The Hospital Ship of Azur Lane (Slow Updates)

Weapons Demonstration

With all the ships having exited the harbor, Doctor Solace and the five carriers position themselves in a distance of about 6 nautical miles from each other with Vestal and Queen Elizabeth along with Edinburgh and Sheffield watching them from the coast. Not a very long distance, but it's still far enough for the aircraft to get a proper shot at their target, just like it would have happened in a real battle. Since this is supposed to simulate a real-time battle, a proper distance needs to be put between between the two sides that will be combating each other. They will also be keeping notes and will be reviewing the results at the end. That way they will be able to note their errors and will try to find ways to improve their strategies if they are found to be obsolete in combat. Although DS knows how this is going to end, he's not in the mood to go hard on them. But he needs to demonstrate what he is really capable of, even if that means fighting off the entire fleet in this simulation. He doesn't have to worry about wounding anyone since he'll be using training ammunition, but even so, it seems pretty unfair how easy this will be for him. Maybe next time, he'll go easy on them. But now, he needs to focus on his training.

-'DS to Pacific Fleet, I'm in position, do you copy?', he says through his portable radio as he attempts to contact Enterprise and the others.

-'This is Enterprise, message received loud and clear', replies Enterprise. 'You ready for the exercise?'

-'And raring, standing by for the first wave', replies DS again as he checks his AA batteries.

-'Alright then. The first wave will include a combined squadron of dive bombers from all carriers. All you have to do is dodge their attacks and fire back', explains Enterprise.

-'Copy that', replies DS again, this time setting up his drone launcher. He wasn't planning on using it in the demonstration, but he needs somebody to film the entire weapons test so that he can observe what errors he's made and to change his strategies. He hasn't told anyone about his Eurocopter and AWACS drones, and he has told the Bulin sisters to keep that a secret until further notice. He probably fears that the presence of his drones will make them suspicious of his intentions. After all, what hospital ship carries its own aircraft if it's no military ship? In this time and era, only aircraft carriers and cruisers have the ability to launch planes and seaplanes. No transport had that ability in the 1940s. He was planning to showcase them, but since this is a weapons demonstration, it has nothing to do with his aerial units. He'll present them later. Besides, it's way too small, like an RC toy plane, nobody will notice it.

After launching his drone, he checks his radar, 120 aircraft have been detected flying towards him from the north. They are identified as 60 SBD Dauntless dive bombers and 60 Hawker Sea Hurricane fighters with bombs fitted under their fuselage. In real combat, these would have also been provided fighter escort as there is always the threat of enemy aircraft, but since this is not a real scenario, they have decided to ease up a little bit and not make it that realistic. Not that it would make much difference of course since fighter planes can practically strafe enemy ships, but it wouldn't be of any use since 50 caliber bullets cannot cause that much of a damage. But since this is the first time they will be observing DS in combat, they have decided to go easy on him as they don't know how powerful or effective his weapons are.

As soon as the first pair of seven dive bombers get in range, DS aims his RIM and CIWS batteries upwards and makes a quick port turn at full speed, evading nine bombs and intercepting the rest of the bombs which explode in mid air, surprising Queen Elizabeth and any shipgirl who is watching. This has never happened before. No ship has managed to intercept dive bombs in before they managed to hit their target. Such precision and accuracy is just not possible. And yet there they have it. The first ever interception of bombs in mid air. It's just incredible.