Ch 3 first strike
As Yamamoto headed to meet Oyaji, the gang looked at the sea, filled with dead warships, and plenty of dead sailors.
"Wow. We can destroy the fire nation with these ships." Sokka said.
"I don't think the admiral will want to go with your plan, Sokka." Katara said.
"Thanks for saving us. We're in your debt." Oyaji said.
"You can repay me with one thing." Yamamoto said.
"Anything." Oyaji said.
"I want, no. I need to use your island as a base of operations. To refuel, repair, etc." Yamamoto said.
"I don't know what we can do. We're cut off from the earth kingdom, but I do know a place that'll fit your needs." Oyaji said.
Oyaji opened a map, and pointed to a spot on the south-east part of the earth kingdom.
"There used to be a naval station for the earth kingdom navy. The fire nation probably took the port, so you'll have to take it."
The fleet left Kyoshi island, and headed north east. Aang and his friends left on Appa, heading towards Omashu.
"Where are we going?" Suki asked.
"Fire nation captured an earth kingdom navy port early in the war. We are going to seize it for us." Yamamoto said.
"What's the plan?" Suki asked.
"I'll send out a torpedo boat to scout the area first. Once they come back with the descriptions of the port, its defenses etc, then we'll strike." Yamamoto said.
An hour passed, and the torpedo boat came back with important news.
"That place is armed to the teeth. 20 cruisers and multiple defenses, including hundreds of soldiers." Private Kyro said.
"Did you get the position of the ships and defenses?" Yamamoto asked.
"It's all here." Kyro said, giving the admiral a hand-drawn map.
Yamamoto and the other captains met in the war-room, making the plan to take over the port.
"We know where they are. They don't know where we are. We'll catch them with their pants down." Yamamoto said, looking at the map.
"You have an idea?" Suki asked.
"Yes. Have the destroyers and cruisers surround the port and fire their guns at the farthest range. If we bring them close, fire nation will wise up, and we may lose our plan. Fire high explosive rounds, force the fleet away. When the ships leave the bay, you're to form a line infront of the mouth of the harbor. The destroyers will need to be accurate with their torpedoes. If it all goes according to plan, the enemy will run, and the Yamato will come in and kill what's left." Yamamoto said.
"And if it doesn't go according to plan?" someone asked.
"Plan B. Yamato joins the fray, and we kill the entire fleet. It'll take some time to clear the wreckage from the harbor, but we need it." Yamamoto said.
Next morning came, and the plan was in motion. The destroyers and cruisers moved in, aligning their guns and torpedoes to fire into the bay.
"Fire!"
High explosive rounds screamed in from nowhere, destroying two fire nation frigates and setting many buildings in flames. Then armor piercing rounds started to rain down, and 4 cruisers exploded where they stood.
"Captain, we need to move, now!"
"Get the ships out of the harbor!"
The remaining ships left the harbor under continuous fire, taking much damage. On board the fire nation ships, it was panic. They saw the Japanese destroyers and cruisers approaching them at high speed, firing their guns. They couldn't retaliate, as their trebuchet turrets took time to turn around. So they just fled the incoming shells, and ships were slowly going sinking into the sea.
The plan was working, as the Japanese destroyers and cruisers formed their line and fired high-explosive rounds, hoping to drive away the fire nation ships, but the thick armor on the fire nation ships held out. But the Japanese still had their torpedoes, and fired them.
8 fire nation warships were outright crippled or destroyed from the torpedo attacks. The fire nation ships had no current means of counteracting the deadly guns and torpedoes from the IJN. The ships fled into the open water, only to run into the Yamato.
"What the hell is that?" a captain asked.
"How'd the earth kingdom get that kind of a warship?"
The Yamato fired her forward guns, the 18inch high explosive shells quickly destroying the ships they crashed into. The super battleship made quick work on the fire nation ships attempting to leave.
One fire nation cruiser came close enough to fire its weapons at the Yamato. Fireballs slammed into the armor and superstructure on the Yamato, but simply didn't pack the punch required to break through. Yamamoto had a look on his face that said 'Wait, that's all? Pathetic.'
The secondary gun batteries on the Yamato returned fire, and knocked out the trebuchets and punched holes thru the armor. A secondary barrage was fired, and the engines were knocked out. When the rear guns were able to bear on the crippled cruiser, one shot was fired. The armor piercing shell exited the barrel, went thru its trajectory and buried itself into the engines and exploded.
The back end of the cruiser separated from the rest of the ship, and the fire nation warship sank into a watery grave. Yamamoto looked ahead and saw the wrecks of the fire nation ships. The harbor was clear, and the escort cruisers and destroyers headed inside the bay, exchanging fire with the remaining defenders. It was only a matter of time, until the harbor and its facilities were in possession. He won this battle.
Deep in the earth kingdom, Commander Zhao oversaw preparations to track down the Avatar. And he had an impressive force. 50 warships and hundreds of soldiers, plus the legendary Yu-yen archers. Now he had to search the god-forsaken earth kingdom for the bald kid. It was only a matter of time.
"Commander, there's something you should read." A soldier said, handing Zhao a note.
Zhao opened the paper and read it. His eyes went wide eyed as he read that the port of Yu-be was completely overrun within the span of less than an hour. 5 warships appeared and quickly destroyed the 20 ships stationed there.
Zhao quickly incinerated the paper and turned to his aid.
"Send the 50 warships to retake Yu-be. Leave no survivors." Zhao said.