"General, the battleship *Hood* has sunk; what should we do now?"
Everyone turned to Major General Carol, awaiting his decision. The sinking of two battleships had left the British Navy in an absolute predicament. Although the German Navy's six battlecruisers had also sustained hits, the damage was minimal and did not significantly impair their combat effectiveness.
As a result, the disparity on the battlefield had widened further. The two British battleships now faced an onslaught from six German battlecruisers. From the previous encounters, it was evident just how formidable the German battlecruisers were. The outcome, therefore, was all too apparent.
"Send a telegram to General Beatty, informing him that we are barely holding on. If reinforcements do not arrive within half an hour, we may as well prepare for our own funerals," ordered Major General Carol.
Originally, David Beatty had hoped that Major General Carol could hold out for at least another two hours, allowing him to deploy his forces more strategically. Little did he know that the four *King George V*-class battleships would falter so quickly under the assault of six German battlecruisers.
"Yes, sir," the communications officer replied promptly, hastening to send the telegram. They all fervently hoped for reinforcements to arrive soon. Otherwise, they might meet the same fate as the *Hood* and *Bellerophon*, sinking to the ocean depths to become fish fodder.
Meanwhile, the German Navy had begun to celebrate their victory.
Disregarding the dangers of the battlefield, Vice Admiral Hipper boarded a transport boat and headed straight for the *Moltke* battlecruiser to discuss the next steps with Vice Admiral Scheer.
"Let's reassign our strike targets. We must eliminate the remaining two British battleships as swiftly as possible," Vice Admiral Hipper exclaimed with excitement.
Vice Admiral Scheer nodded in agreement. Achieving such significant results in this battle had already satisfied him. However, no naval commander would decline the opportunity to expand their success further.
"The British reinforcements are undoubtedly en route. They might arrive any moment now. If we can sink the remaining two British battleships before their reinforcements arrive, we will have gained considerably even if we are forced to retreat later," Vice Admiral Scheer stated.
If the German Navy could sink all four *King George V*-class battleships in this engagement, it would be a significant victory. After all, achieving a score of zero to five before the grand naval showdown would deliver a devastating blow to the British Navy. This outcome would also increase the likelihood of German victories in future naval battles.
"God bless the German Empire!" Vice Admiral Hipper declared.
The German Navy reorganized their attack strategies, with three *Moltke*-class battlecruisers targeting the British *King George V*, while three *Blücher*-class battlecruisers focused on the *Ajax*.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The fierce bombardment continued, with shells raining down from above, creating columns of water that erupted around the *King George V* and *Ajax*. These two massive battleships felt as though they were trapped in a tempest, on the brink of capsizing.
Outside the battlefield, three squadrons of British battlecruisers and one battleship squadron rushed to the scene. All three battlecruiser squadrons had increased their speed to 25 knots, while the four *Iron Duke*-class battleships maintained a speed of 20 knots.
On board the *Tiger* battlecruiser, Vice Admiral Beatty wore a grave expression.
The German Navy's commerce raiding fleet had indeed caught them off guard, a situation he had anticipated. He understood that the German raiders patrolling the Atlantic were like hungry wolves on the prowl, ready to pounce on a plump target.
However, the current battlefield situation seemed unfavorable for the British Navy. Major General Carol's four *King George V*-class battleships were being suppressed, even finding themselves at a disadvantage. This left Vice Admiral Beatty anxious, fearful that the tragic fate of the *Lion* would repeat itself. Although the *King George V*-class battleships boasted superior defenses compared to the *Lion* class, Beatty still felt a tinge of uncertainty.
"Sir, an urgent telegram has arrived from General Carol," a staff officer said in a flurry, delivering the message to Vice Admiral Beatty.
After reading the telegram, Beatty's face darkened like a blackened pot. He could hardly believe that two battleships had sunk in such a short span of time. This was undoubtedly a severe blow to the British Navy. No wonder Major General Carol was urgently requesting assistance; in his shoes, he too would find it impossible to hold on in such dire circumstances.
"Order all battlecruiser squadrons to accelerate; they must reach the battlefield within half an hour. Also, instruct the First Battleship Squadron to hasten their speed. Our enemies are stronger than we imagined," Vice Admiral Beatty commanded.
"Yes, sir," the communications officer immediately relayed Beatty's orders.
The nine battlecruisers accelerated again, pushing their speed beyond 26 knots. If not for the fear of causing irreparable damage to the boilers, they would have further increased their pace.
The four *Iron Duke*-class battleships also began to accelerate. However, as standard line battleships, their maximum speed was limited to just 21.25 knots. Maintaining a speed of 21 knots was already a notable achievement.
Yet, the urgency was paramount; if they could not arrive in time, the remaining two *King George V*-class battleships might also face sinking. Thus, Vice Admiral Beatty had no choice but to order full speed ahead.
On the battlefield, the six German battlecruisers continued to press their numerical advantage, besieging the remaining two British battleships. The *King George V* and *Ajax* had sustained multiple hits, though none had struck their critical points—yet.
"Report! The seaplane has spotted the British battleships. They are approaching from the south, east, and west, totaling nine battlecruisers."