Chapter 246 The Beginning of the Ross Arrow Array

The crossbow bolts successfully penetrated the oak board that was a little thicker than the wooden shield, and the person operating the crossbow was only a seven-year-old child.

Both Gould and Jevlo were aware of its powerful combat capabilities, but they had no clear idea of ​​how to make good use of it.

The crossbow test was successful, and all the fired crossbow arrows were collected afterwards.

It is late at night, the cold wind is blowing outside, and the coldness of early winter has descended on Roseburg.

Most residents have extinguished their oil lamps, and families gather together to rest.

In the blacksmith shop, wooden boards were temporarily erected to protect from the wind. Under the illumination of several oil lamps, the blacksmith shop looked brighter.

Clavason sat on the ground. He put the crossbow with the string unloaded aside, and a sack full of arrows was placed casually beside him.

Five crossbow arrows were placed randomly on the gravel ground, and their condition was obviously a little bad.

"Rurik, our weapons are too powerful, these arrows are all bent. Look, this one even broke the shaft."

Sitting cross-legged Rurik was not surprised. He bent down and used the flame of the oil lamp to observe the bent arrow clusters and the cross section of the arrow shaft.

"Can it only be used once? Maybe that's a good thing."

"A good thing?!" Klavasen wondered: "All the five arrows you asked me to make were damaged. Hunters with bows will recycle their own arrows, but it would be better for you to destroy them all." Rurik could understand the dissatisfaction in Klavasen's words, and he patiently explained: "Look, The arrows are either bent or broken, so the enemy cannot use them again. "That's it? Do you think the enemy will have a chance to possess our weapons?" Is that impossible? ”

Clavason immediately smiled disdainfully: “How is it possible?! Only we in Russia have mastered this weapon, and you are its inventor. In the years to come, only we will use our crossbows to deprive the enemy of his life.”

Rurik was not surprised that he could say such a thing. There are indeed many people with limited vision who feel that they have it. With a powerful killing weapon, one can forever control the power of the strong.

For example, if you build a powerful armored fleet, look at its terrifying caliber, who can doubt that it is not powerful enough? Therefore, it is the strongest. The owner of the fleet did not expect or bother to understand the enemy's progress and ambitions.

Rurik never thought that the steel-armed crossbow he made was eternal, and he did not expect to be able to persuade Klavasen to view this matter dialectically.

After all, the problem now is that there is only one crossbow. Only when it has a sufficient number can it truly show its power. The so-called quantitative change makes a qualitative change.

Rurik talked eloquently: "We can't think that the enemy is stupid. We always have to be careful. I think arrows can only be used once.It's an advantage. After all, we need arrows to kill people. As long as we can accomplish this goal, we can obviously use weird things to make arrows. For example, stones. "

"Stone? "Klava felt refreshed.

"Yes. For example, use glass. "

"Glass? Can it also be used to make arrows? Do you want me to stretch it into the shape of an entire arrow? "As he said that, Klavasen imagined a magical picture. The so-called crossbow would shoot from the same transparent cylinder.

Rurik explained: "Use glass for arrowheads and wood for arrowheads. It was tied with sticks and hemp rope, and finally two feathers were glued on. "

"But can such an arrow penetrate wood? "

"This... I'm afraid it won't happen. However, it can still penetrate a deer's fur. The arrowhead will definitely shatter the deer's body, and the deer will die. If we shoot at an enemy, the enemy who is hit by the arrow will have no chance of surviving. ”

“But the iron-headed arrow can obviously penetrate the wooden board. "Clavason said regretfully.

"Don't you think the cost of using iron arrows is too high? Compared to iron smelting, we can make only glassware faster. You know, many hunters just use obsidian to make arrowheads. What is obsidian? It's just a kind of glass. So, do you think glass arrows are bad? "

Klavasen shrugged: "Who knows? In my opinion, the best arrowheads have to be smoldering steel. "As he spoke, he played with the bent arrows: "I made them from the most common iron. At your request, the arrows were beaten very long. I like glassware made into cups, but I would rather use iron to make arrowheads. Maybe bronze..."

"I want all three! "Rurik said decisively.

"You want them all? ”

“Yes! Rurik's attitude was extremely determined: "Listen, Klavasen!" I'm not a hunter and I don't want to be one. I don't have to reuse arrows because the arrows themselves are consumable. The only thing that can be reused here is the crossbow. No matter what the arrow is made of, its beauty is limited to the moment it kills the enemy. It cannot kill the enemy, it is the worst arrow. ”

“Oh? Do you think so? ”

“Of course. "With that said, Rurik simply rushed to Klavasen and looked into the old guy's eyes: "Listen, I need more crossbows, maybe a hundred. I had to organize a team that mainly used crossbows, organize them, and shoot arrows at the same time to massacre charging enemies. What I want is maximum shooting, but not maximum reuse of arrows. Do you see what I mean? "

Clavason understood a little bit, and he hurriedly asked: "Rurik, how many crossbows do you need for the next step? "

Rurik glanced at the crossbow placed aside, and then said: "At least ten. Let's start making them now. "

"Where are the arrows? ”

"I want you to make arrows with glass arrowheads. Since you insist on using iron, then do it."

Klavason nodded: "Okay, maybe we should talk now Price. You know, the bow arm we use is supposed to be a steel sword." "A crossbow is priced at sixty silver coins!" Rurik said decisively.

"Deal!"

"An iron-tipped sword and a silver coin!"

"Deal!"

"Then you Go ahead! I'll give you ten days to make them all." Rurik said excitedly.

Clavason, who was very happy, immediately panicked: "My master, are you really in trouble? The first crossbow, we clearly..."

"Close Talk about it! You already have a successful experience. Maybe it will be slow to make a second one. Maybe your blacksmith alliance should have a meeting and maybe you can share the money with your guys."

"Bah!" Klavason stopped on the spot: "My agreement with them does not include crossbows. I will delay other people's orders for steel swords. Rurik, I will take care of your business!"

"That's right." Rurik smiled and comforted: "I will come every afternoon in the future, and I will arrange some friends to help you. Oh, no! We should help ourselves."

The price of the crossbow body has also been clarified. Since its arms are made into steel swords, the simple price is the same as that of the steel sword, which is sixty silver coins.

If Clavassen alone is expected to make a batch of crossbow arrows while building the crossbow, he only has one pair of hands and cannot complete everything in a short time.

Rurik only requested that fifty iron-tipped crossbow arrows must be made, and these arrows must undergo smoldering carburization and quenching surface hardening. The purpose of this is to allow the arrow shaft to break casually. Just leave the arrow as is. Because as long as there is an iron arrow with a sleeve and a piece of wood inserted into it, it is another crossbow arrow.

As for the lack of tail feathers? It doesn't matter. Anyway, at a shooting distance of thirty or forty meters, the tail feathers of the arrow have little effect.

On the afternoon of the next day, Rurik took the guys as promised and ran to Klavassen's blacksmith shop.

Boys and girls all know the power of the crossbow. They never imagined that they would have the opportunity to participate in its production. Not to mention how happy they are to be selected!

Fisk, Kanuf, Carlotta, Ella, and nearly twenty boys and girls.

The scene where a large group of children, led by Rurik, suddenly appeared in Klavassen’s blacksmith shop was more than just abrupt?

In any case, children are also a kind of labor force.

Seeing Rurik’s attention and cooperation, Klavasen, who originally felt a lot of pressure, felt much better.

For LiuliGram, the total number of children receiving military and sports training on hand has exceeded 300. Even if they are children, their number multiplied by three hundred is a terrifying appetite.

More than a month has passed, including those little girls from Melalen who begged, and now their physical fitness has completely surpassed that of their peers from other tribes. Boys and girls ate wheat cakes and fish, and they had to work a certain amount to make up for their food consumption.

A number of longhouses specifically for servant accommodation are being constructed rapidly, and more leather and linen clothing are also being sewn. On the surface, Rurik has to pay for these things, but in reality, the real payer is It's the servants.

Rurik has already begun to order some children to pick up dead branches in the forest to prepare firewood for winter heating.

There are also children holding axes, carefully cutting down some small trees, and then cutting the fallen trees into sections. The children worked very hard because they knew that the firewood was the key to keeping themselves and their sisters from freezing to death in winter.

Rurik selected his most trusted partners and servants to participate in the production of the crossbow. For these people, he is at ease!

Even though Rurik determined that the Russians could not expect to maintain military superiority with just one weapon, if a certain weapon could bring a huge advantage to the tribe, then the information about the secret weapon, the enemy or even Allies, it's best to get to know them much later. In other words, when the tribe has better things, it is also excellent to sell the obsolete old weapons to allies at high prices.

What are my father’s fleet doing?

Could it be that they had to deal with a lot of things and delayed their return date? They won't be returning until November, right? By that time, the sea had begun to freeze on a large scale.

Rurik was a little worried about his father Otto, but he also had a hunch that by the end of October at the latest, such as around October 25th in the Julian calendar, the Ross fleet would definitely arrive in the cold weather. Returning in the wind.

But God was unfavorable. In mid-October, a snowstorm hit Roseburg!

The blizzard was a disaster, with the cold wind blowing away the thatch from some family longhouses and knocking down some pine trees. Thanks to the protection of the hills on both sides of the fjord, the wind in the fjord is actually not very strong, but the sea is really rough.

At the same time as the waves, there were still fine snowflakes like knives.

The two-day snowstorm is over, and the whole world has changed drastically.

Some elderly tribesmen froze to death in their homes due to the sudden severe cold, while more people hid in their longhouses and started the winter in advance.

Of course, there is also a group of hunters who are eager to give it a try. Because of the great success of last winter’s hunting, this group of hunters began to sharpen their own blades, eager to go to the north, to the end of the human world, and then to find deer herders to rob. Ichiban.

It was still because of this blizzard that it really caused some trouble for Clavarson.

Rurik and the big businessmanGould made an agreement that in exchange for losing the bet, Gould would do more for Rurik. Rurik did not make any excessive demands. He just asked for speeding up the construction of the servants' longhouse and, most importantly, sending manpower to dig and move the iron ore.

Rurik indeed asked Gould to send someone to help him make more crossbows, so the blacksmith did not have to waste time mining the blacksmith stone himself. Someone would do it for him, and the blacksmith would save time. , is the best help Rurik could hope for.

The snow has stopped, and the temperature will obviously not return to the past.

Fishermen who went fishing began to report a terrible thing, that is, ice floes began to form on the sea surface.

It’s already been this time, why hasn’t the leader’s Sorgon fleet returned yet? The tribesmen left behind could no longer remain optimistic, and one or two of them became worried.

Rurik's worries were growing day by day, but all ten crossbows were completed in only seven days.

In the blacksmith shop, all crossbows are arranged in a matrix on the ground.

The calluses on Klavason’s hands are very scary, and his unkempt beard and damaged cowhide apron make this blacksmith look very punk.

Facing this deep old guy were the excited looks of more than twenty children.

"Is there still a test next?" Klavasen asked Rurik.

"Yes! This time, we have to play a new trick."

After that, Rurik shouted: "Fisk, Kanuf, take the brothers Pick up the crossbow. Well...and Carlotta, Ella, come too."

"Me?" Carlotta asked excitedly and cautiously: "I am Rurik. Can a woman control it? "

"Do you think you are unworthy? You are the commander of the Valkyrie Legion," Rurik said with a cold face, clearly criticizing Carlotta. words.

"Okay. Ella, let's come too." Carlotta made a determined decision and picked up a relatively heavy steel-armed crossbow.

A group of children wearing fur coats and fur hats stood in the snow. The thick clothes they put on could almost perfectly withstand the low temperature of minus 20 degrees Celsius.

Compared to some children in the tribe, the people of Rurik also pursue the best warmth when it comes to clothing. Therefore, Rurik had to pay a fee in advance to purchase and customize clothes, and he paid the money decisively.

Buying clothes can be said to be a very correct investment!

A blizzard killed more than thirty people, most of whom were congenitally weak. And Rurik's guys and servants are all healthy.

A wooden target was erected on the snow. Twenty children stood in the snow and rehearsed the so-called "Ross Arrow Array" at Rurik's request.

Ten children holding crossbows had firm eyes. About thirty meters in front of them stood a wooden target, equivalent to three strong men fighting in a row.

Rurik pulled out his dagger, and with the fog of speech, he shouted with the sword: "Brothers! The best way to use the crossbow is to concentrate! Imagine that we are an army, we are the front of the Ross army The force that attacks first before the fight."

As he spoke, his sword pointed directly at the target: "Think about it, that's not a piece of wood, but the approaching Danish army! , Brothers, shoot them with your weapons!”

This sentence inspired everyone’s fighting spirit.

For example, Fisk, for example, Carlotta.

Rurik was the chosen crossbow experimenter. The twenty people present all had relatives and friends who died at the hands of the Danish army. Especially Carlotta and Ella, Rurik knew that they were extremely eager for revenge.

Poor Carlotta, she is so weak. Rurik hoped that the weapons he developed would let this girl, and even all the Ostarans, know that even if only weak women were left in the tribe, they could use specific weapons to take revenge.

"Everyone! Half-kneel!"

"Left elbow to left knee!"

"Aim the crosshair at the target! Steady body!"

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For a moment, Rurik had a strong illusion, as if his men were not holding crossbows at all, but rifles.

Ah! Perhaps within a distance of thirty meters, the heavy iron-tipped arrow fired by the crossbow is as powerful as a small-caliber bullet. No! Even a little more intense.

Seeing that they were basically ready, Rurik loudly ordered: "Fire!"

Because of the recoil caused by the heavy arrows, it was more laborious to shoot from the kneeling position. The children, who were so light, almost fell to the ground.

But the results of the shooting are amazing!

In one salvo, all ten crossbow arrows hit the target, or in other words, they were embedded in or penetrated the wooden target.

Three holes appeared in the target, obviously the crossbow arrows had penetrated it. The other seven branches are all embedded crookedly.

"Well done, brothers and sisters. Keep winding up and launch again when you are ready."

A frail girl who almost died from a leg injury now relies on her hands The weapons on it can already kill the enemy easily. Carlotta looked at her sister's more petite appearance. Even such a weaker child could control such a weapon.

In fact, Ella used all her strength to barely level the crossbow. Fortunately, thanks to the ratchet winch, she was still able to string her crossbow at just seven years old.

I have to say that winding up was a really tiring process, but the second round of volleys caused some powerful damage to the wooden target. Everyone felt that their efforts were worth it.

What’s even crazier is that after five rounds of volleys, the target has been completely broken into pieces, and its remaining value is nothing more than throwing it into a bonfire as fuel.

Children with a little common sense already realize what this means. Because the wooden target board itselfIt can be used for shipbuilding. The volley of ten children completely destroyed the planks. If the target was an enemy ship, wouldn't it mean that the enemy ship was destroyed and people were killed?

If the target is a deer, the deer will die on the spot after a salvo.

The children realized that their shooting was very accurate. They boasted that they could not hit the wooden target with an ordinary bow at such a distance, but using a crossbow, precise shooting turned out to be so accurate.

Actually, most steel-arm crossbows can accurately shoot only about fifty meters away. Only short and thick crossbow arrows within this distance can fly stably and have the ability to smash wooden boards, that is, smash the enemy's wooden shields flatly.

As for exceeding this distance, it is better to use projectile woodworking to throw light arrows.

Originally, the Rus and even other Viking tribes did not like to use bows and arrows in war in this era. The reason is that bone arrowheads and inferior oak single-piece bows cannot cause serious damage to armored enemies. It's not that the Vikings in this time and space don't know how to bow and arrow, it's just that they haven't mastered the technology to make powerful bows and arrows.

However, there will be longbows and cavalry. Those descendants of Danes who immigrated to the Brittany region of France were not only good at archery, but also built heavy cavalry. It was this same group of people who went to the Holy Land and brought Eastern crossbow technology back to Europe, and developed the steel-arm crossbow and put it into the war.

If all this is destined to be a historical necessity, the Russians, under the leadership of Rurik, brought crossbow technology and usage routines to Europe five hundred years in advance.

The way it is used, or the "Russian Arrow Array" named after Rurik, is a line array. But this routine was often used by Easterners as early as a thousand years ago.

Afterwards, Rurik also organized his men to try three-stage strikes, four-stage strikes, and even five-stage strikes.

He even tried the so-called team of five people, with one shooter dedicated to shooting, and the other four people's job was to string and arrow, a so-called round-shooting tactic.

In the snow, Rurik began to practice his "Ross Arrow Formation" endlessly, and his men also had a great time. In the snow, boys and girls continued their daily military physical training, the boys continued to fight, and the girls continued to shoot arrows.

Finally, Rurik brought the crossbow to the hillside of the training ground.

Here, he finally began to train his boys and girls, the so-called infantry phalanx of the Ross tribe.

His idea is very simple. In the so-called future war, the Ross tribe's infantry tactics must have two axes.

First, the archers shoot arrows first, and then the crossbow shoots heavy arrows directly.

Second, the crossbowmen retreated, and the Ross sword and shieldmen formed a dense formation and advanced towards the enemies who had been hit by arrows.

Rurik’s training plan surprised coaches Yevro and Frazier. Although the initial training attempt, the archer’s good sword and shield player’s cooperation was very poor. After some running-in,, the situation is also improving.

Especially the so-called arrow array!

"Rurik, girls, it's better to retreat. It's best if your men are all men. Ah, in my opinion, you don't have to think too much about the situation when the enemy rushes in front of your army, because you "The crossbow has killed most of the charging enemies." Jevlo suppressed his inner excitement. Rurik once again showed his great ambition. As a loyal servant, Jevlo felt that the only thing he could repay was, He worked hard to train the boys of Rus in swordsmanship, especially Rurik, and they became excellent warriors before they grew up.