The Rise of the European Emperor

For some reason, blacks seem to be bad at raising and riding horses. Therefore, there has never been a black country known for its cavalry in sub-Saharan Africa.

Both the Mali Empire and the Songhai Empire have cavalry, and they are not small in scale. However, those war horses were all bought from North Africa through the gold trade route in the Sahara Desert.

In essence, the Mali Empire and the Songhai Empire are actually agricultural countries with backward agricultural technology, and they are not as good at riding horses as the Arabs in North Africa. Therefore, the black countries in West Africa seem to have cavalry, but in fact they don't know how to fight on horseback, and their combat effectiveness is low.

And those nomads, such as Mongolia, such as Persia, such as Arabs... Those nomads have lived on horseback since childhood. As long as they are given a machete, ordinary herdsmen can also serve as cavalry. This point is incomparable between the Mali Empire and the Songhai Empire, which are "imitating others".

How bad is the black cavalry in West Africa? When Morocco fell to the Songhai Empire in 1590, only 3,000 troops were dispatched to defeat the main army of the Songhai Empire, which had tens of thousands of cavalry and more infantry, and then destroyed the country...

Moreover, only half of these three thousand people are Moroccan scimitar cavalry. The other half are actually Spanish mercenaries, using matchlock guns...

If it were replaced by Tatar cavalry, it is estimated that the 3,000 Moroccan expeditionary forces would be shot out. But the more than 10,000 black cavalry in the Songhai Empire are purely for show, and they are defeated at the first blow... I have never seen horses in the Inca Empire, and it makes sense to be frightened by the Spanish cavalry, but at that time the Songhai Empire had tens of thousands Famous cavalry!

Anyway, blacks have never been out of a country known for its cavalry. The main reason is that there are not many nomads who ride horses and graze among blacks. Nomads on horseback have no poor combat effectiveness. No matter if they are Mongols, Tatars, Persians, Arabs, those herdsmen, as long as they ride a horse and wield a scimitar, they should not be underestimated.

The cavalry of farming countries are sometimes very fierce, but most of the time they are just superficial. It was not until the emergence of modern cavalry that the nomadic cavalry advantage was really lost. Before that, the cavalry of the nomads was Diao.

This is because the nomadic cavalry are extremely skilled in various riding skills. Not to mention how powerful the horse battle is, even if the head-on confrontation fails, those nomadic cavalry can rely on their superb riding skills to turn around and ride their horses to escape. Even if the cavalry of the farming country defeated the opponent, they could not completely wipe out the cavalry of the nomadic people. And if he is defeated, his riding skills are not as good as anyone else's, and he can't even escape...

Therefore, relying on the guerrilla-like tactics of "fighting if you can, and running away if you can't fight", the cavalry of nomadic peoples has always been a headache.

Marin provided horses to the black people on the grasslands of Senegal, and told them to ride and shoot, which definitely opened a Pandora's box. Fortunately, however, it is taught to black people. If it is taught to the Indians who are brave and warlike, it is estimated that something big will happen...

But anyway, what happened in Africa has nothing to do with Marin. The blacks are great, and the unlucky ones are also the Portuguese. Marin is happy to see the jokes of the Portuguese...

...

Considering the difficulty of hunting rhinos and elephants, Marin decided to provide matchlock guns to the locals, and it was a large mushkot musket. The bullets of the Mushkot gun weigh as much as 50 grams and are full of impact. It is an excellent weapon for hunting rhinos and elephants.

However, because the rhinoceros hide is too thick, even a 50-gram lead bullet may not be able to penetrate it. At that time, the rhino can only be injured, not killed. And this is very fatal.

Because, injured rhinos are extremely dangerous. After they are injured, they will go crazy and become unstoppable like a tank. If it is run over or collided by such a beast-shaped tank, it will definitely die.

Therefore, while providing the local blacks with musket guns, Marin decided to produce a batch of steel ball bullets specially used for hunting rhinos and elephants.

This is because, although steel balls are lighter than lead balls,

But the degree of hardness far exceeds that of lead bullets. Soft lead bullets hit the rhinoceros hide, and although they can use kinetic energy to injure the rhinoceros, they are definitely not fatal. As long as the lead bullets can't break the thick skin of the rhino, it can't kill the rhino, it can only seriously injure it.

The steel ball is different, the steel ball is definitely hard enough. If it hits the rhinoceros hide, it will not be deformed, it can only be head-to-head. With the hardness of steel balls, if you encounter rhinoceros leather, rhinoceros leather will definitely fail. It is easier to injure and kill the rhino as long as it gets inside the skin.

In later generations, many shotgun bullets for hunting wild boars and elephants will also choose copper shell and lead core. The surface of the bullet is hard copper and the lead core is inside. In this way, the kinetic energy of the bullet is sufficient, and it also has the tough power to break through the animal skin...

The bullets of the Musket musket are big enough and powerful. A knight in steel plate armor is still unstoppable, let alone a rhinoceros? Replaced with steel balls, it can definitely cause fatal damage to the rhinoceros.

In fact, the steel-core slug that Marin made before is more suitable for hunting rhinos. Because the steel core slug has sharp steel nails to break through the defense, it is easier to break through the defense of the rhinoceros hide.

However, considering that steel-core slugs are one of the top secrets of the North Sea State, Marin ultimately did not choose to use steel-core slugs for Senegalese blacks. Instead, steel balls. Although the weight of 50 grams of lead balls of the same volume cannot be reached, steel balls also have a weight of about 35 grams. Under the impact of the powerful kinetic energy of the Mushiket gun, a 35-gram steel ball is enough to hunt rhinos and elephants. The only trouble is that the production of steel balls is much more difficult than that of lead balls.

However, fortunately, this kind of steel ball is larger. Using the foundry method, although it is more difficult, it can also be cast. After all, the steel ball weighs 35 grams. Even if the precision is not enough and there are flaws, it can be polished. Moreover, bullets can be wrapped in leather and pushed into the barrel without making them so precise. Anyway, as long as the diameter of the steel ball does not exceed the inner diameter of the barrel...

...

While Marin was busy murdering rhinos and elephants on the grasslands of Senegal, someone came from Rome...

The one who came was the secret envoy of Pope Julius II and an important steward of the Rovere family. He belonged to one of Julius II's confidantes, named Sconi.

Since it was the emissary of the Pope's father-in-law, and a confidant-level emissary, what he brought was naturally heavy news.

Marin personally received Sconi and invited him to enter the secret room of the palace to discuss matters. Sure enough, the news brought by Sconi was heavy enough that the Pope wanted to attack the Republic of Siena, and he needed Marin to send troops to support him...