Chapter 3421
The Elite Who Refused to Help
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Looking at the boats moored beside the Ganges and the soldiers unloading crates of goods from them, Kailash shook his head in satisfaction.
What is efficiency? This is efficiency!
The equipment sent from the rear arrives at the shore and is unloaded immediately, so there is less pressure for them to distribute it now.
"Are all these dozen or so ships equipment?" Kailash turned to look at Kanak and asked in a lighthearted tone.
Although the number of troops fighting on the front lines is in the hundreds of thousands, the armor on these dozen or so ships certainly cannot meet the needs of all the soldiers, but it should be able to arm tens of thousands of them.
Our own elite troops already possessed light armor and leather armor, which provided considerable protection. It was just that the newly promoted elite troops lacked corresponding armor. Now that the armor has arrived, it can naturally be distributed to them one by one.
As long as the combat troops fight bravely and change the morale of the soldiers, they should be able to wear armor when facing the Han army later.
Of course, whether you wear armor to fight, complete the elite promotion, or wear the corresponding armor after completing the elite promotion depends entirely on how many pieces of armor you have this time.
If the quantity is large, then naturally one won't care about a little consumption and wear and tear; if the quantity is small, then of course one should use it sparingly.
“That’s right, the supplies loaded on these dozen or so ships are all equipment.” Kanak shook his head on the spot, confirming the information Kailash had asked for.
However, during this confirmation process, Karnak's expression was not friendly, nor could it be described as joyful.
Kailash glanced at Kanak with some surprise, not understanding why the other man had that expression.
The equipment and armor sent from the rear have strengthened the defensive and combat capabilities of our legion. Isn't that a good thing?
Without a second thought, Kailash, along with the other legion commanders, quickly approached the ship, ignoring the soldiers carrying supplies, and went straight to the boxes that hadn't been moved yet.
He reached out and grabbed the box, which was fairly well sealed, and saw the equipment inside.
"What is this?" After opening the box himself, Kailash looked at the equipment inside, reached in and touched it, then picked up the piece of armor along the edge.
As the armor was removed from the box and exposed to the sun, the generals, who had been elated, instantly wilted like eggplants, watching the scene with a cold expression, their smiles vanishing.
The armor that comes into view may not necessarily be considered armor.
“I thought they were Patuo armored soldiers like the Han army, but I didn’t expect them to be these bamboo armors…” Abaz spoke much softer as he looked at the bamboo armor in Kailash’s hand.
In the past, Abaz would not have reacted or spoken like this to bamboo armor; he would have treated it normally.
As a distinctive feature of the Ganges River basin and a type of armor under the Brahmanical system, bamboo armor is one such form of armor.
Similar to bamboo armor, there is also rattan armor, both of which are protective gear under the southern Brahmanical system.
Bamboo armor has many advantages: it is easy to find local materials, has low cost, short production time, and is also very resilient when woven, which can deflect blades to a certain extent and absorb some blunt force.
As for its drawbacks, its pure frontal defense is insufficient and it becomes brittle easily. Once it breaks or has gaps, its overall defensive capabilities will drop significantly. Without special treatment, it is also susceptible to insect infestation and corrosion if stored for a long time. However, for Kailash and his companions at present, this is not a concern at all.
Given the quality and defensive capabilities of bamboo armor, it remains to be seen whether it can withstand the attacks and damage from corresponding weapons after it actually enters the battlefield.
In comparison, rattan armor is stronger than bamboo armor, has better preservation, and superior defense. It also offers better protection and deflection capability against piercing attacks.
The disadvantages are that it requires a lot of oil to soak, the manufacturing time is long, and it is not easy to prevent fire, etc.
"No wonder they were able to provide so much armor in such a short time, it turns out it's bamboo armor." Kailash's eyes dimmed a little, but he quickly cheered up and said excitedly, "But having so much bamboo armor is a good thing. At least the soldiers' protection has increased, and they are in a better state to perform to their full potential."
As for how much defensive capability the bamboo armor could actually provide, that was beyond the scope of everyone's concern.
If it can withstand the blades of the Han army, then it's good armor; if it can't, then there's nothing that can be done—they've already done their best.
Passa, in particular, was well aware of this situation, especially since it was the one that sent out this batch of equipment.
Brahmins do indeed know how to manufacture and have the ability to manufacture fully armed Patraka warrior armor.
The Brahmins had no shortage of tools, craftsmen, or raw materials.
However, the current internal strife and infighting within the Brahman sect has resulted in a large number of orders being unable to be issued, and the corresponding craftsmanship has almost come to a standstill.
Even if the order were reissued to resume operations, it would be impossible to complete the manufacture of armor for hundreds of thousands of soldiers in such a short period of time.
To manufacture armor and equipment for hundreds of thousands of troops, even with an expansion of manpower, it would likely take two to three years under the current manufacturing system.
Therefore, time is of utmost importance. The longer they can delay the attack of the Han Empire's army, the stronger their fighting power will be, and the more obvious the effect of transforming national resources into actual combat power will be.
If the Brahmins can hold out for a few years and complete their internal purges, they will be able to make the Han Empire understand that true Brahman warfare technology is something that no one can ignore.
"It's not just about buying time for Commander Rahul, but also about buying time for the Empire..." Pasa, understanding his purpose, looked at Lidas in front of him and said softly.
“Nylane refused, saying that the war here had nothing to do with him, and that he only needed to defend Varanasi according to the previous agreement.” Lydas, who had failed to persuade him, put his helmet aside, his words tinged with dejection.
"No relation at all? As arrogant as ever. But then again, the other party has that kind of strength." Pasa, who had already prepared for similar thoughts and preparations, simply shook his head calmly when he heard that Nilanjan was unwilling to help.
Nilanjan's unwillingness to lend a hand was indeed part of the agreement.
By ignoring the conflict between the North and the South and choosing to notify the other side, Pasa was not asking Nilanjan to help them, but rather to prepare Nilanjan to be on guard and ready to notify the Yuezhi people to move south at any time.
The land west of Varanasi is not only the core region within the Brahmanical system, but also the granary of the north. If something were to happen to it, everyone would suffer. (End of Chapter)