After entering the 15th century, due to the rapid development of weapons technology, the cost of thermal weapons dropped rapidly, but their performance was greatly improved, allowing European countries to use peasant soldiers to replace expensive knights.
The peasant army armed with spears and muskets is far superior in price and quantity to the knight army, which can be called a luxury product. Because of this, countries are frantically expanding their troops to compete for larger territories and even for the European overlords. title.
After 1630, Spain, which had not yet completely declined, was called the king of Europe. It still had an army of 200,000, which was almost equal to the combined strength of France and Sweden.
But in terms of quality, after the advantages of Spain's characteristic phalanx were discovered by the opponent, its power suddenly dropped. In the early stage, it was severely beaten by the local indigenous armed forces in the Netherlands, and in the later stage, it could not defeat the French army head-on.
Even weaker than Spain was the Holy Roman Empire. With the 150,000 locust-like mercenaries controlled by the powerful minister Wallenstein, the emperor, who had gone bankrupt many times, could barely maintain the "imaginary territory" on the map.
Due to the lack of complete logistical supplies, Wallenstein's troops carried out plunder, destruction, and destruction in the combat zone regardless of whether they were friends or foes.
Like the armies of other countries and local armed groups that invaded the imperial territory, they caused irreparable losses to the lives and property of local residents.
More than half of the cities and towns were completely destroyed. The Thirty Years' War resulted in a reduction of five to six million people in the German region, and the scale of losses exceeded that of the First World War.
Wallenstein, who had great achievements and self-respect as a soldier, repeatedly disobeyed the emperor's decisions and was assassinated by the emperor in 1634. The locust army he commanded was also incorporated into the official army of the empire.
Yao Ji naturally wanted Lao Tang's help so that he could get a piece of the pie. After all, Emperor Shenluo really couldn't afford more than 200,000 regular troops and had no money to pay them. These mercenaries were still a group of locusts who "fought for themselves".
If certain methods are used to turn the "Thirty Years' War" into the "Sixty Years' War", then neither Spain, the Netherlands, nor the United Kingdom will have the time or energy to compete with the Great Rebellion for world hegemony...
"Your Highness is wise, there is no doubt about the authority of the Holy Roman Emperor. To launch barbaric aggression against the Empire without authorization is a contempt and insult to the Emperor, and a challenge and threat to the imperial power. The various crimes they committed within the Empire, You will not be forgiven and forgiven by God."
In Lao Tang's view, Ferdinand II's throne was first of all legal and recognized by Rome. The emperor should have complete decision-making power on how to implement Ju Min's beliefs within the empire, and other countries have no right to criticize or interfere.
Among the seven electors in the empire, the three electors of Saxony, Brandenburg, and Palatine in the north belong to the New Idea Group, while the four electors of Mainz, Bavaria, Cologne, and Bohemia in the south belong to the Old Thoughts Group.
There were irreconcilable contradictions in the beliefs of both sides. When negotiations and consultations could not bridge the growing differences, the problems and contradictions directly escalated into armed conflicts, leading to the birth of two major military alliances.
Thousands of miles apart, even if Lao Tang hated the hostile military alliance, he could only criticize them a few times. Having said that, even if he returns to his hometown in Cologne, apart from treating diseases and saving people, he will not play a decisive role.
Seeing Lao Tang's righteous words, Yao Ji also took advantage of the situation and said in an official tone: "I and Aiqing have completely the same idea. The imperial power is inviolable. I am very sympathetic to the emperor's situation and express my sincere support for the emperor's resolute fight against the invaders. The heroic behavior is greatly appreciated and supported. The situation of the Holy Roman Empire is similar to that of the Ming Dynasty. Both are facing threats from powerful enemies and have many conflicts within themselves. I believe that in many fields, the Empire and the Ming Dynasty have great space and opportunities for cooperation."
The declining Shinra Empire was just like that. Without the invaders, the emperor could not effectively manage this chaotic empire. There were nearly 400 principalities, princes, and territories in the territory. It was much more chaotic than the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. . Adding racial issues into the mix, the rule was as weak as the later Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Even with the current enemy, the Habsburg family still wants to control Hungary, and the Hungarian nobles do not want to be included in Erha's sphere of influence. There is also the aggressive Ottoman Empire to the east, waiting for the European powers to take the opportunity to invade when both sides suffer losses.
Yaoji is very interested in building a muddy empire in the Western Hemisphere. This empire will not threaten the Ming Dynasty when it comes back to its glory, unless due to historical changes, more than a dozen talented emperors and generals are born in succession.
Even if he helped the Shinra Mud Empire win the Thirty Years' War, Ferdinand IV and his dog-legged locust army could not quickly destroy the three European countries of France, the Netherlands, and Sweden. At most, they would sign an armistice within twenty or thirty years. peace treaty.
The really thorny issue is how to support the Mud Empire, because it is very difficult to turn mud into cement. The anti-European Union and Kazakhstan alliance has already won the strategic initiative, and the Mud Empire and Spain can only be regarded as persisting in resistance.
Organize an attack, be defeated by the opponent, then reorganize and organize again. When Ferdinand IV could no longer borrow money from Venetian bankers, it was time for the empire to surrender and admit defeat.
Lao Tang smelled a hint of hope for cooperation from the information revealed by the prince, but he was not sure what the specific scope was, so he had to echo: "I will write a letter to inform His Highness Ming's position. I believe that with Ming's support, Holy Rome Under the emperor’s command, the empire will surely defeat its powerful enemies!”
This can only be an expectation. As a native of his hometown, Lao Tang understands very well the complex environment and enemy strength that the empire faces. It is not easy to end the war or even become the winner. All I can do is pray for the empire and the emperor.
Since he wanted to fish, Yaoji threw out a substantial bait: "My dear, I will not just stop at greetings and salutes. I hope that His Majesty the Emperor can send no less than 10,000 regular imperial troops to fight in the Ming Dynasty, so The necessary weapons, equipment and logistics supplies are all provided by the Ming Dynasty. It lasts for five years, and you can return to the country after the expiration. If you die in the war, a pension of two hundred taels of silver will be paid to each person. During the period of serving in the Ming Dynasty, each soldier can receive When the military pay is five taels of silver, the food supply is sufficient, and a reward of one hundred taels of silver for killing a Donglu soldier. As compensation, I will provide the empire with a high-tech weapon - the 'Kirov' airship! This will completely I believe that His Majesty the Emperor will be very interested in changing the mode of war from a purely ground war to an integrated air and land war, because the empire will be victorious from now on!"
Ten thousand German soldiers placed on the battlefields of the Ming and Qing Dynasties could not influence the situation of the war, but they could form a veritable "German Army". After being fully armed, they could be pulled out to "conquer people with virtue."
Who says Guan Gong can't fight Qin Qiong?
I asked a group of Hans to split their braids and beat them to death...
Put the captive German troops into the Liaodong Peninsula, and whatever they grab will belong to the soldiers themselves, and they can be cashed in after returning to Hong Kong. Presumably this incentive measure should be able to mobilize the enthusiasm of the Hans.
I just don't know how strong the combat effectiveness of the "Locust Army" at the same time was, and whether Ferdinand IV would send over some fake goods. In that case, he would have to choose another partner in Europe in the future.
If the Mud Emperor can accept this offer, then raising Hans will mean that the military salary is higher than that of the ordinary troops of the Ming Dynasty, but everything else is about the same, and the chance of rebelling and surrendering to the enemy will be relatively small.
If they knew that for every braid killed on the battlefield, they would get one hundred taels of silver, would Hans kill Red Eyes...
The whole of Europe can no longer offer rewards at the level of the Ming Dynasty. A certain Germanic "sex maniac" has twenty or thirty pigtails hammered out at once, and then he can go home directly and enjoy a retirement life with beautiful women at his service.
This is just an assumption under ideal conditions, but it does not mean that no one can do it. If we engage in positional combat and a purely cold weapon confrontation, the cotton armor that the King of the Qing Dynasty is proud of will encounter its natural enemy. Nemesis - "real hammer"!
Gothic plate armor with all-round protection is used as a reference standard. No matter how much three-layer cotton armor is used, it cannot withstand a fatal blow from a twenty-pound hammer under the action of brute force!
Braid cuts Hans with a knife, but Hans with plate armor is fine.
Hans's pigtails were really hammered, and his chest was flattened. At worst, he would be shocked to the point of breaking bones and vomiting blood.
When he thought of this extremely funny scene, Yaoji wanted to giggle directly.
The picture is so wonderful, even if it hurts my eyes, I have to keep watching it!
Faced with such an intense head-to-head game, I wonder how long the braids on the opposite side can endure...
Calculating it this way, when the East Palace Guards and the Yongwei Battalion are finished changing their uniforms and cooperating with the 10,000 German troops, they will at least be able to face the two flags of Emperor Taiji.
When the time comes, if you are a man, be strong and don't run away, whoever runs away will have a grandson!
Once the battle is over, I'll hammer all your arrogant armored soldiers to pieces until their bones are broken!
If there were a hundred thousand Hans with hammers and muskets...
Uh~ It seems I can’t afford to hire one!
Well, no matter how you think about it, it will be a year from now, maybe two years.
Before that, let's just play with the few people at hand.
I'm a little depressed because I can't put my finger on it...
Lao Tang remembered the first half of what the prince said very carefully, but after hearing the second half, he almost forgot the first half. This was like an artifact. He asked with anxiety and excitement. : "Your Highness is really good at building airships? Are you willing to transfer the airship construction technology to His Majesty the Holy Roman Emperor?"
As the name suggests, the airship is used to fly into the sky. Lao Tang was not stupid enough to ask the prince whether the airship could fly into the sky.
Although he doesn't know much about commanding operations, Lao Tang is an expert in the industry when it comes to the structure and production of weapons.
The prospect of using airships in combat is unimaginably broad.
Any party with this weapon may win the final victory.
We must strike while the iron is hot to make the armed warlock believe in his sincerity. Yao Ji said in a positive tone: "Ai Qing must have heard an old saying called 'You have no joke'. Although I am not the emperor, I still have to do what I say. I have said Of course, the words must count. The airship is something I learned from the fairy world, and construction is not a problem. As long as the emperor is willing to exchange, he only needs 10,000 soldiers to get a full set of construction technology. I think it should be a mutually beneficial cooperation. !”
If Emperor Mud learns that the airship is actually made of sheepskin and a hanging basket, and can fly into the sky with just a little oil. It is incredibly simple, like a shoddy project, but he never thought of it. Will he beat his chest in anger?
In fact, dumplings are also very easy to make, but Europeans just don't know how to make them before they see how to make them. Therefore, technology is wealth, and patented weapons technology can be priceless.
For Daming, it is very convenient to extract oil. The Yanchang oil field is ready, plus N small oil fields in other places. If there are more, it is absolutely possible to produce several thousand tons of oil a year.
The largest and most easily exploitable oil field in Europe is in Romania. The area is now controlled by the Ottoman Empire. If the Mud Emperor wants to get oil, he must either find it himself or import it directly.
According to the current territorial division of the world map, the Ottoman Empire controls almost the entire Middle East, North Africa, the Balkans and the western Black Sea, and almost all of the oil-producing areas in Asia, Africa and Latin America are under its control.
The Ottoman Empire had really discovered oil, and the production was there. It was impossible for the Mud Emperor to import it from a hostile country. People wished that the Mud Empire would die soon and then march into Europe in a big way.
Lao Tang was thinking, if the prince offered such a low price, could it be a scam?
Ten thousand soldiers is not much, not much, but it is an extremely cost-effective exchange for airship construction technology.
In order to reverse the decadent war situation and defeat the lingering French and Swiss armies, the emperor will definitely do his best to promote this matter.
Yaoji asked Yang Jin to go over to a drawing he had drawn in advance, and then said insinuatingly: "Airships are just like this. They can be used to reconnoiter the enemy's situation, and they can also be used to bomb the enemy's troops. They can greatly improve our reconnaissance capabilities. You know the enemy's strength, direction, and advancing speed very well, so you can make combat arrangements in advance and choose your own ambush and confrontation modes!"
With the assistance of this thing, when the weather is fine, it is equivalent to removing the fog of the battlefield in the game, opening the map to the full, and fighting as one wants.
Lao Tang took the manuscript drawn by the prince and saw a basket hanging under a rugby ball.
Is this an airship from the fairy world?
It seems too simple, right?
Whether it could fly into the sky or not, Lao Tang had great doubts about this magical weapon before seeing the real thing.
Yaoji never thought about keeping the technology secret. The structure of the airship is too simple. Even if the pigtails find out the truth, they will build a large number of them in a short time, and maybe a large number of oil profiteers will be born from this. .
Once airships appear, they will spread to Europe in at most five years, and all countries will enthusiastically start mass-manufacturing airships. By then, it will be a daydream for me to make money from the Mud Emperor.
Weapons and equipment with a simple structure cannot be kept secret for a long time. All physical objects that are manufactured must be cashed out as soon as possible before the novelty wears off. If you can deceive one person, you can deceive one fool. If you can deceive two fools, you can deceive two fools. , then you will make a lot of money.
