dognovel Chapter 497 Equipment Update
Chapter 497 Equipment Update
In the spring of 1460, the military camp outside Helmingen was shrouded in morning mist.
In the central square of the military camp, the musketeers lined up in neat rows, waiting to receive their newly issued flintlock rifles.
The officers moved between the ranks, checking the soldiers' attire and equipment.
"Next row, step forward and get your guns!"
Following the instructor's shout, a team of musketeers marched forward in an orderly manner.
A young musketeer carefully took the weapon in his hand and looked at this new thing carefully.
The gun body shone with metallic luster in the morning light, and the black barrel was engraved with fine patterns. More importantly, this gun did not have a fuse, but was replaced by a metal sheet.
"Handle it carefully, this thing is very valuable."
The veteran next to him patted him on the shoulder with a meaningful smile on his face.
At this moment, a burly officer stood on a platform in front.
He held a baton and pointed at the flintlock rifles in the soldiers' hands.
"Attention all!"
The officer's booming voice echoed over the barracks.
"Today I would like to introduce to you the newest weapon of our Holy Helderland Kingdom - the Helderland Type 1 Flintlock Rifle!"
The soldiers immediately straightened their backs and looked at the platform intently.
The officer put down his baton, took a flintlock rifle from an assistant beside him, and began to explain in detail:
"Please look, this is a Helderland Type 18.3 flintlock rifle, with a caliber of 1.43 mm, a barrel length of 4.5 meters, and a total weight of kilograms."
As he spoke, he pointed to various parts of the gun:
"This gun uses a flint to collide with a metal anvil to produce sparks, and a spring drives the flint to hit the firing port to ignite the gunpowder, thus replacing the original matchlock. In other words, the step of fixing the matchlock is directly omitted. You only need to load the powder and then pull the trigger to fire."
The soldiers below the stage let out a low murmur of amazement. A tall and thin musketeer couldn't help but whisper:
"This is a good improvement. If this is the case, it will indeed save some time."
The officer seemed to have heard this muttering and deliberately raised his voice:
"Let me tell you, this new musket can fire 2 to 3 rounds per minute, which is three times as fast as the old matchlock musket!"
He paused and continued:
"At the same time, we added a closed gunpowder pool cover. This design allows the musket to be used normally even on rainy days, greatly increasing the ignition rate in bad weather."
An older officer stood aside and nodded thoughtfully:
"This is a good improvement. In the past, when it rained, the matchlock gun often couldn't be used because the gunpowder was damp."
As the explanation went on, the soldiers became more and more interested in the new weapons.
A young musketeer couldn't help but raise his hand and asked:
"Sir, is this gun really that powerful?"
The officer gave him an approving look and said, "Of course! I'll show you."
As he spoke, he skillfully loaded the gunpowder and bullets, and then pulled the trigger.
Accompanied by a crisp gunshot, a clear bullet hole was left on the target in the distance.
The soldiers exclaimed in amazement. The officer put down his musket and said solemnly:
"Okay, now come over in rows to get your ammunition, and then go to the shooting range to learn how to shoot. Remember, this new weapon requires you to learn how to use it carefully, and any improper operation may lead to danger."
The officer walked down from the platform and began to instruct the soldiers to collect ammunition.
At this time, in a corner of the military camp, several centurions were gathered together, pointing at the phalanx opposite them that was holding flintlock rifles.
"If it is true as he said, then this weapon will be directly popularized to the entire army."
An officer said, stroking his chin.
"uncertain."
Another officer with a thick beard shook his head:
"If a firearms unit doesn't have close combat support, it will be slaughtered when it encounters a large-scale cavalry unit. When we fought the Yoda people before, we suffered a lot from their heavy cavalry."
"I heard that this gun can be equipped with a bayonet, which is similar to a spear head."
A thin officer suddenly said.
This suggestion immediately sparked discussion. "Isn't that the same as a spear?"
Someone questioned.
"Then the spearman class will simply disappear in the future."
"And I heard that the cavalry has also started to equip this kind of weapon, it's called a carbine, it's just a section of the front barrel sawed off, but the range is still about 100 meters."
Another officer added.
Suddenly, a tall officer said casually:
"What do you think? Will the future be full of firearms? Will cold weapons like swords and knives be completely eliminated?"
This sentence was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples among the officers. Everyone stopped discussing and looked at the officer.
"I think it's very possible."
The bespectacled officer pushed up his glasses.
"At the current rate of development, firearms will only become more advanced."
"That's not necessarily the case."
the bearded officer retorted.
"No matter how advanced the firearms are, they still need soldiers to use them. Moreover, cold weapons still have their irreplaceable advantages in close combat."
"but..."
Just as the thin officer was about to speak, he was interrupted by the tall officer:
"Think about it, if the range and accuracy of firearms continue to improve, the cavalry's charging advantage will be weakened. At that time, the infantry only needs to stand still and shoot to repel the cavalry. What's the need for spearmen?"
This view caused a moment of contemplation. Indeed, with the development of weapons, the form of warfare is undergoing fundamental changes, and traditional melee arms may gradually become useless.
"But there is one more thing."
An officer hesitated and said:
"If the other side also has firearms, wouldn't it be like two teams standing still with guns and shooting at each other? That kind of fixed situation where you could be killed at any time would be a huge blow to morale."
"And this kind of organization requires more training and a more complex command system. Do you think our army can adapt to this change in a short period of time?"
"anyway."
The tall officer said:
"We all need to be prepared for change. The evolution of firearms is unstoppable and we must adapt to this trend."
The discussion lasted nearly an hour, with officers expressing their opinions and putting forward a variety of different views.
At this time, the sound of musketeers firing in unison came from a distance, interrupting the officers' discussion. They all looked towards the shooting range and saw the soldiers learning to use new weapons.
"No matter what the future holds."
The bearded officer murmured:
"Our soldiers all need to adapt to these new weapons as quickly as possible."