Chapter 805 You have the vanguard, I have high technology (Second update, please subscribe)
Alexander Expedition of the British Empire!
When Earl Henry Herbert gave a speech in the British Parliament saying that "the empire has no end", the Ming Dynasty also received intelligence. Almost on the day when Lieutenant Colonel Henry Plain led the army to set out, the Ming Dynasty merchants in Cape Town sent out the news in the form of "news".
This is just a piece of news, not intelligence.
So, this isn't espionage in any way, it's just normal news reporting.
Well, in many cases, so-called journalists are spies, especially between countries.
This "news report" soon reached the Ming Dynasty and was delivered to Emperor Zhu. Faced with the upcoming British expedition, generals such as Sun Hu and Liang Shan soon arrived at the battle map room of the imperial palace.
"Time. In order to ensure that we can get ahead in time, the General Staff's plan is not to use cars to advance quickly. Even if we send the cars over now, it will take time, and we also need to consider a series of issues such as fuel. Of course, more importantly, the desert along the way will also limit the use of cars. Considering the guide and other reasons, the land advance will definitely be full of problems..."
Standing in front of the map, Zhao Shiji emphasized the many shortcomings of the original plan. This chief of staff of the Ming Dynasty was the first military student studying abroad in the Ming Dynasty. He was a student personally selected by Emperor Zhu. The reason for choosing him was that in the long-term simulation of rescuing Chinese workers in gold mines, Zhao Shiji was the most militarily talented person around him. In the long-term guerrilla warfare, he had always been Zhu Xianhai's most important staff officer, but he discovered it a little too late.
After that simulation, Emperor Zhu sent him to Prussia to study military affairs as early as 1861. After returning to China in 1864, he was not forced to improve. After years of training, it was not until two years ago that this unknown army colonel was promoted to chief of staff of the Ming Dynasty.
“So, we decided to change our original plan.”
When he finished speaking, Zhao Shiji said to Li Berg.
"Deputy Commander Li, please introduce the operational plan of the General Staff!"
"The plan of the General Staff is to use airships in this operation - that is, to drop our men on the northern frontier of the Cape Colony within five days by airships..."
The report of Li Haisen, the German-born deputy chief of staff, made Emperor Zhu very appreciative.
"Well, use airships to drop troops into the target area! This will be the first airborne operation in human history! This new way of fighting will change the course of the war!"
As he spoke, there was a hint of longing in Emperor Zhu's expression.
After taking an airship to France to attend Na San's funeral, Emperor Zhu had been brewing an idea in his mind - to use airships to carry out airdrop operations. In the past few years, the army commandos directly under the General Staff have been conducting experiments in this regard.
What about parachute airdrops and vertical rope descents? In a word, for the current Ming Dynasty, airships are both transport planes and helicopters!
After learning that Britain was trying to "seize Africa", the General Staff discussed it for several times and decided to carry out this operation in Africa. As long as it could be successfully implemented, this operation would be a breakthrough in military tactics.
Although in another world, the use of helicopters for airborne operations was already very common as early as the 1960s, it was still the first time in this era. Moreover, an airship was used and it was necessary to cross the ocean. Emperor Zhu, who understood the great risks involved, thought about it and said.
"There's no problem with safety, right?"
Even Emperor Zhu himself had once made an airship to cross the Atlantic Ocean to Europe. However, one must be cautious in military operations. After all, there is nothing wrong with being cautious in military matters.
"no problem!"
Chief of Staff Zhao Shiji replied.
"Strictly speaking, our field operation is not an airborne operation. How should we put it? It should be a rope descent. After the airship arrives at the destination, the guide will first use the rope to descent. Then they will use the mooring rope and sandbags to fix the airship so that it can hover vertically. The officers and soldiers on board can use the rope to rappel down from the airship to the ground."
Rope descent… This was of course invented by Emperor Zhu. Even if you haven’t eaten pork, you have seen pigs walk. He also watched “Black Hawk Down” several times, and his memory of some of the plots is very deep. For example, the rope descent of a helicopter. Even the reason why Emperor Zhu thought of using an airship as a helicopter was inspired by those military movies.
"And what about the landing field?"
"Although there is no suitable landing site, as long as there is an open area, we can implement rappelling, and based on past training, there is no problem at all."
In fact, the reason why Emperor Zhu asked so many questions was because he was also a layman when it came to airship landing. Although this tactic was created under his leadership, and although airborne operations were very common in later generations, they were all carried out using airplanes, helicopters, and gliders. Using airships to carry out airborne operations was not even written about in science fiction novels.
Not to mention that it is far beyond the imagination of people of this era.
Even Emperor Zhu was very unfamiliar with it!
However, no matter how unfamiliar it was, of course he had to use the advanced equipment. After thinking for a while, Emperor Zhu asked specifically.
"What about firepower? How are our light machine guns doing?"
The so-called light machine gun is the "heavy machine gun" designed by Liu Qingen. Compared with the Gatling gun, it is definitely light. When Emperor Zhu learned that there were still some problems with the machine gun that had not been solved, he had to give up and said.
"Well, the airborne troops must be prepared for a tough fight. We don't know what kind of enemy we will face in that area, and we don't know whether the British will open fire on our people. But if the war starts, we must not show mercy!"
After thinking for a while, Emperor Zhu said specifically.
"We can't just consider airships. I think we can also consider cars and send motorized troops over. Don't the British want us to compete in speed? Well, then, I will show them the power of technology!"
What is the power of technology?
Airships represent the power of technology, and so do cars!
What is the Ming Dynasty most proud of?
These are the epoch-making technologies that the Ming Dynasty currently possesses, and it is these technologies that enable the Ming Dynasty’s army to use epoch-making technical equipment and fight in a epoch-making manner.
As soon as they appear, they will definitely blind the British people's eyes!
"Your Majesty, the desert terrain is not suitable for cars, and we don't even have a simple map!"
Zhao Shiji reminded again,
"In the absence of a guide, I do not think that sending out motorized troops is the best option. I suggest that after the airship troops enter the border, Ximen Longsheng can lead the "African Corps" Southwest Africa Expeditionary Force to the former Southwest Africa and let them carry out the first phase of expeditionary operations."
Why let Ximen Longsheng and the African Legion go...Without a map, without a guide, and without anything, of course they have to use the Imperial supplies!
What are the uses of Imperial Consumables?
Isn't it used to explore the way?
It's used for sacrifice.
"Well, this is a very good idea!"
Emperor Zhu laughed.
"You guys just make the military plan..."
(End of this chapter)
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