The steam train was actually not something invented by the Romans. It was still a thing of the Tang Empire. However, compared to artillery, little Hannibal was much more interested in this thing.
The main reason is that the Roman Empire was also known as the Mediterranean Empire, and its main sphere of influence was in the Mediterranean.
This is not to say that the Romans had special sentiments, or that they had any special preference to build their homes by the sea, but that the center of Rome's military and political power was still the Seven Hills of Rome on the northern coast of the Mediterranean, while the main grain-producing areas were on the southern coast - that is,
The legendary "Province of Africa".
The grain-producing area and the military and political center are not in the same place. This is considered a standard feature of a large empire. China also places its capital and the strongest army in military hotspots to take control at any time. Chang'an and Youzhou are basically these two places.
The grain-producing areas are in the Central Plains region. However, the difference is that China's food/military complex is connected by land. Whether the Central Plains land is connected to Youzhou or Chang'an, it is all connected by land.
Transporting people and grain.
But that was not the case in Rome. Rome's transportation of materials and personnel was carried out by ship from the Mediterranean, which was more cost-effective and more convenient. Because of this reason, although Rome did not imitate China's steam warships very early, but
, and later it was copied.
And recently, Rome has a new achievement, that is, the steam train - of course, there is only one locomotive and a few carriages of wood transportation. This project is not actually the main project of Hannibal's attention, because just like
As mentioned before, food and personnel circulation within Rome mainly took the Mediterranean and steam trains, so it was just an accumulation of technology, not a dangerous project.
But at this moment, little Hannibal suddenly remembered this matter.
"Do you remember we just finished the steam train the other day?"
"Steam train?"
Wang Xuanchen and Marcus were both stunned when they heard this, because they were very familiar with this thing. Within the Tang Empire, this thing was taken out every day by the imperial court to show its national power. However, for Rome, this thing
It doesn't make much sense, because there is really nothing in Rome that really needs a steam train.
I got this thing probably to make it easier for the nobles in the country to travel. In fact, the Roman High School started this steam train project in the name of "noble travel mode" to defraud money from the nobles to do this job.
, but this thing seems to be of little use in the military?
The Tang Army's steam locomotives, except for the old varieties that must run on rails, have even been developed that can gallop directly on the earth. This time, Rome was blocked from going eastward through the northern area of the Alps and was severely damaged by the Tang Army. It was precisely because of this
thing.
But it’s hard to say how useful a steam car running on the rails will be. There is no doubt that people can easily avoid the steam car running on the rails. Using this thing to break other people’s military formations is not child’s play.
?Besides, how can the rails be repaired to reach people’s faces?
now.
What everyone was discussing with little Hannibal was military issues, and when little Hannibal talked about the steam train at this time, he was undoubtedly talking about the military use of this thing - there is something wrong here.
the use of!
Unless those 200,000 Tang soldiers were all idiots, no, even 200,000 pigs would not have tolerated the Romans seriously bringing craftsmen and materials to build the railroad tracks all the way to their own pens!
So what is the use of this steam train?
To prove that something is feasible requires a long period of thinking and verification, but to know that something is not feasible is very simple. Whether a cup can hold a jar of water can be seen at a glance.
Marcus and Wang Xuanchen looked at each other in confusion, and then both looked at little Hannibal in confusion - I wonder what His Majesty's plan is?
Besides, the matter of this artillery has not yet been clarified. The Roman artillery was extremely heavy and its power was not as powerful as that of the Tang army.
How to use it to give full play to the home field advantage and give Tang Jun a wake-up call is really a troublesome thing.
But when he really wanted to ask something, whether it was Marcus or Wang Xuanchen, they always felt that little Hannibal was going to say something, and it was something important. Then, as expected, little Hannibal suddenly looked at him.
Shining light, he asked extremely seriously, "The steam train has excellent load capacity, but it is not flexible enough. The artillery is extremely powerful, but it is too heavy."
"So, can we install the artillery on the steam train?"
"The tracks of this steam train are built on the border of Rome. In this way, wouldn't we have heavy forces that can be quickly transferred to the battlefield in all directions? Wouldn't Rome's defense power be greatly improved?"
At this moment, little Hannibal's eyes were burning, like flames that could directly burn people.
When Marcus and Wang Xuanchen heard this, their eyes widened and their mouths opened wide on the spot - they stared at little Hannibal for a long time without being able to speak. In their eyes, despite trying hard to maintain humility and etiquette, they were...
Uncontrollable excitement!
At this moment, Marcus and Wang Xuanchen understood that little Hannibal really had an idea!
If we say that Rome, which directly used artillery itself, was indeed not enough to compete with the Tang Empire, because the number was indeed too small! And artillery with the same power, Rome's things were too heavy. This is even if the bronze artillery was upgraded to steel
The version is the same.
Of course, if it were just like this, it would not make a high-level counselor like Marcus Wang Xuanchen so excited.
Because if there were only steam trains, Hannibal's idea would most likely be useless. It would just transfer a certain number of troops back and forth from the east and west lines of Rome. This would indeed be helpful for defense, but it would not be a matter of strategy.
So simple.
Convenient transportation was very useful for Roman governors when catching bandits, but for the army, it was convenient to travel back and forth. This army could not guarantee that it could defeat the Tang army in any place at any time.
No matter how fast the transfer is, what's the use? It's obviously useless. It can even be said that if the army wants to win the war, it must move forward and backward like a dance, appearing in any place at the right time - but the existence of steam trains has the opposite effect.
There are certain restrictions on this point. As for the speed advantage of the steam train itself.
It is not that the Romans had not studied this aspect before, but after repeated reflections, the conclusion was not good either.