Dawn of the Empire

Chapter 382 Stars without brilliance (5)

With the elite of the Dragon Tooth Army, it would be too wasteful for Zhao Xingde to just train a group of gunners.Gunners no longer carry bows and crossbows. Stabbing is an established tactic in melee combat, and weapons such as swords, shields, and maces are not used.He remembered that during the siege of Hejian, the dead soldiers of the Jinyan Mansion in the Song Dynasty were charged with thunder and thunder, and their power was extraordinary.Because the Thunderbolt is too heavy, it can only be carried by a strong man.If its size is reduced, its weight will also be reduced accordingly. Although its power is also less, the sergeant can throw it into the enemy's formation.The battalion of the Dragon Tooth Army preparing to improve the firecracker gun was originally a bow and crossbow battalion, and the sergeants in the battalion had great physical strength. If the weight of Zhentianlei was right, they could throw it dozens of paces away.Zhao Xingde thought it over and over again, and felt that the feasibility was great, but this thunderbolt suitable for soldiers to throw needs to be made and finalized as soon as possible, otherwise it will not be able to catch up with the training.

Worried that the power of the gunpowder would not be enough, Zhao Xingde suggested that the Ordnance Department pre-made grooves for generating fragments on the cast iron mold, and then adopted a method of gradually thinning the outer wall of the cast iron to try out a suitable wall thickness.At the same time, on the premise of not reducing the explosive power, mix some iron sand and iron bullets into the gunpowder chamber.Zhao Xingde named this new weapon a grenade.

The basic tactics of the Fire Gun Battalion have also been changed to "shoot" in volley in turn about fifty or sixty steps away, and then go up to attack the enemy's formation with spears. Then the gunners charged together to complete the assault.In the past, the Firebolt Battalion was strong defensively and weak offensively. After the thunder-throwing hand was included in the formation, it could greatly increase the power of attack.However, according to this tactic, the thunder thrower must have extremely strong physical strength, and must be at the forefront of the team when attacking, and non-elite soldiers cannot take on it.Zhao Xingde estimated that even though he had tried his best to reduce the weight, a grenade with enough power would still be very heavy in terms of gunpowder at this time.Although the crossbowmen of the Dragon Tooth Army may be capable of throwing mines, but among the ordinary gunners, it would be good if [-] to [-]% of the elite soldiers can act as mine-throwers. Maybe we need to establish a special mine-thrower camp.

After the suggestion of manufacturing grenades and training grenade throwers was submitted to the military government, positive responses were quickly received.General Zhang Shanfu personally asked the Ordnance Department to manufacture grenades, because Zhao Xingde had provided the preliminary drawings and trial production process, and the Ordnance Department also agreed to try to produce a few samples within two months, even if it could not be produced in a timely manner. To make grenades, you can also make a batch of solid bullets of the same weight and size for grenade-throwing training.

After this incident, Zhao Xingde felt the status of the Dragon Tooth Army in Xia Kingdom.All the horses, armor, ordnance, and the military arsenal are almost completely open.Considering this rare advantage, as well as the experimental nature of the Dragon Tooth Army's Fire Gun Battalion, Zhao Xingde proposed to the military government that a cavalry centurion be equipped for the Fire Gun Gun Battalion. Handgun with short handle.He had seen this kind of short pistol before at Li Sihai's place. It didn't need to be specially ignited, but an iron plate was used to strike the mechanism as the trigger, and sparks were fired to ignite the gunpowder.However, it is said that Li Sihai said that this kind of firearm is cheap and not very reliable, and the reliable one is extremely expensive. The only advantage is to see the opportunity quickly.When the cavalry meets the two armies, the speed of the horse is extremely fast, and seeing the opportunity is more important than anything else.There is no need to bend the bow and set the arrow, and there is no need to troublesomely place the matchlock. Just raise your hand and give the opponent a gun. Taking the opponent's life is more important than anything else.Therefore, Zhao Xingde suggested that while experimenting with handgun cavalry tactics in the firecracker battalion, the ordnance department would try to manufacture cheap and reliable automatic firearms. If the bolt mechanism is mature and available in the future, the infantry firearms gunners can be replaced with automatic firearms machine.In Zhao Xingde's memory, it seems that the flintlock guns of later generations do not need to be ignited, but the structure of the flintlock gun has never been seen before.

Not long after the letter was written, there was news from the General's Mansion that they agreed to deploy a cavalry centurion for the Fire Gun Gun Battalion, which would be used for scouting, counterattacking the opponent's cavalry, and chasing the enemy.At the same time, the military government will equip these cavalry with "reliable" handguns.At the same time, the response from the Ordnance Department was that self-propelled firearms have been trial-produced, but they just couldn't meet the requirements of "cheap and reliable" at the same time.

The weather was getting hotter and hotter. When Zhao Xingde received the news from the Military Intelligence Department, it was already July. The group of more than 50 people who pretended to be a caravan stayed in Luoyang for two days and then passed the Hangu Pass.After entering Xia Kingdom, Zhao Xingde sold the tea, silk and other goods carried by the caravan, and distributed the money he earned to the accompanying soldiers.

"As expected by the Prime Minister, Zhao De has already entered Hangu Xiguan and stayed at the post."

Liu Yi took the pigeon book from Zhang Shanfu and sighed: "This Zhao Xingzhi can really make a fuss. Fortunately, he only leads a small battalion. If he is really asked to lead 500 regiments to practice, I am afraid that the treasury will issue another [-] yuan." Wan’s debts are not enough.” He unfolded the pigeon book, glanced at it, and said with a smile, “For the sake of his selfishness, he passed through the Song Dynasty and came back safe and sound, and he didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. , I don’t care about this account book with him.”

Liu Yi's mood is quite relaxed and happy.This time, the Military Intelligence Department deliberately arranged for Zhao De to go back to the Xia Kingdom through the Song Dynasty. It took three to four months and traveled thousands of miles.The Dragon Tooth Army is the pride of Mrs. Xia, not a place for people with ulterior motives and half-hearted intentions.If Zhao Xingde had any act of leaking military plans, or serving for the Song Dynasty court in private, then what was waiting for him opposite Hangu Pass would not be the post station of the Supply Division, but the jailer of the Military Judiciary Division.

"This kid knows something interesting." Zhang Shanfu also nodded with a smile and said, "It's not in vain for the prime minister's dedication to cultivation." The self-fired gun is extremely expensive. He actually proposed to equip a cavalry centurion with a shot.Due to the special status of the Dragon Tooth Army, the Marching Division had to discuss with the Prime Minister's Mansion, and the Prime Minister's Mansion specially arranged a sum of money so as not to cause dissatisfaction among other battalions in the army.

Zhang Shanfu is also in a very good mood.The grassland barbarians attacked Beizhou, making Anbei Army Commander, and even the entire General's Mansion feel ashamed. Fortunately, Zhao Xingde made great contributions in Liaodong, and shared some of the accusations from the Zhuguo Mansion and the Huguo Mansion.The General's Mansion originally planned to transfer Zhao De back to the Tiance Institute for training, and at the same time assist in the training of the firecracker battalion. Zhang Shanfu resisted all opinions and believed that meritorious service would be rewarded, and that the firecracker would be a sharp weapon for future battles between the two armies.The Dragon Tooth Army is the most elite and reliable army in the Xia Kingdom, and it is impossible to be completely ignorant of firecrackers, so he urged Zhao De to be transferred to the Dragon Tooth Army.At the same time, in order to balance other people's doubts about Zhao De, Zhang Shanfu acquiesced in the Military Intelligence Department's arrangement of Zhao Xingde's route back to Xia through the Song Dynasty.Fortunately, the final result of this test was excellent.Apart from visiting an old friend who lived in seclusion in the mountains for many years, Zhao De has never had any contact with other old friends, and the affair of the court of the Song Dynasty is even more fictitious.

"The iron cannons from the Liao Kingdom have also been transported to the city of Yunzhou." Zhang Shanfu sneered. , will definitely not wait to fight Yang Yanqing. Who knows that he can bear to watch the Song army capture the Datong Mansion, and the army has been lingering, only dividing the troops and forcing the signing of the army, and driving the civilians to rush to build roads for transporting heavy artillery. It seems that, Zhao De taught him this lesson in Nanshan City, and it was not in vain. The Military Affairs Department said that the court of Song Dynasty was still clamoring about whether the army of the Hebei camp and the Hedong camp should be stationed in Kyushu behind the mountain, or they should directly establish a Yunzhou camp. The general led the imperial guards out of the garrison. Qian Gui, the eunuch of the Guangzhou Shipping Department, was still on the table this month, saying that the Henghaixiang Army could fight hard, and asked the Privy Council to transfer Yue Fei to Yunzhou."

"It seems that this brave Yue Fei has offended the eunuch Shibo." Liu Yi smiled slightly, "His Majesty has already used the seal to express the letters of envoys who sent good wishes to the Liao and Song Dynasties respectively. The emperor of the Liao Kingdom seems to be Dissatisfied with Cui Guoshi, it seems that he has to send another cadre to replace him. Since Yelu Dashi has ordered Mierbo Khan to go south to attack the Song Dynasty, the Anbei Army Commander will wait until his army is trapped in the Central Plains. Then send troops to attack."