Although he was mentally prepared, Li Xiao was still surprised when he saw Daming's tanks.

The tank in front of him was completely different from the one he imagined. There were two gun barrels protruding from the turret. There was also a heavy machine gun on the top of the turret. The tall tank was five meters high, six meters wide and ten meters long.

Two meters.

This...is this thing really a tank?

The Ming Dynasty has been able to produce tractors, and tracked vehicles have appeared sporadically on the Liaohe Plain. Li Xiao saw tractors only half the size of such tanks during spring plowing.

Either use the big shovel in front to push the soil, or use the farm tools in the back to plow the ground.

This... why is the tank so big, and what I requested was to be equipped with at least an 80mm gun, but now what I saw was a double 25mm anti-aircraft gun.

Seeing Li Xiao's ugly face, Xu Erjue and Xu Ermo brothers swallowed hard. Nowadays, the court's policies are murky and unclear. There are often officials who are still there during the morning meeting, and are taken away by the Supervisory Yuan during lunch.

Next comes the review, and then being thrown into jail.

There are also some guys who are taken out of the prison and given reports to each unit, which is called warning education!

There is shit under the buttocks. As an official these days, it is a good idea to take off your pants.

The question is whether the court will investigate you. The commander-in-chief, who holds the highest power in the court, has become a man of his word. A word from the commander-in-chief can make you go straight to heaven or send you straight to hell.

The Xu brothers didn't want to go to hell, so they could only explain to Li Xiao cautiously.

"Commander, the tank gun you mentioned needs to be studied separately. Moreover, the current artillery seems too heavy. If that kind of artillery is really used, plus the weight of the ammunition, plus the weight of the vehicle body...

.”

"We have calculated that our bridges in Daming cannot bear such a heavy weight. Moreover, the damage to the tank's maneuverability, track life, etc. will be very great.

Therefore, after everyone’s research, I feel that it is better to use the dual-25 anti-aircraft guns that have been tested on the battlefield. This can not only effectively reduce the weight of the vehicle body, but also ensure the off-road capability of the tank.”

Li Xiao had to turn his head and look at the Xu brothers. He didn't expect that these two guys could actually think of this.

It would indeed take a long time to develop a tank gun separately. Moreover, the tank gun is very heavy, plus the weight of the ammunition, and such a large body, it is indeed difficult to pass on the roads and bridges of the Ming Dynasty.

After all, this is a forty-plus ton thing.

Furthermore, today's tanks mainly deal with the opponent's infantry or cavalry. The Double 25 anti-aircraft gun has the characteristics of long range, high rate of fire and strong penetration.

Especially when it comes to dealing with cavalry, it is definitely a sharp weapon. Regardless of whether it is a person or a horse, as long as it is hit by a Double 25 anti-aircraft gun shell, the only outcome will be to be beaten into a pile of minced meat.

Although the Double 25 anti-aircraft guns are insufficient to deal with enemies in strong bunkers, they still have certain penetrating power.

Moreover, the thickness of the tank's front armor reaches 50 millimeters, and it is impossible for heavy machine gun bullets to penetrate it at a distance of 100 meters.

The Ming Dynasty's scientific research institute was not only able to develop things, but could also study things based on battlefield conditions. Li Xiao was very satisfied with this.

"If it's too heavy, then reduce the size. How can such a big thing not be overweight?" Although Zhang Huangyan doesn't understand equipment, he still knows that the bigger things are, the heavier they are. Especially when this thing is a steel monster, especially when it is a steel monster.

in this way.

"Mr. Zhang, the reason for making the car bigger is to add more cylinders to increase the power. The second reason is that the rate of fire of the double 25 anti-aircraft guns is too high, and the ammunition is very useless when fired.

There is a large ammunition compartment inside the turret, which can hold sixteen ammunition boxes. Each magazine can hold three hundred rounds of artillery shells.

There are also two larger fuel storage tanks, which can ensure that the tank can travel at least fifty kilometers.

Moreover, three thousand rounds of general-purpose machine gun bullets must be added. With this weight and volume, the car becomes so big and heavy."

"Oh! So that's it." Zhang Huangyan nodded.

He didn't know how many rounds of ammunition could be fired in a battle, but it sounded like a lot. In his opinion, the more ammunition the better.

"The fuel storage tank can be removed, which further reduces the size of the vehicle body and reduces some weight. In addition, two pylons are added outside the turret of the vehicle body to mount two oil barrels. This is much better than having a built-in fuel storage tank.

!" Li Xiao immediately put forward suggestions for correction.

Ammunition storage is basically sufficient, but a built-in fuel tank is not necessary at all.

As early as the beginning of the design, Li Xiao proposed that the fuel required for the tank could only be diesel, not gasoline.

The reason is simply that gasoline can ignite, but diesel is difficult to ignite. The design of the external diesel barrel is very good, and there is no need for a built-in one.

"promise!"

"In addition, the test of using high-power tractors to tow artillery must be completed as soon as possible. Since there is no artillery on the tank, when the tank moves, it must not be without artillery support.

Armored vehicles must also be finalized as soon as possible. A tank without infantry protection is just a steel coffin.

Next month, it will be at the tank crew training base in Jinzhou City. By then you will have to provide at least three tanks for crew training. Is that possible?"

Zhang Huangyan frowned. Li Xiao was so anxious. Could it be that he wanted to fight again? The Ming Dynasty had just been inactive for two years, and all resources were used for various domestic constructions.

Agricultural taxes have been canceled again. Even though Ming Dynasty is reaping benefits from the whole world every moment, the domestic finances are actually not rich at all. If there is another war at this time... it is very likely that it will be financially unbearable.

"After the tank is finalized, the armored vehicle will be finalized very quickly. Because as long as the tank is successful, the armored vehicle will not be worth mentioning at all.

The only debate now is... whether to add shooting holes to the armored vehicle. If shooting holes are added, it will increase the casting difficulty."

"A 12.7mm machine gun is installed on the armored vehicle. As for other shooting holes, it is not necessary. In off-road conditions, the soldiers are extremely bumpy in the vehicle, and it is impossible to shoot accurately. Even if there are shooting holes, most of the time they are only

It's just a waste of ammunition."

"No! I will definitely follow the commander's instructions. It is estimated that tanks and armored vehicles will be mass-produced next year. As for the crew training base..., at most two prototype vehicles can be provided next month, and there will still be fuel storage tanks."

"Okay, two cars are just two cars." Li Xiao shook his head helplessly. Two cars are still a little less for training, but it is better than none at all.

You can't just follow Guderian's example and make a tank out of paper shells for training.

"Commander, some progress has been made in the downsizing of diesel and gasoline engines. However..., several of Dr. Newton's subordinates, the teacher, are clamoring to go home. Even if all their demands are met, they still want to go back to their hometown in the UK.

Several key figures among them have been on strike for a month, and no amount of persuasion will work. You see...!" While Li Xiao was here, the Xu brothers immediately threw out this old and difficult problem. It was you Li Xiao who said

Yes, as long as we develop gasoline engines and diesel engines, we will let them return to their hometown in the UK.

"Oh, it's really a hometown feeling. Someone will take over them, so you don't have to worry about it. In addition, I don't need to say more about safety and confidentiality."

When it comes to security and confidentiality, the Xu brothers are like eggplants beaten by frost. They never imagined that a disabled old man scavenging could actually be a bribed spy.

When Jin Yiwei passed the news over, the Xu brothers still didn't believe it. They just pitied the lonely old man, but they didn't expect that the so-called old man was just a middle-aged man in his forties wearing makeup. And his legs were not real.

He was lame, just pretending to walk with a limp.

Thinking about it now, I saw him as a pity and put him in the base to pick up swill and rags. It was simply an act of luring a wolf into the house.

However, in front of Jin Yiwei's personal and material evidence, the Xu brothers were so choked that they could hardly speak. This old guy got both the stolen goods and the stolen goods when he interacted with others, and there was no possibility of quibbles.

"This is the Ming Dynasty's most confidential research institute, and it's actually made like a sieve. From today on, the surrounding areas need to be strictly inspected by Jin Yiwei.

Unrelated persons are not allowed to approach, otherwise they will be killed without mercy."

Research results have been stolen repeatedly, and Li Xiao is on the verge of an explosion. Fortunately, Jin Yiwei is still capable and has solved many espionage cases in succession.

In the espionage case, the leaked information was very shocking.

Li Xiao even saw a structural drawing of a power plant. Although this thing will be scattered sooner or later, Li Xiao's idea is to keep it as long as possible.

Before all the people in Ming Dynasty had access to electricity, he did not intend to spread the knowledge of electricity to all parts of the world.

Although the Ming Dynasty recruited many scientists from all over the world, it was these scientists who made Li Xiao realize that the scientific foundation of the Ming Dynasty was really a little behind Europe.

There is no way. When people have begun to study various natural sciences, the smart people of the Ming Dynasty are still thinking about the eight-part essay. When people have begun to scientifically dissect corpses, the Ming Dynasty is still holding the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon from thousands of years ago, and is doing something about metal, wood, water and fire.

Earth, cold, cool, warm, warm and flat.

Although Mr. Zu Chongzhi calculated pi as far back as the Han Dynasty. But until now, few of those who study eight-part essay can use pi to calculate the area and circumference of a circle.

Not to mention, the extended volume calculation also includes the calculation of cones, cuboids, and trapezoids.

But there are many such talents in Oxford and Cambridge. At least, they are much more than in the Ming Dynasty.

Modern science is actually based on formulas and theorems one after another. Unfortunately, the students trained by the Ming Dynasty were still too young. Now only a few people can participate in research!

Eight-legged writing is harmful to people. In order to maintain his rule, the emperor used the reformed Confucianism to harm people.

Whenever Li Xiao saw so many blond and blue-eyed guys in the research institute, he would be so angry that his head would smoke. If it weren't for his appearance, two hundred years later it would be the day when China would suffer the humiliation of dimensionality reduction.

But now that I am here, there are some blond and blue-eyed guys in various universities. What they teach is called engineering.

After implementing universal primary education and selective secondary education, the Ming Dynasty already had its own talent cultivation system. Once we, a smart nation, are freed from the eight-part essay, talent will be like mushrooms after the rain.

Come out.

Now that small batches are being supplied, Li Xiao can be sure. As investment in education increases and education becomes more popular, more outstanding talents will emerge. In terms of IQ, the Chinese nation has always had an advantage.

After sending Li Xiao off tremblingly, the Xu brothers wiped the sweat from their foreheads, looked at each other and returned to the workshop. Soon, the guard work of the institute was taken over by Jin Yiwei.

Everyone entering and exiting will be strictly checked, including the Xu family brothers.

"That's Juehua Island over there, and that's our tank crew training base." As the carriage was moving, Li Xiao pointed to Juehua Island in the distance and said.

"I want to know what the purpose of such a large-scale military training is?" Zhang Huangyan looked at Li Xiao with bright eyes, not wanting to miss any of Li Xiao's expressions.

"The Ming Dynasty currently has a very small army, even smaller than Britain, which has a population of only tens of millions. Although this saves resources and talent, it is also very dangerous.

Therefore, our army can only work hard. One is equivalent to a hundred. Although this is a modest statement, at least one must be equivalent to ten or even twenty or thirty.

When fighting on the plains, tanks have unparalleled advantages. The future battlefield will definitely be a battlefield for tanks. Another reason is...the Mongolians who killed Zu Dashou have been found."

"What? Found them, where are they?" Zhang Huangyan's eyes suddenly lit up.

The Liao Army has never had an officer of Zu Dashou's level die in battle. Now that Zu Dashou is dead, this revenge must be avenged even if the enemy travels to the ends of the earth.

There is nothing wrong with the sentence "Even if you are far away, you will be killed" here. Even Zhang Huangyan will not hinder Li Xiao's revenge plan.

"They are the last remnants of the Jungar Mongols, with more than 300,000 people. With the help of Russia, they occupied Nur-Sultan and became the new masters of Kazakhstan!

Luobu Zangdanjin now has tens of thousands of guns, and even mortars and some heavy artillery! He has clearly become a hegemon in Central Asia. It is estimated that in a few years, he will fight back under the banner of regaining the lost land of his ancestors.

Ili River Valley.

You know, just the words "relocation and resettlement" firmly lock us Chinese people in our hometown. Even if our hometown is overcrowded, these people are not willing to leave their hometown.

The figures reported by Nie Dahu are very worrying. Even with such good policies given by the imperial court, the Western Region Reclamation Division still cannot recruit enough people.
Chapter completed!