Emperor Ming's grandson

Chapter 311: Heavy Machine Gun Appears

On the morning of the decisive battle, the air in the Nara Basin was filled with tension.

The soldiers of the Ming army were cooking in the camp, and the smoke rising up echoed with the smoke from the shogunate army's camp in the distance.

The cooks were busy cooking food. Simple rice porridge with shredded meat, rice cakes and other dry food became the main breakfast for the soldiers.

To be honest, the Ming army's food treatment was quite good. At least there was enough carbohydrates and some meat. It might not be particularly healthy and balanced, but after eating, they had enough strength to wield swords and guns.

"I don't know if the Japanese on the other side have any good tricks to deal with our firearms this time." A soldier talked with his comrades while eating.

"Humph, what weapon in the world can be more powerful than our muskets? The last time you were at sea, I saw with my own eyes our muskets firing row after row, and the armor of those warriors was like paper." Another soldier responded disdainfully.

"That being said, we can't be careless. I heard that the shogunate army is coming out in full force this time, and the bandit leader Ashikaga Yoshimitsu has brought all his troops with him."

"No matter how many soldiers they bring, we have firearms in our hands, so why should we be afraid of them? After we have eaten our fill, we will teach these pirates a lesson!"

The conversations of the Ming army soldiers were full of confidence in the upcoming decisive battle.

Because they knew very well how powerful the firearms currently equipped by the Ming army were.

The latest model has a range nearly twice as far as five years ago and is even more accurate.

It can be said that compared with five years ago, this is a complete transformation!
"How did our artillery perform in the last battle?"

Among the nearly 40,000 Ming troops, 30,000 were later arrivals and had not experienced the battle outside Yoshino Castle. Therefore, they were not clear about the actual performance of the new artillery on the battlefield, so discussion was inevitable at this time. Of course, it was more out of the subtle psychological desire to cheer themselves up before the war, just like students getting together before an exam to ask about the difficulty of the test paper.

"Cannons? Hey, that's a real shock!" The soldier from before became even more proud. "Our cannons can now fire not only solid bullets, but also shrapnel bullets. Once they explode, the power is so strong that it can turn an area into scorched earth. If the shogunate army dares to confront them head-on, it would be like an egg hitting a stone - they are overestimating their own capabilities!"

The surrounding soldiers laughed upon hearing this, and they became more confident and expectant about the upcoming decisive battle.

In recent years, the Ming Dynasty has been gradually changing the battlefield situation by acquiring technology and then making achievements in firearms manufacturing, which has also enabled their combat effectiveness to achieve a qualitative leap.

At the same time, the shogunate army's camp was also a busy scene.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu commanded the battle personally. He was well aware of the importance of this decisive battle and that he had no way out. He had to defeat the Ming army in this decisive battle, otherwise not only would the authority of the shogunate be destroyed, but he would also be buried with the shogunate.

"General, our secret weapon is ready and we are just waiting for your order." A man who looked like a craftsman came up to Ashikaga Yoshimitsu and reported respectfully.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu nodded, looked firmly at the Ming army camp in the distance, and then ordered the entire army to prepare for the upcoming decisive battle.

As the sun gradually rose higher, the air in the Nara Basin was filled with a strong smell of gunpowder. Soldiers on both sides were on high alert, ready to fight with all their might in this decisive battle.

In front of the shogunate army, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu stood on a high platform, wearing exquisite armor that reflected a dazzling light in the sunlight.

He looked around and saw his warriors lined up in neat rows, with bright armor, unsheathed swords, and great momentum. Rows of colorful flags were carried on the backs of the cavalrymen, which was very Japanese, just like an old general on the stage.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu took a deep breath, raised the sword in his hand, and shouted loudly: "My fellow samurai, today's battle is not only about the survival of the shogunate, but also about the future of Japan! Let us show our strength to the enemy with a fearless attitude! Let us use this decisive battle to prove the glory of the samurai!"

As Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's mobilization ended, the shogunate army began to slowly march out of the camp and line up in a carefully planned formation.

In the front were heavy infantrymen armed with large cowhide shields and wet quilts. They were arranged closely together, forming a seemingly indestructible line of defense.

Behind these infantrymen were the less well-equipped Ashigaru units, divided into spear Ashigaru and archer Ashigaru, who were armed with spears and bows and arrows respectively.

On the flanks were the cavalry units that the shogunate was proud of. They rode on war horses and flexibly adjusted their formations under the orders of their commanders, ready to deal a fatal blow to the enemy at the critical moment.

Opposite the shogunate army, the Ming army's formation was more strict and orderly.

Compared with the shogunate army that provided their own equipment and dry food, the Ming army was much more orderly in terms of uniforms and other supporting supplies. They wore uniform battle robes, and from a distance, they looked like a burning ocean.

The Ming army's musketeers were arranged in a hollow square formation in the "guard" unit and stood in the front. The rows of muskets flashed a cold metallic luster in the sun, as if they could spit out flames of death at any time.

Behind them were the gunners in the hollow square formation who were responsible for operating the artillery. They were generally equipped with tiger squat cannons and some falconets to support the infantry.

As for the red cannons with longer range and the Napoleon cannons, they were deployed behind the line to form a separate artillery group, which was directly commanded by the commander-in-chief. The huge muzzles of these cannons were pointed directly at the positions of the shogunate army, as if they could blow the enemy into pieces at any time. They were extremely powerful.

As the two sides' formations gradually approached, the air was filled with an increasingly tense atmosphere.

The commanders of the Ming army stood on high places, carefully observing the movements of the shogunate army through telescopes, constantly adjusting the subtle tactical layout.

Although firearms have an overwhelming advantage, the shogunate army has a large number of people after all. Let alone people, even if there are hundreds of thousands of pigs rushing forward with their hooves spread out, firearms may not be able to kill them all. I'm afraid that modern rifles and machine guns will find it difficult to do so. Otherwise, there will be no room for zombie movies. Of course, the setting that hitting the torso of zombies is useless is very crucial.

In short, the shogunate army was lined up all over the mountains and plains and was coming towards them, and the visual sense of oppression was still quite strong.

Moreover, the shogunate army was definitely not defeated in vain. Under the leadership of the Ashikaga clan, this army fought in Japan for many years, suppressed countless civil unrest, and almost destroyed the Southern Dynasty. To say that the other side had no combat effectiveness is indeed a bit disrespectful.

"Keep in formation! Prepare to meet the enemy!"

The Ming army's small flags, general flags, and other grassroots officers were shouting at the top of their lungs, asking the musketeers to maintain their formation. After all, the formation was the core secret of how the hollow square formation could exert its maximum power.

As the distance between the two sides further shortened, the atmosphere on the battlefield reached an unprecedented level of tension.

The shogunate army began to walk slowly, then walked quickly, and then jogged.

When a certain critical point was reached, the warriors let out deafening shouts, waved their weapons, and charged towards the Ming army.

The Ming army remained calm. The musketeers checked their ammunition for the last time, preparing for the upcoming fierce battle.

As the deafening charge of the shogunate army sounded, the battlefield in the Nara Basin was instantly enveloped by an unstoppable frenzy.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu stood on a high platform, staring closely at the Ming army line on the opposite side that was ready for battle.

Among the shogunate's generals, except for Sasaki Yoshimasa who was in poor health and stayed by his side to do some auxiliary work, the other important generals of the "Three Kanrei" and "Four Positions" such as Hatakeyama Motokuni, Hosokawa Mitsunori, Akamatsu Yoshinori, and Isshiki Mitsunori were all commanding more than 100,000 shogunate troops respectively.

"Move forward steadily, don't be impatient!"

Hatakeyama Motokuni, who was in charge of commanding the heavy infantry at the front, was very calm. He knew very well that facing the Ming army's advantage in firearms, they could only have a chance of winning by relying on the coordination of numbers and tactics.

The heavy infantry of the shogunate army were in the front. They stood shoulder to shoulder, holding heavy cowhide shields with wet quilts tightly wrapped around them, trying to withstand the impending dense fire network.

To be honest, I was very nervous.

Even if some people did not experience the last battle outside Yoshino Castle, they had heard about it.

The powerful firepower of the Ming army had been exaggerated in the shogunate army, which put them under great psychological pressure. They felt as if they would be torn to pieces in the next second. The large cowhide shields and the wet quilts on the outside could not give them any sense of security.

As they approached step by step, a suffocating tension filled the air.

On the Ming army side, the commanders calmly observed the movements of the shogunate army and conveyed orders through flag signals and trumpets.

The musketeers' fingers rested lightly on the triggers, ready to fire at any time and rain bullets down on the enemy.

Soon, the order to open fire reached the front line through flag signals.

"Fire!"

As the grassroots commanders gave orders, the Ming army's musketeers delayed for about one or two seconds and then pulled the trigger. Along the entire long front, rows of flames instantly cut through the air, accompanied by a deafening roar. Dense bullets poured out like a rainstorm, directly attacking the heavy infantry at the forefront of the shogunate army.

The big shield can't protect everyone, nor can it protect all parts of the body.

"Bang, bang, bang!" This is the dull sound of bullets hitting the wet quilt.

"what--"

Screams rang out one after another, and countless shogunate soldiers were pierced by whistling bullets. Blood mixed with broken limbs and fingers splattered up and fell to the ground.

In this round of volleys, most of the Ming army were not even injured. In the process, the shogunate army's originally dense and orderly troops became chaotic. They looked with fear at the rows of smoking muskets on the Ming army's front line.

"Bagayalu! Anyone who dares to retreat will be killed without mercy!"

The generals of the shogunate army roared frantically, trying to prevent the foot soldiers from retreating, because they knew very well that at this time they could only grit their teeth and push forward, and absolutely could not retreat.

But even so, the intuitive feeling is too obvious.

The Ming army’s firearms are too powerful!

This was simply like a weapon from God. Even their most valiant and skilled soldiers could not withstand such a terrible blow. This round of attack was obviously intended to weaken their own momentum.

Then, the artillery positions of the Ming army spewed out dazzling red light in the midst of fire. Huge artillery shells drew an arc in the air and then accurately smashed into the ranks of the shogunate army.

"what--"

Balls of red flames bloomed among the foot soldiers. The huge impact force of the shrapnel bombs caused the foot soldiers to break bones and muscles and spit blood.

The Ming army's artillery fired at a high frequency and with excellent accuracy. After several rounds of volleys, the shogunate army's vanguard suffered serious casualties.

Although the generals of the Shogunate army did not know what this thing was, they deeply realized its horror. That kind of indestructible killing power was something that the foot soldiers could not resist.

The Ming army's artillery bombardment continued, with a loud noise every once in a while. Huge shells flashed bright metallic luster at the muzzle, then dragged their long tails, drawing arcs in the air and quickly attacked forward.

"Rumble--"

The friction sound of the shells cutting through the air was sharp and piercing.

"Bang bang bang!"

The sound of explosions resounded throughout the sky, with smoke and flames everywhere. In the waves of fire created by the exploding shells, the unlucky guys were knocked to the ground one after another. The shogunate foot soldiers in front were shaken to pieces by the violent shock, and many people died on the spot under the power of the shells.

"Baga, is this a punishment from the gods?"

Ito Tadayoshi covered his ears with his hands; he was deafened by the artillery shells.

There were several corpses lying beside him, including foot soldiers and the remains of his confidants. The head of one of the samurai was blown apart, revealing the white brain matter, which was a shocking sight.

This was the sixth volley he had encountered today, and they had already paid a heavy price on the charge.

The cowhide shield and the wet quilt could resist bullets, but they could not resist the parabolic shells. The Ming army had a constant supply of firearms support. They had the initiative and only needed to keep shooting. Ito Tadayoshi did not know how to respond. Did he really have to kill all his foot soldiers to win?

Perhaps this was their fate, but he was unwilling to give up. He gritted his teeth and made up his mind. He raised the sword in his right hand and shouted: "Charge forward and fight the Ming army hand-to-hand!"

Many shogunate commanders made the same choice. They attempted to continue the charge and then open a gap to engage in a melee with the Ming army so that they could escape the Ming army's artillery coverage area.

However, the Ming army had already taken precautions.

The crouching tiger cannon inside the hollow square began to speak.

"Bang bang bang!"

The shells from these indirect cannons blasted into the Shogunate's formation, sending the shotgun fragments piercing the enemy's bodies and taking their lives.

"idiot!"

Ito Tadayoshi looked at the battle situation in front of him, his face becoming increasingly gloomy. He was now a little confused about the Ming army's tactics and could not help but curse inwardly.

If the Ming army did not have the advantage of firearms, they might be able to make up for the quality gap between them and the Ming army by relying on quantity.

But now, not only is the Ming army stronger than the shogunate army in terms of individual combat capability, physical fitness of soldiers, and degree of organization and coordination, but it also does not use cold weapons at all. The Ming army's weapons are too advanced and completely unreasonable. They start with round after round of artillery bombardment and bullet rain.

Well, the theory of superior firepower.

As for the Japanese, they could only rely on numbers to win, so they could only rush forward and passively take the beating until their scalps were blown off by shrapnel.

Ito Tadayoshi looked at the distance between them and the Ming army and knew that they could not wait any longer, otherwise, destruction would be waiting for them!
"Everyone charge forward at all costs!"

Ito Tadayoshi was roaring loudly, his eyes were bloodshot and his body was covered in blood. He had just been in the charging team and was in danger everywhere. Fortunately, he dodged quickly and managed to save his life.

The Ming army used firearms to suppress the offensive of the shogunate army, preventing the shogunate army from advancing rashly.

However, many commanders in the shogunate army believed that their charge was not meaningless, because firearms bullets were not permanent and would run out sooner or later, while they had abundant troops, and as long as they could hold out until the Ming army's bullets were exhausted, they would surely win.

The foot soldiers heard the commander's roar, and they rushed forward, holding various weapons tightly.

"Don't be afraid. The Ming army has used up a lot of their firearms. They won't be able to hold out for long!"

Ito Tadayoshi shouted, trying to stabilize the morale of the troops.

But he didn't know that next, he would witness what a metal storm was!
Seeing the heavy infantry of the shogunate army coming to the front under artillery fire, the hollow square formation of the Ming army calmly cracked a few gaps and launched strange-looking firearms.

This firearm looks like a large gun, but it is supported by a stand.

That's right, this is a heavy machine gun modified based on the Maxim heavy machine gun. The gun weighs 85 kilograms (Ming Dynasty model), has a short-recoil automatic barrel, is water-cooled, and uses a canvas belt with a capacity of 300 rounds of ammunition. The belt can be connected, and the theoretical rate of fire is 600 rounds per minute. It can fire single or continuous shots, and can also be adjusted to a slow rate of fire of 100 rounds per minute through a rate of fire regulator.

The automatic principle of the gun is based on the energy of gunpowder gas. At the moment of bullet firing, the bolt and the barrel engage, and the barrel stops after recoil together, and is unlocked by the toggle mechanism. At the same time, the bolt continues to recoil, and part of the energy of the barrel is transferred to the machine gun through the acceleration mechanism, so that it can complete the extraction and ejection of the shell, thereby driving the feeding mechanism, making the firing mechanism ready to fire, compressing the return spring, hitting the buffer, and then returning under the action of the spring force, pushing the second bullet into the chamber, locking, and firing again, and repeating this process.

They stood like steel behemoths, their cold gun barrels glowing in the sunlight, foreshadowing the impending devastating blow.

"Get ready!" a commander gave the order calmly.

The heavy machine gunners quickly adjusted the aiming angle of the machine guns, their fingers lightly on the triggers, waiting for that moment to come.

This is a moment that is destined to go down in history. As a new weapon, it will create a myth of killing efficiency.

"put!"

Following the commander's order, the heavy machine guns "came to life" instantly. They began to roar wildly, spitting out hot tongues of fire visible to the naked eye. Accompanied by a deafening roar, a metal storm swept across the entire battlefield.

Bullets poured out like a rainstorm, each one carrying the power to tear the air apart, instantly penetrating the Shogunate army's heavy defense lines.

The large cowhide shield and wet quilt that could barely resist bullets seemed so fragile in the face of this force, as if they were made of paper, and were completely unable to stop this deadly torrent.

"what--!"

Screams broke out in the shogunate army, and soldiers fell one after another. Their bodies were torn apart by dense bullets, and blood splattered everywhere, staining the ground beneath their feet red.

The air was filled with a strong smell of blood and gunpowder, making it suffocating.

“What the hell is this?!”

In an instant, almost all the foot soldiers around him were killed, and their deaths were extremely tragic.

Ito Tadayoshi, who slipped and fell, lay on the ground staring at the scene in amazement, his heart filled with fear. If muskets and cannons were still within his understanding, then this kind of weapon was like the whip of God, all life would be destroyed as long as it swept past. He had never seen such a terrifying weapon and could not resist it at all.

The shogunate army's charge momentum suddenly collapsed, and the soldiers were terrified and tried to find ways to avoid this deadly metal storm.

However, where is the safe haven in this open battlefield? They can only helplessly wait for death in the hail of bullets.

"Keep shooting! Don't stop!"

The commanders of the Ming army issued orders cruelly, knowing that now was the critical moment to completely destroy the will of the shogunate army.

The heavy machine gunners did not hesitate at all. They continued to pull the trigger, allowing the rain of death to continue pouring down on the Shogunate army's positions.

The buckets of water that had been prepared nearby were being used to cool the barrel of the heavy machine gun.

"Sigh~"

The steam just started to rise and then disappeared in an instant.

In a very short time, the front-row infantry of the shogunate army, equipped with large cowhide shields and wet quilts, were swept away like wheat.

However, this "wheat field" did not look very cleanly cut, with some of the wheat still barely standing.

For the senior generals of the shogunate army standing at a relatively high place, this visual impact was even more obvious. Although the heavy infantry of the shogunate army tried their best to resist with shields, in the face of such fierce firepower, the combination of large cowhide shields and wet quilts seemed so fragile that it seemed that the front row was wiped out in an instant.

The shogunate army's casualties rose sharply and morale hit rock bottom.

They began to realize that there was no suspense in this decisive battle anymore, and the Ming army's advantage in firearms was so great that they could not compete with it at all.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu witnessed all this from the high platform. His face was as pale as paper and his eyes were full of despair.

The shogunate troops in front were actually still holding on under the hail of bullets from muskets. This was within their psychological expectations, and artillery had a probability of killing, so as long as their luck was not too bad, they could still charge forward.

However, the appearance of heavy machine guns completely broke down their psychological defenses.

In just that short moment, almost all of the comrades around him fell.

This directly led to the shogunate troops in front starting to flee like crazy.

Ito Tadayoshi, who had sprained his ankle, could no longer care about anything else at this time. This samurai, who always thought he had the "soul of a samurai", was running away in a twisted and staggered manner like a frightened duck. If you look down from the sky, the entire front line of the shogunate army was retreating.

With the collapse of the shogunate army's front line, the situation on the entire battlefield changed instantly.

"Don't chase, keep your formation!"

The Ming army still maintained a strict hollow square formation. Although the enemy's front army had been defeated, the battlefield situation was not yet completely clear. They had to maintain their formation in order to exert the maximum power of their firearms.

The Ming army's musketeers and gunners still held their posts and did not relax their vigilance despite the enemy's defeat. The roar of the heavy machine guns also gradually weakened, but their presence was enough to make the psychological shadow of the shogunate army difficult to dispel for a long time.

Well, the heavy machine gun is not without its shortcomings. In order to break the psychological breakdown of the enemy's front-line troops, they open fire at full power from the beginning. The temperature of many barrels is too high and water cooling cannot lower the temperature.

However, at this time, the misfiring of the heavy machine gun no longer affected the situation on the battlefield because the enemy was already scared out of his wits.

At the rear line of the shogunate army, the generals looked at the soldiers in front of them who were retreating like a tide, and only despair was left in their hearts.

However, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu has not given up completely.

At this time, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu's secret weapon finally appeared. It was a special mobile shelter made of thick wooden boards and iron armor. It moved with wooden wheels and pushed by manpower. It could withstand firearms attacks to a certain extent.

The shogunate army's center army carried these things and quickly pushed these bunkers to the front line, providing valuable cover for the subsequent Ashigaru troops and cavalry.

Moreover, it prevented the collapse of the front army from dispersing the entire army.

Of course, a sharp drop in morale is inevitable.

It's just that maybe this thing could be used to block the muskets, or in other words, it could have some effect if it was taken out earlier, but now... it's too late.

Upon seeing this, the Ming army immediately adjusted its tactics and prepared to launch a full-scale counterattack.

"You think you can stop us with these junk? That's just wishful thinking."

Ping An sneered at this time.

"Carry out according to the predetermined plan."

Zhu Xiongying's face was tense, and he said to Chang Mao beside him: "It's time for the cavalry to attack."

Chang Mao smiled brightly: "Okay!"

Afterwards, Zhu Xiongying gave another order to Sheng Yong, who was in charge of the independent artillery group: "Go and pass the message to General Sheng Yong, ordering the artillery fire to extend deep into the territory."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

The artillerymen quickly loaded the shells, and with Sheng Yong's order, the cannons roared at the same time. The huge shells cut through the sky and landed accurately in the bunkers of the shogunate army. The shock waves and fragments produced by the explosion made the shogunate army's defense line shaky, and they began to advance slowly into the depths with a barrage of bullets.

Yes, the range of the Ming army’s artillery was farther than the shogunate army had imagined. They had deliberately only attacked the front army before, creating the illusion that "it could only hit such a long distance."

At the same time, the Ming army's cavalry units also launched a surprise attack on the flank.

Led by generals such as Heian and Chang Mao, they wore armor and held spears and sabers. They rushed into the flank of the shogunate army at lightning speed and engaged in a fierce battle with the shogunate army's cavalry.

(End of this chapter)