Catapults can be put on the ship. Thanks to the craftsmen in the R&D department, the catapults and heavy ballistae were improved during the first battle between Jiaozhou and Er Erlao.
It's just that the improvements at that time were more practical land warriors, and the changes were not big.
But this time, before setting off to Yuezhou, I knew that Yuezhou was close to the coast and there was a naval fleet. In order to adapt, the R&D department, led by Lei Jiangtou, worked day and night.
Finally, a catapult suitable for boarding a ship was improved. The size and weight of this type of catapult are far half lighter than those on land, and they can be disassembled and carried more easily.
This kind of disassembly can be transported by only one platoon of soldiers.
The direct team of 2,000 people brought twenty detachable catapults and ten heavy crossbows. The same heavy crossbows were also detachable, much lighter in size and weight, and only required one squad of soldiers. , can be carried.
In terms of transportation convenience, convenience has been gained. Correspondingly, because the weight and volume have become smaller and lighter, the range has also been shortened by half.
A normal large catapult on land can reach a distance of at least 150 to 180 feet. Using modern distance conversion, it is almost 500 meters.
The improved shipboard catapult shortens the distance by half, only about 70 to 90 feet.
This is why Su Qi'an desperately ordered civilian ships to approach Black Wind Island in order to support the landing vanguard troops.
In this kind of mainstream war, which is still dominated by cold weapons, gunpowder is very powerful, but because of the great troubles in manufacturing, storage, and transportation, it cannot be manufactured on a large scale and is suitable for large battlefields.
Even the raw materials for explosives that Su Qi'an obtained before have been basically exhausted by now, and in terms of use, they are often used in stalemates and only invested in order to open a hole.
In this kind of maritime war, in the era of Great Liang, there were no catapults or heavy ballistae, no matter black powder or explosives. Such mature cold weapons were much more effective.
As boulders and heavy crossbow arrows came one after another, they dealt heavy blows to the pirates who had gathered and arrived. The direct team that landed ashore relieved a lot of pressure.
Gradually, the situation was stabilized and a foothold was gradually gained. With the arrival of follow-up support troops, the pirates clearly had the upper hand.
Seeing this scene, the leading pirates looked livid. The catapults and heavy ballistas that boarded the ship caused powerful damage to them, which they did not expect.
But similarly, they who can stay and sit on Black Wind Island are not vegetarians.
They don't have many troops, less than 2,000 people, but they also have heavy defensive weapons in their lair.
After so many years of operation, there are many catapults and heavy ballistas on Batu Island. Even their boss has obtained a lot of black powder. This is the confidence that they have been able to occupy Batu Island for many years.
"We have already reached our base. Stop hiding it. Push those powerful guys out and let them see how powerful we are."
Several loud shouts were heard, and the pirates supporting from the rear quickly returned to the island, preparing to push out the heavy siege equipment and prepare for a counterattack.
The words of the leaders immediately shocked the pirates who were at a disadvantage.
For a moment, they were full of confidence and fought fiercely with the direct team. As long as they could hold on for a while, the island's powerful siege weapons would be able to counterattack.
When the time comes, not to mention the group of unidentified soldiers who landed on the island in front of them, not even a single one of the twenty or so civilian ships behind them can escape.
No matter what, Blackwind Island has been their home base for many years. If it was taken away like this, it would not be a slap in their face.
How could they hang out in the waters near Yuezhou in the future? So no matter what today, this group of unidentified people in front of them will all die.
The pirates' tenacious counterattack caused the two sides to reach a stalemate for a while. However, as time passed, the counterattack that gave the pirates confidence did not appear. Those men who returned to the island seemed to have disappeared.
At this time, the leaders who stayed on the island were very confused. Their eyes flashed, eager to know what happened to the men on the island.
This worry did not last long. After a while, the pirates who ran to the island finally came back.
They looked excited and said to the leader, "Oh no, leader, our siege weapons have all been destroyed for some reason, and none of them are usable."
"What!" The pirate leaders looked shocked now. They couldn't believe their ears and asked several times.
The answer you get is exactly the same as the first time you heard it.
"This is impossible, what the hell is going on!"
The leaders were very angry. They clearly had a chance to fight back and possibly even annihilate this group of unidentified soldiers. Now, it was completely over.
The leaders had no time to be angry. They knew that without a counterattack with heavy siege equipment, Black Wind Island would be captured sooner or later under the opponent's continuous and fearless attacks.
The leaders' eyes flashed and they looked at each other, and they made a decisive decision.
He shouted, "Brothers, don't be afraid. I just received the news. The leaders of the siege have already learned about the situation on Black Wind Island and are now bringing people back to support. Please hold on and charge."
The shouts of the leaders gave this group of pirates some confidence. The pirates roared and rushed towards the direct team without fear of death.
Taking advantage of the chaos that broke out in the fierce battle between the two sides, the leaders who had just spoken out quickly fled towards the back of Black Wind Island under the cover of their men.
Originally, they didn't want to withdraw and wanted to fight to the death, but all the trump cards in their hands were destroyed.
If you stay on the front line and resist stubbornly, your life will be lost sooner or later.
Instead of losing their lives, it is better to let their men stand in front and let them live. As long as they can leave Black Wind Island, they will be like a fish in water.
It is impossible to catch these unidentified soldiers. They will hide secretly and wait until the leaders who attacked the two states return to their defense. Then it will be time for them to make a comeback.
Fortunately, several leaders had prepared for the worst and built several small boats in the waters behind Black Wind Island in advance to prepare for emergencies.
Unexpectedly, I actually used it today.
After a hurried escape, several leaders finally escaped to the sea behind Black Wind Island.
As soon as I glanced at it, I saw two small boats docked intact beside a few rocks ahead.
Several people were overjoyed and ran towards the boat. When they jumped over a few rocks and were about to board the boat, suddenly, a voice sounded from behind.
"Why are the leaders leaving in such a hurry?"
Several people turned around. Behind them, there were about ten people. These people were dressed in black. Except for the leader, the rest of them had bamboo hats on their heads, so their faces could not be seen clearly.
As for the leader, they knew each other. Like them, he was the leader of Black Wind Island and their second leader.
There are 70,000 pirates on Black Wind Island, commanded by three masters and eight leaders.
The three masters are not as harmonious as they appear on the surface, and they are divided into three factions.
Among the eight leaders, they are also divided into three factions. The three-leader faction is the weakest, with only two leaders supporting it, and it is basically neutral and rarely initiates conflicts.
The most violent ones were the first and second leaders, each of whom was supported by three leaders. The second leader in front of him was the second leader, and they were the first leader.
Seeing the second leader appear, the first to react was the third leader. He looked confused, frowned, and said coldly, "Second leader, why are you here? Shouldn't you be assisting the second leader in attacking Yuezhou City?"
According to the pirates' previous plan, this invasion of Yuezhou and Dongzhou was led by the first master to attack Dongzhou, the second master to attack Yuezhou, and the third master as logistics to provide food and fodder for the pirates in the two states.
The main reason for this is that the internal conflicts between the two heads are too fierce. They both want to become the master of Black Wind Island, and neither one is willing to give in to the other.
The first master has the support of Japanese pirates and is naturally strong in strength, but the second master is a local faction and is very familiar with the terrain of Black Wind Island and Yuezhou.
As the pirates gradually expanded, the conflict between the two masters became more and more intense over time. In order to resolve the discord, the second master proposed that whoever invades the East and Vietnam states and gains more victories will be able to become the leader of Black Wind Island. Lord, for
The bet started the war that disturbed the two states.
It stands to reason that the war between the two states has reached a stalemate. It is inconceivable to them how the second leader, who is the confidant of the second master, can appear here at this time.
Moreover, they did not recognize the dozen or so men in black who appeared behind the second leader, which made them feel vaguely fearful.
A bad feeling suddenly rose in my heart, and I looked at the second leader with great vigilance.
Compared to the nervousness of the three leaders and others, the second leader was much calmer. He smiled and said, "Why, it seems that the three leaders do not welcome my appearance."
"But three leaders, you should stick to Black Wind Island, but it seems that you are going to run away. If you do this, how will you explain it to the boss?"
The three leaders were startled when the second leader turned against the first army. If the second leader had not appeared, their escape might have had a chance to explain in the future.
But now that the second leader has discovered it, this is an unstable factor that will become his leverage in the future. The third leader clenched his hands, changed his previous arrogance, and said coldly.
"Since I have been discovered by you, I will not hide it. You know what is going on in Black Wind Island now. Tell me, tell me your conditions, how can you expose this matter, as long as I can meet it , will definitely be satisfied.
When the three leaders said this, they were already ready to bleed heavily.
He knew very well that this second-in-command was an extremely greedy guy, and they would not be able to leave without bloodshed today.
"Hmph, if I admit defeat today, I will definitely make you spit it out with all the profits in the future." The three leaders cursed inwardly.
The second-in-command smiled and nodded, "Haha, you are indeed the right-hand man of the boss. I feel confident when I say this."
"After all, we can be considered brothers. We have worked together for many years, and I, the leader, will not take advantage of you. So, I don't ask too much. I just want to borrow the heads of a few leaders, and this matter will be over."
"What...what!" Everyone was shocked instantly.
