I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1158: Killing an egg against a stone
"What...what are those things?" On the flagship "Poseidon," a sharp-eyed Roman lookout asked in a trembling voice, pointing to the strange devices that had suddenly appeared.

Marcus and Tiberius looked in that direction, a chill running down their spines simultaneously. The metallic tubes gleamed coldly in the sunlight, unlike any naval defense equipment they knew—ballistas, catapults. An unease stemming from the unknown instantly gripped the two experienced fleet commanders.

"Could it be a Han Chinese tiger-squatting cannon?" Marcus wasn't very confident.

“No, I’ve heard of the Tiger Crouching Cannon. That thing is smaller than a ballista and can be pulled by a horse. It’s definitely not this huge thing.” Tiberius’s voice trembled.

"No matter who he is, he's no match for us!"

Marcus's heart pounded, but his long-held superstition of the Roman navy's invincibility overcame his unease.

He forced a calm demeanor, even with a hint of sarcasm: "We have a full eighty ships, what are we afraid of these few toys? Speed ​​up! Charge forward! Once they're within our firing range, unleash a concentrated attack and destroy them!"

Marcus's tactical thinking remained rooted in traditional naval warfare: the number of fixed fortifications was limited, and the range advantage was not significant (ships were equipped with ballistae and catapults). The only advantage was in accuracy, but the fleet had a huge advantage in maneuverability. As long as it could withstand one or two rounds of attacks and quickly break into the harbor, it could easily destroy everything with the firepower and fire attacks of the ship-borne siege weapons.

Unfortunately, he was facing Su Yao.

Standing atop the highest watchtower in the harbor, Su Yao gazed at the Roman fleet that had intruded into the death zone, his eyes as cold as frost. He didn't even bother to pick up his binoculars, but simply uttered two words to Guo Jia beside him:

"Fire."

The command flag was suddenly waved down.

In the next instant, the world changed color!
The first to roar were the twelve jet-black "General Cannons," cutting-edge technological achievements that Su Yao had ordered Luoyang Institute of Technology to tackle with all its might after unifying the country.

Thanks to systematic knowledge and years of continuously improved forging techniques, nearly a hundred such cannons are now deployed in major cities throughout the Han Dynasty.

However, its biggest problem is that it is not easy to carry, and Su Yao did not bring it at all during this western expedition.

However, as he captured Ctesiphon and began his great war against Rome, Su Yao ordered the Han Chinese artisans accompanying the army and the skilled craftsmen from Persia and Syria captured along the way to work day and night to renovate the workshops. Utilizing the high-quality copper resources and mature casting technology of the local area, they quickly and secretly replicated this batch of heavy cannons in Antioch!

Firstly, these cannons can be placed on the coast to serve as coastal defenses, and secondly, they can be mounted on warships in the future to enhance the ships' combat capabilities.

This time, the Great General Cannon made its debut and immediately displayed its great power.

Compared to the traditional catapults and ballistae with a maximum attack range of around 200 meters, the first-generation General Cannon could easily reach a range of 1000 meters.

Su Yao deliberately held back, waiting until the enemy's main force was within 400 meters, a range that the catapults could also reach, before suddenly launching his attack.

The result, naturally, is...
Boom! Boom boom boom—

Twelve crimson tongues of fire erupted from the muzzle of the General's Cannon, the deafening roar like the wrath of death, even causing the rock walls of Antioch harbor to tremble slightly.

The scorching shells, trailing thick smoke, traced an almost straight black path through the air, whistling as they tore through the air, and hurtled precisely towards the Roman fleet four hundred meters away!

Bang! Bang bang! In the first salvo, three shells achieved their objectives!
A lucky cannonball struck the side of a five-oared warship! The thick planks were pierced instantly, like paper, splinters flew everywhere, and a terrifying hole appeared near the waterline. Seawater rushed in, and the giant ship began to list at a visible speed!

Another shell grazed the bow of a trireme, smashing its massive ram and row of oars to pieces, causing the ship to veer off course and sideways.

The third shell landed a little further away, but it went straight for the formation of the group of light Libnian clippers.

The cannonball pierced straight through the hull, passing through two small boats before exploding into a towering column of water on the sea behind them. The massive shockwave capsized several small boats like toys!
"??!"

shocked.

Amidst cries of agony and pleas for help, Marcus, Tiberius, and other naval commanders stared in disbelief, but this was only the beginning.

Almost simultaneously with the roar of the general's cannons, the heavy counterweight catapults on the port towers also roared! These giant cannons, improved by Han army craftsmen and with a range and accuracy far exceeding those of similar Roman weapons, no longer launched ordinary stones, but "fire-thunder shells" filled with oil and coated with bitumen!
Dozens of blazing fireballs streaked across the sky, raining down on the center and rear of the Roman fleet like a meteor shower!
Boom! Crack!

A trireme was struck directly on the deck by a fireball, instantly turning into a giant torch. The sailors and soldiers screamed as they became human torches and jumped into the sea. The sails of another ship were set ablaze, and the fire spread rapidly.

After one round of attacks, the fleet's formation began to fall into uncontrollable chaos.

"How is this possible?!" Tiberius stood on the bridge, his face turning deathly pale.

He watched as the iron ball easily pierced the strongest part of the warship ahead. This destructive power was unmatched by any Roman siege weapon—even their heaviest catapults could only crack the ship's planks with huge stones, and could never penetrate it in one shot!
"Hold on! Row faster! Charge forward! Fire back at them with the ballistae!"

Marcus roared hoarsely on the flagship, trying to regain his footing. He, too, couldn't understand how those weapons fixed on the shore could have such a long range and such terrifying power; it completely overturned his understanding of port warfare!

But he knew his mission, and he also knew that the heavier and more powerful the weapon, the slower its reloading would be.

Charge forward; once they get through, they can launch a fierce counterattack with firepower far exceeding that of the enemy.

So the Roman sailors, enduring immense fear, rowed frantically, using all their strength to try and get within range of their attack.

It must be said that their understanding was actually not bad. Not to mention the catapult that required dozens of people to operate, if Su Yao's coastal defense gun was indeed the early pre-loading general cannon, then it would indeed take several minutes to load, which would be enough for them to launch a sharp counterattack.

Unfortunately, Su Yao, being a time traveler, naturally couldn't afford to waste the advanced technology and repeat the mistakes of the past.

boom! Boom boom! ! !

In just under a minute, the second salvo roared once again!

This time, the artillery fire was even more precise, sweeping across the vanguard of the Roman fleet like the scythe of death!

One shell even flew precisely towards their iconic flagship, the "Poseidon."
(End of this chapter)