Chapter 848 The Fortress is Useless (Third Update, Please Subscribe)

The midday sun was shining softly on the earth, and the Uruguay River was flowing quietly. Several huge white water birds on the water suddenly dived into the river, leaving some ripples on the water. Soon, they flew out from the water more than ten meters away, holding the prey they had just caught in their mouths.

There were also a few ducks going in and out of the river bank, diving into the water from time to time to look for small fish.

Even in this seemingly peaceful tranquility, we can see the basic law of nature - the survival of the fittest.

In the reed marshes along the river bank, on hundreds of motor transport boats, soldiers armed with rifles were quietly waiting for orders.

At 10 o'clock in the morning, with an order given, on the west bank of the Uruguay River, hundreds of motor transport boats sailed towards the Uruguay Province from all directions. Twenty minutes later, around 10:30 in the morning, the Ming Empire army finally set foot on this land.

There was no resistance during the attack - the Ming army avoided the fortresses on the banks of the Uruguay River.

After landing, the engineers immediately started to build a temporary trestle for the landing of the large troops. The landing troops moved towards the target as planned. It was not until this time that the Uruguayans were surprised to find that the Ming army had entered the Uruguay Province.

"The Ming army is coming!"

When the telegram reached the Fray Bentos Fortress, the Brazilian troops guarding it had already learned of the declaration of war between the two countries.

"Everyone, get ready for battle. Keep an eye on the targets on the river. The Ming Empire has declared war on us!"

Colonel Xias, the commander of the fortress, seemed very calm when he issued the order. He was not worried about the defense of the fortress at all.

Although the fortress was built as early as the 18th century, it is not an old fortress. After Brazil occupied Uruguay, the Brazilian military specially purchased several ten-inch Armstrong cannons to strengthen the fortress's defense.

"As long as we hold here, the Ming army will never be able to enter the Uruguay River!"

Just as Colonel Xias was speaking so conceitedly, eighteen 280mm siege guns were lined up in a row in the woods on the other side of the Uruguay River.

"Reload!"

Loud shouts rang out from the positions of the Third Heavy Artillery Battalion. The shells lying flat on the ground were then pushed to the bottom of the shell hoisting rack by the ammunition handlers using a cart. The 200-kilogram shells were clamped by the lifting clamps, and the ammunition handlers who operated the heavy lifting ropes immediately pulled the ropes, and the heavy shells were immediately lifted and sent to the loading pulleys.

The loading of heavy artillery shells is cumbersome. The sturdy loading rod is used to push the shells into the barrel of the siege gun, and the propellant and priming bags are loaded one after another. After the loading is completed, the short and thick barrel of the siege gun is once again raised up, pointing directly at the somewhat gloomy sky.

Then the gunners just stood there quietly waiting for orders to be given.

"put!"

Finally, with an order from the artillery battalion commander, bursts of earth-shaking artillery fire rang out from the siege artillery position, and the fierce sound even shook the earth.

Ten thirty!

The deafening artillery sound in the rear made Ivanov unable to help but look back. Although he could not see anything, as a Russian observer, he still looked over there. Soon, he set his sights on the fortress in front.

Compared with the Ming army's attack, what was Ivanov more concerned about?

Of course it is the fortress in front of us!

fortress!

As an officer of the Russian Empire, Ivanov knew very well what the biggest threat they faced in the war with Turkey was? It was the fortresses, those fortresses equipped with cannons and Gatling guns!

In the past ten years, Ming Dynasty's arsenal has made Gatling machine guns very cheap, and fortresses in countries around the world are equipped with large numbers of Gatling machine guns.

Machine guns and cannons were enough to stop anyone from attacking the fortress. Now, he would witness here how the Ming army conquered this fortress with 32 machine guns and 78 cannons.

"I hope it will be as easy as General Liang said - we can take it down with just one charge!"

Just as General Liang Wu's words in the headquarters popped up in his mind, Ivanov heard a whistling sound above his head, a bit like a train whistle, earth-shaking and shocking.

A moment later, Ivanov at the observation post saw eighteen huge columns of smoke rising above the fortress. The huge smoke columns went straight into the sky, even reaching hundreds of meters high.

In the black smoke, the rubble and broken limbs were thrown hundreds of meters away, and the fortress hit by the shells collapsed like a toy.

The 280mm siege gun is a weapon unique to the Ming Empire. Its original intention was to conquer fortresses and strong cities. It fires 240kg shells that are armor-piercing and destructive shells with delayed fuses. They can not only penetrate heavy armor, but also penetrate concrete up to one meter thick, and then explode inside the fortress.

It was through the introduction of this siege gun that Russia gave them the confidence to capture the fortress. Now Ivanov certainly hopes to witness its power with his own eyes.

Its power is extremely amazing!

After a round of artillery fire, when the wind off the river blew away the smoke above the fortress, he saw that the once intact fortress had become dilapidated, with several collapses in the thick stone walls.

“It seems to be quite complete.”

But this was not a problem at all. The bombardment continued. In the next two hours, 18 siege guns continuously poured siege shells at the fortress. One shell after another was like a battering ram, hitting the fortress again and again. The bastion-type fortress built with bricks and stones seemed very solid, but under the action of the siege guns, the fortress was like tofu and was completely destroyed.

Ivanov was stunned when he saw the fortress turned into ruins through the smoke. Seeing his surprised expression, Captain Li Xiangqian said with a smile.

"How is it? Major, our artillery is okay, right?"

"It is possible there, it is clearly the Fortress Destroyer!"

Ivanov said a little excitedly.

"Any fortress is vulnerable in front of them. Haha, I suddenly feel a little sympathetic towards them. Under such bombardment, even the strongest fortress would find it difficult to hold on."

Just as he finished speaking, Ivanov heard a buzzing sound coming from the air. Having been in Ming Dynasty for several years, he knew what that sound was without asking.

It was an airship. Several airships were seen flying towards the fortress in the distance. The airships were not fast and were about a thousand meters high. The Brazilian soldiers guarding the fort had not yet recovered from the bombardment by the time the airships flew over their heads.

The fierce bombardment that lasted for two hours not only destroyed the fortress, but also destroyed their will. Those who survived the bombardment were all looking around in the ruins in despair, as if until now, they could not believe that the ruins before their eyes were their fortress.

"how so……"

Colonel Shias looked around blankly, looking at the soldiers who were like zombies in the ruins. They stood there in despair, totally at a loss.

Is this a fortress?

Yes, that's right, but when would the fortress be destroyed like this?

"Sir, our fortress is completely destroyed..."

Shias turned to look at the adjutant, only to hear him say again.

"We didn't even see the Ming people there..."

(End of this chapter)