At the end of September 1912, Qin Tian visited the Ministry of the Navy to confer with Admiral Count Tirpitz.
With less than two years remaining before the outbreak of war, time was becoming increasingly pressing, leading Qin Tian to grow busier. Despite years of preparation, he remained uncertain about achieving complete victory in the impending conflict. Thus, he sought to make as many preparations as possible to bolster his side's chances.
"Your Excellency, how are the naval preparations for war progressing?" After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Qin Tian got straight to the point.
"Your Highness, the naval preparations are proceeding methodically. Our capital ships are intensifying their training to ensure immediate deployment once hostilities commence!" replied Admiral Count Tirpitz.
In this timeline, the German Navy was significantly stronger than in the alternate reality. Even though the British Navy was accelerating its capital ship construction, the disparity between the two navies was not as vast as it seemed. The current fleet included an impressive array of dreadnoughts and super dreadnoughts, comprising four Nassau-class battleships, five Helgoland-class battleships, five Kaiser-class battleships, five König-class battleships, three Blücher-class battlecruisers, three Moltke-class battlecruisers, and three Derfflinger-class battlecruisers. Additionally, five Bavaria-class battleships and three Mackensen-class battlecruisers were under construction. Once completed, the German Navy would boast a formidable fleet of 24 battleships and 12 battlecruisers, nearing parity with the British in numbers and surpassing them in capability. Consequently, should a naval clash ensue, the odds of a German victory would be considerably greater than in the alternate timeline.
However, these figures were merely theoretical. The outcome of naval engagements depended on far more than just ship count and performance; factors such as crew quality, intelligence, tactics, and even luck played crucial roles.
Qin Tian nodded, feeling considerable confidence in the mighty fleet he had largely helped to create. Yet, naval warfare was inherently unpredictable; true victory could only be determined after all had settled.
"Your Highness, it is anticipated that the Bavaria-class battleships and Mackensen-class battlecruisers will not enter service until late 1914 or early 1915. Will they still be ready in time for this war?" Admiral Count Tirpitz inquired, concern evident in his voice given the increasingly tense situation, where war seemed imminent. The Bavaria-class battleships and Mackensen-class battlecruisers represented the pinnacle of the German Navy, and their absence would indeed be a significant loss.
"They should be ready. Even if war breaks out, a decisive battle will not occur immediately. In the war's initial stages, our battlecruisers and submarine forces will take center stage," Qin Tian replied.
Once hostilities began, the German Navy's long-prepared battlecruiser squadron and submarine forces would launch strikes against British maritime supply lines, crippling their overseas trade and significantly undermining Britain's war potential. While this might not force the British to withdraw from the conflict, it would certainly inflict heavy losses. By that point, the navy would then fully engage the British fleet in the climactic battle. Indeed, even without actively seeking out confrontation, the British would likely pursue the German fleet, as their maritime supply lines would be unsustainable for long.
Admiral Count Tirpitz nodded, reassured by this strategy.
"Your Highness, do you have plans for subsequent models of the Bavaria-class battleships and Mackensen-class battlecruisers?" he asked. According to the schedule, construction of the next generation of capital ships was to commence once the current models reached mid-construction.
"Let us hold off on the next generation of capital ships for now. Perhaps, they will be our last battleships and battlecruisers," Qin Tian mused.
"What? Your Highness, does this mean we will cease building capital ships in the future?" Admiral Count Tirpitz responded, astonished.
Qin Tian nodded affirmatively. "Soon, battleships and battlecruisers will become obsolete; continuing to construct these capital ships would be a sheer waste."
Admiral Count Tirpitz was utterly taken aback; he could scarcely fathom how such imposing vessels could possibly become outdated. From Qin Tian's words, it seemed that only in this conflict would they hold relevance, as if the next war would render them superfluous.
"Your Excellency, recently, His Majesty and the army generals visited the 8th Army Corps and were profoundly impressed by the performance of the air force," Qin Tian remarked.
Admiral Count Tirpitz acknowledged this with a nod; given his connection to Qin Tian, he was well aware of the rapid advancements in aviation. Yet, he wondered how this related to the obsolescence of capital ships.
"If aircraft can launch attacks from sea-based platforms against surface vessels, do you believe those ships can evade such strikes?" Qin Tian queried.
"How could that be possible? Those toy-like contraptions pose no threat to ships weighing thousands of tons!" Admiral Count Tirpitz could hardly believe it.
"Admiral, as difficult as it may be to accept, the reality is that the German shipyards are indeed constructing such maritime platforms, which I term aircraft carriers. These carriers can deploy bombers equipped with torpedoes for combat. Once a target is identified, these bombers can take flight from over 100 kilometers away to strike their targets," Qin Tian elaborated.
After a considerable pause, Admiral Count Tirpitz slowly absorbed this information. However, the magnitude of Qin Tian's revelation left him stunned, as though his entire worldview had been upended.
"Your Highness, we must immediately visit the German shipyards; I need to see these so-called aircraft carriers for myself. If they are as you describe, the Imperial Navy must be equipped with this new weapon!" Admiral Count Tirpitz asserted decisively.
With the era of colossal ships and cannons soon to pass, it was imperative for the German Navy to grasp the advantages of the next age.