Chapter 1611
Visiting the Barracks
Chapter 1611 Visiting the Barracks
Before Fei Cexian came to Haihan, he was naturally given military knowledge about Haihan by officials from the Ministry of War. He also knew a little about the advanced weapons that made Haihan's army famous all over the world.In fact, the Ministry of War also has some Haihan weapons collected through various channels, from the matchlock guns manufactured in the early years to the fixed-load flintlock guns that are now widely installed in the Haihan army, and even the large-caliber coastal defenses that were previously sold to Fujian. There are guns.
If only a small amount of imitation is carried out, the skilled craftsmen of Ming Dynasty can also manufacture weapons with almost the same performance through complete manual work, but the cost is high and the construction period is long, and it is impossible to achieve stable mass production like Haihan.Haihan's weapon manufacturing technology has always been a mystery to the outside world. Apart from knowing that Haihan used a lot of machining in the manufacturing process, nothing else is known, and no one knows how Haihan people designed these advanced weapons. weapons.
As for the tactics commonly used by the Haihan army, the Ministry of War has also made great efforts to study many battle cases, but sadly, Haihan's tactics cannot be imitated at all, because these tactics are designed around a large number of troops equipped with advanced weapons. Even the Musketeer Battalion, which the Ming Army is proud of, is difficult to copy Haihan's tactics due to the limited number of Musketeers and equipment.So like many Ming officials, Fei Cexian really wanted to see with his own eyes how strong the Haihan Army was.
When Fei Cexian saw that the soldiers assembled on the playground were all dressed in civilian clothes, he asked Qiu Yuan, "Since it's a drill, why aren't these soldiers wearing armor?"
Qiu Yuan made a gesture and said, "Ruan Xiangqian, please explain the reasoning to Mr. Fei."
A soldier next to him immediately took a step forward, saluted Fei Cexian, and said, "Humble officer Ruan Qianqian, the commander of the Seventh Battalion of the Haihan Army, has met Lord Fei. My lord, the reason why he is wearing civilian clothes is to keep the soldiers mobile during battle." capability. As long as we maintain sufficient engagement distance from the enemy, it is more beneficial to fight without armor.”
Ruan Xiangqian is a naturalized citizen from Annan, and he joined the army very early. Haihan built two Annan battalions with Annan immigrants as his team, and Ruan Xiangqian served as the commander of the second battalion.Ruan Xiangqian participated in the Battle of Ambuna Island and the pacification of the Shilu riots, and made many military exploits.And the Seventh Battalion of the Army he is currently working for, although the establishment is the same as the Annan Battalion, but as the real main combat force, its status is higher than that of the Annan Battalion, which specially provides immigrants with the opportunity to be naturalized, and obtains Haihan nationality by enlisting in the army. of special forces.
Fei Cexian then asked, "What if the enemy is shot with a bow and arrow?"
Ruan Xiangqian replied: "The range of our army's guns is far greater than that of bows and arrows. If the superiority of troops does not reach a certain level, it is impossible for the archers to advance to fight within their range. The battles of our army over the years have also proved this. One point, in battle, you can defeat your opponent with just a range advantage.”
Fei Cexian asked again: "How about charging with cavalry?"
Ruan pointed forward to a pile of rejecting horses piled up on the edge of the playground and said: "Juma, deer villages, barbed wire, trenches, and dense gun fire are all sharp weapons to prevent cavalry from charging into the formation. If we have enough time to deploy positions, then Even if the enemy army is thousands of horses, it is very difficult to break through our defense line. Our army has faced cavalry ten times as many as ourselves on the battlefield many times, and we can still retreat after killing the opponent."
Fei Cexian said, "So what if it's an encounter in the wild?"
Ruan Xiangqian replied confidently: "If it is a field battle, our army also has elite scouts operating several miles away from the army. With the assistance of special tools such as binoculars, they can spot large-scale moving enemy cavalry from a long distance. Take enough time to warn your side. Sir Fei, even in the open field, the strength of my battalion will not be able to trap them without eight thousand cavalry. Possibly hiding its whereabouts."
Fei Cexian said: "In this way, isn't the Haihan Army completely flawless?"
Ruan Xiangqian replied: "Of course there are loopholes, but the opponent may not be able to catch them." Regarding this question, Ruan Xiangqian was very alert and didn't say much.
However, Fei Cexian also knew the weakness of the Haihan army, so he asked this question on purpose.The biggest problem of the Haihan Army is its dependence on logistical supplies. The ammunition required for the combat method with guns as the main weapon is not a small amount, and the farther away from the base camp, the more difficult it is to supply.For example, Haihan's garrison in Liaodong, the ammunition it needs still has to be shipped out from Hainan Island, and it is transported to Liaodong by sea for thousands of miles.If there is any accident on the way, the combat time that the ammunition reserves of the Liaodong garrison can support will actually be greatly limited.
As long as Haihan's opponents can cut off the supply line, the combat capability of the Haihan army will obviously decline as the battle progresses. Without the bonus of guns and other weapons, the Haihan army is actually not much better than ordinary infantry.It's just that the fighting power of the Haihan army is too abnormal. Most of the opponents will be defeated at the first touch, and there are very few who can really threaten the Haihan supply line.Moreover, the Haihan army is well aware of its own shortcomings, so most of its operations are carried out in coastal areas, and try to avoid going deep into the inland. This will facilitate the delivery of troops and supplies by sea, and second, if the battle is unfavorable, the troops can be dispatched as soon as possible. Get out of the sea.
The advantage of Haihan's naval force is even greater than that of the army. So far, I have not heard of any country that has taken advantage of Haihan in a naval battle. If you want to completely cut off Haihan's sea supply line, it may be better than defeating Haihan. The goal of the army is even more difficult.So this so-called short board has become an elusive goal. All opponents are aware of the weakness of the Haihan Army, but they still can only feel despair when facing the Haihan Army.
Fei Cexian's question naturally did not bother Ruan Qianqian, but after he finished asking, he felt a little sad. He also knew that the Haihan officer was not bragging. For many years, the Haihan army has always appeared in the world as an undefeated image. In front of him, this kind of deep-rooted self-confidence can only be cultivated slowly with the invincible record as the foundation.It is almost impossible to attack the other party's self-confidence through words.
Qiu Yuan saw this question and answer in his eyes, and naturally understood Fei Cexian's intentions.However, since he dared to arrange this matter to Ruan Xiangqian, he naturally had full confidence in him. Sure enough, Ruan Xiangqian did not disappoint him, and he went back cleanly. This also made Qiu Yuan feel even more fond of this Annan officer. increase.
The drill prepared by the Seventh Battalion of the Army for the Ming envoys was divided into two parts, one was queue training, and the other was gun shooting, which could be described as simple and crude.Although Fei Cexian is not a military expert, he can also see the hard work the Haihan Army has put in in queue training.In addition to requiring soldiers to obey absolute orders and prohibitions, the infantry tactics of the Haihan Army are also closely related to the formation. Most troops equipped with flintlock guns still need to use dense formations to ensure the density of firepower. How proficient you practice is directly related to the level of combat power that can be displayed in combat.
Watching gun shooting is undoubtedly an extremely exciting experience for Fei Cexian, a literati.He never thought that there would be such a powerful weapon in the world, which could easily penetrate iron armor from a hundred feet away, and his accuracy and lethality made him amazed.And the shooting of the artillery made Fei Cexian speechless. Ruan didn't even need to explain further. The intuitive feeling made Fei Cexian realize how terrifying this powerful weapon would be when fired on the battlefield.
"How do you feel, Master Fei?" Qiu Yuan seemed to have deliberately chosen such a time to ask Fei Cexian.
Fei Cexian replied in a deep voice: "When I was in the capital, I heard that the Haihan army had extremely powerful weapons. Today I saw it and it really lived up to its reputation. These muskets and artillery are very powerful. Compared with knives and guns, they are indeed much stronger. No wonder they are expensive." The army can have a record of constant victories and invincibility. However, this thing is so violent, your army should use it carefully, so as not to cause innocent killings."
Qiu Yuandao: "Weapons are made to serve war, and war is to serve politics. If all problems can be resolved through negotiations, then there is no need to start a war, and there is no need to use weapons."
Fei Cexian felt that Qiu Yuan's words seemed to mean something. He came to Haihan country this time to discuss a series of diplomatic issues with high-level officials in Haihan. No, if the two sides fail to reach an agreement, then Haihan will use military means against Daming?
But having said that, Haihan used force against Daming not once or twice. This Hainan Island will change from Qiongzhou Island where Ming belongs to Haihan's territory, and there will be several battles during this period.After that, the areas occupied by Haihan along the coast of Daming were all accompanied by wars, but Daming's coastal defense was weak, and it was almost impossible to resist Haihan's armed invasion from the sea, and it was unable to open up a third battlefield outside the Central Plains and Liaodong. Therefore, he could only pretend to be deaf and dumb to Hai Han's actions.
Then I heard Qiu Yuan continue to say: "Our country has always hoped to achieve normal diplomatic relations with Ming Dynasty. The signing of the Liaodong Agreement is a good start for the diplomacy between our two countries, but there are still many specific things that need to be resolved through negotiation. .Although our country has a strong army, we don't want to use military means to deal with Ming Dynasty. We hope to cooperate, not confront."
Fei Cexian quickly responded: "I will keep Master Qiu's words in mind. Since the two countries have established diplomatic relations, peace should be the most important thing."
After watching the drill, Qiu Yuan accompanied Fei Cexian to visit the barracks and supporting facilities in the barracks.Fei Cexian could only express his admiration for the Haihan barracks equipped with canteens, bathhouses, clinics and other facilities. The financial resources required to raise such an army are huge. There are probably only a very small number of elite troops in the Ming Dynasty who can barely meet such conditions. .
And the cleanliness of the entire camp also left a deep impression on Fei Cexian. If this is not the result of the surprise sweep, then the quality of the Haihan Army can also be seen from this aspect.
After watching the army camp, Qiu Yuan then took Fei Cexian to the navy camp.Although the navy stationed in the Haikou military port has only half a fleet of combat establishments, for a layman like Fei Cexian, it is actually impossible to tell the truth.Besides, the flagship of the fleet deployed in the Qiongzhou Strait is anchored at Haikou Naval Port. This eye-catching large warship has already attracted Fei Cexian's attention, and he has no time to think about other things.
The "Majestic" class of warships is definitely a big guy in this era. In the Far East, you can't even find a sailing ship with a tonnage close to its tonnage. It is more than half smaller than the "majestic" class.Although Fei Cexian didn't understand naval warfare, he couldn't help but gasp when he saw the size of the flagship and the densely packed gun emplacements on the ship's side.For such a large warship to fight at sea, this head alone is enough to make people dreadful, and the powerful firepower configuration of more than [-] cannons on each side of the side will make the opponent feel desperate.
According to the information that Fei Cexian knew, there was some kind of unknown special device on a large battleship like Haihan, which could increase the speed to an extremely high level, and soon he also got verification from Qiu Yuan.
"Our warship has a special propulsion device, which means that even if the sails and masts are damaged and cannot be used, the warship can still sail at a high speed at sea." Qiu Yuan proudly showed off "majesty" to Fei Cexian. "Class battleship performance.
Fei Cexian really couldn't imagine what kind of existence it would be to be able to maintain a high speed at sea without using wind power and manpower.This made him think of the rumor that the Haihan people used witchcraft, but thinking about it carefully, using witchcraft in naval battles sounds absurd.The Haihan people can build such a powerful warship, even without any so-called special propulsion device, they are already almost invincible at sea, so there is no need to rely on some illusory witchcraft to strengthen it.
But soon Qiu Yuan took the initiative to clarify this question: "There are rumors from the outside world that we will use witchcraft in combat. How ignorant and ignorant people would have such an idea. This is the most advanced shipbuilding and navigation in the world. A combination of techniques and advanced weapons! If Sir Fei is interested, we can go to the ship to have a look."
Of course, Fei Cexian was disrespectful to this, and Qiu Yuan led the way to board the "majestic" flagship.However, Qiu Yuan still followed the military rules and did not let Fei Cexian enter the ship for a visit, but just took a quick look at it on the deck.But even so, this ship still left a deep impression on Fei Cexian. While looking at it, he was also wondering how long it would take for Ming Dynasty to build a warship of the same level.
As if seeing through what Fei Cexian was thinking, Qiu Yuan said quite proudly: "As long as we don't transfer the manufacturing technology to this kind of advanced warship, Ming Dynasty won't be able to build it in another 100 years."
There is an emergency at home, this chapter is updated late, sorry!
(End of this chapter)
Before Fei Cexian came to Haihan, he was naturally given military knowledge about Haihan by officials from the Ministry of War. He also knew a little about the advanced weapons that made Haihan's army famous all over the world.In fact, the Ministry of War also has some Haihan weapons collected through various channels, from the matchlock guns manufactured in the early years to the fixed-load flintlock guns that are now widely installed in the Haihan army, and even the large-caliber coastal defenses that were previously sold to Fujian. There are guns.
If only a small amount of imitation is carried out, the skilled craftsmen of Ming Dynasty can also manufacture weapons with almost the same performance through complete manual work, but the cost is high and the construction period is long, and it is impossible to achieve stable mass production like Haihan.Haihan's weapon manufacturing technology has always been a mystery to the outside world. Apart from knowing that Haihan used a lot of machining in the manufacturing process, nothing else is known, and no one knows how Haihan people designed these advanced weapons. weapons.
As for the tactics commonly used by the Haihan army, the Ministry of War has also made great efforts to study many battle cases, but sadly, Haihan's tactics cannot be imitated at all, because these tactics are designed around a large number of troops equipped with advanced weapons. Even the Musketeer Battalion, which the Ming Army is proud of, is difficult to copy Haihan's tactics due to the limited number of Musketeers and equipment.So like many Ming officials, Fei Cexian really wanted to see with his own eyes how strong the Haihan Army was.
When Fei Cexian saw that the soldiers assembled on the playground were all dressed in civilian clothes, he asked Qiu Yuan, "Since it's a drill, why aren't these soldiers wearing armor?"
Qiu Yuan made a gesture and said, "Ruan Xiangqian, please explain the reasoning to Mr. Fei."
A soldier next to him immediately took a step forward, saluted Fei Cexian, and said, "Humble officer Ruan Qianqian, the commander of the Seventh Battalion of the Haihan Army, has met Lord Fei. My lord, the reason why he is wearing civilian clothes is to keep the soldiers mobile during battle." capability. As long as we maintain sufficient engagement distance from the enemy, it is more beneficial to fight without armor.”
Ruan Xiangqian is a naturalized citizen from Annan, and he joined the army very early. Haihan built two Annan battalions with Annan immigrants as his team, and Ruan Xiangqian served as the commander of the second battalion.Ruan Xiangqian participated in the Battle of Ambuna Island and the pacification of the Shilu riots, and made many military exploits.And the Seventh Battalion of the Army he is currently working for, although the establishment is the same as the Annan Battalion, but as the real main combat force, its status is higher than that of the Annan Battalion, which specially provides immigrants with the opportunity to be naturalized, and obtains Haihan nationality by enlisting in the army. of special forces.
Fei Cexian then asked, "What if the enemy is shot with a bow and arrow?"
Ruan Xiangqian replied: "The range of our army's guns is far greater than that of bows and arrows. If the superiority of troops does not reach a certain level, it is impossible for the archers to advance to fight within their range. The battles of our army over the years have also proved this. One point, in battle, you can defeat your opponent with just a range advantage.”
Fei Cexian asked again: "How about charging with cavalry?"
Ruan pointed forward to a pile of rejecting horses piled up on the edge of the playground and said: "Juma, deer villages, barbed wire, trenches, and dense gun fire are all sharp weapons to prevent cavalry from charging into the formation. If we have enough time to deploy positions, then Even if the enemy army is thousands of horses, it is very difficult to break through our defense line. Our army has faced cavalry ten times as many as ourselves on the battlefield many times, and we can still retreat after killing the opponent."
Fei Cexian said, "So what if it's an encounter in the wild?"
Ruan Xiangqian replied confidently: "If it is a field battle, our army also has elite scouts operating several miles away from the army. With the assistance of special tools such as binoculars, they can spot large-scale moving enemy cavalry from a long distance. Take enough time to warn your side. Sir Fei, even in the open field, the strength of my battalion will not be able to trap them without eight thousand cavalry. Possibly hiding its whereabouts."
Fei Cexian said: "In this way, isn't the Haihan Army completely flawless?"
Ruan Xiangqian replied: "Of course there are loopholes, but the opponent may not be able to catch them." Regarding this question, Ruan Xiangqian was very alert and didn't say much.
However, Fei Cexian also knew the weakness of the Haihan army, so he asked this question on purpose.The biggest problem of the Haihan Army is its dependence on logistical supplies. The ammunition required for the combat method with guns as the main weapon is not a small amount, and the farther away from the base camp, the more difficult it is to supply.For example, Haihan's garrison in Liaodong, the ammunition it needs still has to be shipped out from Hainan Island, and it is transported to Liaodong by sea for thousands of miles.If there is any accident on the way, the combat time that the ammunition reserves of the Liaodong garrison can support will actually be greatly limited.
As long as Haihan's opponents can cut off the supply line, the combat capability of the Haihan army will obviously decline as the battle progresses. Without the bonus of guns and other weapons, the Haihan army is actually not much better than ordinary infantry.It's just that the fighting power of the Haihan army is too abnormal. Most of the opponents will be defeated at the first touch, and there are very few who can really threaten the Haihan supply line.Moreover, the Haihan army is well aware of its own shortcomings, so most of its operations are carried out in coastal areas, and try to avoid going deep into the inland. This will facilitate the delivery of troops and supplies by sea, and second, if the battle is unfavorable, the troops can be dispatched as soon as possible. Get out of the sea.
The advantage of Haihan's naval force is even greater than that of the army. So far, I have not heard of any country that has taken advantage of Haihan in a naval battle. If you want to completely cut off Haihan's sea supply line, it may be better than defeating Haihan. The goal of the army is even more difficult.So this so-called short board has become an elusive goal. All opponents are aware of the weakness of the Haihan Army, but they still can only feel despair when facing the Haihan Army.
Fei Cexian's question naturally did not bother Ruan Qianqian, but after he finished asking, he felt a little sad. He also knew that the Haihan officer was not bragging. For many years, the Haihan army has always appeared in the world as an undefeated image. In front of him, this kind of deep-rooted self-confidence can only be cultivated slowly with the invincible record as the foundation.It is almost impossible to attack the other party's self-confidence through words.
Qiu Yuan saw this question and answer in his eyes, and naturally understood Fei Cexian's intentions.However, since he dared to arrange this matter to Ruan Xiangqian, he naturally had full confidence in him. Sure enough, Ruan Xiangqian did not disappoint him, and he went back cleanly. This also made Qiu Yuan feel even more fond of this Annan officer. increase.
The drill prepared by the Seventh Battalion of the Army for the Ming envoys was divided into two parts, one was queue training, and the other was gun shooting, which could be described as simple and crude.Although Fei Cexian is not a military expert, he can also see the hard work the Haihan Army has put in in queue training.In addition to requiring soldiers to obey absolute orders and prohibitions, the infantry tactics of the Haihan Army are also closely related to the formation. Most troops equipped with flintlock guns still need to use dense formations to ensure the density of firepower. How proficient you practice is directly related to the level of combat power that can be displayed in combat.
Watching gun shooting is undoubtedly an extremely exciting experience for Fei Cexian, a literati.He never thought that there would be such a powerful weapon in the world, which could easily penetrate iron armor from a hundred feet away, and his accuracy and lethality made him amazed.And the shooting of the artillery made Fei Cexian speechless. Ruan didn't even need to explain further. The intuitive feeling made Fei Cexian realize how terrifying this powerful weapon would be when fired on the battlefield.
"How do you feel, Master Fei?" Qiu Yuan seemed to have deliberately chosen such a time to ask Fei Cexian.
Fei Cexian replied in a deep voice: "When I was in the capital, I heard that the Haihan army had extremely powerful weapons. Today I saw it and it really lived up to its reputation. These muskets and artillery are very powerful. Compared with knives and guns, they are indeed much stronger. No wonder they are expensive." The army can have a record of constant victories and invincibility. However, this thing is so violent, your army should use it carefully, so as not to cause innocent killings."
Qiu Yuandao: "Weapons are made to serve war, and war is to serve politics. If all problems can be resolved through negotiations, then there is no need to start a war, and there is no need to use weapons."
Fei Cexian felt that Qiu Yuan's words seemed to mean something. He came to Haihan country this time to discuss a series of diplomatic issues with high-level officials in Haihan. No, if the two sides fail to reach an agreement, then Haihan will use military means against Daming?
But having said that, Haihan used force against Daming not once or twice. This Hainan Island will change from Qiongzhou Island where Ming belongs to Haihan's territory, and there will be several battles during this period.After that, the areas occupied by Haihan along the coast of Daming were all accompanied by wars, but Daming's coastal defense was weak, and it was almost impossible to resist Haihan's armed invasion from the sea, and it was unable to open up a third battlefield outside the Central Plains and Liaodong. Therefore, he could only pretend to be deaf and dumb to Hai Han's actions.
Then I heard Qiu Yuan continue to say: "Our country has always hoped to achieve normal diplomatic relations with Ming Dynasty. The signing of the Liaodong Agreement is a good start for the diplomacy between our two countries, but there are still many specific things that need to be resolved through negotiation. .Although our country has a strong army, we don't want to use military means to deal with Ming Dynasty. We hope to cooperate, not confront."
Fei Cexian quickly responded: "I will keep Master Qiu's words in mind. Since the two countries have established diplomatic relations, peace should be the most important thing."
After watching the drill, Qiu Yuan accompanied Fei Cexian to visit the barracks and supporting facilities in the barracks.Fei Cexian could only express his admiration for the Haihan barracks equipped with canteens, bathhouses, clinics and other facilities. The financial resources required to raise such an army are huge. There are probably only a very small number of elite troops in the Ming Dynasty who can barely meet such conditions. .
And the cleanliness of the entire camp also left a deep impression on Fei Cexian. If this is not the result of the surprise sweep, then the quality of the Haihan Army can also be seen from this aspect.
After watching the army camp, Qiu Yuan then took Fei Cexian to the navy camp.Although the navy stationed in the Haikou military port has only half a fleet of combat establishments, for a layman like Fei Cexian, it is actually impossible to tell the truth.Besides, the flagship of the fleet deployed in the Qiongzhou Strait is anchored at Haikou Naval Port. This eye-catching large warship has already attracted Fei Cexian's attention, and he has no time to think about other things.
The "Majestic" class of warships is definitely a big guy in this era. In the Far East, you can't even find a sailing ship with a tonnage close to its tonnage. It is more than half smaller than the "majestic" class.Although Fei Cexian didn't understand naval warfare, he couldn't help but gasp when he saw the size of the flagship and the densely packed gun emplacements on the ship's side.For such a large warship to fight at sea, this head alone is enough to make people dreadful, and the powerful firepower configuration of more than [-] cannons on each side of the side will make the opponent feel desperate.
According to the information that Fei Cexian knew, there was some kind of unknown special device on a large battleship like Haihan, which could increase the speed to an extremely high level, and soon he also got verification from Qiu Yuan.
"Our warship has a special propulsion device, which means that even if the sails and masts are damaged and cannot be used, the warship can still sail at a high speed at sea." Qiu Yuan proudly showed off "majesty" to Fei Cexian. "Class battleship performance.
Fei Cexian really couldn't imagine what kind of existence it would be to be able to maintain a high speed at sea without using wind power and manpower.This made him think of the rumor that the Haihan people used witchcraft, but thinking about it carefully, using witchcraft in naval battles sounds absurd.The Haihan people can build such a powerful warship, even without any so-called special propulsion device, they are already almost invincible at sea, so there is no need to rely on some illusory witchcraft to strengthen it.
But soon Qiu Yuan took the initiative to clarify this question: "There are rumors from the outside world that we will use witchcraft in combat. How ignorant and ignorant people would have such an idea. This is the most advanced shipbuilding and navigation in the world. A combination of techniques and advanced weapons! If Sir Fei is interested, we can go to the ship to have a look."
Of course, Fei Cexian was disrespectful to this, and Qiu Yuan led the way to board the "majestic" flagship.However, Qiu Yuan still followed the military rules and did not let Fei Cexian enter the ship for a visit, but just took a quick look at it on the deck.But even so, this ship still left a deep impression on Fei Cexian. While looking at it, he was also wondering how long it would take for Ming Dynasty to build a warship of the same level.
As if seeing through what Fei Cexian was thinking, Qiu Yuan said quite proudly: "As long as we don't transfer the manufacturing technology to this kind of advanced warship, Ming Dynasty won't be able to build it in another 100 years."
There is an emergency at home, this chapter is updated late, sorry!
(End of this chapter)