Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 892

892. Overture (7)

Each time a shell fired by the Habsburg army landed, a massive pillar of dust erupted, and Hungarian soldiers fell.

Maximilian I, observing this scene through his telescope, couldn’t hide his disappointment.

“I heard the shells from the ‘Land of Flowers’ [referring to the Netherlands, known for its flower cultivation] explode and cause even more damage… Those damned fellows won’t even sell cannons and shells…”

To Maximilian I’s regretful words, his loyal servant responded,

“Not only the shells, but it would be better if we had more cannons.”

“It would be perfect if that were the case… Damn Hungarians, damn ‘Land of Flowers’…”

Maximilian muttered with a face full of dissatisfaction.

Manufacturing cannons required a higher level of skill than making guns. And, unfortunately for the Habsburgs, they didn’t have such skilled artisans. On the other hand, Hungary had several.

Fortunately for the Habsburgs, most of the problematic Hungarian artisans had already moved their bases to France, the Ottoman Empire, and Spain.

“We’ve already sent people to the Knights Order and other places regarding the cannon issue, so we should get a good answer soon.”

Speaking about the solutions related to cannons, Maximilian I put the telescope to his eyes again and surveyed the battlefield.

“The Hungarians have entered the firing range!”

Almost simultaneously with his subordinate’s report, the five Hwachas [Korean rocket artillery] and soldiers stationed in the first trench line pulled the triggers.

Ta-ta-tang! Tang! Tang-tang-tang-tang-tang!

Amidst the soldiers’ volley of fire and the rapid firing sound of the Hwachas, the area in front of the Habsburg army’s trench line became filled with smoke.

* * *

“Aaaagh!”

“Aack!”

Hungarian soldiers, advancing in formation, fell simultaneously like stacks of straw under the Habsburg army’s volley of fire.

“Get down!”

The Hungarian soldiers who had been hit by the volley immediately threw themselves to the ground and aimed their guns at the Habsburg army’s trenches.

“Fire!”

Tang! Ta-ta-tang!

As soon as the commander’s order fell, Hungarian bullets poured into the Habsburg army’s trenches.

The Habsburg soldiers, who were just finishing reloading and rising to the firing line, had to quickly duck to avoid the incoming fire. A few unlucky soldiers were hit and fell to the bottom of the trenches.

“Now’s the time! Charge!”

“Waaaah!”

At the charge command, the Hungarian soldiers rose and charged towards the Habsburg army’s trenches.

Tang! Ta-tang! Tang!

The Habsburg soldiers pulled the triggers at the Hungarian charge, but they couldn’t break the Hungarian momentum.

The Hungarian soldiers, enduring the Habsburg army’s gunfire, reached the trench line and began engaging in close combat in the Habsburg army’s trenches.

“Why…”

Maximilian I, surveying the battlefield through his telescope, wore an expression of incomprehension.

It was because a unit armed with breech-loading rifles and entrenched had allowed a unit with muzzle-loading rifles to charge.

* * *

Since the Empire appeared on the international stage, European firearms had rapidly developed.

And the war over Suez accelerated the development speed of European firearms.

In the early stages of the Suez War, Europeans couldn’t even properly replicate the flintlock rifles sold by the Empire, but now they were challenging the development of rifles similar to the Florentine rifles, going beyond breech-loading rifles.

This wasn’t simply because they unconditionally followed what the Empire made.

France, having confirmed its usefulness in actual combat, immediately followed the Empire’s lead, and the experiences of mercenaries who participated in Suez made a decisive contribution.

-Breech-loading rifles are definitely superior to muzzle-loading rifles!

Based on France’s movements and the mercenaries’ experiences, other competitors followed France’s lead.

That’s why Maximilian I couldn’t understand the current situation.

* * *

The Habsburg army’s allowance of the Hungarian army’s charge was the result of several complex problems.

The first was ammunition.

No, to be precise, it was because the propellant for the ammunition was still black powder.

The smoke produced by black powder momentarily blocked the soldiers’ vision.

It wasn’t just the vision. The smoke from black powder irritated the soldiers’ eyes and respiratory systems. This was reduced with the switch to breech-loading, but it still remained.

In addition, the black powder used by the Habsburg army was of somewhat poor quality, and even though they had introduced breech-loading rifles, it still bothered the soldiers.

Because the smoke remaining in the chamber flowed out and irritated the soldiers’ eyes and respiratory systems the moment they opened the chamber to reload.

On the other hand, the Hungarian army used genuine Imperial ammunition in the Type A and Type B rifles they imported from the Ottoman Empire.

And the Empire had been using low-smoke black powder since the introduction of the Type A rifle. Later, when they were able to stably import saltpeter from the Bengal Sultanate, smokeless powder completely pushed out black powder from the time the Type B rifle was adopted.

Thanks to this, the Hungarian vanguard was more free from the problem of smoke compared to the Habsburg army, even though they were armed with the Type A rifle, a muzzle-loading rifle. In other words, it was more advantageous for aiming and firing, even though it was a muzzle-loading rifle.

Although it was often limited to the first shot.

Second, it was due to the weaknesses of the Hwachas and the Hungarian army’s tactics that targeted them.

The Type B Hwacha, modeled after the Gatling gun, was quite large. Therefore, the mobile Type B Hwacha was placed on a large carriage.

In addition, the size became even larger as it used a large ammunition drum instead of belt-fed ammunition, and many soldiers were needed to operate it.

The Hungarian army targeted this weakness.

The Hungarian army gathered soldiers with good shooting skills and provided them with Type B rifles. Then, they were placed right behind the first line and at the left and right ends.

When the artillery battle ended and the gunfight began, they were tasked with striking the Habsburg army’s high-value assets.

The Habsburg army’s commanders, Hwachas, and artillerymen of the cannons.

When this mission and operation were first created, many commanders and soldiers expressed their disapproval.

“The commanders are nobles…”

Traditionally, nobles were prioritized for capture. Because it was good for prisoner exchanges or receiving ransom later.

However, King Matthias I and the high-ranking commanders were firm.

“Carry out the orders!”

And the Hungarian soldiers, faithfully following these orders, sniped at the soldiers operating the Hwachas, rendering the Hwachas useless.

With the Hwachas, the most powerful support weapon, rendered useless, the Habsburg army allowed the Hungarian army to break through.

* * *

As close combat broke out in the first trench line, the Habsburg and Hungarian commanders simultaneously issued the same order.

“Deploy the reserves!”

Shortly after, the reserves from both sides were deployed almost simultaneously to the trench line where close combat was taking place.

As the reserves were deployed, the close combat became even more fierce, but the superiority of the battle was not easily determined.

Confirming this, the commanders on both sides frowned and shook their heads.

“The losses will be too great if this continues…”

Eventually, the Hungarian commander made a decision first.

“Send the retreat signal. And deploy the remaining reserves to cover the retreat.”

“Yes.”

Shortly after, the Hungarian soldiers who received the order began to retreat from the trenches to the main camp.

Although the Hungarian reserves were additionally deployed to prevent the Habsburg army’s pursuit, there were no Habsburg soldiers who were pursuing.

Because they were also exhausted.

* * *

The subsequent war situation changed to a continuation of tedious confrontation.

Because it was not easy for both sides to restore the troops and resources lost in the first battle.

“It originally costs a lot of money to wage war, but it’s eating up more and more money.”

“But war won’t disappear.”

“That’s right.”

The intellectuals who were talking about the war between the Habsburgs and Hungary soon came to a similar conclusion.

“The losers in future wars will face terrible endings. Because the winners will take everything.”

Similar stories were circulating among the ambassadors at the Imperial Embassy in Florence.

“Wouldn’t war disappear if they knew they would be finished the moment they lost?”

“It won’t disappear, but wouldn’t it decrease a little? It originally took a lot of wealth, but now it has become something that takes an overwhelmingly large amount of wealth.”

Yu Eung-bu shook his head at Shin Suk-ju and Seong Sam-mun’s words.

“There are no people who wage war thinking they will lose. Everyone only thinks about the future where they will be the winner.”

“Hmm…”

Shin Suk-ju and Seong Sam-mun became silent at Yu Eung-bu’s cold words. Seong Sam-mun, who had been contemplating something for a long time, asked Yu Eung-bu.

“Then what about our Empire?”

Yu Eung-bu immediately answered Seong Sam-mun’s question.

“From the Emperor Emeritus to His Majesty, no, from Emperor Won to the current Emperor, have they ever mentioned the word ‘war’ first? Perhaps the people who hate war the most are probably them.”

Shin Suk-ju immediately took Yu Eung-bu’s words.

“That’s probably because they are virtuous people.”

At Shin Suk-ju’s words, Seong Sam-mun and Yu Eung-bu put down the teacups they were holding and stared at Shin Suk-ju.

“Why, why are you looking at me like that?”

“Let’s talk properly, at least in this place.”

“What am I doing?”

“…”

Shin Suk-ju, pressed by the two people who were exerting unspoken pressure, finally waved the white flag.

“I misspoke. They are people who wouldn’t wage war even if it meant wasting money.”

“They would never reduce the budget for Area 51 and the research institute.”

“Isn’t the biggest reason they care about national defense because it’s an excuse to make their favorite weapons and warships?”

-These bastards! They know me too well! If I don’t deal with them somehow….

The three people who had the conversation that Hyang would have said if he had heard it soon changed the subject.

“How do you think the war in Austria will end?”

At Seong Sam-mun’s question, Shin Suk-ju, who was well-versed in diplomacy, opened his mouth.

“It will probably end with a negotiation where both sides give and take appropriately.”

“Will the Habsburgs engage in negotiations?”

“Italy will give them greater benefits than Hungary. And the Pope has also stepped in.”

“The Pope, huh…”

Seong Sam-mun, who was pondering the word ‘Pope,’ shook his head.

“I’ve seen and heard many things I don’t understand since coming here, but the thing I don’t understand the most is the Pope. What exactly is the Pope? I can’t properly tell whether he is the head of religion or a secular monarch. Also, the attitude of the monarchs towards the Pope is the same. Sometimes they ignore him, and sometimes they unconditionally obey him, saying it’s divine will…”

Shin Suk-ju briefly defined Seong Sam-mun’s criticism.

“I can’t define the Pope either, but isn’t there only one attitude of the monarchs? Gamtan-goto (甘呑苦吐) [a Japanese idiom meaning ‘swallowing the sweet and spitting out the bitter’], swallowing if it’s sweet and spitting it out if it’s bitter.”

The other two nodded at Shin Suk-ju’s words. Yu Eung-bu, who picked up his teacup and moistened his throat, continued.

“The biggest problem in this war is that the number of armies that know how to properly use guns and artillery is increasing. Considering the difference between training and actual combat, this is the biggest problem. It’s also the biggest problem our Imperial Army has.”