Chapter 129 The Development of Technology: Cheap Paper Armor
Shulot quickly approached and took a closer look. The cloth-covered paper armor in front of him was brown-grey, with a layer of cloth inside and outside. It was as thick as half a palm. It felt soft and solid, and he could vaguely smell the paper.
Fresh fragrance.
The young man then looked expectantly at the paper armor master Matlar.
"How effective is this paper nail? How much does it cost? Is it easy to maintain?"
Telal also stroked the paper armor with his hand and explained with a smile.
"According to His Highness's instructions, I used the cloth as the base, layered it with dozens of sheets of extremely soft paper, then added corn mortar to glue it together, pasted a layer of cloth on it, and then hammered it with a stone hammer to compact it into a layer.
Layers. Then stack dozens of pieces of paper and a layer of cloth again, and continue to thicken and strengthen... This paper armor has four layers!"
With that said, the master armor maker first swung with an obsidian war stick. The cutting of the sharp blade could only cut through the first layer of paper armor, and the second layer penetrated halfway. The full force swipe of the bronze ax could cut through three to four layers, but
There is no damage to the wooden frame under the fourth floor. Only the full thrust of the bronze spear can pierce the fourth floor, leaving shallow marks on the wooden frame. The close range shot of the Tlaxcala bow can only break through the two floors.
, the impact kinetic energy is completely absorbed by the paper.
Demonstrating the defensive effect when drying, Marater pondered deeply, and then continued to evaluate.
"This kind of paper armor is quite light, and its defense depends on two points. First, naturally, the more layers, the stronger the defense. When stacked to more than six layers, it can even be compared with cloth-covered copper armor! It's just that the thickness is too large.
, the movement will be seriously affected. Secondly, if the paper armor absorbs water and gets damp, its defense will be doubled and it will be invulnerable to an axe!"
After saying that, the master armor maker asked his apprentice to bring a large bucket of water and pour it evenly on the paper armor. The paper armor gradually absorbed water until it was completely soft and the tentacles were wet. Then, Shulot personally swung the copper ax and struck it.
The armor was soft and unstretched, and could not be cut through at all. Even if a copper spear was used, it could only penetrate a little.
Seeing this scene, the young man finally nodded with satisfaction. After thinking about it, he shook his head again.
"Maratell, yours is a simplified cloth-covered paper armor. You just use paper tendons as the filler inside the cloth. Next, you still need to soak it in oil to change the structure of the paper to prevent it from getting wet and rotting. Then paint the outer layer.
, to prevent absorbing too much water and causing the paper tendons to scatter. Finally, apply lime to prevent fire.
A truly excellent paper armor requires soaking in oil for several months, painting several layers of paint inside and out, and finally incorporating lime. Metal is nailed to key points, and the paper bars are forged into sheets. It is as strong as hardwood, comparable to iron armor, and can also be waterproof and moisture-proof...
However, the production cost will be too high, so just follow your design!"
Hearing this, Marater lowered his head to accept the instruction, smiled silently, and continued to introduce.
"Your Highness, this kind of cloth-covered paper armor is not difficult to make. Apprentices can also participate in the production. However, the amount of paper required is huge, and making and hammering is quite labor-intensive. Maintenance and repair are easy, just add paper and cloth-covered gluing. Usually it is necessary
Pay attention to fire prevention, you don’t have to worry during the rainy season.”
Shulot thought again, his eyes shining brightly.
With the development of papermaking technology, paper armor began to be used on a large scale in the Tang and Song Dynasties, and became the standard armor for local armies in the Song Dynasty. During this era, most of the grassroots soldiers of the Ming Army were also equipped with paper armor, especially the naval army.
universal.
In fact, paper armor is lightweight and waterproof, and its defense is strengthened when wet, making it very suitable as a standard equipment for the navy. In the long rainy season in Mexico, paper armor can also give full play to this advantageous feature, and there is no need to worry about rust like metal armor.
.Well, you may need to pay attention to pest control.
Technically speaking, paper armor is almost not difficult to manufacture. As long as there are sufficient raw materials and manpower, it can be manufactured on a large scale. The positioning of this kind of armor is actually quite similar to that of cotton armor. It’s just that in this era of low productivity, the cultivation of cotton has
After all, the output was limited, and cotton cloth was also used as currency to circulate in Central American society, but it was not as easy to obtain as the raw materials for papermaking.
Commonly used raw materials for papermaking include bamboo, reeds, bark, long grass, and jute. They do not need to occupy cultivated land. They can also rely on manpower recruitment during slack periods, giving full play to the manpower advantages of the Mexican Alliance.
After repeated consideration, Shulot made a decision and made paper armor a permanent stock, popularizing it in the longbow militia and spear militia that were about to be formed, and also used it to strengthen the naval army.
"Maralate, this kind of armor is intended to be popularized on a large scale and used to arm thousands of elite militiamen. Similar to standard cotton armor, paper armor can effectively resist the samurai's war club in a battle.
That’s it! I only need the cheapest two types: two layers of paper armor to arm the elite militia, and one layer of paper armor to arm the navy.
Following this idea, you should be prepared to sort out the methods of making paper nails in detail. Soon, I will set up a special workshop, recruit hundreds of craftsmen, and make paper nails in large quantities. Can you recommend a workshop?
principal!"
Shulot ordered seriously.
Maratel thought for a moment, bowed his head respectfully and accepted the order. He also needed to develop a new type of armor, which was exactly the time to push the great disciple who had followed him all the way from the Holy City to this position. Thinking of this, the armor master smiled, and the scars on his face also appeared.
Shaking with joy.
Then, he stood up and moved to a pair of finely woven yellow-brown rattan armor, and introduced it with a smile again.
"Your Highness, this is the vine armor made according to your wishes. The alliance has a tradition of using ivy to make shields, and there is some old vines in the inventory. I used old vines to weave this vine armor. It took a long time, and it was the most difficult part.
That's the treatment of the joints. Fortunately, the finished product is very light, difficult to penetrate with sticks and axes, and has excellent defense!"
As he spoke, Marater cut and struck with an obsidian war stick, leaving the vine armor unscathed. Then he carefully chopped with a copper ax, leaving slight scratches on the vine armor. Finally, he stabbed with a copper spear, and the tip of the spear came from
A little penetration into the natural gaps of the rattan armor will not harm the rattan armor itself.
Shulot looked closer and saw that the rattan armor was very finely woven. The old vines were dark yellow and slightly brown, and the natural gaps between the rattans were only the size of rice grains. The armor-maker's blows caused the breeze, and a faint smell of fish oil greeted him.
It looked like it had been soaked in oil for a long time.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! The boy watched for a moment and asked questions keenly.
"Maratel, why don't you use the copper ax to chop with all your strength? Also, how does this kind of armor protect against bows and arrows?"
The armor master smiled awkwardly, thought for a moment, and explained truthfully.
"Your Highness, this vine armor is different from other armors. The defense relies entirely on the material of the entire old vine. Once cut off with great force, this vine armor is almost impossible to repair. There are not that many old vines in stock, and the new vines need to be soaked in oil.
One year..."
Hearing this, Xiulote thought for a moment and then sighed slightly.
The defensive power of rattan armor is between that of iron armor and leather armor. Excellent rattan armor is actually no less than iron armor. However, throughout the history of the Celestial Dynasty, rattan armor was only popular among the southwest frontiers and naval forces, and was later even replaced by paper armor and cloth armor.
The replacement of the visor naturally has irreparable flaws.
In practical applications, the most fatal flaw of rattan armor is not that it is afraid of fire, but that it is difficult to repair. Damage to armor in combat is very common. After a battle, the iron plates of the pierced armor and scale armor need to be replaced, and the iron pieces of the chain armor need to be repaired.
Rings, paper armor and cloth armor can be refilled with materials, but rattan armor cannot. Its defense relies entirely on the old rattan's own material. Once it breaks, it can only be remade.
The production of rattan armor takes a very long time. The ivy needs to be soaked in water for half a month, dried for several days, and soaked in oil for a year. After weaving into the armor, the surface needs to be hardened, which is very labor-intensive. In addition, the strength of the rattan armor is different from that of the ivy.
The age is directly proportional, new vines are brittle and easy to break, while old vines are tough and wear-resistant, but the raw materials are rare.
In addition, there are natural gaps in the rattan armor, so the defense against bows and arrows is very low. The tough old vines are not easy to bend, so most rattan armor cannot have movable joints, and it looks like a large size when worn on the body.
The vest looks quite antique.
Seeing His Highness' increasingly gloomy expression, Maratelle felt a chill in his heart and quickly stepped forward to remedy the situation.
"Your Highness, the Alliance has a lot of experience in using ivy. In my opinion, it is actually very suitable for making shields and helmets."
With that said, the armor master took out a helmet woven from old vines and handed it to His Highness respectfully.
Shulot took the wicker helmet and touched the dark surface. It felt tough. He tested it several times with a copper ax and it was indeed very strong. Then, the boy tried to put the wicker helmet on his head, and the size was just right. This kind of
The helmet is extremely lightweight, much more comfortable than an animal-shaped wooden helmet, and has breathable pores on it for effective ventilation and heat dissipation.
Shulot thought of the wooden helmet he wore during his last expedition. He was sweating profusely during the hot weather and was feeling stuffy. He felt the comfort of the rattan helmet again, and nodded slowly.
Maratel smiled slightly and once again demonstrated the shield's defense to His Highness.
As a combat consumable, the shield can be woven from easily available new vines. As a shield, the natural gaps in the shield are no longer a weakness.
The armor master first struck the bronze spear with great force. The bronze spear pierced the shield, but was stuck in the shield and could not be pulled out.
"In this case, the opposing warrior can only give up his weapon, while our warrior gives up his shield."
Having said this, Maratel smiled. Then, he fired a bow and arrow at the shield. The arrow inserted into the gap of the shield and was also absorbed in kinetic energy.
Seeing this, the young man nodded slightly. Compared with rattan armor, rattan armor is indeed cheaper and more practical. The buffering power of this rattan armor can also effectively defend against primary firearms. No wonder it was fully popularized in the Ming and Qing dynasties, and everyone in the standing army had one in hand.
Shulot thought for a while and gave serious instructions again.
"Maratel, in this case, the rattan armor will be put on hold for now. Please sort out the manufacturing methods of rattan helmets and rattan plates and recommend a person in charge. Next, I will also equip the new army on a large scale. There is no need to use all old rattan helmets for rattan helmets.
, similar to the shield, while maintaining a certain degree of defense, we prioritize cheapness and popularization!”
The armor master once again accepted the order with a smile. This time, it was time to consider supporting his filial second apprentice.
The young man thought in his mind and summarized his experience in choosing military equipment.
Just like the power of long-range weapons is the product of pulling force and pulling distance, the power of military equipment is also the product of the power of a single piece of equipment and the total quantity of equipment. And quantity advantage is the most important decisive factor in the selection of military equipment!
In 1441, the price of a set of full-body Milan plate armor was as low as 72 livres silver coins, which was already half cheaper than two hundred years ago. And the annual maintenance cost of a set of plate armor also required at least a dozen silver coins. This kind of expensive
Only the landed aristocrats with more than 200 acres of land can afford the equipment for a long time.
Compared with expensive plate armor, ordinary leather armor at the same time only cost 1-2 silver coins. Since there is no need to worry about rust, maintenance costs are also extremely low. The financial resources spent on a set of plate armor are enough to be worth dozens of sets of ordinary leather armor.
A. Therefore, in the European wars of the 15th century, elite infantry armed with leather armor were dozens of times more powerful than knights in plate armor and were the real source of combat power for a legion.
Of course, technology in Europe is developing rapidly. With the large-scale application of hydraulic machinery and the advancement of blast furnace ironmaking technology, the manufacturing and maintenance costs of plate armor are rapidly declining in Europe. By the 17th century, after cheap plate armor appeared and became popular, Europe
The legion's combat effectiveness will rise rapidly. At that time, the colonists will have an equipment advantage over the traditional Asian countries and establish a series of colonial strongholds in the east.
All in all, an excellent commander will never put the quality of equipment first and ignore the quantity of equipment. He needs to consider more the cost-effectiveness of the legion's equipment. In some cases, human lives are often not as valuable as equipment.
For the empire, military strength is a competition of national strength. Behind each legion is the huge manpower and material resources that support the legion. The number of legion equipment will be determined by both manufacturing and maintenance costs. Manufacturing costs determine the scale of production, and maintenance costs will continue
It consumes the empire's finances, and both consume the national power at the same time. Without a strong empire, without the millions of people and craftsmen behind the legions, a huge military system cannot be maintained.
This is the reason why cloth-covered iron armor replaced pierced armor and scale armor. It is cheap to make and easy to maintain. This is also why paper armor and cotton armor became popular. The Eastern Empire has hundreds of thousands of troops, which is beyond the reach of European countries.
Achievable. Every bit of cost reduction can greatly reduce the financial pressure on the empire, and the rulers will naturally make a choice.
At this point, Shulot has a comprehensive equipment plan for the next new army.
These elite militiamen will be armed with bronze spears, rattan shields or long bows, wearing rattan helmets and cloth-covered paper armor. Their equipment defense will be infinitely close to that of ordinary warriors, but the cost of formation and daily maintenance will be greatly reduced. With the help of new
Armed with weapons, equipment and new tactics, elite militiamen will truly step onto the stage of history, and with their huge numbers, they will change the direction of war and even the pattern of the entire society.
In the foreseeable future, in the continuous war, a new class is about to rise!
With his thoughts flying, Shulot looked into the distance with emotion. In the sky, a flock of northern birds were migrating south to spend the warm winter here. At the highest point, an eagle spread its wings and soared, looking towards the vast land. Eagle
Underneath, there is a flock of flying geese and countless flapping birds. They are so majestic that they cover the sky and the sun, crossing mountains and large lakes, flying over the entire world!
