Chapter 3033 The new shot of the big yellow crossbow
Chapter 3032 The new shot of Dahuang Crossbow
There is no doubt that Zhu Ling is a gambler.
Zhu Ling gambled his life on the battlefield and also gambled his life in the political arena.
he is very smart.
He knew that he was a surrendered general, and Wei Yan might not come without the intention of scrutinizing him, so he spoke like an old thief and made his attitude clear.
He bet on hussars.
Wei Yan understood what he meant, so he told some of the follow-up matters.
In troubled times, everyone has staked their lives on the gambling table, and life and death are matters of an instant.
Zhu Ling also staked his own life this time.
The Weihan passage is long and narrow.
If the army pours into this passage, it will inevitably form a congestion.
This kind of congestion cannot be solved by any amount of deployment skills or coordination ability. Maybe it is just a horse or a person who pauses for a moment, and then spreads like a wave. Later, the whole army will be stuck.
In a certain place, it is impossible to move. So if there is a delay here in Hangu for one day, Cao Cao's overall advance speed at the other end of the Weihan Passage will be delayed for at least three days.
And the benefits of procrastinating for one more day go far beyond that...
Because Cao Cao also knew the importance of soldiers and speed, what would Cao Cao's army do when encountering obstacles?
Zhu Ling smiled, like a wolf eyeing its prey.
He absorbed nutrients and grew up in the martial arts hall, so he longed for the opportunity to use his teeth and claws. And what could be more exciting for him than hunting the huge prey of Cao Jun?
"Colonel Captain..." A muffled voice came from behind, like the rustling of bushes in the wind, "The four big yellow crossbows are loaded..."
"Okay, you take half of the people, take two big yellow crossbows, go around here, and go forward..." Zhu Ling raised his arm and pointed to the other direction of the soil plateau at his feet, "There is a protrusion over there, I saw it.
Huh? There are some bushes over there...behind the bushes, be careful when lighting the fire and block some light...remember what I said before setting off?"
"I understand. Remember, take your time. As long as you are not discovered, just play slowly..."
Zhu Ling chuckled twice and then waved her hand.
The rustling sound behind him passed through the bushes, and then some small sounds gradually faded away.
The big yellow crossbow is also called the yellow shoulder crossbow, because when firing the crossbow, two people need to use the cowhide on their shoulders to hold it open. Over time, the nitrated cowhide will dye the shoulders yellow with the help of sweat, so it has its name. So this kind of
The production process of the Rhubarb Crossbow is complex, the parts requirements are very high, and the shooting speed is slow. It is similar to the single-shot sniper rifles of later generations. It fires one shot after another, which is almost contrary to the requirements of large-scale troop operations.
In large-scale troop operations, what is pursued is the best cost performance. Just like the rapid-fire Zhuge Crossbow invented by Zhuge in history, it is a typical representative of this kind. It does not seek maximum damage, but fire coverage. There are a lot of bamboos in Sichuan and Sichuan, which consumes a lot of
Bamboo crossbow arrows will not cause any heartache.
As for the Dahuang Crossbow, everything from the crossbow machine to the crossbow arrows must be made with meticulous work. The ultra-long-distance shooting weapon that pursues the ultimate in certain aspects slowly declined during the Eastern Han Dynasty.
Until Fei Qian picked it up again and blew away the dust covering it...
Fei Qian, who has the information of later generations, naturally knows that both needs are needed on the battlefield. Although most of the time he hopes to achieve a balance between speed of fire and range, when the technical level is not yet complete, he should keep one more idea.
It is much better than cutting it off and then letting future generations scratch their heads and lose their hair.
Now, Zhu Ling wants to use the big yellow crossbow to do something.
"Captain, we are already in position over there..." a guard behind him reminded.
Zhu Ling said, "No hurry, let's eat something first..."
Zhu Ling took out some bacon jerky from his arms, then stuffed one into his mouth, and passed the rest to the side, "They're all divided..."
Before a battle, eating some bacon jerky will help to reserve physical strength and prevent exhaustion after the battle.
This is also the knowledge contained in the lectures on martial arts.
Sometimes, Zhu Ling would think that just by opening up this martial arts hall, it would be impossible to attract countless heroes from all over the world!
In the Han Dynasty, a book was worth thousands of gold. Is it really because of the materials used in this book, or because the ink is very special, or because it is a unique ancient book? No, it is because of the value of the knowledge recorded in the book.
The reason why some people in later generations are disdainful of knowledge is mostly because there is nine-year compulsory education, which is free, and it is not enough if you don't learn, so they feel bored and disdainful.
But in the Han Dynasty, people who wanted to learn often couldn't learn it, and even if they asked for it, they didn't know where to go!
The "tactics" Zhu Ling is using now, or the method he came up with in a flash of inspiration, are exactly what he learned in the martial arts hall, the "purpose of fighting".
This may not seem like a strange question to Gang Jing, but it may take the vast majority of Han generals ten or twenty years to figure it out...
There are even generals who have fought all their lives and died on the battlefield, but they may not be able to understand what they fought for in the last battle. This is not about serving the country and the people. This simple thought can only exist in
At the grassroots level, when we reach the level of the martial arts hall, we must understand which battles can be fought, which battles are not necessary, what is the purpose of fighting, and where it ends.
It's like Zhu Ling is attacking at night. Is it really just to kill some of Cao's soldiers?
No, Zhu Ling's fundamental purpose of this night attack was to disrupt Cao Jun's camp and prevent Cao Jun from taking a good rest. It would be better if Cao Jun was exhausted and listless the next day, and another day passed...
To achieve such a disruptive goal, it can be like a normal night raid, leading hundreds of death squads to kill him and bleed him like a river.
But you can also use the big yellow crossbow to set off "firecrackers" from a distance like Zhu Ling is doing now...
It is indeed a large "firecracker".
Because there is a plateau ditch between them, Zhu Ling does not know how Cao Jun arranged the situation on the opposite plateau. The road he reached was stuck on the side of Danzi Mountain. He must be firmly controlled by Cao Jun, even if he was
A forced raid with soldiers may not have much effect. It is better to set off some "firecrackers" for Cao Jun on this side of the plateau.
The sound of the big yellow crossbow being cocked is still quite loud.
The two people used their shoulders to press the bowstring, and used the strength of their waists to unwrap the bowstring and string it up, making a creaking sound.
The improved version of the Dahuang Crossbow is a hybrid bow string made of animal sinew mixed with steel wire and hair. It is very tough and extends the life of the bow string, but the problem is that it is more difficult to string.
At the beginning, there was an attempt to switch to machine gear winding, but the strength of the big yellow crossbow is several times stronger than that of a racket crossbow. Therefore, using a ratchet mechanical winding mode will either cause a lot of gear wear and tear, or the torque will still be insufficient.
If you want to save torque and effort, you must increase the gear conversion ratio or add additional auxiliary devices. This will eventually lead to either the winding speed being unacceptable, or the bulk components of the large yellow crossbow becoming larger and less compact.
It was easy to carry, so I went around and around it, and finally returned to the method of stringing it on the shoulders of two people.
But these attempts are not meaningless...
The mechanical ratchet winding method is not suitable for large yellow crossbows, but it is very practical for open-tension crossbows and large crossbow carriages.
Because the gears are severely worn, some craftsmen began to develop higher-strength alloy steel for use in the crossbow, so that the crossbow can also be turned into a hand-cranked crossbow.
Because it is not suitable to install a larger mechanical structure on the big yellow crossbow and is not easy to carry, some craftsmen simply load the mechanical structure on a large crossbow that does not need to be moved...
The only thing left is the big yellow crossbow, which is neither good nor low, so we can only work hard on the bowstring, crossbow mechanism, and crossbow arm, update some new materials, and adopt a new steel structure trigger.
The crossbow arm of the big yellow crossbow bent little by little, accumulating strength.
Although the sound of winding is not quiet, as long as the distance is more than thirty steps, the sound will almost ripple in the night wind. And on the soil plateau, the gap between the ditch above and below is more than three meters.
Ten steps, even fifty steps!
The distance to the plateau on the opposite side is even further, about seventy or eighty steps.
There is no problem with a general crossbow that can hit a hundred steps, but if you have to attach a grenade and shoot it, the range will definitely be greatly reduced. It may even fall into the ditch, and it will not have any shocking effect on Cao Jun. Of course, if you use
The ballista can naturally shoot farther, but the problem is that the ballista is not something that can be moved by a few people and can move quickly.
Even though the ballista had wheels, it was so big when it came all the way at night...
The Big Yellow Crossbow is different. There are just two people who can shoot the bow, and then one person can light the fire, and the other can fire it, plus two people as backup, carrying crossbow bolts and grenades, a perfect four-person team!
At a discount, it's almost like a howitzer can't hit within three hundred steps!
Zhu Ling motioned to the guards on the side to fill in the special crossbow arrows for the big yellow crossbow.
A grenade was strapped to the middle of the crossbow arrow.
The long gunpowder fuse was untied and hung downward.
Zhu Ling tilted his head and motioned to the guards to light the fire.
This method of launching does not ensure that every round can detonate smoothly. After all, the wind may blow out the fuse in the air, or the fuse may happen to be hit when landing, etc., resulting in the failure to ignite the gunpowder smoothly, but
Seventy-eight times out of ten it will eventually detonate...
The sound of the big yellow crossbow being fired was crisp and loud, but compared to the sound that sounded a moment later, it pales into insignificance.
The grenade roared loudly, as if the earth was shaking in the silent night!
The research and development of grenades has reached the fourth generation.
For such a relatively small object, the update speed will naturally be faster.
Historically, hand grenades appeared at the end of the Tang Dynasty, and were recorded in the army during the Song Dynasty. Later, they spread to Western Europe with the Mongolian soldiers of the Yuan Dynasty. Don’t think that the Mongolians of the Yuan Dynasty could only ride and shoot. The Mongolians of the Yuan Dynasty were better than those who came later.
Jianzhou Jurchens are more open-minded in the military, or prefer to use new weapons and technology. Of course, Yuan Mongolia can compete with Jianzhou Jurchens in civil affairs, but they are both terrible. If not for Jianzhou Jurchens’ magical weapons
Sweet potatoes continue to live...
It's a pity that it didn't survive for a few more years at the end of the Ming Dynasty. But having said that, given the political environment at the end of the Ming Dynasty, it was difficult for sweet potatoes to be promoted on a large scale.
Nowadays, the craftsman system, technology research and development, etc. under Fei Qian's rule are at a relatively high level in history. At least compared to Shandong's craftsman system, it is much ahead of the curve. And this advancement is recorded and has unified standards.
, can be traced and copied.
Huang's workshop has established a set of standard processes, from raw materials to final products, with corresponding records. Unlike the previous craftsmen who only relied on experience, this allows for smoother communication and handover between craftsmen.
, research and development can naturally be carried out as a team, rather than individual craftsmen trying to figure out the best.
The original bamboo and wood structure of the grenade has now become a forged iron sheet. The black powder filled in the grenade is limited by the raw materials and basic chemical technology, and it is difficult to guarantee the stable quality of each batch of black powder.
, therefore, the biggest difference between the fourth-generation grenades and the third-generation grenades is not the great improvement in the manufacturing process of the grenades, but the further improvement in the selection of black powder materials. Only black powder with greater power and better effect,
It only provides grenade filling for the fourth generation, so strictly speaking, it should be the 3.5th generation?
Silent night, sweet dreams, and then the movement of the earth shattering, suddenly made Cao Jun's camp like a hornet's nest that had been poked hard, buzzing and chaos!
The military system of Cao's army is still the original model of the Han Dynasty. It is an elite private army of generals. The troops directly under the headquarters are the first class, then the auxiliary troops from various counties and counties are the second class, and the third class are ordinary civilian labor. The first class is suppressed.
At the first level, the number of civilian laborers at the lowest level accounts for more than half. These civilian laborers are usually responsible for the heaviest work, but have the least access to food and rest.
When the body is exhausted and there is no sufficient energy replenishment, the human spirit is naturally extremely fragile. Therefore, the first area of chaos in Cao Jun's camp was among the civilian laborers who finally fell asleep.
After Zhu Ling fired the first grenade, Zhu Ling's men on the other side followed suit and fired the grenades at the opposite land plateau. A huge sound echoed on the land plateau without any warning.
The explosion caused those civilian laborers from the counties who had never seen or knew anything about gunpowder to immediately panic and instinctively began to dodge and flee!
Cao Hong, the forward general of Cao's army, saw a spirit rolling down from the couch during the initial explosion. Then he subconsciously thought it was Fei Qian's men who had sneaked into the camp. He grabbed the sword and shield beside the couch and placed them in front of him.
Only then did I calm down a little bit.
"What happened?!"
Cao Hong came to his senses and shouted loudly, but the next moment, countless waves of sound surged into his ears!
"The thieves attack at night!"
"Hurry and protect the general!"
"Please General..."
"boom!"
"boom!"
"Mom..."
"We're calling..."
"Run quickly..."
It seems that everyone is shouting something, but no one can hear it, or they don't listen to what others are saying at all, they just shout and vent their fears.
The entire Cao Jun camp suddenly fell into chaos!
"Formation! Formation!" Cao Hong rushed out of the camp, then slapped his guards and shouted close to their ears, "Sound the gong immediately and form formation!"
Cao Hong showed his flag almost immediately and then began to gather his soldiers.
The gong sounded and the drums roared, covering up all the panic shouts.
At least temporarily...
Cao Hong knew about gunpowder, and he also carried some gunpowder himself. After the initial panic, Cao Hong also reacted and asked his guards to go to the back camp to check the gunpowder situation. Then he discovered that the sound of explosions was from before.
When someone came from the direction of Fang Hangu, he took a breath and felt a little relieved.
But the problem is that Cao Hong and the elite Cao army under Cao Hong know more or less about gunpowder, but the vast majority of county auxiliary soldiers and ordinary working people have no idea what gunpowder is!
In the perception of these people, this is the sound of the earth falling apart!
The policy of obscuring the people is indeed very trouble-free and useful at certain times, but now, its drawbacks have become apparent.
Implementing the policy of obscuring the people is actually very convenient for Shandong officials. Although some Shandong officials also lament the dullness of the people, when they are asked to do things, they still habitually choose to deceive, deceive, and fool the people.
, because it is simple, effective, and most importantly, saves trouble.
The common people who have no source of knowledge and information does not mean that they are not curious, so once they start to explain, they will find that there are hundreds of thousands of reasons waiting behind them. Under such circumstances, even if some Shandong officials occasionally have a whim,
Or even showing great mercy will not last long.
But now, the consequences are in front of Cao Hong.
When Cao Hong gathered elite soldiers and county soldiers with golden drums, he found that the large number of civilian laborers was not calmed down by this. These civilian laborers either rushed out of the camp, fled towards the distance, or shouted
Shouting, running around in panic, or sticking their buttocks out, kneeling on the ground and praying...
Cao Hong's face dropped like water, "Quickly correct..."
"Boom! Boom!" Before he could finish his words, there was another burst of continuous roaring and blasting sounds in the distance!
The laborers, who had finally found some stability, became panicked again!
"Pass my general's order!" Cao Hong roared, veins jumping on his forehead, "Anyone who rebels against the army will be killed!"
Killing is the easiest, who can't do it?
The soldiers under his command immediately responded in unison and headed toward the civilian laborers in the camp with murderous intent.
There was chaos all night, and it was only when the sky was getting brighter that Cao Jun finally settled down again.
Blood filled the plateau.
The grenades thrown by Zhu Ling's side actually didn't directly kill many people. They were just used to blow up Cao Hong's ambush troops hiding under Danzi Mountain and Tanyuan ditch, making these ambush troops unable to pursue them. However, Cao Jun killed them by himself.
The number of civilian laborers far exceeded the number of casualties caused by Zhu Ling and others.
After dawn, Cao's soldiers dispersed and searched around. Naturally, they found some remaining crossbow bolts and grenades that had not been detonated, and presented them to Cao Hong.
Cao Hong was quite surprised because he had never thought that combining these two things would have such an effect.
How to prevent this?
Send people to blockade the land on the opposite side?
How to seal off such a large piece of land?
Then what about the hussar soldiers coming around from other directions?
More patrol posts at night?
So how do soldiers rest?
Cao Hong looked at the grenade with the fuse removed, frowned and thought for a long time. In desperation, in order to avoid the chaos at night happening again, he could only order the camp to be retreated five miles, and found an area that was easy to defend and difficult to attack.
He also sent people to rush this "newly discovered" weaponry to Cao Cao.
The original plan to attack Hangu Pass quickly had to be postponed...
