As the fifth cruiser belonging to the Dusk side appeared within the sensor range of both engaged parties.
The previously military-leaning battlefield situation instantly reversed.
The pressure on the military frontline suddenly increased, and they immediately contracted their formation to reduce the face of engagement while more closely protecting the small outpost behind them.
The small outpost, unlike the Pirate Space Station, did not possess strong firepower and shields, being more like a space structure such as a Mining Space Station.
In battle aspects, it could be said to be dragging down the four cruisers.
So to face the Dusk forces that launched a surprise attack from another direction and to protect the outpost from being attacked.
After contracting the defensive line, the military directly ordered a Ruler Level to turn around, along with another fraction of the ordered small ships, to meet the surprise attacking second Dusk Fleet.
The Ruler Level, at its four large bearing points, was equipped with two Storm Needles and two Purgatory Cannons with high-speed plasma-heavy warheads, which had terrifying destructive power against armor.
Additionally, there were three medium missile mounts on its front, capable of launching missiles that could explode mid-course via two-stage propulsion, unleashing a cluster of high-speed kinetic spike warheads forward with equally terrifying destructive power against shields.
This powerful frontal firepower prompted the newly joined Dusk cruiser to avoid its edge.
Relying on its maneuverability and weapon range advantages, it continuously wore down the Ruler Level with its three Speed Particle Spears.
Although choosing a wear-down battle strategy for a surprise attack mission seemed odd, Chen Ming quite understood the Dusk cruiser’s choice now.
Because military ships had some very obvious characteristics.
Thick armor, strong firepower, and relatively poor maneuverability. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ NovᴇlFirᴇ(.)nᴇt
Therefore, for most ships, engaging in a frontal firefight with military ships would be an unwise decision.
Pulling the battle line through maneuverability became a rather good way to deal with military ships.
Moreover, because most military ship designs heavily focused on armor and firepower.
Resulting in deficiencies in other aspects besides maneuverability, such as shielding, which were also relatively backward.
When hit by the same attack, the rad energy generated by the military ship’s shield would be much higher than that produced by a Dusk Ship’s shield when hit.
Thus, exchanging the rad energy used for weapons with the rad energy from hitting the military ship’s shield would definitely be profitable for Dusk.
The more rad energy consumed by the shields, the less rad energy would be available for the weapons, indirectly reducing the pressure of frontal firepower.
As long as the Dusk cruiser could quickly break through the Ruler Level’s shield by exploiting the military ship’s shield disadvantages, the lost time would quickly be recouped.
The two cruisers began a tug-of-war, and at the same time, on the other side of the Military Outpost.
The four Dusk cruisers were continuously putting pressure on the military as one of their cruisers left.
Because they had one less cruisers’ worth of firepower and shields, the military’s frontline was constantly being eroded by Dusk, continuously retreating.
However, their retreat was much slower than Chen Ming had anticipated.
And he immediately saw where the problem lay.
It was because the contraction of the frontline lead to a narrower engagement area, and a smaller battlefield scope, which allowed the fighter jets launched from that carrier to play an enhanced role.
Though the large ships were advancing step by step, the smaller ships below were being held back, causing a delay in Dusk’s advancement.
If it weren’t for the smaller battlefield, with increasing fighter jet consumption, the military might have been able to regain some local advantage.
The reason why the fighter jets could perform so exceptionally well was actually very obvious.
Chen Ming directly asked Gamma AI, "Don’t your Dusk Ships equip any defensive weapons?"
Facing Chen Ming’s slightly sarcastic question, Gamma AI didn’t show any special reaction, and responded normally as before, "Usually they are equipped, for example, the Refraction level I control, has two small point-defense weapons."
"But before executing this surprise mission, most of our ships underwent modifications, removing all defensive weapons, opting to install all offensive weapons."
"Only auxiliary ships like mine are equipped with a few point defenses."
Chen Ming glanced again at the scene on the sensors showing the Dusk Ships being continuously harassed by the fighter jets and asked, "Did you not consider the possibility of the military having carriers and a large number of fighter jets during ship modifications?"
Gamma AI explained, "Considering such things is the command’s task, I can’t be sure about its thoughts and strategic intentions, but I can try to speculate."
"Some time before we began the Space Station raid mission, we had already launched an attack on the Military Outpost."
"In that attack, the Military Outpost deployed three cruisers in total, not including that Mola Level carrier."
"The command might have believed that the Human Military didn’t have any other ships in reserve, thus making this decision."
"It was an intelligence and tactical failure for which the command must bear responsibility."
"But at least the overall battlefield situation still favors us."
Just as Gamma AI finished speaking, Chen Ming saw that the Dusk cruiser engaged in the firefight with the Ruler Level began its second volley with the Speed Particle Spear.
The high-energy particle torrent accurately hit the Ruler Level.