Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World

Chapter 282:

Early in April, the Alda Navy initiated reconnaissance efforts on both land and water along the upper reaches of the Weiss River. However, for waterborne reconnaissance, they used oar-and-sail vessels, disguised as ordinary merchants. It was crucial to gather information on water levels and siltation. Otherwise, there was a risk of the larger military ships, carrying nearly twenty cannons and hundreds of sailors, running aground.

The navy thoroughly scouted the ports along the river. Based on this acquired information, the staff department, after multiple considerations, eventually chose a place named Fish Tail Town.

The lord of Fish Tail Town was a viscount named Soro Carter, originally a vassal of the Ferdinand family but now loyal to Marltz Kent—publicly known as Marltz Ferdinand.

Viscount Carter was aware that he could become a target of the Alda Navy, especially since the Alda’s recent suppression of pirates demonstrated their significant naval strength. The idea of them advancing up the Weiss River was logical.

Thus, after the outbreak of war between the two major factions in the Northwest Bay, he fortified the town’s defenses, repaired the walls, trained the militia, and somehow acquired four ballistae.

Nevertheless, the staff department still chose this location because it had the most developed dock facilities, adequate for unloading various supplies. The Alda army’s logistical demands were significantly higher than those of other contemporary armies.

In June, increased rainfall swelled the Weiss River, and the seasonal winds from the sea provided ample power for the sail warships. After over a week of intense preparation, the Second and Third Fleets, comprising sixteen ships with two infantry battalions, set sail. The navy’s fleet included four sail warships and twelve oar-and-sail vessels, some from the navy itself and others requisitioned from civilians. Including the sailors, the first wave of the expedition had over 1,600 personnel.

As Operation Tyrant was about to commence, Alda’s aid supplies also reached Fort Bidou with Derrick.

“How could he… how could he do this? Grayman is utterly outrageous.”

“How could he transport the goods here without everyone’s consent? How much money will this cost?”

What truly angered him was Paul’s unilateral decision to use the weapons and armor from “Northwest Industry,” intended for export, for their cause.

Hearing Count Malron’s words, everyone in the hall was dumbfounded.

Count Price Parker remarked, “Ahem, given the urgency, it’s understandable why Count Grayman acted this way. With these arms, defending Fort Bidou will be much easier.”

He turned to Derrick, “So, we just need to hold out for two weeks, right?”

Derrick confirmed, “That’s what Count Grayman said, unless… unless the Alda army’s operation up the Weiss River fails.”

People began to pray silently.

Count Parker encouraged everyone, “Cheer up, gentlemen. After all, we now have four cannons!”

Mention of the cannons lit up everyone’s eyes. Grayman had sent such powerful weapons to them. Remembering their impressive performance in the last Battle of Fort Bidou was exciting.

Four cannons had arrived, and since the Heller, Parker, Malron, and Johnston families contributed the most troops, each received one cannon. The smaller lords could only envy them.

“Boom!”

On the ramparts of Fort Bidou, Alda’s artillery instructors were teaching the allied soldiers how to operate the cannons.

The cannons provided to the allies, even by Alda army standards, were a new type—subcannons, known in another timeline as “Frankish cannons,” which were mass-produced in the Ming Dynasty after being introduced from Portugal.

These were iron, breech-loading, smoothbore cannons, consisting of three parts: the barrel, the breech, and the subcannon. Powder and projectiles were pre-packed in the subcannon. During firing, the subcannon was placed into the breech, and after firing, it was replaced with another, ready-to-fire subcannon. As the charge and projectile were pre-packed, this greatly increased the firing rate compared to older muzzle-loading cannons.

Therefore, Paul gave it another name – the “Rapid-Fire Cannon.”

However, due to technical limitations, Alda’s cannon-casting artisans were unable to resolve the issue of large gaps between the subcannon and the breech, resulting in significant leakage of gunpowder gases. This meant that the rapid-fire cannon had a relatively short range, only about 300 meters, and due to its complex mechanism, it could only be made in smaller sizes.

A total of twenty subcannons were supplied with the four rapid-fire cannons, enough to maintain a considerable period of ‘uninterrupted firepower.’

The allied soldiers crowded on the city walls to watch the lucky ones chosen to operate the legendary “Thunder Hammer.” With each booming shot, the walls echoed with exclamations and admiration. The sheer power of the cannons firing was indeed intimidating.

Teaching these novices how to estimate distances and calculate the cannon’s elevation angle in a short time was impossible. Even in the Alda army, most relied on the gunners’ experience and intuition.

Therefore, the Alda instructors first had the artillerymen fire at different angles and then measure the distance from the impact point to the castle. They marked the impact points with conspicuous circles of white lime, serving as reference points for rapid aiming once the battle commenced.

On the morning of June 3rd, figures from the Kent army appeared on the plains outside Fort Bidou. The castle was abuzz, and the defenders rushed to the walls, preparing nervously for battle.

“It looks like they’ve brought more than 8,000 men this time.”

“My goodness, it seems Marltz is determined to take us down.”

The lords whispered among themselves, each frowning deeply. The garrison in the fort numbered over 2,000, far fewer than the enemy.

“Oh! What are those big things?”

…

Jace watched the fortress ahead with a triumphant and vengeful satisfaction. The previous battle at Fort Bidou had left him with an unforgettable humiliation, rendering his subsequent victories unable to ease his mind.

“Today, I can finally wash away the disgrace, right at the place where it began…!”

He clenched his fists tightly.

A figure wrapped in a cloak spoke softly beside him, “My lord Viscount, since it’s a siege, my men will only provide support.”

Jace nodded with a smile, “Alright, Captain Doug! But when we advance to the wall, we still need your longbows to suppress the enemy.”

The cloaked figure nodded.

Jace gestured, “Hasten the preparation of our ‘Thunder Hammers’!”

Six massive objects were slowly pushed towards Fort Bidou by the soldiers.

They were six huge trebuchets.

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