Chapter 105: Power of the Type 01 Rifle
"Faster, faster! Charge towards the French immediately! Once we break their defenses, their artillery won't be able to stop us! They're using Austrian-made cannons; I know very well the power of these cannons," Aniga said fiercely. He was furious now, never expecting that the Austrian weapons would be captured by the French and used against them. It was all Vasily's fault, that fool.
The Austrian cavalry, indeed, was well-trained. Despite continuous casualties greatly affecting their morale, they did not collapse and continued to charge at high speed.
"Charge! Kill all the French!"
The Austrian cavalrymen kept shouting. As they shouted, they urged their horses forward with their whips towards the French positions. By now, they were getting closer and closer to the French lines.
"Come on, Austrians, let's see you taste the power of my new rifles," Roland said calmly, watching the Austrian cavalry approaching him without a trace of panic, a smile appearing on his lips.
"Ready, aim, fire in three volleys! First Battalion, open fire!" Roland ordered.
Following Roland's command, more than three hundred rifles in the French positions instantly opened fire. Bright orange flashes gleamed at the muzzles, and a dense barrage of bullets swept towards the Austrian cavalrymen.
The firepower net formed by three hundred rifles was like the scythe of death, mowing down the Austrian attackers row by row. The wails of dying cavalrymen and the screams of injured horses echoed in the air.
"Second Battalion!" At this moment, Roland had no time to appreciate the damage caused by his new rifles to the enemy. Immediately after the soldiers of the First Battalion finished their shooting, he ordered the soldiers of the Second Battalion to step up.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The regiment led by Roland was the elite of the French army, all seasoned veterans with extensive combat experience. Within less than ten seconds after the first volley, the Second Battalion had already arrived and formed up to open fire.
Soon, it was the turn of the Third Battalion, followed by the First and Second Battalions, with the three battalions alternating in firing their rifles continuously.
Once the formations were coordinated, it was as if an invisible wall had formed, firmly holding the Austrian cavalry less than 100 meters from the French positions.
Although this 100-meter distance was only a few seconds' charge for the Austrian cavalry, it had become an insurmountable barrier. Despite suffering heavy casualties, the Austrians couldn't breach this barrier under the intense firepower of the French, and their losses became increasingly devastating.
The crisp sound of rifles, like popping beans, echoed incessantly. Every crack of the rifle resulted in nearly a hundred Austrian cavalrymen falling.
Aniga had chosen Roland's regiment as the main target of his attack, the gravest mistake he made in this battle. He had underestimated the power of Roland's new rifles.
The Type 01 rifle was designed specifically to help infantry defeat cavalry. From its inception, it emphasized reducing loading time and increasing rate of fire. When deployed in large numbers, its firepower was comparable to later machine guns.
Despite the fierce assault of the Austrian cavalry, like waves in the sea that never ceased, Roland's defense line stood firm like coastal rocks. No matter how hard the Austrian cavalry charged, they couldn't break through the rocks.
"Damn it! How can this be? How did those damned French achieve this? Why is their rifle loading speed so fast?" Aniga's face had turned pale as he watched the scene before the positions. The outcome of this battle greatly exceeded his expectations, and he couldn't understand why the French infantry's loading speed was so fast.
The huge losses suffered by his troops made him feel as if his heart was bleeding. And the inability to break through the French defense line cast a shadow over his chances of victory.
"Oh God! Aren't we facing just one regiment of the French? Why do I feel like their firepower is stronger than an entire brigade?" cried out a constantly wailing officer in the Austrian army.
"Phew~ Looks like the battle has stabilized," Roland wiped the cold sweat from his forehead within the position. In reality, he was under immense pressure as well.
"This is the first deployment of the Type 01 rifle on the battlefield, and no one knows what kind of impact it will have. If the Type 01 rifle performs well, it will be beneficial. However, if it performs poorly, it will undoubtedly be a huge blow to our military industry.
At the same time, due to Roland's reckless behavior, it could lead to a French defeat in this war, which would be a major blow to Roland's personal prestige.
However, for now, everything has settled down. The Austrian cavalry cannot break through our firepower net. At the same time, the Type 01 rifle has proven its excellent capabilities to the world.
What Roland doesn't know is that his confrontation with the Austrian cavalry has been observed by Mura and Davout.
Seeing the powerful Austrian cavalry fall under the strong firepower of the French cavalry, these two French generals' eyes lit up.
Cavalry has always been a huge threat. They are fast and have strong attacking power, often difficult to defend against.
In this era, the only way to counter cavalry is to form your own cavalry. However, France's cavalry strength is very limited. Compared to Russia and Austria, which have tens of thousands of cavalry, France's two cavalry divisions are considered miniature units.
Napoleon is also very distressed about this, but he has no good solution. Constrained by France's finances, these two cavalry units were reluctantly formed by French authorities.
But now, it seems that the French army has found a way to deal with cavalry. If the French army can further enhance its firepower, it means they will no longer need to fear cavalry from other countries.
They also won't need to think about how to improve their firepower, because Roland has already presented this solution to them.
"The Type 01 rifle must be purchased in large quantities. It would be best to have all French troops equipped with this new rifle," is the only thought in the minds of Mura and Davout at this moment.
In the age of cold weapons, cavalry might have been considered the kings of the battlefield. However, with the development of firearms, especially after the appearance of machine guns, cavalry has gradually declined.
The battle between the French and Austrian cavalry today marks a beginning. This battle confirms the correctness of Roland's idea of developing military industries. Only more advanced weapons can continuously help the French army achieve victory, so Roland continuously orders the arsenal to develop new equipment.
Next, Roland plans to develop a breech-loading rifle. A breech-loading rifle is a true rifle, with a faster rate of fire and greater killing power than the 1901 rifle he currently uses.
If possible, Roland even plans to develop machine guns, armored vehicles, and airplanes.
"General Anjia, what should we do now?" Despite Roland's fantasies, the current Austrian officers are somewhat at a loss. They have been shaken by heavy casualties and the powerful firepower of the French army.
"This is a trap, clearly set up by those damn Frenchmen for us. I still don't know what kind of magic those French people used to make their rifles shoot so fast," General Anjia said with certainty. However, he has only just realized this, and it seems too late. Under the fierce attack, they have suffered very heavy casualties. Now, more than half of the division has been killed or wounded, and their morale is very low.
"Never mind, this war cannot continue. We must retreat immediately. If we continue, we will be in danger of being completely annihilated," General Anjia said firmly. At this moment, he has lost all his fighting spirit. The idea of completely annihilating the French cavalry that he shouted before the battle has been completely thrown out of his mind.
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