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Chapter 1183 Mountain War 2
Knowing that the search team was likely to be attacked, Hong Tao remained calm. It was not because he was confident of victory, but because there was no point in being anxious. If he sent people to rescue them now, not only would they not be able to save anyone, but they might also lose more people.

Army soldiers were equipped with needle rifles and revolvers. Grenades were temporarily distributed in limited quantities. If you only encountered a small number of enemies or beasts, you could use rifles and revolvers to deal with them. There was no need to use grenades.

If they were used, it only meant that there were too many enemies and the speed of reloading the breech-loader was not enough, so they would most likely not be able to hold out until reinforcements arrived. Their casualties were normal consumption, so we only needed to think about post-war commendations and pensions, and make sure no one was missed.

The most important thing right now is not to save people, but to figure out how to fight this battle. Whether the thousands of soldiers who are still alive can continue to live depends on whether the commander's head will not be confused.

"Hehehe, then he has finally run into trouble. Your Majesty is wise!" After listening to the emperor's analysis, Lei Lao Hu grinned obscenely, like a weasel that has stolen a chicken.

He loved mountain warfare very much, because in the war zones under the jurisdiction of several major military governors in the north, mountains and plateaus were very common, and his army was trained as mountain troops more than half of the time.

When it comes to landing battles, they are not as good as the Marine Corps; when it comes to jungle warfare, they are not as good as their southern counterparts; the only thing they can say with confidence is mountain warfare, especially the bare earth and stone mountains, which are essentially no different from many places in the north of the Ming Dynasty.

When the troops were mobilized, everyone was wondering why the emperor only chose from several northern military governors, and did not move any of the troops in the south and overseas territories. The cost-effectiveness had already been taken into account.

Didn't the ancients say that planning in the tent can win the battle thousands of miles away? The emperor not only fully achieved this, but also made plans thousands of miles away, which must be worthy of praise for his wisdom.

"Then my warrior camp..." Hong Tao also felt that this comment was well deserved, and accepted it with a clear conscience. But there was one thing that needed to be communicated, who would take on the main attack mission.

"Of course, the army will be the main force. Your Majesty, don't worry. The students will present the battle plan within two hours. It will be foolproof!" Upon hearing this, the smirk on Lei Lao Hu's face immediately disappeared, and he took on the responsibility with absolute certainty, leaving no room for maneuver.

If the Warrior Battalion was allowed to charge into battle, even if the battle was won, the Army would not be able to look good. It was not just a matter of face, the generals and soldiers would also curse their commander-in-chief for his incompetence. The Warrior Battalion took all the credit, so why did everyone run so far with them?

"Wait... take my handwritten order to Zhao En and ask him to teach the army leading the charge how to use rifle grenades. I am thinking that the different color of the land seen by the lookout is not entirely due to the reflection of sunlight.

The Ottomans are good at digging, and they may have dug trenches or caves in the mountains, hoping to take advantage of the terrain to resist stubbornly. With rifle grenades and hand grenades, it will be easier for the soldiers to attack. "

Not allowing the Warrior Battalion to participate in mountain warfare was exactly what Hong Tao intended. These carefully selected elite soldiers had their main job to protect their own safety. It would be enough to practice their skills and tactics through occasional actual combat. There was no need to fight the enemy desperately, as that would be too unprofitable.

However, it is necessary to share the weapons used by the Warrior Battalion. The more times they are used, the more flaws they will reveal. After the battle is over and the troops return to the capital, if no fatal flaws are found, double-barreled rifles, rifle grenades, and hand grenades can be mass-produced and equipped to the troops on a large scale.

"Oh, this is another huge expense. My treasury may not be safe again!" But looking at Lei Lao Hu's brisk back, Hong Tao couldn't be happy at all. Having more advanced weapons is of course a good thing, which can make combat more efficient and reduce casualties of our soldiers. But with the upgrading of weapons, the manufacturing and maintenance costs have also risen.

The manufacturing cost of the copper shell of the shotgun alone is more than ten times higher than that of the paper shell of the previous shotgun. The body of the grenade is not expensive, but the fuse still has to be made of copper. For this item alone, this year's military budget is obviously not enough for mass production, and the shortfall has to be made up from the internal treasury.

"Your Majesty, why not come to Thang Long Mansion again? I have observed these days that the temples and monks here are all very wealthy. I heard that the glitter on the spire is not gold powder, but real gold, which is thicker than the material of the copper kettle!

I also heard from the guide in Ramadi that Damascus is the richest city. Since ancient times, wars have always been common. The army fights in the front, and I lead the warriors to disguise and follow behind to rob and leave. Afterwards, the blame is put on the defenders. I believe they will find it difficult to defend themselves clearly. "

Hearing the emperor's lament, Wang Chengen's eyes turned and a plan came to his mind. And it was not just a casual mention, he really volunteered to share the emperor's worries.

"…They can all rob, so why can't I! Go tell Lei Lao Hu to send someone to collect the enemy's clothes and send them all back to me as I have other uses for them!" If someone else had said something like instigating the emperor to let his soldiers rob, Hong Tao would have to doubt his intentions.

But Wang Chengen is an exception! He has been on the throne for more than 30 years. If anyone is willing to share the same mind with him, this eunuch is the first choice. He is sincere and never hesitates when doing things. He does not form cliques. He always executes what he says, even if it offends everyone.

As for whether his idea was feasible, Hong Tao thought about it hard and it seemed that there was nothing wrong with it.

Damascus has a very special status in the Arab world. It is neither a Shiite stronghold nor a traditional Sunni controlled area. Because it has been ruled by too many ethnic groups and regimes in history, it has become a mixed race, leaning against neither side.

The Ming army basically did not enter a series of cities along the way, such as Fao, Basra, and Baghdad, and did not plunder local wealth. This was to avoid making enemies with the locals and to define this war as a fight between two regional hegemons.

The city of Damascus did not seem to have such concerns. The guide said that in addition to Ottoman merchants, there were also merchants from Egypt, North Africa, Greece, Venice, and even Europe. On the contrary, the Arab merchants were the weakest.

Wang Chengen was right. Who could blame the Ming army for robbing during the war? In fact, as long as the Ming army won, the Ottoman defeated soldiers would be the ones who were allowed to rob. The losers had no say.

But after all, it was a robbery, so it couldn't be done too blatantly, and some preparation was still needed. Moreover, this job couldn't be handed over to the army, as it was a taboo to let soldiers develop the habit of robbery. Once it happened, it would happen again, so the Warrior Battalion and the Cuju Team guards had work to do again.

(End of this chapter)