Free Doppelganger by John Schettler Page A

King Alfred was clear in his mind again. A few of the men had been discussing tactics, and the general consensus was that a good broadside at range was the best possible play in a sudden one-on-one engagement. Armored cruisers were often used in scouting roles, and would often find themselves in small groups, or even alone when they might happen on an enemy ship.
    “What? A broadside with six inch guns?” Tovey put in. “Well we’d have to be damn close to hit anything,” he had asserted. “Those casement guns can theoretically range out over 15,000 yards with a heavy charge, but good luck hitting anything that far out. No gentlemen, I’m an advocate of speed at the outset. I’d show the enemy my bow and put on a full head of steam to squeeze every knot out of those boilers I possibly could. Harass them with all our forward facing guns as we come in, then swing round and give them the old broadside well inside 10,000 yards. 8,000 yards would even be better—ideal I should think.” It was a strategy he would put to use in the future, though the ranges involved would change as gun size increased. Tovey would one day end up leading more than one good fight at sea.
    “Concentration of firepower is always best, at any range,” came a voice behind him. Tovey had his arms folded and did not know who made the remark, but he batted it aside with the sharp intelligence he would become known for at sea.
    “At any range? On my watch I would use my cannon at the best range suited to them. If that means a little reliance on speed and armor to achieve a better firing solution, so be it.” The complete silence after his remark prompted him to turn his head, and there was Captain Baker, lips pursed with disapproval. He had come into the mess hall in the heat of the discussion and threw out the remark to test his young officers.
    Later that evening he had summoned Tovey to the bridge and took him aside in the plotting room for a private chat. “See here, Mister Tovey. Concerning your remarks in the officer’s mess this evening… If you chance to contradict another officer ever again, you had bloody well better turn your head first and look the man in the eye so you will know who you’re speaking to.”
    “Yes sir. Of course, sir. I’m terribly sorry. I meant no offense.”
    “No offense taken, Tovey. This is simply a matter of decorum.”
    “Yes sir.”
    “Very good then. That will be all.”
    “Sir!” Tovey saluted and went to leave, but the Captain scratched his ear, adding one last word.
    “You were correct in one thing,” he said quietly.
    “Sir?”
    “That bit about reliance on speed and armor. I gave it some thought and find it sound advice, depending on the circumstances of course. But just remember that King Alfred is the flagship of this squadron, young man. In that role she will be at the head of her formation and expected to lead the battle line in. So in nine cases out of ten we will not be talking about a single ship broadside, but that of the entire squadron. This is concentration of firepower, Mister Tovey. Don’t forget that.”
    Invincible is the fleet flagship now, thought Tovey, and I should be leading in the full power of the Royal Navy, and using that concentration of firepower. Circumstances simply prevent that at the moment.
     In that first wild engagement, Tovey had Kent , Bedford, Monmouth, and then the light cruisers Astraea and Flora with him to form that battle line, a long tail of iron on the sea. Now the Admiral of the Fleet was rushing in alone, but he would stick to the tactics he had so ably argued all those years ago, because his ship had all the power of a broadside no matter which way it was facing. Yes, Captain Baker was correct. Concentration of firepower is always best, at any range, and Invincible can give me that every time we fire.
    We’ll actually have them nine guns to eight at the outset, he realized. With any luck we can get in our licks before they turn, but no