Chapter 10 The Spear Technique: From Beginning to Digging
After inspecting the production of bayonets, long-handled axes and other auxiliary weapons, Shen Shuren also visited other workshops of the war workshop.
It was found that after several months of preparation and running-in, Huangzhou Bingzhangfang's musket production work has begun to find its way. Compared with the end of last year, the pipe rolling and boring processes have been greatly improved.
The craftsmen made two arrangements according to Shen Shuren's instructions.
On the one hand, a foot-operated boring machine was developed based on the ideas of a foot-operated lathe and a foot-operated grinder.
On the other side, the technology of "hot-forging rolled pipes with iron plates, then forging and welding connections, and finally wrapping them with red hot iron hoops and tightening them when cold" was simultaneously explored, and the gun technology that did not require boring holes was attempted.
After testing, the musket made by the boring method is relatively close to the original one in terms of craftsmanship, but the boring efficiency has been further improved. Originally, it took more than a month to drill a gun barrel slowly, and it was easy to get eccentric; now it can be shortened to about 20 days. After drilling the holes, the quality has improved.
The newly tested pipe rolling method is definitely a little worse in quality than the boring method - this is also easy to understand. One is a "seamless steel pipe" and the other is a "seamed steel pipe", and the strength of the seam is definitely worse.
Craftsmen can only pick out the short ones. Even if the quality is poor, they still have to choose the best ones among the poor ones.
When Shen Shuren left, he did not teach them how to weld the coiled pipes. The main reason was that Shen Shuren himself could not understand it very comprehensively. He had no idea how many techniques people in the Ming Dynasty had for welding metals.
So Zhou Tietan spent two months trying one thing after another.
First, we tried the casting and welding methods of molten tin, lead, and molten bronze. We wanted to use bronze that burns easily into liquid to cast the joints of the iron pipes together. But in the end, we found that the joint between copper and iron was too weak to be durable. I couldn't stand the pressure, so I had to give up.
Fortunately, no one was killed during the experiment. Everyone carefully placed the experimental firecracker in an iron barrel and fired it. No one was hurt when it exploded. Most of the flying debris and the power of the gunpowder gas were absorbed by the iron barrel. .
After the pour welding and cast welding methods failed, we finally had to use the most difficult and relatively expensive forge welding method. That is, when making rolled pipes, make both ends of the iron plate slightly thinner, and then heat both ends as much as possible. Stack them together and beat them repeatedly with great force to fuse them.
The materials used in the forge welding method are all uniform, so there is no problem of "insufficient strength of the joints between different metals".
However, the deformation degree of the iron pipe rolled out by the forge welding method will be more serious than that by the boring method and cast welding method. After it is built, a process of renovating the inner wall with an internal turning tool will eventually be added.
Fortunately, Zhou Tiedan and others have followed "Tiangong Kaiwu" and extended it to develop pedal boring machines and grinding wheels. From boring machines to lathes, it is only a matter of slightly changing the tool head. The inspired craftsman can easily draw parallels.
The cost of the final barrel can also be reduced by more than half compared to the boring method - if the slight deformations on the inner wall of the barrel are not modified, it is estimated that it can be cut in half, directly to the knee price. Unfortunately, the quality is too poor. Shen Futai will definitely not use garbage that is easy to explode.
These technologies were developed through repeated experiments over the past two months. Unfortunately, the research and development cycle is already too long, so only a few samples have been made, and not a single firearm has yet been mass-produced.
Shen Shuren asked Zhang Huangyan to check the production plan and production capacity of Bingzhanfang, and learned that "if we want to ensure that all 1,200 bayonets and long-handled axes are produced before starting the production of muskets,"
Then the production tasks of cold weapons can be scheduled to the beginning of April, and the production of muskets will begin in April. Each blacksmith can produce one semi-new boring musket, or three to four coiled muskets per month.
Huangzhou Bingzhangfang now has 80 skilled military blacksmiths, with a production capacity of 120 boring muskets or 300 coiled muskets a month.
If you want to speed up, you have to find ways to add machinery and equipment, recruit more skilled military blacksmiths, and spend more money to solve the source of iron ore and iron materials...
It is not easy to expand the supply chain rapidly, and many links will be stuck.
There are only a few blacksmiths in each province who know how to make ordnance, and they are strictly controlled by the court. Chenshu people cannot dig them out directly. It takes time to train blacksmiths who are ordinary folk blacksmiths who can make iron farm tools, or to bring in apprentices. .
The procurement of steel raw materials cannot be expanded casually. He still purchases the steel from Huangshi Tieshan (Daye Iron Mine) in Zuoliangyu District on the other side of the river.
None of these can increase production capacity within a few months. It is better to hope for a quick promotion and expand the territory to occupy more resources.
Therefore, within eight months after April this year, Shen Shuren estimates that his military production capacity can only produce about 1,000 boring muskets or 2,500 coiled muskets. If it is also equipped with close combat cold weapons If so, this production capacity can be reduced by a quarter.
We can only rely on these weapons to win a battle first, then occupy more territory and resources, and the snowball will slowly snowball.
…
The military industrial inspection lasted until noon. After a hasty lunch, Shen Shuren watched the soldiers drill without stopping.
With seven to eight hundred bayonets and long-handled battle axes officially incorporated into the musketry unit, the Shen Jiajun's thousand bird gunners/lumi gunners have also been practicing assassination exercises for more than a month.
Turtle dove gunners, of course, practice the long-handled battle ax tactics accordingly.
Since the Lantern Festival on the first lunar month, Zuo Zixiong and Pizarro have been practicing desperately.
At the beginning, there were not enough bayonets, so we trained in three batches. Some people slept and rested, while others trained with bayonets. Later, when the number of weapons increased, we trained in two batches in turns.
Zuo Zixiong didn't know much about bayonet tactics. In the first half month, he could only observe and watch the Spanish instructors with high salaries take the lead.
Fortunately, Zuo Zixiong was very talented and skilled in martial arts. After watching this for more than ten days, he roughly understood the difference between bayonets and spears. Then he joined in and personally led a group of soldiers to practice, so that he could follow suit. Pizarro staggered the time.
It was now more than twenty days since Zuo Zixiong personally practiced assassination, and the energy and spirit of the troops were not the same.
In order to appear closer to the soldiers, Shen Shuren did not bring a folding fan, but a square round fan with an iron frame and an iron surface. He placed it in front of his eyebrows to block the sun and carefully inspected the soldiers' assassinations.
The sun was quite strong that day, and under the scorching sun, the soldiers steadily poked at the tightly tied scarecrows.
The scarecrow was dyed with vermilion with several dots on its left and right arms and top, at the intersection in the middle, as targets.
Before each stab, an officer gave an order, which was nothing more than "left, right, up and down." Wherever the order required, the scarecrow had to be stabbed quickly and accurately at the corresponding red spot on the scarecrow.
In actual combat, of course, there is no such order. Instead, everyone adapts to the situation and counterattacks according to the enemy's moves. However, during training, such strict requirements are also to ensure that the soldiers can use their swords quickly, accurately and hard, and hit wherever they point.
"Six rows and eight columns, no distinction between left and right! Write down one mistake, and then stay and practice twenty more times!"
"Nine rows and three columns, the sword is not stable and does not hit the target! Practice ten more times!"
Several soldiers are always in the queue, checking carefully and writing down soldiers whose accuracy and reaction are insufficient.
According to Zuo Zixiong's arrangement, these musketeers are now trained in batches according to odd and even numbers. The number of bayonet muskets in the army has reached two-thirds of the total number of troops, so every time they rotate, There will also be about one sixth more bayonets and muskets.
This part can be dedicated to tossing those soldiers who are not performing well and whose movements are out of shape. After their own soldiers go back to rest, they can practice with the people who have replaced them.
After watching it for a while, Chen Shuren had the illusion that he would visit military training for assassination exercises in later generations. Although the techniques were different, perhaps today's assassination movements have not been refined and simplified to be efficient enough, but the soldiers' discipline and orders and prohibitions were definitely not comparable to those of the ordinary Ming army. , the entire military formation has been filled with a murderous atmosphere.
The military attachés who were newly transferred along with Shen Shuren were even more surprised. After all, the discipline of the Ming Dynasty guard army they had seen before was much worse.
Yan Yingyuan and Zhang Mingzhen were unanimously convinced: "Although the moves may not be exquisite, the momentum is uniform. When encountering thieves, they will definitely be able to tell at a glance that this is an elite teacher."
Only Zheng Chenggong didn't think these drills were so great. This was also related to the fact that he was "well-informed" and had a relatively deep understanding of the weapons of the Hongyi people.
In the West, early bayonets also appeared between the 1630s and 1640s, which were the product of the French during the Thirty Years of Religious Wars in Europe (1618~1648).
It's just that the Western bayonet is still in the shape of a dagger, and is inserted directly into the barrel of the gun. Chen Shuren's is a hoop type, which does not affect the attack, and the assassination effect is more professional.
Zheng Chenggong had seen French bayonets from the Spaniards, and now that he saw Brother Shen using them on a large scale for musketeers, he was also a little eager to try: "Brother Shen, I know this blunderbuss and sword technique, maybe let me try it?"
Zuo Zixiong on the side immediately looked at Chen Shuren, as if asking for instructions with his eyes. Chen Shuren nodded, and then Zuo Zixiong handed over a Rumi gun with a bayonet.
Zheng Chenggong came to a cross-shaped scarecrow and listened to the command to move up, down, left, and right. He was quite accurate, and he stabbed quickly with his first move.
After stabbing him, he summed it up with some recollection: "The use of this blunderbuss sword is similar to that of a spear, except that it is a little shorter, but the advantage is that it allows firearms soldiers to reach far, and they can fight against cavalry. Left Dusi, how is my swordsmanship?"
Zuo Zixiong looked embarrassed, and asked Shen Shuren with his eyes. Shen Shuren knew that he must have disdain for Zheng Chenggong's bayonet skills, and said with a smile: "It doesn't matter, let's just talk about it. Zheng Xiandi and I have a frank relationship, no need to Literary deeds are disguised as wrongdoings.”
Zuo Zixiong then spoke bluntly: "I really can't compliment Mr. Zheng's gun and sword skills. It only has the advantages of accurate stabbing and quick reaction. But the forceful technique and whether the waist and horse are stable in the foot plate are all important."
Just a flower display.
If the enemy is too strong or the cavalry charges, your blunderbuss will fall off at the first touch. The blunderbuss plus the blunderbuss sword are only seven feet in total length, which is still shorter than a spear.
The spear must be at least eight feet long, and more than one foot long, so the tail can be leaned on the ground. The use of a fire gun and a gun sword will never be possible by leaning on the ground.
Therefore, it is necessary to learn the same technique as those big guns that hold the tail of the gun and use force. The strong right hand is behind and the left hand is in front. The right hand is pressed down and thrust forward at the same time. When the sword is lifted, the butt of the sword must be lifted.
There is an action on it that can be supported at any time.
In general, the formation shooting method that can be used by leaning on the ground is to put the stronger hand in front and the weaker hand in the back. When stabbing, the force is applied evenly. It seems that the force is stronger, but the center of gravity is unstable and it is not easy to borrow.
force."
Zuo Zixiong was also very dedicated to his boss's friends. He kept learning from his Spanish colleagues for a month and a half, and combined his bayonet skills with his own martial arts skills to tell Zheng Chenggong directly and without reservation.
Zheng Chenggong's understanding was quite good, and he quickly understood the essence of the bayonet method: the key is to use the lever hand, the left hand just holds the musket from the middle fulcrum, and the right hand behind holds the butt of the gun while pressing down,
Lift the gun tip.
He pondered for a while, then fired a few more shots, and soon felt that the stability of the assassination force was completely different, and it was not easy to be blocked and staggered, leaving the door wide open.
"Zuo Dusi is really skilled in martial arts. He can master these strange weapons that he has never seen before and he can grasp the essence of them so quickly. Please ask for more advice when you have the opportunity in the future!" Zheng Chenggong was also very sincere and said directly to Zuo Zixiong.