Become a feudal king from today

"Western natives, trenches."

In the study room of the palace, Zhao Xu read the battle report sent by the cavalry and frowned slightly.

In contemporary history, Portuguese mercenaries were hired in the late Ming Dynasty.

This was the Age of Firearms, the first time the West participated in the wars of the East.

With the establishment of the Qing Dynasty, contact with the West was basically interrupted until the Tianping Heavenly Kingdom Movement.

After investigation, Western countries believed that the Tianping Heavenly Kingdom banned the opium trade and insisted on an independent policy that would seriously harm the interests of Western countries.

So he decided to support the traitorous Qing government in this civil war and borrow help from his teachers to suppress it.

Later there was the infamous victorious army, Chang Jiejun.

Both armies were mercenaries recruited by the colonists in the Southeast Asian colonies and trained by indigenous people.

In addition, there was a Sino-British mixed army. At that time, Tsarist Russia, France, and the United States all contributed to actively build foreign gun teams to suppress the Taiping Rebellion.

This was the second time that Western countries were involved in the Eastern Civil War, and it was deeper than the first time.

Now, due to Japan's ambitions for Dasong and the collusion between the powerful clans and the powerful clans of Japan and the West, Dasong will face a war involving external forces for the first time in history.

The Western Turks and the trenches are just the beginning. It is not impossible for their colonial troops and mercenaries in the Eastern Turks to land on the land in the south of the Yangtze River.

After all, even to the day of his death, he would never betray his country in pursuit of glory, tyrannize his country internally, or be servile to others externally.

Measure China's material resources and please the great powers!

He believed that after the exploration of the Japanese and Western countries, they would soon understand this.

When interests are conflicting, unless one party gives in, the bayonet will inevitably see red.

Furthermore, after the establishment of Sam State, it expelled the colonial countries in North and South America and brought them into its sphere of influence.

Naturally, he could not tolerate the Western Territory countries to show off their power in the Eastern Territory.

At that time, once he touches their colonies, a more intense war will break out.

All in all, he is now in the stage of the rise of a great power.

In order to curb the rise of an emerging power, they will definitely use all means.

The Napoleonic Wars and World War I were essentially conflicts of interest between emerging powers and conservative powers.

What's more, the West is currently at the peak of white supremacy, and the rise of a country of different skin colors is even more of a nightmare for them.

"In that case, let the storm come more violently." Zhao Xu clenched his fists tightly with a firm expression.

In fact, his situation is not too bad. At least he has mastered technology that is not inferior to that of the Western Turks and has built a powerful army.

It won't be long before Yanzhou's various technologies will even surpass them.

This is nothing compared to Liu Bang being besieged by the Huns and Tang Taizong signing the Weishui Alliance with the Turks.

And he will, like them, build a prosperous Han and Tang Dynasty of his own!

"Your Highness..."

Seeing Zhao Xu in a daze, the cavalryman carefully reminded him.

The war was urgent, and he had to go back with King Yan's order to resume his duties. ,

Zhao Xu came to his senses, and Chang Wei's ultimate goal was to ask him for instructions on his next strategy.

So he said: "There is no need to rush, try to win at the minimum cost, the most important thing is to stabilize Jiangbei and cooperate with Ma Han to win Nanliang."

Trench warfare was a very disgusting tactic after the advent of firearms.

In the contemporary American Revolutionary War, the US and British troops often dug trenches and fought battles around the city in order to compete for the city.

In the Civil War, this tactic was taken to the extreme.

So much so that the Civil War was said to be a preview of World War I.

In World War I, trenches and machine guns claimed the lives of millions of soldiers.

Trenches greatly increased the difficulty of the attacking side.

Opposing soldiers hiding in trenches could avoid enemy musket fire and shelling.

When the enemy is close, reveal your body and shoot at the opponent.

In the battle for the trenches, both sides will suffer heavy casualties.

Therefore, he did not want the royal army to launch a reckless attack for the sake of Yangcheng.

Not attacking forcefully means that more time will be consumed in the confrontation.

In this case, it is better to capture Nanliang, stabilize Jiangbei first, and then plan for it slowly.

"Yes, Your Highness." The cavalryman responded.

Zhao Xu nodded and said: "Also, you go back and tell Chang Wei that he already has a firearm that is beneficial to him in trench warfare. Immediately, I will send him another firearm that is suitable for trench warfare." firearm."

After that, he sent the cavalry back.

Immediately, he went to the Bingzhan Division under Xu Lie's escort.

The first type of trench warfare firearm he told the cavalry was the grenade already in the army.

Hand grenades are very flexible and can be carried by individual soldiers, which is of great use when fighting for trenches.

The second weapon is the improved mortar that he and Wang Ying talked about last time.

That is, a howitzer that shoots at a high elevation angle can throw explosive shells into trenches to kill the enemy.

With these two types of firearms, it will be easier for the royal troops to consume the enemy in trench warfare and win victory.

But even so, the royal army could not return to the glorious period of capturing a city in one or two days.

A war will inevitably spend more time fighting for trenches, followed by siege.

"Your Highness." As soon as Zhao Xu arrived, Wang Ying rushed over.

Knowing Zhao Xu's purpose, he led Zhao Xu to the artillery workshop.

"Your Highness, I have always remembered this. When the first batch of converter steel was smelted in the steel workshop, I used part of it to improve the mortar. This is it." Wang Ying pointed to an improved mortar in the warehouse and said.

These mortars are no longer hand-lifted mortars that are as thick as a bucket and fixed on an iron plate.

It is a modern front-loading howitzer that is as thick as a bowl, fixed on wheels, and with the muzzle pointing upward at 60 degrees.

Zhao Xu nodded. The quality of the converter steel was excellent and it could withstand more yellow gunpowder while reducing the weight and thickness of the barrel wall.

Although, these howitzers are still beggars compared to those before and after World War I.

But during this period, it was definitely a weapon for killing enemies on the battlefield, especially against enemies in trenches.

Thinking of this, he asked: "What's the range of this howitzer?"

Wang Ying said: "I have tried it and can shoot the cannonball about 1,500 meters."

Zhao Xu nodded with satisfaction, "Yes, it's enough."

This range is similar to that of smoothbore cannons, but it is definitely a huge breakthrough for mortar cannons.

After all, before, the range of mortars was less than 500 meters.

However, due to steel problems, the production of howitzers has apparently just begun.

This door is only experimental.

So he responded to Wang Ying: "The new rifled guns cannot be delayed, and the howitzers must also be stepped up to build a hundred of them as soon as possible."

Although he told Chang Wei not to worry about Yang Cheng, he still had to win in the end.

After all, leaving such a stronghold of a powerful clan in Jiangbei would make him feel uncomfortable.

Moreover, Yangcheng is the contemporary Yangzhou, and the canal also extends here.

Without taking this place, his warships would not be able to move down the canal.