Chapter 58: Discussing Strategy
TL: Etude
Two days after receiving the distress letter, intelligence director Cecil laid out the information regarding the situation in Baylding and his analysis on the desk of Lord Paul.
Pauls brows furrowed after reading the letter. It seemed his friend was truly in peril, now under house arrest, waiting for the traitors to divide the spoils and pick an opportune day to stage an accident, just like his unfortunate father.
Cecil asked, If you wish to rescue Count Ganard, I can deploy all available personnel to Baylding and thoroughly investigate the traitors.
Paul stroked his chin, Whether to rescue him or not needs discussion with others. But its always good to gather intelligence first. Send someone for now.
Half a day later, Paul summoned the top military and political officials to his manor, presenting them with Malron Ganards plea for help.
Although the instances of vassals plotting to overthrow their lords werent common, they werent unheard of either. For example, it was rumored that the Kent family of neighboring Emden acquired their countship through dubious means. Hence, no one showed much surprise.
As the letter was passed around, the anxious Count mused, If my future reforms clash with the interests of those present, would they conspire against me?
While lost in thought, steward Ford asked, How do you plan to deal with this letter?
Paul replied, Cecil has already sent someone to Baylding to investigate the traitors. But I havent decided whether to rescue Malron immediately. If we do, Im unsure how to proceed, so I wanted to discuss it with everyone.
Bryce slammed the table, Count Ganard is your childhood friend and sworn brother! If you ignore him, people will scorn you.
Bryces blunt statement in public put Paul in a difficult position.
Paul, slightly embarrassed, said, I didnt say I wont save him. But we need to consider our capabilities, which is why I called for this discussion.
The concept of sworn brothers was akin to sworn siblings in ancient times. Malron and Paul, who got along well in childhood, became sworn brothers under their mothers arrangement.
Paul reflected on their early departed mothers, struggling to recall his mothers face in this life.
Steward Ford was relieved to see the young lord not blinded by pride from his victory over pirates, nor rashly starting an unwinnable war. Instead, he weighed the pros and cons and sought collective counsel, showing competence as a lord.
Stroking his white beard, Ford said, Abandoning your sworn brother is indeed improper, and rumors could tarnish your reputation. But we cant act recklessly. Remember, Lord Ganard is still in their hands.
And judging by the letter, the traitors havent realized their plot is exposed. If we openly march to rescue him, putting aside the outcome, what if we corner them and they harm Ganard?
Paul seized the opportunity, expressing his concern.
Ford continued, I have a suggestion. Your birthday is approaching, and you could send out invitations for a gathering of the nobles of the northwest.
Oh? Paul had forgotten his own birthday amidst his busy schedule.
Ill personally deliver the invitation to Ganard in Butuya. We need to confirm his safety. As your sworn brother, he must attend your birthday, regardless of any major issues. If he doesnt, it would be highly unusual. The traitors should have no reason to stop him, assuming they are still unaware of Ganard knowing their plot.
Hmm Paul was starting to grasp the idea.
Steward Ford stroked his beard and suggested, Once Count Ganard is on our territory, it will be easier. We can issue a proclamation in his name, calling upon the surrounding lords to suppress the rebellion.
Paul clapped his hand in agreement: Thats the plan. Maybe I should go there myself.
The people in the hall unanimously objected.
You must not risk yourself, my lord!
What if the traitors realize something?
Paul reluctantly abandoned the idea.
Soon, steward Ford departed with the invitations to Butuya, while Paul prepared for the possible war ahead.
With continuous recruitment of craftsmen and training of apprentices, the firearms manufacturing team had grown to 30 people. Through their efforts, the Alda army now possessed 60 muskets.
This number allowed Paul to experiment with tactics like volley fire to maintain continuous firepower.
However, Paul regretted that the technical challenges of the flintlock musket remained unsolved.
Firstly, the springs were difficult to manufacture. While not impossible, the success rate was too low, and a slightly weak spring wouldnt produce sparks.
Even if it did ignite, there was still the issue of gunpowder. The experimental flintlock muskets took over 3 seconds from trigger pull to firing because the flintlock could only produce a few sparks into the pan. If the gunpowder burned slowly, igniting the entire charge took time. And with such few sparks, gunpowder with low sensitivity wouldnt ignite at all.
Although both the matchlock and flintlock muskets used a touch hole to ignite the powder in the barrel, the matchlocks requirements for propellant were significantly lower, as its thick, burning cord could quickly ignite a large amount of powder and burn rapidly into the touch hole.
Solving this required high-quality, finely milled gunpowder, but manual grinding was too inefficient.
Paul was dissatisfied every time he saw soldiers practicing with their long match cords.
Matchlocks were greatly affected by weather, and the explosion of the priming powder could dislodge the match cord, risking ignition of the gunners and nearby soldiers powder. Therefore, musketeers had to maintain distance from each other, leading to sparser firing lines and less dense firepower.
Nevertheless, two developments comforted Paul. The first was the invention of socket bayonets, allowing musketeers some independence from pikemen. Fortunately, the current matchlocks werent as cumbersome as early Earth models, making bayonet usage feasible.
The second was the invention of cartridge ammunition using the newly developed paper. Paper cartridges, containing a lead ball and gunpowder and sealed with grease for moisture protection, were mass-produced. This improved loading speed and ensured precise control of the powder charge.
For heavier firepower, the successful experiment with 6-pound bronze cannons added them to Aldas military arsenal. So far, two had been made, along with four 4-pound cannons.
Beyond these large cannons, Paul also introduced a version of the Ming Dynastys tiger squat cannon.
This light cannon had a thin barrel and limited power, with a maximum range of 500 meters. However, it was highly mobile, carried by just two soldiers, and could fire at high angles with curved trajectories. Using large iron nails and front claws to anchor it to the ground, it fired grapeshot or stone fragments to inflict damage. Made of cast iron, it was extremely cost-effective.
As a weapon for close infantry support, it resembled later mortars. Thus, in this world, it was directly named a mortar.
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