Chapter 206: Turning point

Vienna
After passing the actual combat tests of the new rifle of the Hallstar factory, it entered the Austrian army's queue list and was named the Styron M1852 rifle.
This seems to be a European habit, and designers always like to design their weapons after their own names.
These are all minor issues. Franz is not interested in finding out what it is, and entering the army's list of alternative equipment does not mean that it can be equipped on a large scale.
The breech rifle has been around for more than thirty years. The earliest was the American Hall M1819. Unfortunately, the bullet will fly to the left after 45.7 meters.
Then came the Prussian Dresser M1841. The Prussian army has begun to install, but many generals are opposed. Obviously, his performance has not yet conquered the public.
This rifle shined in the 1864 Pudan War and the Puao War. Of course, the advantages of the rifle were not as godly as the later generations boasted.
This can be seen from the fact that the Prussian army was not fully equipped.
Although the rate of fire is four or five times that of the breech gun, his needle is easily damaged. At the beginning of the industrially produced M1841, some people laughed and said: Without a backup pointer, do not enter the battlefield.
The breech also often leaks air, and the leaked gas easily interferes with the shooting, and can seriously burn the skin. If the luck is not good, it may blind the gunman's eyes.
The production technology was improved in the later period, and the performance gradually stabilized. The Dresser M1841 began to shine.
Franz also has a lot of similar rifles. Many rifles have excellent performance in the laboratory, and once large-scale industrial production is not enough.
Either the cost is too high or the performance is reduced. This is not a nuclear weapon, and Franz naturally has to consider costs; sacrificing performance is even more undesirable. Is it necessary to install rifles without performance advantages?
Until the advent of the Styron M1852, in terms of performance, it was similar to the historical Charlebo rifle, but the effective range was a little closer.
This is a small problem. It is enough to ensure an effective range of 650 meters. Isn't it possible to hit more than 1,500 meters, and it can be scary from a long distance.
Franz has always believed that the best soldiers who can accurately hit the enemy within 150 meters in actual combat are excellent soldiers. Let's fight farther away!
"Marshal, what do you think of this rifle, should we change it?" Franz asked
Marshal Radsky replied with a smile: "Your Majesty, from the data collected, the effect is not bad, and it has large-scale equipment value.
However, the price of this rifle arsenal is 30% higher than that of ordinary rifles, and the ammunition consumption may be two or three times higher. "
Obviously Marshal Radsky has experience. I don't expect this rifle to hit the theoretical limit of 15 rounds on the battlefield, otherwise the ammunition consumption will not increase that much.
Franz said calmly: "A part of the cost increase is also acceptable, and it will decrease after large-scale industrial production, as long as its power is worth the price.
If the concentration of full production is immediately ordered now, Austria's more than two dozen arsenals will add up to producing 30,000 to 40,000 such rifles per month without any problems. "
This is due to the outbreak of the Near East War, and Austria's arsenals have expanded their production capacity. Compared with a year ago, Austria's military production capacity has increased by 50%.
If a rifle is produced, there are now no problems in mass production of 100,000 pieces per month, otherwise the Russian army cannot change it so quickly.
Marshal Radsky said calmly: "Your Majesty, be cautious, buy 100,000 trials first.
If the effect on the battlefield is good, and then a full replacement, now all countries in the world are still using breech guns, and our rifles are not behind. "
Franz nodded, and it was too late for a large-scale makeover. Unless national mobilization is ordered now, Austria's military capabilities still have much potential to tap.
This is the same as when the automatic rifle came out. Everyone knows that it is a good gun, but the horrible ammunition consumption, can the logistics supply it?
Where is the limit of ammunition consumption, that one will not know until it has been fought on the battlefield. Just like the military of the Principality of Montenegro, after testing the gun, they are very satisfied with the performance of this rifle. After seeing the horrible ammunition consumption, there is no meaning to purchase.
You said that the hit rate is high? That's right, the enemy has a maximum of two or three rounds per minute. You can make seven or eight rounds per minute. Your chance of hitting the enemy is naturally higher. This is normal.
However, this hit rate is not increased by two or three times, only only 20-30%. This is still unaccustomed to using the enemy just now. If you adapt, you may continue to decline.
On the surface it seems nothing, if you consider how many bullets can kill an enemy, you will find that you can't afford it.
In the era of the rifle, on average, each enemy killed a double-digit bullet; in the era of the rifle, it increased to four digits.
There is no way to shoot the gun. The era is over. Everyone is crawling on the ground and it is more difficult to hit the enemy. The emergence of trenches and machine guns in the later period exacerbated the consumption of ammunition.
In the era of semi-automatic rifles, it has risen to five digits; further, the number of units used for hair is too large, and it is more appropriate to use tons for units.
...
Sofia Theater
A Sardinian officer said indignantly, "General, the Russians are still biting us, what do we do now?"
All the British military information was leaked to the Russians, and they dared to continue to attack here, it was simply bullying.
Mantua gritted his teeth and said, "Now we can't retreat. This has something to do with our honor, but also the glory of the Kingdom of Sardinia.
You also do not want to return to the military court in the name of a defeated general. Now we must not be the first to lose our position.
Now that the Russians are bullying too much, give them a hard lesson and let the Russians know that we are not bullying.
Tell the soldiers that our salary is still in the hands of the British, and now if we run, we will be busy this time. If anyone dares to run away, I'll kick him now. "
"Yes, general!" The young officer replied immediately.
Mantua added reassuredly: "Wait a moment and release the news in private, saying that the British will soon be unable to stand, and when their line of defense collapses, we will retreat immediately."
Facts have proven that once the Sardinian army fights, it still has combat effectiveness. The so-called casualties are heavy, it depends on what the standard is.
There were several casualties. They could also add two or three zeros at the back, and the return would be heavy.
If anyone pays attention to the casualty reports that the Sardinian army submitted to the coalition, they will find that their casualty rate is close to one fifth.
The British believe this report, because the casualties of the British army are not too far away from this data. The British themselves have never doubted themselves.
Faced with a sudden outbreak of the Sardinian army, the Russians found that this soft persimmon was not easy to pinch.
Fitzroy Somerset decided to test whether the information above was true. After all, the Bulgarians provided too much information to them, and it is not surprising that there are Bulgarians in the enemy forces opposite.
...
As soon as the Russians started, Montes was going mad at the news of the war he had just received. Suddenly a bombardment sounded, and the shells were accurately fired at their artillery positions.
If it is only one place, it may be said to be luck, because all the artillery positions fell, and all were patronized.
This is not a play, after the artillery position fell bad, the military supplies warehouse was baptized again.
Even if the distance is long, the Russian artillery hits a low rate, but after such a bombardment, they also suffered heavy losses.
The shelling was completed, and the Russian army accurately found their weak points and launched the most violent offensive.
Montes knew that a traitor had leaked information, but that was it, and he could only call for reinforcements. Even if the accounts are to be calculated after the fall, it will block the Russians.
"How long has Oliver's stupid arrived at the front?" Montes asked again.
The attendant replied nervously: "Major Oliver reports that they have just recovered Plovdiv from the guerrillas and are expected to arrive in Sofia within a week."
More than 120 kilometers of road, no problem for a week. The normal marching speed of the British army is only 20-30 kilometers per day, and it is forgiven for some guerrillas to attack more slowly now.
Montes ordered: "Order that stupid guy to speed me up. I have to reach the front line within three days, otherwise the military law will be engaged!"
"Yes, Commander!" The attendant responded immediately.
Montes reluctantly instructed: "Wait a minute, tell the idiot, first send half of the troops lightly and rush over, and put the heavy supplies in the troops behind, so as to speed up."
The Russians are playing stud. This is both a risk and an opportunity. As long as the reinforcements can arrive, the coalition can still defeat.
Otherwise Montes would have run away. The Sardinians don't want to continue to fight, and they can find ways to make the British scapegoats. How can Montes not let the Sardinians be the scapegoat?
He is the commander of the coalition, and he wants more ways to pit people.
Now the British and Ottoman forces are jointly released, bearing the main pressure on the battlefield. As long as he gives up some positions and hands them to the Sardinian and Ottoman forces for joint defense, it is estimated that the Russians can penetrate the line of defense in less than a day.
Montes still wanted military merit. If he lost Sofia, even if his allies helped him to carry the blame, his commander would be hard to blame, leaving a permanent stain.
...
Oliver is still capable, but only for the first time on the battlefield, no experience caused a series of failures.
Before Montess' order arrived, he had already speeded up his march, but the road along the way was too pitted.
As an area of ​​activity for Bulgarian guerrillas, how could it not disrupt traffic? They were marching while building roads, and by the way had to deal with cold guns that did not know where they came from.
Occasionally there are unexpected landmines. This was sponsored by Franz. Originally, they were worried about the defeat of the Russian army, so they prepared a batch in advance to stop the pursuit.
I did not expect that the coalition forces were constantly infatuated, and one by one did not want to make efforts to let the allies pick up the bargains, they just lost their advantages.
The Russians looked down on these earthen bombs and gave them to the Bulgarian guerrillas. Now it's Oliver's turn to have a headache.
These mines are the simplest to bury. It is very simple to clear mines. The only thing that is needed is time.
There is no good way, but stupid way of thinking. The British drove the animals to the minefield, and the marching speed was inevitably delayed.
...
On January 2, 1853, the Bulgarian guerrillas suddenly attacked the back of the British position, and the coalition was in chaos. At this critical moment, the Sardinian Sasha ran away, and Montes's painstaking defense line broke.
There is no way, the troop strength is really insufficient, Montes did not have enough troop strength to prevent the Bulgarian guerrillas that may appear behind him, and was caught by surprise.
The worst part is that at this time, the reinforcements were less than 15 kilometers away from the front. If the Sardinian army doesn't run, they will do their best to help, but they can still reach the reinforcements.
Obviously, Mantua did not hesitate with the Russians to the end, and would not hesitate to run. Anyway, the British defense line fell behind, and this responsibility cannot be blamed on them.
Even in order to avoid condemnation, Mantua abducted some British soldiers to run along.
This run killed Montes. As a defeated general, he is not far away from the days of going to the military court. If he can go back alive, he will inevitably have to go.
Oliver, who rushed all the way to the march, became the second unlucky man. He came over exhausted and lost no matter how hard he arrived at the last minute. As a result, he immediately encountered a Russian encounter with the Russians.
There is no accident. The few people on the battlefield will always suffer. Oliver did not carry a cannon in time to catch up.
After a bitter battle, Oliver successfully led his troops off the road, and by the way rescued a bunch of British soldiers who had fallen apart. Finally, his efforts were not wasted.
The Russians were also trapped, and the soldiers did not have the strength to continue the pursuit. Seeing this, Fitzroy Somerset naturally chose to accept it when he saw it.
Montessori has long considered this issue. Unfortunately, the city was tortured by the Ottomans too much, and the fortifications were long gone.
The people in the city gritted their teeth against the coalition, relying on the city to fight street fighting with the Russians, and they were the first to fall into the people's war.
Moreover, the efficiency of the Ottoman government is too low, and the supplies hoarded in Sofia are not enough for the coalition to consume for a month. If they dare to sit in a lonely city, they will wait for the entire army to be destroyed!
Now that the General Assembly battle has been carried out, the strength of the coalition forces is already very tense. Don't expect someone to come and rescue them.
Even if it is to recruit troops from the country, it is too late. After the defeat of the battle, the coalition forces scrambled to run.
It is impossible to wipe out a dozen-kilometer-long front, and Russia just tore a section of the coalition's defense line.
If it weren't for the rescue of more soldiers leaving, Oliver would not have to rush over to meet the Russians in an encounter, they would run away and the Russians would never chase them.
After half a year, the two sides invested nearly 200,000 troops in the battle, which ended with a fierce victory for the Russians.
Looking at the casualty report, Fitzroy Summers can responsibly say: He has successfully completed the task of the Tsarist government, and he has really achieved victory regardless of casualties.
The total casualties before and after totaled up to 67,000, the Russian soldiers basically changed again, including 26,000 people killed (including the unsaved wounded).
Even if there is a continuous supply of supplementary forces in the rear, the Russian army is now disabled and urgently needs to be repaired. In the final battle, it is clear that the combat effectiveness of the Russian army has declined.
At such a high price, the record obtained was: defeated 100,000 coalition forces, killed 34,000 coalition soldiers, captured 25,000 coalition forces, including up to 11,000 coalition wounded.
Judging from the casualties on both sides, it was the Russian talent pair that defeated this time. If it were not for the outbreak of the Bulgarian guerrillas, the outcome of this battle would be unknown.
In order to look good, Fitzroy Somerset still swallowed the record of the Bulgarian guerrillas and ignored their casualties.
Of course, in order for the Bulgarians to continue to give him his life, Fitzroy Somerset gave them credit for the country, emphasizing that Bulgarian guerrillas delayed the enemy's reinforcements and made outstanding contributions to the victory of the war.
Then there was no more, and that alone was enough to get the Tsarist government to agree to the conditions he had promised before.
Originally, the Tsarist government was about to annex Bulgaria. St. Petersburg also worried that these guerrillas would become an obstacle. Now that it can collect them, how could Nicholas I refuse?
Regardless of the losses of both sides, it cannot affect the historical status of this battle, which was recognized by historians as the turning point of the second Bulgarian battle.
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