Black Corporation: Joseon

Chapter 890

Chapter 890: Prologue (5)

From the king to a remote villager, from native Europeans to foreigners staying in Europe for commercial purposes or for various reasons.

Most people living in Europe could smell the burning embers of war.

Those who were particularly serious were scholars and veterans who had experienced hardships and hardships.

-If a real war breaks out this time, it will be an enormous war the likes of which we have never experienced before.

Scholars had predicted that the future war would be significantly different from existing wars through exchanges with the empire.

“If you look at the wars taking place in the East, including the Empire, especially the most recent wars, they were wars in which at least 100,000 units were mobilized. “If a war like this were to break out in Europe, would Europe be able to survive?”

Meanwhile, the situation was even more serious for old soldiers who had fought wars and battles with weapons exported by the empire and weapons that had been copied from them.

“Even an eight-year-old can pull the trigger of a long gun. The problem is that the generals are still obsessed with playing knights.”

“The generals are the problem…”

The old soldiers’ concerns were valid.

* * *

Among the fiercely fought large-scale battles that risked the fate of the nation, the most recent war was the Hundred Years’ War.

It has only been a little over 30 years since the Hundred Years’ War came to a complete conclusion.

In those 30 years, everything about the war changed completely.

Until the Hundred Years’ War, the main weapons of soldiers were spears, axes and bows. The cannon was a weapon used only in siege warfare.

But now the soldiers’ main weapon was the long gun. And cannons were used not only for siege warfare but also to crush the approaching enemy lines.

It wasn’t just weapons and tactics that changed.

The concept of supply has also completely changed.

Existing spear swords could be made by either capturing them from the enemy and using them as is, or by requisitioning iron farming tools used by local residents and melting them down.

However, as gunpowder weapons became common, this became impossible.

It was because of gunpowder.

Sacks and wooden barrels filled with black gunpowder disappeared as soon as a small torch touched them.

The only thing that could be procured through local requisition was food.

In other words, if supply was not properly promoted from the rear, a proper battle, let alone victory, would become impossible.

This drastic change occurred in just over 30 years.

Because of this, high-ranking commanders, or high-ranking nobles, in various European countries were still only familiar with the wars of the Hundred Years’ War.

* * *

Of course, there were many commanders who were familiar with the ‘war of guns and cannons’ through the Suez War. Therefore, the empire was paying special attention to France.

This was because soldiers and commanders who were familiar with war through the Hundred Years’ War were filtered out once again as they experienced warfare using guns and cannons.

However, unlike the empire’s worries, France’s internal problems were holding it back.

First, there was the problem of Suez, which produced such experienced soldiers and commanders.

Even at this moment, Suez was one of the most active trade routes. There were more than one great power targeting Suez, and France was unable to take out the elite soldiers guarding Suez on a large scale.

As an alternative, a method of replacing existing units with newly formed units was promoted. However, large-scale replacement was impossible due to problems maintaining the power of the Suez garrison and transportation issues.

In other words, the Suez Garrison Force, one of the most powerful military forces, should be calculated as non-existent.

-Losing Italy is a loss, but losing Suez is a very big loss!

This was Louis XI’s judgment.

The second was the very problem that the veterans were worried about.

There were quite a few commanders who achieved meritorious deeds in the Suez War, and there were quite a few who rose to prominence in recognition of their merits.

However, even if they were successful, very few of them grew to the point where they could influence French defense policy.

The biggest reason for this was that most of them were commanders of the Imperial Guard, the standing army of France.

To be more precise, most of the commanders of the Royal Guard, the French king’s standing army, were commoners or lower-ranking nobles.

Therefore, even if they succeeded, there were bound to be limitations.

“If only the Marshal were alive…”

Those who were blocked by the high and thick wall of success lamented the absence of Marshal Richemont.

Arthur de Richemont, hero of the Hundred Years’ War and reformer of Charles VII’s loyalist military.

If he had not died immediately after the Hundred Years’ War, he would have been their most powerful supporter.

However, the French nobles, who were desperately trying to prevent the king’s power, which had become stronger after the annexation of Burgundy, from further strengthening, strongly blocked the succession of commanders from the Imperial Order.

Louis XI, who still needed the cooperation of the nobles, also accepted the nobles’ demands through a kind of mediation.

In this way, the current top commanders of the French army were those who still remembered only the period of the Hundred Years’ War.

However, Louis XI did not simply step down. Befitting his reputation as ‘the cunning king (le rusé)’, he hatched a conspiracy.

First of all, the imperial corps was clearly made into the king’s army. From the supply of troops to the supply of weapons, the royal order was prioritized and the salaries received by soldiers and commanders were also increased.

Next, he brought the nobles who had withdrawn into reserve forces back to the front line.

“The situation in Italy is suspicious right now, so I think the police should step in.”

Of course, they had some idea that this was Louis XI’s plan, but they had to follow Louis XI’s orders.

This was because the cause put forth by Louis Eventually, the nobles under Louis XI’s orders gathered and trained troops.

Here, another plan of Louis XI was put into motion.

“Of course, the government will supply the weapons needed for the troops. But since the budget is not enough, I hope the officers will provide half of the necessary budget.”

“For the same reason, you must purchase the bullets, shells, and gunpowder for training at your own expense. Of course, if war breaks out, I will supply the necessary ammunition and gunpowder for free, even if I have to spend my own money.”

The nobles had no choice but to accept Louis XI’s proposal and order. This was because gunpowder was an expensive product.

However, because it was such an expensive item, the training of the troops organized by the nobles was bound to be poor. A very small number of nobles who knew how to monitor the situation reduced spending on areas such as banquets and devoted themselves to live-fire training, but in most cases, they engaged in training by holding a gun and pointing it with their mouths.

The commanders of the imperial corps, who were watching this training scene from afar, had a wry smile on their lips.

“It will end up as a consumable that will consume the enemy’s ammo.”

“I agree. Rather, it is a situation where mercenaries are training more faithfully….”

* * *

Those who responded most actively to the changing battlefield situation were mercenaries.

Although the European powers were increasing the size of their standing armies, there were still limits.

This was due to maintenance cost issues.

And this problem was more serious for weak countries sandwiched between powerful countries.

And these weak countries had no choice but to use the traditional method of hiring mercenaries.

However, this did not mean that they hired just any mercenary unit. Monarchs of weak countries applied strict standards.

The standard they insisted on was guns and cannons.

-At least half of the soldiers must be armed with long guns and have five or more cannons.

-The musketeers must be skilled musketeers.

This was the minimum standard required by monarchs of weak countries, and if it was not met, the contract was in vain.

Eventually, in order to survive in the market, mercenary leaders and mercenaries diligently began arming themselves with guns and cannons.

“The problem is long guns! “Even if it’s impossible to get a military rifle made in the ‘Land of Flowers,’ you have to get one that is at least up to the standard of a Japanese rifle!”

“firelock? are you kidding!”

“If things don’t work out, use a bribe! If that doesn’t work, steal it!”

The mercenary leaders and mercenaries worked diligently to obtain an Eulsik rifle or a breech-loading rifle similar to the Eulsik rifle.

In this situation, there were mercenary units that showed surprising composure.

They were mercenaries who participated in the last Suez War. At the time, the allies provided Japanese style rifles to the mercenaries and mercenary units that participated in the war and also steadily supplied parts.

“You’re having a hard time…”

The other mercenaries reacted angrily to the words of the Suez veterans.

“Instead, you are tied to the reins until you die!”

“….”

As the saying goes, the mercenaries and mercenaries who participated in the Suez war were provided with an abundance of the latest rifles and ammunition, but they signed a life-long contract that did not allow them to escape from the country that hired them until their death.

After securing firearms through various methods, including smuggling and theft using bribes, the mercenaries’ next move was training.

“Ammunition is too expensive….”

“I can’t help it! “What you spend today guarantees your survival and salary tomorrow!”

The mercenaries faithfully continued training with live ammunition, even though they were crying over the high price of ammunition to the point where they were sick of it.

As they say, for tomorrow’s survival and tomorrow’s salary.

People’s eyes were fixed on Italy, with some feeling anxious, others looking for an opportunity to make a name for themselves, and others dreaming of making a fortune.

But the gunfire erupted from a completely unexpected place.

Matthias I of Hungary invaded Austria.

* * *

In 1457, a riot broke out in Hungary. Ladislaus Postmus, the monarch of Hungary at the time, fled to Vienna but later died in Prague, Bohemia.

After the suspicious and untimely death of Ladislaus, Frederick III claimed the throne from Bohemia and Hungary.

However, the parliaments of Bohemia and Hungary rejected Frederick III’s demands and elected their own kings.

In the end, the relationship between Habsburg and Bohemia Hungary could not be good and they had no choice but to watch each other with wary eyes.

In this situation, Habsburg’s participation in the arms race forced Hungary to make a choice.

In the end, Hungary also had no choice but to enter the arms race.

What followed was a worsening situation.

When the King of Bohemia, Irgis Podebrat, was excommunicated by Pope Paul II at the time, the Catholic nobles of Bohemia revolted.

Through the ensuing civil war and peace agreement, control of Morava, Silesia and Lusatia was transferred to Hungary. However, Hungary’s growth made the Habsburgs more hostile to Hungary.

The increasingly intense arms race and increasingly deteriorating relations with the Habsburgs forced Matthias I, King of Hungary, to make a choice.

“If the arms race continues as it is now, it will be a problem for both the Habsburgs and us. Remember when you once asked us for the throne! Frederick will definitely try to take over our Hungary! “We strike first!”

According to Matthias I’s decision, the Hungarian army invaded Austria.