarcely a second later.

You can hear their rounds land a few seconds later- not from the sound of the impact, but through Minotaur’s pained grunt. “I’m hit.” the British cruiser mutters into the mic. “I think the cruisers have some top quality radar, watch yourselves.”

>the enemy escorts are close, continue firing on them (DC 35)
>concentrate on the more accurate fire of the cruisers (DC 40)
>concentrate on the enemy battleships (DC 40)
>other

>Rodney is just over an hour away from her objective

Rolled 73 (1d100)

>>3800482
>concentrate on the more accurate fire of the cruisers (DC 40)
FUCKING ZOMBIE SHITS REEEEE

>>3800488
Fuck it. Executing GM decision, y'all are getting your dice rolls flipped.

Lorraine deserves to do something.

>>3800532
If you want Lorraine to do something, by all means. But don't have dice rolling if you aren't going to follow it.

It's perfectly acceptable to do a narrative story, not one driven by random rolls.

>>3800532
>>3800539
Unironically tho i think we pissed off some spirit of luck lol

>>3800539
Alright- fair enough. Sorry. I just didn't want hard feelings over poor dice governing fate. This makes sense.

>>3800544
>>3800488
>concentrate on the more accurate fire of the cruisers (DC 40)

You turn your guns towards the enemy heavy cruisers, aware of the threat of the more accurate fire control and feeling at least a small dignity at being ignored, you settle your aim and fire at the largest enemy. Your rounds scatter across the waves before the enemy. While none of them seem to strike home, the Abyssals finally seem to notice your presence. Briefly turning attention towards you, the trio scatters, interrupting the barrage of the British ships.

Taking advantage of the lull in cruiser fire, your own ships begin to rapidly acquire shots through the barrier billowing up behind them, firing what they can at the approaching escorts.

“Strike one.” Le Terrible reports, “The bastards are almost in knife-fighting range.”

“Make that strike two,” Edinburgh corrects haughtily, ignoring the last half of the destroyer’s statement.

“Keep up the fire,” you encourage, “if we can beat back their escorts it’ll be easy enough to hold off. The battleship and cruisers won’t risk entering torpedo range unsupported.”

“I think she’s closing-” comes the voice of Swiftsure. “It looks like the enemy flagship isn’t the type to hold back and let her minions engage.”

You curse under your breath and eye the distant battleship, sure enough she seems to be closing- her hate filled expression seemingly centered directly on you, a thin ring of the few remaining enemy fighters swarming in an angry dark cloud above her head.
>Target the battleship (DC 40)
>Target the cruisers (DC35)
>Keep the escorts from engaging (DC35)
>You want to try something new or order your squadron or the British/Glorious to do something

>>3800597
Glorious is nearly half an hour from the objective.

>>3800602
*Rodnol. Fuck.

Rolled 90 (1d100)

>>3800597
>Target the battleship (DC 40)
Stay BACK Bretagne

>>3800612
Holy fucking kek

Rolled 95 (1d100)

>>3800597

>>Target the battleship (DC 40)

>>3800612
goddamnit

>>3800645

That's it. This quest is cursed.

>>3800645
AHAHAHAHA

>>3800645
>>3800612

Your remaining turrets grind steadily into position, lining their shots up against the spitting image of your lost sister. Burying the familial feelings as best you can before discharging the guns.

The rounds find little effect. While a pair seem to impact the Abyssal's thick belt to little effect, most scatter wide.

You stand your ground defiantly, glaring at the steadily closing battleship as your guns prepare another salvo. "Stay back Bretagne." You cry, angrily gesturing over the rolling battle.

The Abyssal seems momentarily confused by your comment, but her anger seems to deepen and her guns offer a savage rebuttal. You instinctively raise your hands to shield your face but the enemy flagship's fire is fierce.
You feel a few rounds shriek narrowly by you before one manages to catch your raised arms, cutting a deep gash and penetrating to graze across your jaw. The sensation of pain scarcely registers before a second round impacts, burying itself deep into your hull, you feel a detonation somewhere in your engineering. The shock and pain of the hit sends you to your knees and you let out a desperate involuntary scream.

>You now have heavy damage.

"Lorraine's hit! It looks bad!" A desperate voice echoes in your head.

You will yourself to stand despite the pain, glaring at the battleship and spitting a thick glob of blood into the waves. "Man, sometimes I envy you Emile-" you mutter aimlessly. "Siblings fucking suck."

You raise your remaining guns, swearing angrily when only a pair of them seem to turn.

The Abyssal's ire is momentarily distracted as a shake draws itself from your starboard side. You glance over to see Le Terrible breaking from the smoke towards you at flank speed, smoke billowing from her stack. Her guns turn as she moves forward and begin firing at the battleships. Her ridiculous speed and the low caliber of her weapons make the gesture one of mere defiance rather than military value and the shells scatter wide and ineffectually.

She does seem to draw the Abyssal's attention- perhaps a bit too much. The battleship barks out a terse order and gestures towards the destroyer. Ahead of you a large portion of the destroyers and the trio of cruisers begin to shift their attention towards the destroyer. The only possible saving grace of the point blank brawl Le Terrible finds herself in is the supporting fire. At this distance the British guns begin pummeling the far side of the battle line through their own cover, killing one destroyer with a hail of six inch shells and sending a second reeling with major wounds along with her supporting light cruiser.

>Use your remaining guns to hit the battleships (DC45)
>Use your remaining guns to hit the destroyers (DC 45)
>Use your remaining guns to hit the cruisers. (DC45)
>Le Terrible is clearly buying you time, try not to die.
>Order your squadron to do something.

>Rodney should be arriving soon

>>3800649
Yeah. Lorraine is getting absolutely pummeled.

>>3800693
Alright guys. Gonna call it for tonight. I apologize in advance. Tomorrow might be an evening only affair. Here's hoping for poor Lorraine.

>>3800693
>Use your remaining guns to hit the cruisers. (DC45)
NAT1NAT1NAT1

Rolled 63 (1d100)

>>3800801

File: 1562982951990.jpg (58 KB, 816x640)

58 KB JPG

>>3800804

Rolled 70 (1d100)

>>3800693

>>Use your remaining guns to hit the battleships (DC 45)

Ok, one more try, RNGesus, I pray to thee, give this lowly pleb a good low roll.

Rolled 13 (1d100)

>>3800693
>Use your remaining guns to hit the battleships (DC45)

>>3800693
Rodney you fat fuck. Hurry up.

>>3801234
>trusting in rodnol
>ever

m8

Use your remaining guns to hit the battleships (48)

You let out a groan of pain, stabilizing yourself and taking time to reorient your position.

Ahead of you Let Terrible continues her her, now pouring mostly random ineffective fire against the cruisers, her smokescreen however bears better results as the white clouds begin to form between you and the Abyssal.

Before the Abyssal battleship manages to site its target and before Le Terrible's smoke conceals your shot you make snap adjustments to your aim. At this range and at such a close target the shot proves relatively simple. Your guns bark out in unison, slamming into the Abyssal several seconds later. The damage appears mostly superficial, though the rolling impacts achieve your primary goal- distracting the monster.

Unfortunately with only two guns your efforts are rather limited, while the eerily familiar flagship is distracted, it's less noteworthy companion is free to plot a solution and her shells join the Abyssal barrage that seems to pelt poor Le Terrible. You're not sure if the rounds come from the one effective Battleship or the heavy cruisers, but a single high explosive round manages to catch the screening destroyer. Le Terrible falls like a puppet cut from its strings, stumbling along the waves at the impact before falling in an ungainly heap on the ground.

Finally the enemy destroyers get in range, random punches of mixed quality fire begin pelting your forces. Joining the barrage currently being traded with your own forces. While an enemy destroyer is knocked out and Le Malin reports a hit, surprisingly the enemy efforts seem to be directed away from yourself and Le Terrible.

>Hold fast and assess the enemy before they mark you a target again.
>Hit the cruiser, battleships or escorts (DC 45)
>Order your force to fall back
>Make a disordered charge to relieve pressure from Le Terrible (DC 45)
>Other

Rolled 22 (1d100)

>>3802990
>Order your force to fall back
and we cover the withdrawal by
>Hit the cruiser, battleships or escorts (DC 45)
Shoot the battleships

>>3802990
>Hit the cruiser, battleships or escorts (DC 45)
Hit the BBs

Rolled 84 (1d100)

>>3803119
Hm, I swear I typed the roll in..

Rolled 84 (1d100)

>>3802990
>Hit the cruiser, battleships or escorts (DC 45)
REEEEEEEEE

The familiar looking Abyssal shoots you another look of pure hate before raising her arm in the direction of you and Le Terrible, barking an unheard order that her minions seem to wordlessly obey, a few of them scrying your position briefly before returning to actively ignoring you.

You grit your teeth with the pain of your damage and offer another barrage towards her, though unlike the last your rounds don't even seem to phase the monster. "Everyone fall back." You growl into the throat mic, turning your course and retreating with what speed you can now muster as soon as the curt affirmations of your orders come in. You shoot a last glance at the defiant monster before Le Terrible's smoke screen begins to obscure further shooting for her and the cruisers.

Le Terrible seems to be holding up. Though she was hit several times, her speed and aggression seems to have kept her from receiving a killing blow. The destroyer now pulls fully behind her now deployed smoke screen, keeping herself safe from direct fire as she limps towards you.

"The escorts are nearly on us." Minotaur reports from the flanks. You glance over. Though the British girls have been putting out a hail of semi-accurate fire through the smoke and knocked out a good few of the incoming enemy destroyers, suppression and skilled evasion has kept over half of your opponents alive as the enemy begins to pull closer.

"Edinburgh." You growl into your mic, channeling the frustration and pain against the cruiser that admittedly only mostly deserves your ire, "where the hell is Rodney?"

The line is quiet though it seems that either Rodney's timing is impeccable or Edinburgh forwarded your request. In the far distance, high caliber shells begin to echo over the water.

>Continue fighting off the escorts (roll dc45)
>Strengthen the smoke screen and prepare for the enemy to push through, hoping Rodney will push them off if you with her own attack
>Give one last hard counterattack to disorient the enemy to convince them the fight here isn't worth it.

>>3803324
>Strengthen the smoke screen and prepare for the enemy to push through, hoping Rodney will push them off if you with her own attack

>>3803324
>Strengthen the smoke screen and prepare for the enemy to push through, hoping Rodney will push them off if you with her own attack

>Strengthen the smoke screen and prepare for the enemy to push through, hoping Rodney will push them off if you with her own attack

>Strengthen the smoke screen and prepare for the enemy to push through, hoping Rodney will push them off if you with her own attack

"Keep the smoke up and get ready to push them back." You call, directing your attention towards the barrier billowing up between the two fleets. The distant fire continues, signaling Rodney's engagement.

Echoing fire still spills out between the two fleets, rounds splashing in the waves before you.

Surprisingly the enemy doesn't seem to close, electing to hold back and engage with guns. Fire still zips out, irregular cries of surprise. You hold your ground and eye the smoke, readying yourself for an enemy breakthrough

"Lorraine," Comes the terse and strained voice of Émile Bertin after some time spent exchanging blind fire with the enemy "I think they're falling back."

"Radar signal is moving away." Minotaur confirms excitedly, her guns still exchanging harassing fire along with her fellow British cruisers. "Looks like Rodney's got their attention."

You let out a breath you weren't aware you were holding, hunching over and grimacing in pain. "How are we holding up?" Yo

"Low on ammo, several wounded." Comes the report. "Legionario and Le Terrible will survive but almost all of us were hit."

You take a moment to ponder your options, glancing nervously at the smoke.

"Are we pursuing?" Comes the voice of Le Malin, faint nervousness present in her tone.

>Take who you can and push against the enemy, you need to keep buying time for Rodnol and save Prov bce
>You're too battered, hold ground.
>Your duty is done. Return to Port.

Also
>Switch perspective to Provence.
>Switch perspective to Rodnol's fleet

Sorry. I'm calling it here for this episode. Its become apparent that I'll be too preoccupied for the coming few days. I'll try and shoot for the weekend after next for next episode.

Thanks for patience.

>>3804190
>Your duty is done. Return to Port.
>Switch perspective to Provence.

>>3804190
>Take who you can and push against the enemy, you need to keep buying time for Rodnol and save Provence
>Switch to Provence

Break out time?

>>3804190
>Take who you can and push against the enemy, you need to keep buying time for Rodnol and save Provence
>Switch to Provence

>>3804223
I think we would likely be trying to tend to the injured vessels. As of right now, the only individual that Providence has a dislike of on the abyssal side is their battleship who is acting as our sister’s advisor. It is funny actually, our sister believes that her forces are held together by her strength alone, but in truth, it has foundations in them having faith in her. By providing succor while they are at their weakest, the faith they have likely will transfer to Providence, especially if Hood attacks our sister’s fleet in the aftermath of this fight.

>>3804190
>Your duty is done. Return to Port.
>Switch perspective to Provence
dont let it die Frog