Iron Powder and Spellcaster

The steely General János was gone, the tough guy with a loud voice and a high head was gone. There was only an old man on the military couch who was as angry as a gossamer.

Seeing the scene in front of him, Brigadier General Sackler was so shocked that he became speechless.

Major General Arpad, who came after hearing the news, followed Szekler's footsteps and rushed into the tent, but he could no longer hide it.

"What's going on?" Sackler's lips trembled.

"First it was typhoid fever." Arpad walked to the bedside, tucked the old man into bed, and whispered, "Then came the stroke."

Sackler rushed towards Arpad and grabbed him by the collar. His rage had already made him lose his mind: "You are so brave! You dare to isolate the inside and outside! You... how dare you hide it and not report it! You! What on earth do you want? What to do?"

Arpad was so offended by his junior, but he was not angry at all. He looked at Sackler in silence.

Compared with General Janos's loss of command ability, Arpad's reckless behavior angered Szekler even more. This was no different from a mutiny.

Sackler's chest heaved violently: "One more day of hiding, one more day of siege? What do you want to do next? What do you want to do the day you can't hide it? Kill us all? Speak!"

"Are you done getting angry? Then listen to me." Arpad took the other party's hand away from his collar: "Once the news of General János's stroke spreads, the morale of the army will definitely be shaken, and it will only give the barbarian chief [ Yassin] can take advantage of this opportunity.”

"Shut up!" Szekler was furious: "The general is seriously ill, we should retreat immediately! You concealed the news just to continue fighting this war! Just to get another general star! You sacrificed the army for your own selfish desires Your safety is at risk, Arpad Dujaume! You and I are irreconcilable!"

Major General Arpad sneered disdainfully. He dragged a bench over so that he could sit down and asked, "Do you think I do it for power? Status? General?"

Sackler said nothing, his eyes almost blazing with anger were the answer.

Arpad patted the dust on his breeches and said casually: "As long as you support me, I will apply for retirement after this battle and go home to raise horses and flowers."

The major general's answer was only a cold snort from deep in his nose.

The other party obviously didn't believe it, but Arpad didn't bother to swear anymore. He stared at Sackler and asked word by word: "Do you know why we are here?"

Sackler was stunned, his anger softened slightly, but he still did not speak.

"Let me tell you, this battle is not about land, slaves, money, power - it has nothing to do with any of that!" Arpad raised his finger and pointed in the direction of Hede City: "We are here to fight this city!"

Arpad paused and continued: "The man who built this city, I had already noticed him eighteen years ago when he rode an old horse as a scout for me. He was only one fifteen years ago. I had already put him on the list when I was fifty households. Over the years, I have watched him roll like an avalanche on the grassland, getting bigger and bigger, and I would even wake up from my dreams at night."

Sackler did not expect that the other party would say such words, and was suppressed by the major general's momentum for a moment.

"The Republic is just a drunkard sleeping on a pile of firewood." Arpad gritted his teeth: "I don't care about generals! I am here to wipe out the Red River Department! I am extinguishing the fire of the Republic! General Szekler !”

…

No one knows what kind of agreement Arpad and Sackler reached. Anyway, that afternoon, all school-level officers in the army were summoned to attend an enlarged meeting.

Although the meeting was said to be expanded, no matter how much it was expanded, it would not be able to include lieutenants like Winters.

Lieutenant Colonel Jessica went to attend the meeting - although the lieutenant colonel currently belongs to the humble militia rank, he is still a serious school officer.

The lieutenant colonel had just gone to the meeting, and Winters, Bud, Andre and Mason also gathered in the tent for a small meeting.

Mason and his convicts were officially assigned to the Jessica Brigade. The brothers now hugged each other for warmth and looked after each other.

There were no outsiders in the tent, and several people gathered around the Sawyer stove, discussing without scruple.

"I think no one can suppress anyone else, otherwise there will be no military democracy." Mason held a cup of hot water and smacked his lips: "There is no reason why we should resort to anonymous voting."

Winters put his boots on the edge of the iron stove and said casually: "Whether to fight or to retreat, it is better to make up your mind than to waste money."

Andre, who was reaching out to warm himself up by the fire, nodded with deep understanding.

No one understands the restlessness and restlessness in Plato's army now better than the lower-level officers.

There were even cases of self-harm among soldiers, and many were quietly packing their bags.

"I guess we still have to fight." Mason yawned: "I heard that four waves of slaves were released into the city before. If we withdraw our troops at this time, wouldn't the Japanese people be in trouble?"

Andre became interested: "What does it mean to let slaves into the city?"

Others pricked up their ears.

"Before we came, General Arpad ordered the captured slaves to be driven into Bianli City - of course the old, weak, sick and disabled ones. The Hurds in the city had the guts to accept them all."

The tent was quiet for a while, except for the sound of firewood burning in the furnace.

…

Driving the old, weak, sick and disabled into the city was an "extremely dishonorable" siege tactic.

Letting people into the city is equivalent to adding more mouths that consume the reserves. Without letting people into the city, the defenders' fighting spirit will be weakened.

Occasionally, the defenders would even take the initiative to drive the old, weak, sick and disabled out of the city, and what followed was human tragedy.

Winters knew this, he had not only heard about it, he had seen it.

During the siege of Gusa, the defenders who lacked supplies resolutely drove the "useless mouths" out of the city, but they were immediately driven back by the besieging army.

With nowhere to go, hungry and frightened, the poor people wandered among the city walls and siege ramparts for eight days.

Winters had never seen a more desperate human being, and none of them survived.

The Hurds in the city dared to let people into the city. Although it was unwise, Winters felt a hint of admiration.

…

Bud suddenly frowned and asked: "Taniriya no longer buys slaves, do the Platuan people still hunt slaves?"

The archipelago has been divided between the United Provinces and Veneta. The United Provinces allowed the slave trade, but prohibited slave-keeping within the United Provinces, and Veneta banned it altogether.

"Really? I don't have the information, so I don't know very well." Mason was slightly stunned: "But if the islanders don't buy it, they can still sell it to the principalities south of the Golden Summit Mountains. Hurd slaves are hot commodities, and they are all aliens. Christians, there is no moral pressure to enslave them.”

The slave-catching tradition of the Palatuan people has always been criticized by other allies, and it is also an important part of the stereotype that "highlanders are barbaric".

"Let the Palatians capture you and sell you as a slave" is a classic phrase used by the citizens of Aquamarine to scare children.

But when Winters came to Plato, he discovered that there were almost no Hurd slaves in the Kingdom of Galloping Horses, and they were all exported. Probably because they were too close, and they were afraid that the Hud would run back.

Mason thought for a while and added: "There is no need to sympathize with the Hurds. In the early years, they also captured the Platoans as slaves. It's just that the war situation has been one-sided in recent years. The Hurds were beaten until they howled, and only the Platons were left. People plundered the Huds as slaves. It is said that the Huds themselves also hunted each other's slaves... Hey! There is no end to this calculation."

Lieutenant Mason's words made others sigh. The Hedians and the Platoans have been at odds with each other for hundreds of years. I'm afraid they themselves can't explain all the details. It would be too arrogant for outsiders to judge right from wrong.

The four of them gathered around the stove and chatted about the past and anecdotes about the military academy. Life in the frontline camp was hard and boring, and this was a rare leisure time.

With the main force of two standing legions beside him, even if there is a war, the militia will not be able to turn.

The Jashka Brigade finally took on the real responsibilities of the militia, mainly doing physical labor such as digging trenches and digging toilets, and had to go to distant places to cut down trees and bring them back for firewood every other day.

Andre and Lieutenant Mason were unhappy every day and felt that they were incompetent, so they couldn't get excited.

Winters thought it was okay. He was very happy to stand behind and cheer for the Platoans when they fought.

In the meantime, Balian came into the tent and handed the repaired gun barrel to the second lieutenant for inspection.

This rifled gun was used too much in practice and combat, and the rifling was stained with lead. Not only does the accuracy become worse, but there is also a risk of the barrel exploding.

Originally, Winters had no good solution, because it was supposed to be left to the gunsmith, but Balian said he could solve it.

The blacksmith's method was simple but ingenious. He first inserted an iron rod into the barrel, poured lead on it, pulled it out and smeared it with rapeseed oil.

In order to maintain the pomp of senior officers, the logistics department transported a lot of porcelain tableware from Plato, which was inevitably damaged during transportation and use.

Balian picked up broken pieces of porcelain, ground them into powder, sifted them, and sprinkled them on the lead rod.

Use a lead stick stuck with porcelain powder and rub it back and forth in the barrel. After a while, the lead hanging part will be worn away.

Winters checked the barrel against the fire. The barrel was bright and clear, with no burrs visible.

Its smoothness is no less than the two spring-wheel guns given to Antonio by the Oathbreaker. Moreover, those two guns were smoothbore guns, and Winters's gun was a rifled gun, which was more difficult to polish.

Polishing has always been the most difficult and most expensive part of producing weapons and armor.

Winters thought about it and asked the blacksmith: "Mr. Balian, can you rifling?"

"Rifling?" Balian looked confused and said hesitantly: "I don't know much about it, but it is said that it requires a spinning wheel."

"Can you build a spinning wheel?"

"I've seen it, but I've never made it."

Winters probably understood that the blacksmith didn't want to say anything, so he didn't continue to ask.

The ensign smiled and patted the blacksmith on the shoulder: "Mr. Balian, it's a pity that you stay in Plato. Come with me to Veneta, you will make a fortune. I guarantee that the sea blue people must especially like rifled pistols. "

Andre laughed when he heard this, but Mason and Bud, the two federal men, were a little baffled.

But Bud quickly figured it out, shook his head slightly and laughed. He explained to Lieutenant Mason in his ear, and the lieutenant couldn't help laughing.

Balian was the only one left in the tent who was confused and at a loss.

"What are you talking about? Are you smiling so happily?" Another person opened the door curtain and walked into the tent, bringing in a chilly air.

When the lieutenants heard the familiar voice, they all stood up.

Lieutenant Colonel Jessica walked straight to the iron stove and reached over the stove lid to warm the fire.

Upon seeing this, Balian prepared to leave.

Winters took out his money bag and threw the gun barrel and money bag to the blacksmith before he left the tent.

There were only a few officers left in the tent. Lieutenant Mason bravely asked: "Will it be finished so early? Sir?"

Lieutenant Colonel Jessica sneered: "It's not a meeting at all, it's just calling us to arrange the battle."

"Are the leaders unanimous?" Winters asked.

"I don't know what these two old guys Szekler and Arpad are up to, and General Janos didn't show up either." There was a hint of suspicion in Jashka's tone: "We have to find out after all... but it's not his turn. Let’s go into battle.”

The four lieutenants all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Get the shovel tonight." The lieutenant colonel then said, "Go dig trenches tomorrow."

The technique of polishing rifling comes from "Dedicate Everything to the Party". Although the title sounds very popular, it is actually not a political propaganda book, but a simple autobiography of a military worker. It is only a thin book with simple writing style. It is my enlightenment book. I still remember the description of using crude equipment to produce firearms, bullets, and mortars.

Because of the description in that book, I think it is feasible to use this method to process rifling. After all, Mr. Wu Yunduo is a man who can make guns using only grindstones, screws, and tree stumps (the barrel should be bought XD).

Thank you to all the book friends who voted for recommendation before and voted for recommendation today. Thank you all.

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Thanks to book friends hwk603, book friends 20200601164120007, howa2007, leo000000, Jiang Xuediaoweng, iRuin, you saw my ID, AyaCrystal, I don’t know what to call the monthly pass, thank you all;

Thanks again to the book friends who voted for recommendation today. Thank you all.