After these shells flew about 400 meters, they landed and exploded. However, Luo Zhixue also saw that one of the shells exploded several meters before landing.
This cannot be said to be bad. In actual combat, if it could explode in the air before landing, it would be even more powerful.
But from a technical perspective, it means that this wooden fuse still has certain technical flaws, and it is difficult for gunners to accurately grasp the time when the shell explodes.
Luo Zhixue was not surprised by this little accident, and he was even less angry.
The technical level is like this. It can fly smoothly and explode above the enemy's position without any duds or exploding after landing for several seconds. This is already very good.
Maybe the cost of the gun crew has been carefully considered before, and even the fuses used for testing were carefully selected.
Luo Zhixue estimated that if used in actual combat, the detonation time error of this wooden fuze would be even greater.
But it doesn't matter, no matter how bad it is, it is better than the original external fuse-type grenade, and it is much stronger.
So after the continuous firing of live ammunition, Luo Zhixue took the lead in applauding: "Okay, the empire has obtained this weapon of war, and the unification of China is just around the corner."
After seeing Luo Zhixue taking the lead in applauding, a large group of people behind him also applauded, and many of them were still smiling.
Behind this simple grenade and new artillery are the efforts and pressure of many people.
Now that they had finally received His Majesty's approval, they were finally relieved of what they had been talking about.
Xu Zhixian, the Chief of Army Staff on the side, saw that Luo Zhixue was in a good mood, and immediately took a step closer and said: "Your Majesty, this is a good thing. For frontline troops, if a division can be equipped with more than ten or twenty troops, whether it is siege or field battle, They can all play a huge role!”
This 18-pound light howitzer weighs more than a 5-pound field gun, and its loading and shooting are no different from that of a field gun. Naturally, it can be used in the field, and it does not have to be the same as the original 18-pound mortar. Look It seems to only weigh a few hundred kilograms, but in fact it is very troublesome to operate. When the 18-pound mortar is deployed in the field, the battle may not be over...
"This kind of artillery can just replace the eighteen-pound mortars in the army, and the cost of use is estimated to be lower."
Luo Zhixue naturally knew why Xu Zhixian said this in such a hurry. He just wanted military funds to replace this kind of artillery.
But even if the army generals led by Xu Zhixian don't want it themselves, Luo Zhixue plans to give them this kind of artillery. Not only this kind of artillery, Luo Zhixue also plans to let the army's nine-pound field guns and even five-pound field guns try it. When using new grenades, the chamber pressure of the grenade is lower, but the charge can be reduced.
In this way, in some critical battles such as siege warfare in the future, a large number of field artillery will be able to directly fire explosive grenades, instead of only firing solid artillery shells with poor effects...
In addition, Luo Zhixue also plans to ask the R&D department to develop larger-caliber grenades to replace the existing 24-pound mortars and 48-pound mortars to be used as the main artillery of siege artillery.
So he pressed his hand a little: "This kind of artillery is good and can be equipped on a large scale. The army will look back and figure out how to better utilize the power of this artillery."
"As for the funds for the replacement, special funds will be added to next year's budget!"
As he spoke, he turned to a group of researchers behind him and said: "Grenade is a weapon of war in the future. Whether it is a field battle or a critical battle, grenades will play a role that cannot be ignored. All research departments must attach great importance to it as soon as possible. Complete the following research and development tasks."
"First, develop new grenades that can be used by long-barreled artillery of three calibers: two and a half kilograms, five kilograms, nine kilograms, and fourteen kilograms."
"Two, use new grenade technology to develop larger-caliber siege weapons, that is, a 24-pound howitzer. In addition, we will conduct targeted research on a 48-pound howitzer."
"I hope that in the future all artillery in the empire can use this new type of artillery shells!"
Luo Zhixue is looking forward to leading the army in the future and blowing up all the way...
Range is the truth, explosion is the way to go!
As for the solid cannonballs, they can be used for the time being, and the actual combat effect is also very good, but in the future, pure solid cannonballs will not be worthy of the greatness of the Chu Empire!
After watching the live-fire test of the new howitzer, Luo Zhixue assigned new R&D and production tasks to the Ministry of Industry on the spot.
"The Evil God"
People from the Ministry of Industry naturally responded on the spot, and one by one said they would immediately start corresponding research and development and production.
After speaking to people from the Ministry of Industry, Luo Zhixue said to Xu Zhixian from the Army: "The Army must complete the replacement of new grenade equipment, conduct testing in all aspects in advance, formulate user manuals, and extensively cultivate targeted technologies. Talent.”
The large-scale equipment of grenades brings not only a new weapon to the army, but also affects many changes in strategy and tactics.
How to hit the same tactical target is completely different between the situation with grenades and the situation without grenades, and these only rely on front-line officers and soldiers to adapt to the situation. There is great uncertainty. How to reduce this uncertainty? , to provide more guidance to the grassroots officers and soldiers of the entire army, which requires elite talents from various departments under the General Staff Department to conduct dedicated research.
They need to experiment with various tactics, then develop a new tactical manual and promote it.
In the Chu Empire, war, including military development, has become a very systematic matter, which is completely different from the military system in traditional dynasties such as the Ming Dynasty.
In the traditional army, what equipment the army uses and what tactics it adopts are basically determined by the choice of the army general. As for more details, they purely rely on grassroots officers and soldiers.
But this is not the case in the Dachu Empire. The top management will decide to equip certain equipment according to various situations, conduct in-depth research on these equipment and tactics, and finally select a few tactics to promote.
The advantages and disadvantages of doing this are obvious.
The advantage is that junior officers in the Chu army and even officers at the battalion level do not need to think too much when fighting. They only need to fight step by step based on what they have learned. This can greatly reduce the quality requirements for officers.
With the Chu Army's officer training and usage model, if you just throw hundreds of literate young students into the officer academy, teach them for three to five months and pull them out, they will basically be able to command battles at the camp and sentry level... No need. You are so awesome, just follow the steps.
This also led to the fact that the Chu army often fought in the same way...
At the same time, in addition to being the same, the frontline officers of the Chu army basically did not know how to adapt to the fight. It was easy for them to turn into a deadly fight, and then hit their heads with blood.
Therefore, the advantages and disadvantages are very obvious, but the top brass of the Chu army still unswervingly promote this army-building strategy.
The purpose is also very simple. The quality of the officers within the Chu army is actually not very good. Many people are rushing to the top. They only study among the officers for a few months before going to the front line. Within a year and a half he was promoted to the level of battalion commander. If he was lucky enough to perform some meritorious service, he would be promoted to the level of brigadier general or even major general.
Such a large number of generals were quickly trained and quickly rose to power in such a short period of time. If you say how outstanding their abilities are, Luo Zhixue himself would not believe it...
How to let a group of rookies with mediocre abilities lead troops to fight?
The Chu army's approach was to compile various conventional tactics into various tactical manuals, and then ask front-line officers to memorize them by rote. It was really impossible to bring the manuals to the front line.
If you encounter an enemy and don't know what to do for a while, just read a book...
Luo Zhixue estimated that this model should continue for at least the next one or two years. If the military generals are to have higher tactical literacy and be able to flexibly change tactics according to changes in the environment, they will have to wait.
The current training and use model of officers also places very high demands on the hard power of the military.
This is also the original intention of the Chu Empire to unswervingly expand more troops, equip more artillery, more muskets, and more armor.
If you can't outsmart the enemy by playing tricks and tricks... then don't play any tricks and just rely on more guns, more troops, more shells, and more food and grass to push them all the way.
Not to mention, the effect is not bad for the time being, at least it has defeated the Ming Dynasty.
——
At the weapons testing site, Luo Zhixue watched the live ammunition test of the 18-pound light howitzer, and then watched the testing of more than ten other new weapons.
Including the improved version of the 2-year-old flintlock gun, but the bayonet accessory of this improved version was directly rejected by Luo Zhixue, requesting that the bayonet be continued to be used. As for the bayonet, we will wait until the cost is reduced.
There are also improved versions of the two-and-a-half pound field gun, new gun mounts, etc.
But generally speaking, the changes to these weapons are not too big, and they will not affect the current equipment level of the Chu army, let alone changes in tactics.
So after Luo Zhixue briefly watched the test, he encouraged a group of people, and then left the weapons testing site after ordering awards to the R&D personnel on the spot.
On the third day, Luo Zhixue continued to inspect the industrial zone. In the morning, he visited the Dangtu Heavy Artillery Factory to check the factory's production work.
Dangtu Heavy Artillery Factory, like Hantian Heavy Artillery Factory, is a very typical medium and large-caliber artillery manufacturer, and each has its own focus.
Hantian Heavy Artillery Factory currently focuses on the R&D and production of three types of ship-borne, shore defense and siege artillery: nine-pound cannons, fourteen-pound cannons, and eighteen-pound cannons.
Dangtu Heavy Artillery Factory focuses on short-barreled heavy artillery used by the army. Its previous products were 24-pound mortars and 48-pound mortars. Although the factory was established only a short time ago, it currently supplies 100% of the Chu army. The production capacity of 48-pound mortars is over 80.
Now, the factory will be responsible for the production of new howitzers.
