Yang Fan found that using scaffolding steel pipes was really useful.
In the past, when attacking a city, one had to build a mountain of earth outside the enemy's wall. Higher than the enemy's walls. In this way, you can shoot arrows from a high position. Make it impossible for the enemies at the top of the city to evade. After entering the age of firearms, you can also use the general cannon to the fifth general cannon, as well as the Fran machine cannon to bombard the enemy's city walls.
This will reduce a lot of resistance when your own troops use ladders or carts to climb the city. After all, the earth mountain is higher than the city wall, and the city wall has an unobstructed view. There is no place to hide or hide. Disperse the enemy and arrive at the city.
However, building mountains of earth is no simple task. This will cost people's lives.
Countless civilians carry sandbags and earth bags on their backs. It took a month or even several months to build a mountain of earth despite the lost stones at the top of the city. It's a waste of time and also causes a lot of casualties.
But now Yang Fan's engineers wear stab-proof uniforms and beak helmets. They can build a scaffolding arrow tower of more than ten square meters in one or two hours. Except that large artillery cannot be used, flintlock guns, crossbows, and even small Franco cannons can be used. Very strong.
There are scaffolding steel pipes, who would be stupid enough to pile up a mountain of earth, why bother with that brute force?
These scaffoldings are all scraps collected by Erluzi from modern times. Although it is rusty, the buckles and fasteners are still there. Totally ready to use.
Zhang Shize watched as Yang Fan's servants built hundreds of arrow towers around Jining's city wall so quickly. Moreover, a steel plate was hung on the front to prevent arrows from missing. I rubbed my hands together excitedly.
"I said, there is a good thing, why didn't you tell me earlier. As a result, I was studying ways to attack the city last night." Zhang Shize said dissatisfied.
"This is my first time to use it. I don't know if it will work yet. If not, I have to use the old method." Yang Fan said with a smile.
Engineers and soldiers are all Yang Fan's servants. There are no engineers in the Beijing camp.
Now I am too lazy to dig long trenches to besiege the city. That's too much trouble. Simply use a ring-shaped wire mesh and pull it from all sides and you're done. Just open it when attacking. It is guaranteed that not a single person or horse can escape in the city.
Zhang Shize and Yang Fan boarded the largest scaffolding platform, which was a full fifteen meters high. The area is hundreds of square meters. There are also stairs. It is covered by steel plates on three sides. Very safe.
Yang Fan set up a big tent directly on the top. Serves as siege headquarters.
This is more than 300 meters away from the South City Wall. Even the Mongolian archers couldn't shoot at this distance. From this height, you have a panoramic view of the entire Jining City.
Two Taishi chairs were set up. There is also a coffee table in the middle.
Yang Fan and Zhang Shize were drinking tea from a bowl with their legs crossed. Looking at the battlefield. All the generals stood behind him. In the large tent at the back, a large table made of folding tables was covered with a map that had just been surveyed and mapped.
"Looking at the results of yesterday's test firing, if we really fight, it will be broken in one afternoon." Zhang Shize said.
The whole army knows what happened last night. The trebuchet is very powerful. This city wall cannot withstand the smashing of the commander's super heavy trebuchet. As long as you let go of the smashing, it won't take long, half a day, the wall on this side will definitely collapse.
When the time comes, send one or two groups to attack and that will be it.
"Don't, how can we train troops after fighting all afternoon? Where can we find such a good training opportunity? These bastards in the Beijing camp have been in formation, fighting and marching for the past three months. They have not practiced siege at all. Slow down. Take it slow, don't rush." Yang Fan quickly stopped him.
Zhang Shize gives a thumbs up, high!
These Mongolians in Jining City are really in trouble if they encounter you.
"Then how do we fight? Who goes first?" Zhang Size asked.
Yang Fan thought for a while and said: "The infantry is not in a hurry. Let's practice the artillery first. Move the No. 5 general cannon and the Xiao Fo Lang machine gun to the arrow tower for me. We will fight for an hour first."
"Pass the order, in addition to military merit, the top three artillerymen will receive additional rewards. The first place artillery crew will be rewarded one hundred taels of silver, the second place will be rewarded with seventy taels, and the third place will be rewarded with thirty-five taels."
In this day and age, this amount of money is not that small. A soldier only gets three silver coins a month. Jingying gave him a lot, only five silver coins. Just like this, I don’t know how many people want to get into the Beijing camp.
I heard that in addition to military merit, the commander-in-chief also gave a silver reward. Suddenly the three armies thundered. Morale is high. The artillerymen moved small artillery pieces to the archery tower one after another.
Lu Xiaobei is an artillery flagman. He is a brother. They had a small Folan cannon. This cannon is one meter and a half long and weighs seventy-three kilograms and six taels. The maximum range is 600 meters and the effective range is 370 meters. Equipped with ten muskets.
They used a winch to hoist the cannon and ammunition onto the arrow tower. Installed on the top of the arrow tower.
"Tou'er Lu, do you think this arrow tower made of steel pipes is reliable? Don't let it collapse as soon as you fire it. It's so high that I feel dizzy just looking at it." Zhang Erlu asked worriedly.
Lu Xiaobei stamped his feet on the ground paved with thick wooden boards. Look again at the two-layer steel pipe supports tilted inwards on all four sides. He said: "This is made of good steel and is strong. Don't worry, it's okay. I trust the commander. If the commander says it's okay, I'll rest assured."
Yang Fan attaches great importance to small artillery. Because these small Folan cannons and No. 5 general cannons weigh less than 100 kilograms, they can maneuver with the infantry. In field battles, artillery that can follow infantry is of great significance.
If Yang Fan's gunpowder was used instead, the power of these artillery pieces would be enough to penetrate Jiannu's shield car. At the same time, it is easy to carry. Yang Fan specially asked the arsenal to shoot a portable four-corner stand similar to a heavy machine gun tripod. Can be conveniently placed on the battlefield.
At the same time, in order to maneuver, it is definitely not possible to use wooden poles to set up four people and carry them around, otherwise everyone will be exhausted. There is no way to fight when you get to the battlefield. It is more appropriate to use pack horses for transportation. Yang Fan additionally designed lightweight two-wheeled steel wheels. Used for dragging. Refer to the lightweight steel wheels of the recoilless rifle.
"Have you set it up? It must be stable. Otherwise, it will fly away as soon as the cannon is fired."
"Don't worry, it's safe and sound."
Yang Fan and Zhang Shize watched the artillery around them being set up. nodded. Indicate that let's start.
"All of them, arrow tower artillery, spherical solid bullets, three test rounds."
With the flag bearer waving two short flags, the order was quickly passed on.
"Boss, the order has come down. Three test rounds, spherical solid bullets."
"Okay, let's show these Tatars how powerful we are." Lu Xiaobei moved the small Fran machine gun on the gun mount, with a front sight welded on the muzzle and a rear sight welded on the rear of the gun. Plus a shouting centurion on the opposite wall. Three points make a line.
"Fire!" Lu Xiaobei shouted.
First gunner Zhao Guangxuan quickly pulled the firing rope. These artillery pieces are equipped with flintlock bolts, because there is a short period of time when the fuse is lit and fired. During this time, the target may move. Therefore, when you take aim, you must immediately get angry.
boom! The cannon body shook back and jumped slightly, but the whole thing was very stable.
A one-pound solid lead ball whizzed towards the centurion, who was holding a whip and beating the soldiers.
