How to Survive in the Roanoke Colony-Chapter 240: Industrial Monastic Order (1)

If you look at one of Leonardo da Vinci’s sketches, there is a so-called circular tank with cannons attached on all sides and wooden panels covering it to protect the occupants. It moves by human power.

Similarly, among the weapons designed by Conrad Kyeser, a medieval European engineer, there is a vehicle moved by horses, which is also surrounded by walls and equipped with hand cannons and blades.

Unlike the two examples above, the Wagenburg (war wagon) was a weapon that was actually used, employed to form defensive formations to protect friendly forces.

In any case, there has been a constant demand for "moving fortresses" that protect allies from enemies while maintaining mobility.

Since the most advantageous battle is a defensive one, the idea was that if that "fortress" could move, one could fight advantageously against enemies anywhere.

Of course, none of them ended up being widely used... according to the catalog of "Immortal Order." I wondered why this was in there—perhaps they were trying to add tanks as weapons for the secret society.

The reason is clear.

How would you move it?

Whether made of wood or metal, how could such heavy equipment be moved on land? It’s obvious. By human or animal power, probably horses.

The heavy armor plates sitting on top.

The blades and gunpowder weapons piled inside.

But, a vehicle with just 1-2 horsepower.

It simply cannot move quickly.

These are not equipment with actual mobility, just significant for the fact that they "move" at all.

However, this power problem is eventually overcome as engine technology continues to develop.

During World War I, as the demand for "moving bunkers" capable of breaking through trenches increased, modern tanks and armored vehicles emerged.

"Attach the war implements!"

"Attach the blades!"

"Activate!"

"Yes, Sir Oitotan!"

And we’re doing that too.

By modifying steam-powered tractors.

Overall, there were no major structural changes from the original tractors.

No, virtually nothing had changed except for adding a few pieces of equipment to the original tractors. With a few adjustments, all of those could be used for their original agricultural purpose.

Transparent Lexan plates were placed around the driver’s seat to protect the driver while maintaining visibility, and steel armor and Lexan were added to the front to protect the vehicle body.

Of course, that wasn’t all.

Woooooosh!

"...Get too close, and there won’t be bones left to collect."

"I agree, Walter."

The difference between tractors and ordinary vehicles is that they supply power by attaching "implements."

In other words, a tractor is like a moving battery, and the implements are like appliances connected to it.

Our tractors already move with seeders, harvesters, rotary tillers, and plows attached.

Then naturally, with a slight modification, automatic blades can be attached to the front of the vehicle. Just modify a hay collector a bit, move it to the front of the vehicle, and attach blades, and it instantly transforms into rotating blades.

This can prevent enemies from approaching.

A massive tank surrounded by steel and transparent shields, leading with rotating blades, approaches the enemy.

It approaches, spewing black steam, making a loud noise, pouring gunfire from the gunners mounted on top.

An overwhelming presence, like a monster approaching.

"Retreat! Retreat!"

Naturally, the enemy formation collapses under this overwhelming presence, and the war tractors advance slowly.

On the field, a mock battle is taking place between over a hundred Spanish seamen led by Vicente and the Agricultural Knight Order led by Oitotan. We are watching the battle situation from a watchtower installed nearby.

A situation where Spanish seamen have just landed and faced the tractor unit.

Spanish cavalry initially attempt a charge but can’t properly approach due to the tractors and try to maneuver around them. They are blocked by spearmen and gunners who were prepared in advance.

They also fire cannons, but the cannons of this era aren’t very accurate, and no matter how slow, our tractors can move at about the speed of a person walking quickly.

They can avoid it.

The Spanish seamen succeeded in damaging several tractors with the cover of ship guns, but even the damaged tractors serve as excellent cover for our troops and are helpful.

Thus, our victory... was the scenario of this mock battle.

Thud!

Of course, not everything goes according to plan.

Several tractors broke down when tough bushes got caught in the rotating blades (naturally, the blades were removed and replaced with clubs).

As the battle continued, vehicles that hadn’t been sufficiently filled with water and fuel all stopped in their tracks.

On uneven terrain, tractors became utterly useless, and there were many instances of wheels getting stuck in sand.

If enemies dug trenches, the tractors could only serve as somewhat expensive cover.

However...

"Terrifying."

Raleigh’s one-word conclusion summarized everything.

Naturally, being a mock battle, there was no actual bombardment or gunfire. The war tractors also took extreme caution to prevent potential injuries by attaching clubs and ropes instead of blades and barbed wire.

Yet it was overwhelming.

Those were monsters.

If enemies are determined to break them, they can. If they try to surround them, they can do that too.

But they can’t overcome them without being terrified.

Because a steel monster is approaching with the purpose of killing.

I felt that way even though I know and have seen 21st-century tanks and armored vehicles firsthand.

Then I couldn’t imagine how it would look to the 17th-century people gathered here.

When the mock battle ended, more than a dozen war tractors rushed toward the temporarily assembled watchtower.

It felt like a black and red wave rushing toward me.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Knights, captains, and Commander Oitotan, each equipped with gleaming breastplates and swords at their waists, parade before me. Behind them, hundreds of apprentices either on horseback or standing on two feet look up at me.

When Oitotan draws his sword...

They simultaneously salute me. Even the sound of collars brushing against each other, overlapping hundreds of times, created a majestic feeling.

What was once just a joke and wordplay had become reality.

They are the Knight Order.

==

Several months passed from the mock battle, and the autumn of 1610 arrived.

It was a time when the entire community, especially the Knight Order, was busy harvesting barley and various fruits and vegetables.

Moreover, the knights and apprentices now received military training several times a month, doubling their workload. Even in the midst of this busyness, military training couldn’t be skipped. Everyone knew war was imminent.

All Knight Order members are people who have sworn to dedicate themselves to the community. Isn’t that why the community people show them respect, and the community gives them immense wealth?

As such, there was almost no dissatisfaction with the increased workload. No, many were excited by the thought that they had become true knights as "fighters."

Because of this, the knights’ eyes all sparkled when they received new weapons.

They stood in line under a flag modified from the White family’s coat of arms, equipped with unified uniforms and armaments. Everyone was equipped with breastplates, and everyone carried guns and swords.

With that alone, the Knight Order was the military organization closest to a modern army in the 17th century. When their captain raised his sword and shouted a command, they all raised their new flintlock muskets.

The existing matchlock muskets ignited gunpowder by touching a burning match (fuse) to the powder pan, but these flintlock muskets worked by striking the powder pan with a flint when the trigger was pulled, causing the gunpowder to explode.

These flintlock muskets naturally required flint to ignite the gunpowder.

And since the hammer holding the flint had to strike the powder pan when the spring was released by pulling the trigger, steel that could be made into springs was needed.

Moreover, compared to the matchlock method, which directly applied a burning match, the flintlock method creates sparks on the spot, so there was a 20-30% misfire rate during firing.

"Fire!"

Rat-tat-tat-tat!

It was inevitable.

But in the practice firing just now, among dozens of muskets, none misfired.

Again.

Rat-tat-tat-tat!

And again.

Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!

Even as the firing continued, there were no misfires.

Flintlock muskets wouldn’t be properly supplied until at least the mid-17th century. Currently, even European armies were still predominantly relying on existing matchlock muskets.

And since it was still the early 17th century, even those who had already entered military service didn’t know how remarkable what just happened was.