Chapter 165: Establishing The Crossbow Academy
In mid-September, the Yuzhang Army’s Ballista Courtyard was established. This was a military arsenal dedicated to researching large crossbows and catapults. Cao Cao had taken the lead in this field; he had established a ballista research institution several years earlier. In the Battle of Guandu, the Cao Army’s ballistae played a huge role.
Gan Ning had actually started early as well. Li Zhuan had been specifically researching catapults in the military arsenal. The medium catapults used to attack Linxiang County and Xiling County were the results of Li Zhuan’s research: simple, sturdy, and not easily damaged.
This establishment of the Ballista Courtyard was an upgrade of the previous military arsenal’s ballista team, with a larger scale, more artisans, and greater investment. This was one of the war preparations in response to Cao Cao’s southward advance.
There are actually three types of ballistae: one is shooting devices, one is throwing devices, and one is slinging devices. Shooting devices, as the name implies, are types and extensions of crossbows, such as large horizontal crossbows up to one zhang long, that is, heavy bed crossbows, which can shoot four-chi-long iron bolts a li away, with enough power to cut through metal and split stone.
Of course, what they were developing was not only large crossbows, but also medium crossbows operated by two people together, such as the ten-stone Great Yellow Crossbow, with a range of five hundred paces, a long-range heavy killer against cavalry.
Then there were the catapults. Catapult development was already quite mature, but their accuracy had always been poor. This was the focus of ballista research: improving accuracy, which was of great significance for warship combat on the water surface. For example, at two hundred paces away, accurately smashing a can of burning fire oil onto the opponent’s deck meant there was no need for the two ships to approach each other and throw incendiary bottles.
Slinging devices are relatively easy to understand; they are all large slingshots. Gan Ning was preparing to invent fire kites. Fire kites are catapult-launched, a fire attack weapon against barracks. Imagine shooting dozens of fire kites from three li away straight into the barracks at midnight, able to ignite the entire barracks, or shooting them into the city, unlike rockets that can only reach the city edges; fire kites can reach the county town center, igniting a citywide fire.
The Ballista Courtyard was located in the southwestern part of Chaisang, covering five hundred mu, surrounded by high walls, with twelve sentry towers built, guarded by soldiers day and night. No outsiders could get close.
Inside the high walls were more than thirty buildings, including living quarters, research areas, testing areas, and warehouse areas, with over three hundred artisans in total, managed by Li Zhuan as the chief.
In addition to the newly established Ballista Courtyard, the Yuzhang Army also had a military arsenal, fire oil office, and shipyard. The military arsenal mainly researched weapons, armor, and shields, including smelting, iron casting, and weapon-making processes.
The fire oil office was newly established, mainly responsible for researching various fire oils and new types of fire oil weapons, among which the fire kite was the latest research achievement.
The fire oil office was not unique to the Yuzhang Army. The Cao Army had also established a fire oil courtyard, Jiangdong had set up a fire oil institute, and even Liu Biao and Sun Ben had organized artisans to research various fire oil bottles. Everyone was fully researching various firearms.
Gan Ning’s introduction of incendiary bottles to the battlefield opened up a whole new line of thinking, no longer preparing sulfur, dry firewood, and other flammable materials for ignition like before, which was too clumsy and inconvenient. How could it compare to the convenient and quick direct throwing of incendiary bottles?
Gan Ning and the high officials all came to the Ballista Courtyard to attend the establishment ceremony. Gan Ning led everyone in sacrificing to Lu Ban. Lu Ban was both the ancestor of carpenters and the originator of various large siege weapons.
Gan Ning then stepped onto the high platform and said loudly: “I announce that the Yuzhang Army Ballista Courtyard is officially established starting today!”
Instantly, bells and drums rang together, and over three hundred artisans cheered enthusiastically.
Amid the enthusiastic atmosphere, Gan Ning led everyone into the Ballista Courtyard. The front building was the administrative office, followed by eight large buildings, which were the research institutes, then the hundred-mu testing ground, with living quarters and warehouse areas on the east and west sides.
The living quarters covered three hundred mu, separated from the research area, housing over three hundred artisans and their families, totaling around a thousand people.
But the living quarters were only temporary; after all, it was inconvenient here. According to the plan, three villages would be established nearby within two years, and those three villages would be the real living areas.
Li Zhuan led Gan Ning and the high officials to a catapult. This catapult appeared to be a medium catapult, with a relatively complex structure, much more complex than the simple catapults used for attacking cities.
“This is the ship cannon that this subordinate is currently researching. It can hurl a thirty-jin fire oil can to two hundred paces away, and very accurately, with a deviation of no more than three chi. It must ensure hitting the ship exactly at two hundred paces.”
“What ensures the accuracy?” Gan Ning asked.
“Three things ensure it: first distance, second weight, third force. Its principle is like a crossbow; it’s like hurling a crossbow bolt to accurately hit the enemy army exactly at two hundred paces. How is it done? Use a distance measuring device to measure distance, a crossbow machine to fix the force, and standard bolts to control the weight.
This ship cannon is the same. It looks like a catapult but is actually a crossbow; the difference is it throws instead of shoots. The fire oil can is equivalent to the bolt; the weight must be very precise. The central crossbow machine launches it, with the force controlled very appropriately, then use the distance measuring device to control the distance.”
Gan Ning thought for a moment and said: “But if the enemy is at one hundred fifty paces, I would raise the crossbow to accurately hit the opponent; it doesn’t have to be so rigid at exactly two hundred paces.”
Li Zhuan nodded. “This is the direction we will continue researching next: how to raise or lower the catapult to adapt to different distances.”
Lu Su asked again: “What if the opponent is only at fifty paces?”
“If only fifty paces, then don’t use this kind of ship cannon, but a large stone ballista, for straight-line projection. This stone ballista has a projection range between fifty and one hundred paces, with a weight of ten jin.”
“When will this ship cannon be successfully developed?” Gan Ning asked again.
“This ship cannon has been in development for over a year; expected in spring next year! This subordinate will do his best to complete the research.”
Gan Ning nodded and said: “The water surface is unsteady and undulating, easily causing high-low variations during operation. I suggest using gears, so each elevation step is fixed.”
Li Zhuan immediately understood, bowed hastily, and said: “Thank you for the general’s suggestion; this subordinate will certainly study it carefully.”
The group left the Ballista Courtyard by carriage to return to Chaisang. On the carriage, Lu Su said to Gan Ning: “If the ship cannon is successfully invented, Jiangdong will likely go to great lengths to imitate it. We need to establish a strict anti-leakage system, including protection of people and objects. For example, on the ship, it must be covered with a cover; if the ship is captured, special soldiers must be responsible for smashing it; and strictly prohibit artisans from leaking information. We must have a complete system.”
Gan Ning nodded. “Strategist, this suggestion is very timely. Actually, not only the ship cannon, but also our new firearms and so on, all need to prevent leaks. Here’s an idea! Let Pang Tong formulate a complete system, discuss it repeatedly with everyone to refine it, then I will approve and implement it, with Pang Tong responsible for executing this confidentiality system.”
Lu Su agreed happily: “Pang Tong is very suitable. He handles intelligence, and preventing leaks is also a form of intelligence management.”
