Whether it is the "semi-propelled artillery" in front of us or the more expensive "Apocalypse Tank", they are only the first generation of tanks powered by animal power. It is not an exaggeration to describe them as crude and primitive.
If a small steam engine can be developed as a tank engine, it can be updated. Even if the driving speed is not as good as animal power, it will be of epoch-making significance.
Without industrial products as engines, even if the "Apocalypse Tank" Model X is built, it will just be a new shell based on the prototype, which is completely old wine in a new bottle.
But even the "semi-propelled artillery" and "Apocalypse Tank" are far more survivable than the various types of battlefields originally equipped by the Ming army, because a certain prince put the defense of the tank first.
Under the condition that the power itself is better than nothing and the firepower is unsatisfactory, the only option is to thicken the armor. If the three elements of the King of Land War are not taken into account, it will be useless on the battlefield.
Judging the "Apocalypse Tank" from the perspective of future generations, this weapon is of course very bad, so bad that it cannot even be considered the worst "Five Scum of War".
However, it had only been twenty or thirty years since Donglu's hot weapons emerged. As long as the "Apocalypse Tank" was not directly hit by the Hongyi cannon, it would be immune to attacks from various cold weapons, muskets and shotguns.
The cavalry, which the braids are proud of, cannot overwhelm the tank cluster. The infantry forms behind them, and with the tanks as a barrier and line of defense, it is relatively easy to hold on. If the formation does not break up, a large-scale rout will not occur.
If the strongest marines on both sides insist on a head-on battle, the "Apocalypse Tank" can theoretically turn the braided cavalry into "reptiles" that can never stand up again.
Comparing the combat effectiveness of the two arms, the Qing army has three levels of cavalry, three levels of infantry, and two levels of artillery. The Ming army has one level of cavalry, one level of infantry, and two levels of artillery.
The total bonuses on the opposite side are eight, but here they are only four. Not only can they not be defeated, but they will also be beaten so hard by the pigtails that they will cry for father and mother, and they will be completely defeated.
But with the introduction of tanks and airships, as well as the individual weapons that are about to be mass-produced, the defense of the troops has been improved. Yaoji believes that the infantry can reach level two, and the artillery can also reach the second level with mortars and rocket launchers. Upgraded to level three.
The bonuses on the opposite side remain unchanged. The Ming army's cavalry is still at level one, infantry at level two, artillery at level three, chariots at level one, and airships at level one. The total is also eight.
As long as the number keeps up, they can compete with the arrogant braid. Now that they have the money, there are enough idiots who pick their feet, and the only thing missing is the time to train.
Thinking of the airship that dominates the sky, what Yaoji wants to hear most is...
Kirov-Reporting!
Building…
Kirov-Reporting!
Kirov-Reporting!
Kirov-Reporting!
That thing was also made in the chariot factory, and Yaoji was considering whether to place the production plan of the Kirov airship in the chariot factory of the Great Dynasty.
In order to satisfy the evil hobby of a certain prince, at the moment when the airship was about to take off, an eunuch stood on the roof of the factory, using a loudspeaker to shout at the people below...
Kirov-Reporting!
Only in this way can the unique charm of this weapon be demonstrated. If it can be upgraded to a model equipped with a helium air bag, it can be set as a second-level airship.
When Braids enter the level again, they will be able to taste the powerful power of "Air-Land Battle". I hope that the lovely airships will not be blown away by the strong wind...
"Pull it outside the city for a live-fire test!"
Yaoji needs to see the performance of the "semi-propelled artillery" with his own eyes before he can decide whether to mass-produce this useless weapon, otherwise tens of thousands of taels of silver will be wasted in an instant.
Although forty or fifty taels of silver is not much, if this thing is really a disposable tank, a certain prince will reluctantly part with it and concentrate his financial resources to build the Apocalypse Tank.
If the "semi-propelled artillery" is too bad, there is no need to retain it at all. Why not go all out to produce the Apocalypse tank with more obvious advantages.
Being so confused yesterday, a certain prince took the opportunity to go out for some fresh air, hoping that his golden chariot would not run over Xiang, which would be too disappointing.
"boom……"
It was the first time that the first assistant Xue Guoguan, the second assistant Wu Zong, the minister of the Ministry of Industry Zhang Guowei, the minister of the Ministry of War Feng Yuanbiao, the minister of the Ministry of Household Li Shiwen who were responsible for participating in the procurement matters saw the powerful power of the heartless cannon.
First, he heard a loud noise and his body suddenly trembled. Then he saw an extremely terrifying fireball suddenly erupted hundreds of meters away. It turned from red to black. It was so scary that he was stunned.
The two commanders-in-chief, Sun Chuanting and Hong Chengchou, were stroking their beards thoughtfully. No wonder the prince insisted on letting himself bring hundreds of these fire guns. It turns out that the seemingly simple structure can have such destructive power. Seriously. have to.
A troop equipped with three hundred of these cannons is almost invincible in close combat. Three hundred projectiles hit it at the same time, exploding and shaking the ground. Even if thousands of rebels come to fight, after this attack, they can still How many people survive?
"...It's still like that!"
Yaoji watched the test firing scene with a telescope two hundred meters away, muttering to himself that the last test firing was at night, this time in the daytime, although the visual effect is not good, it is easier to observe the power of the explosion .
This experiment is not only a one-sided test of the strength of the tank body and chassis, but also a test of the Longqing mortar.
All new cannons produced before were subject to test firing, and a certain prince had to conduct random inspections.
Once a defective product is discovered, the source must be traced immediately, because each cannon has the name of the craftsman responsible for its creation.
Being able to successfully launch is only the first step. The next step is to conduct range, accuracy and lethality assessments.
Not only must the explosive pack fly far and hit accurately, but it must also have sufficient explosive power.
Ten guns drawn from different production batches used equal weight propellant and explosive charges and heat shields.
The average range is between 150 and 200 steps, and the approximate CEP is 20 steps.
The maximum killing radius is about ten steps, and the absolute killing radius is five steps.
When using external iron beads, the ability to penetrate iron armor at close range is less than half an inch, but it can penetrate three layers of cowhide armor.
These are data obtained by using an armored dummy that weighs the same as a human body, which is not much different from actual combat.
A certain prince carefully surveyed the location of the explosion, and basically had a good idea of what was going on.
The tank in front of me, which fired ten shots in a row, was severely beaten. After the battle, it had to be baptized by its own hot and cold weapons.
Before that, Yaoji went up to take a look. Except for the wooden structure that fixed the artillery, which was affected by the recoil and was partially damaged, there was no problem with the rest.
A certain prince was also quite satisfied with the chariot's anti-strike capability. A musket could not penetrate the front and sides at a distance of fifty meters, and only the Folang machine gun could destroy it.
Wang Changming, the eunuch of the chariot factory, and Shao Yuanxing, the bureau officer, looked at the masterpiece they had worked so hard to build, but were tortured by the prince in every possible way, and finally turned into a pile of smoking wreckage. They really wanted to cry without tears.
"Not bad! According to this standard, we will build a thousand vehicles first and make sure the quality is guaranteed!"
Because unscrupulous cannons will produce more than a thousand units, "semi-propelled artillery" must reach at least a corresponding amount. Individual cannons can continue to be played, but it is by no means a long-term appropriate model.
Thinking of the individual cannon, Yaoji thought that if the size of the heartless cannon was reduced, the medicine pack was reduced to one or half a catty, a spindle-shaped projectile was used, and wings were attached to help it fly, would it become a big weapon? RPG?
I'm going to go~!
That would be so cool...
When the braided cavalry saw the Ming infantry carrying the RPG, they promised to turn their horses and run away. If they ran too late, both the men and the horses would be fried!
RPG!
The ultimate nightmare of the Qing cavalry!
If the propellant is reduced, the recoil can be reduced, and it can become a direct-aimed weapon while ensuring a certain degree of lethality.
The grenade weighs about the same as a one-pound projectile, but it requires manpower to throw it, and it can't be thrown very far. The RPG doesn't have to be so tiring, and can easily go a hundred meters.
The only obstacle is that the charge must not explode in the barrel, otherwise the artillery will be useless. If this obstacle can be overcome, this weapon will definitely have great potential!
If a qualified product could be made, a hundred Ming infantrymen carrying RPGs on their shoulders could kill two to three hundred braided cavalry.
Because the range is very long, after shooting the rockets, there is still enough time to use muskets and grenades to fire another wave.
"Your Highness is wise!"
"Thank you so much for Your Highness's Holy Family!"
Upon hearing the huge purchase volume, Wang Changming and Shao Yuanxing immediately ignored the debris in front of them and were so excited that their previous efforts were finally in vain.
The purchase of a thousand chariots in one batch was definitely a big deal, and with such a large quantity, they would be profitable. The two of them were even more happy when they thought that they could profit from it.
"From now on, during your term of office, for every qualified chariot produced by the chariot factory, both of you will receive half a penny of silver. Using this vehicle as an example, if a thousand qualified chariots are produced, each of you will receive two hundred Fifty taels of silver. One hundred vehicles are a batch, and ten vehicles are selected from them for testing. If one of them fails to meet the standard, the one hundred chariots will have to be reworked. I would like to remind you two in advance that if you enrich your own pockets, Severe punishment will not be spared. I never want to listen to nonsense that begs for mercy. No matter who dares to take my orders as farts, I will make you never even hear the sound of farts again! Do you two understand?"
The receiving staff of the Ministry of War cannot conduct a comprehensive inspection of each tank and can only randomly select it. This method of continuous sitting is the most suitable. Otherwise, even if the quality and quantity can be maintained in the early stage, corners will be cut in the later stage.
The structure of the "semi-propelled artillery" is very simple. It is actually an armored wooden four-wheeled box truck. If the tank factory has no other tasks, it is no problem to build forty or fifty vehicles in a day.
If the "Apocalypse Tank" takes up the production line in a few days, and the "semi-propelled artillery" production is reduced, this batch of orders can be completed in two months.
On average, the two of them can receive a bonus of 1,250 taels per month in addition to the fixed salary. Their monthly income has reached the level of a third-level official after the salary increase.
If you are still dissatisfied with your salary, then please report to the Lord of Hell. Their monthly income is calculated in units of 10,000 taels...
"I understand! I understand! I understand!"
"I will not dare to disobey His Highness!"
Wang Changming and Shao Yuanxing were both frightened. They stood there, sweating on their temples and not daring to wipe them with their sleeves. Their backs were even soaked.
The prince was still young, but he was decisive in killing. The three thousand captured soldiers from the capital camp were killed at will. There were also nearly a thousand corrupt officials detained in the prison of the Ministry of Punishment. Their fate would not be any better.
Money is important, but heads are even more important. If you chop your head off over there, if you are still greedy for money here, if someone reports you, Dongchang and Jinyiwei will be attracted to search your home. Once the money is found, you will definitely be dragged away for questioning, which is tantamount to He is trying to make money for the prince.
"As long as you understand, remember what you said to me today. If you violate it in the future, it will be the crime of deceiving the king!"
Everything that needs to be said has been said. How to act is their business. Yao Ji can't do that much. At the worst, they can just change to two people in charge.
Regarding the purchase of "semi-propelled artillery", a certain prince did not need to ask the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Industry for their opinions. These two departments themselves still had a lot of troubles to solve, so Yaoji could directly make the decision for them.
"I would never dare to do this!"
"I dare to ask Your Highness to give this car a name!"
When the bureau officer Shao Yuanxing expressed his loyalty, the factory eunuch Wang Changming was very good at welcoming him.
"Well... let's call it the 'Jiajing' mortar truck!"
Tianqi, Wanli, and Longqing have all been used, and beyond that is Jiajing. Sooner or later, the "Hongwu" era name will be used, and hopefully it will be an aircraft carrier.
If the era names are almost used, use the names of famous generals, such as Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, Tang He, Mu Ying, Qi Jiguang, Yu Dayou...
"Thanks to your hard work, I will send another large tank to the tank factory for manufacturing in a while!"
The Apocalypse Tank is a decisive battle weapon with Braid. It cannot be developed blindly. It requires collective wisdom from design to finalization.
A certain prince planned to wait for the Frankensteins from all over the country to be sent to the capital by the Jin Yiwei, and discuss with them before making a decision.
Not only will the engine be built in, but a rotating turret will also be installed on the roof, and a steering device will be added if necessary.
This requires repeated weighing and overall planning. Even if it cannot be done in one step, the finished product cannot have major defects.
"Oh, by the way! The hub of this wheel should be larger to facilitate off-road use. And the outside of the wheel hub should be covered with iron to prevent it from being damaged by the enemy!"
Whether it is a wheeled combat vehicle or a tracked tank, the most fatal weakness is the lower body. Once the transmission device is knocked out, no matter how powerful it is, it will have to lie down in place.
"I will bear in mind His Highness's decree and send craftsmen to improve it when I return!"
Shao Yuanxing felt that the prince was already quite expert. He could see the flaws of the chariot at a glance, and he felt even more in awe.
"Dear dear friends, this car is a powerful weapon for our Ming Dynasty to defeat the enemy. What you have heard and seen today must not be revealed to others. No matter if you are facing colleagues, relatives, friends or subordinates, you must remain silent. Anyone who disobeys the order will be charged with treason. punish."
The armor thickness of the tank is top secret and must not be known to the enemy, otherwise the opponent will develop corresponding tactics and weapons based on its characteristics.
If someone dares to leak the truth, then a certain prince's tens of thousands of taels of silver will be wasted. Even if he dies, it is not a pity to die. Even if his house is confiscated and his family is exterminated, it will not relieve his hatred.
Fortunately, the test was not carried out in the imperial city, otherwise the concubines would have been frightened after a series of explosions.
