Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 1131

1131. The Middle East War (9)

The race concluded with one win and one loss.

The Ottoman army reached the Patnos region first, while the Iranian army arrived in the Mardin region ahead of them. With the initial race decided, the real battle was about to commence. The Iranian army, after driving out the small Ottoman detachment in Mardin, immediately began digging trenches and fortifying their position. This, of course, sparked a lively debate among the Imperial [referring to the Holy Roman Empire], Ming [referring to the Ming Dynasty of China], and Japanese officers present.

“We must press our advantage and advance further! Hesitation will be our downfall!”

The Ming officer calmly questioned, glancing at the Japanese officer who was pushing for an immediate advance.

“What about our supply lines? Are they fully established yet?”

“……”

Then, the Imperial officer chimed in.

“What will you do if you stumble upon the main Ottoman army while advancing so recklessly? Surely you understand that an unprepared encounter is a recipe for disaster?”

“……”

Thus, the Imperial and Ming officers, having successfully countered the Japanese officer’s argument, consulted with the Iranian command and initiated the construction of trenches.

* * *

On the other hand, in the Patnos area, where the opposite outcome had occurred, the Japanese officer was ecstatic.

“We may have been slower than the Ottomans, but the true battle begins now! We must seize Patnos before the Ottoman forces stationed there can be reinforced! Issue the attack order immediately!”

At the Japanese officer’s urgent call for an attack, the Iranian commanders turned to the Imperial and Ming officers for their input.

“Please wait a little longer. The artillery deployment is almost complete. While Ottoman forces are arriving steadily, we haven’t detected any signs of their artillery yet, so we can afford to be patient.”

“We’re also in the process of establishing a floating supply line across Lake Van. The first supply ship will arrive shortly. Once that’s in place, you can attack without any logistical concerns.”

After considering the advice from the Imperial and Ming officers, the Iranian commander paused for a moment before making his decision.

“We will commence the attack as soon as the artillery is ready.”

With the commander’s decision made, the Iranian army sprang into action.

“Finish the deployment quickly!”

“Prepare the reserve ammunition and gunpowder!”

“Have you forgotten the safety distance! One shot and you’ll all be blown to kingdom come!”

The artillery soldiers scurried about, working tirelessly to complete the deployment. Amidst the soldiers digging, hammering, and carrying shells and gunpowder, Iranian and Imperial officers patrolled, shouting orders at the top of their lungs.

While the artillerymen were busy at work, other Iranian soldiers were filling their stomachs with Imperial-made dried rations.

“Can’t fight on an empty stomach, can we?”

Across from them, Ottoman soldiers on the palisade [a fence made of pointed stakes] surrounding Patnos swallowed hard as they watched.

“If those guys finish eating, the battle will begin, right?”

“Probably….”

As the soldiers grew increasingly anxious about the impending battle, Ottoman officers moved among them, urging them to remain vigilant.

“As soon as their shelling starts, immediately descend the palisade and jump into the trenches!”

“If you stay focused and follow your training, you’ll survive! Remember, the fool who panics and loses their head will be the first to die!”

Listening to the officers, the Ottoman soldiers glared at the Iranian army beyond while simultaneously checking the location of the nearest ladder. This was because they would need to quickly climb down the ladder and jump into the nearby trench as soon as the Iranian shelling began.

Of course, in an emergency, they could simply jump off the palisade. The base of the palisade was positioned at a carefully calculated height from the ground. This was another adaptation that had emerged as warfare evolved.

* * *

As cannons became the dominant force on the battlefield, traditional walls, especially the stone walls of fortresses built on plains, became largely obsolete. No matter how high and thick they were, they would crumble under concentrated cannon fire. Consequently, armies across the world began lowering their walls instead of raising them.

The ‘Age of Walls’ had transitioned into the ‘Age of Trenches.’

In strategically important locations like Patnos, palisades were erected both in front of and behind the trenches. This was because palisades alone were sufficient to deter rebel tribes or bandits who lacked proper weaponry.

The only places where remnants of ancient walls remained were in capitals and major cities with a long and proud history, such as Constantinople and Paris.

* * *

The Iranian artillerymen, having completed their deployment, took turns resting and eating.

“Alright! Launch the weather balloon!”

The Iranian army, adhering strictly to Imperial doctrine, immediately launched a weather balloon into the sky. Seeing the balloon ascend, soldiers from both the Ottoman and Iranian armies shared the same thought.

“It’s starting now!”

The balloon, having reached the appropriate altitude, began transmitting flashing signals back to the ground.

“Ottoman cannons, a small number confirmed. Assessing their numbers….”

The Imperial officer decoding the signals from the balloon smirked and turned to the Ming and Iranian officers beside him.

“If it were me, I would have fired a few shots to throw them off when we arrived. The fact that they didn’t? There are only two possible explanations: either the Ottoman artillery commander is an idiot, or the Ottoman cannons are fewer in number and have a shorter range than we anticipated.”

“Or they might have a limited supply of ammunition.”

The Imperial officer nodded in agreement with the Ming officer’s addition and advised the Iranian infantry commander present.

“If you’ve prepared according to doctrine, you shouldn’t be pushed back in the artillery battle.”

The Iranian commander nodded confidently at the Imperial officer’s words.

“Don’t worry. Well then, let’s begin.”

The Iranian commander gave an order to the signalman beside him. The signalman, confirming the commander’s order, waved the signal flags back and forth, and after a moment, signal flags fluttered from the command headquarters in the rear as well.

The Iranian commander, having decoded the signal from headquarters, called for a messenger.

“Relay to the medium artillery unit! Commence the bombardment!”

“Commence the bombardment! Understood!”

The messenger, repeating the order, immediately mounted his horse and rode off.

Boom!

Shortly after, the standard cannon of the medium artillery unit roared. The weather balloon, confirming the point of impact, diligently flashed signals, and the commanders of the medium artillery unit adjusted their angles accordingly. When the third shell fired by the standard cannon struck the palisade, the remaining medium cannons, having confirmed the accuracy, fired all at once.

Kwakwakwang!

The palisade of Patnos vanished without a trace under the simultaneous bombardment of over 30 medium cannons.

The Ottoman soldiers, who had descended the palisade as soon as the standard cannon fired its first shot, had to endure the Iranian bombardment while huddled in the trenches.

“Where the hell are our cannons!”

At the soldiers’ complaints, an officer nearby muttered under his breath.

“That’s why they said we should buy Imperial-made ones, even if they’re expensive…. But we bought French-made ones….”

Although they received extensive support from France, it was by no means free. Having accepted money from France, they were obligated to purchase most of their weapons from them. Only Constantinople and the nearby major ports had high-performance cannons sold by the Empire deployed.

Even so, the Ottomans were still lacking in cannons. In fact, they were inferior to Iran in terms of both the number and performance of the cannons they possessed.

* * *

The Imperial and Ming officers, watching the medium artillery unit turn the palisade of Patnos and its surroundings into a wasteland, diligently analyzed the situation.

“The medium artillery unit seems to have done its job properly. Now, the toy cannons [small cannons] and light artillery unit will move in.”

“Once the toy cannons and light artillery unit pave the way, the assault will follow, and the Japanese will be ecstatic.”

The Imperial officer, at the Ming officer’s words, frowned slightly and grumbled.

“If they came as advisors, they should just stick to advising. Why on earth….”

Before the Imperial officer could finish speaking, the light artillery unit, positioned right behind the front line, began firing all at once. The light artillery unit’s mission was to create an ‘iron curtain’ [a barrage of artillery fire] for the Iranian army waiting at the assault start line.

However, the problem was that this curtain would disappear as soon as the Iranian army began their assault.

If they weren’t careful, even the assaulting Iranian army could fall victim to the shelling.

In any case, following the light artillery unit’s bombardment, even the toy cannons began firing Jinchonroe [a type of Korean cannon].

In the trenches created at the assault start line, the Iranian army was preparing for the assault.

A small number of Japanese officers, sitting in the trenches with the Iranian soldiers, gripped their swords tightly and waited for the signal.

“It’s the signal!”

As the bugle sounded, signaling the start of the assault, the Japanese officers waved their swords forward and shouted.

“Charge (突擊)!”

Simultaneously, the Japanese officers leaped out of the trenches and began running forward. Soon after, countless Iranian soldiers jumped out of the trenches and began charging towards the Ottoman trenches about 150 yards (approximately 137 meters) away.

“They’re finally coming!”

“Now it’s our turn!”

As the Iranian army’s assault began, the Ottoman cannons that had survived the shelling emerged from their concealed positions and prepared to fire.

“Fire!”

Kwangkwakwang!

As the Ottoman army’s shelling commenced, the leading ranks of the charging Iranian army began to collapse.

“Ottoman artillery position confirmed!”

The weather balloon in the sky, as soon as it confirmed the location of the surviving Ottoman artillery position, identified the coordinates and sent a signal to the allied artillery unit. Shortly after, the Iranian medium artillery unit began firing shells at the Ottoman artillery position.

A fierce artillery battle ensued. However, as time passed, the Ottoman cannons, overwhelmed by firepower, began to fall silent one by one. As the Ottoman army’s shelling weakened, the Iranian army reorganized its ranks and resumed the assault.

As the Iranian army drew closer, the Ottoman Hwachas [Korean rocket artillery] hiding in the trenches revealed their presence.

Tatatatatatatang!

The Iranian army, charging under the crossfire of the Hwachas from the trench positions, which overlapped the firing lines in double and triple layers, collapsed in droves.

“Charge!”

As the charging soldiers hesitated at the sight of their comrades falling right in front of them, the Iranian officers continued to urge them to charge.

“You might die if you’re unlucky while charging, but if you stop here, you’ll definitely die! Charge!”

“Charge!”

At the officers’ words, the Iranian soldiers gritted their teeth and continued the assault.

“Do not fear death! It is martyrdom!”

“Do not fear martyrdom!”

After repeated assaults, even invoking ‘martyrdom,’ the Iranian army managed to breach the Ottoman trench line, and a fierce close-quarters battle erupted between the Ottoman and Iranian armies.

The Iranian command, confirming this through the weather balloon, immediately deployed the second wave. The Ottoman army also deployed reserves to the trench line, intensifying the conflict. However, the tide was turning in favor of the Iranian army.

This was because the artillery unit, adhering strictly to Imperial doctrine, was relentlessly pounding the Ottoman reserves being deployed to the trenches. Thanks to the intense shelling of the Iranian artillery unit, which not only decimated the Ottoman reserves but also obliterated two-thirds of Patnos, the city was eventually captured by the Iranian army.

“….But can we really call this an occupation?”

The Ming officer muttered quietly, gazing at the devastated remains of Patnos.

Meanwhile, the Japanese officers were scouring the battlefield for the bodies of their fallen comrades.