Lawrence began by first constructing a primitive box on wheels, and then adding slits for crossbowmen within to work with. Using materials from his inventory, he added metal platings to the exterior of the war wagon. He made sure there was enough space to add a simple way for people to push the wagon from within, similar to how slavers rowed large ships, but this was just wheels on land.
In the end, it became a lot wider than what Lawrence remembered it to be. It could comfortably have 8 crossbowmen inside, firing from all directions, and two footmen pushing the wheels and controlling the directions. The iron platings protected the people from exterior attacks.
Lawrence scratched his head. It should work, right?
Stepping out, Lawrence called for Longines and asked him to bring in two footmen and 8 crossbowmen.
“What is this?” Longines asked curiously, touching the cold metal plating of the war wagon.
“Something I think can help us break our deadlock. Get them to go in!” Lawrence said and the soldiers scrambled to enter via a hatch underneath. Some simple tests were carried out, such as turning the wagon and opening and closing of the silts and firing a few bolts with their crossbows. For all intents and purpose, it worked.
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“Get Kraft in here, then arrange a meeting with the entire upper leadership. We’re going to fight,” Lawrence said simply, turning his eye to the next war wagon he was in the midst of making. He needed a sizeable number of these for his tactics to take effect.
After three days of hard work and delegating Kraft and Longines to the frontlines instead, Lawrence began whittling away at the many wooden blocks he had in his inventory, as well as reinforcing them. The briefing for the big bosses were coming soon and he wanted to make sure everything was in order. Lawrence just wanted this war to be over and done with. If he captured a big enough victory, he’d ask for sick leave and withdraw everyone back to Tears and the Black Bay.
In all due honesty, Lawrence was relying on the wisdom of his forebears in order to gain victory. He was keeping his fingers crossed that the peasants that faced off against knights weren’t fake news and that the Chinese really rolled a form of war wagon down the road against their enemies. This was like a Kaiserschlact, and it could very well be the last thing the Carmine Kingdom could muster, since it became increasingly obvious that Colonel Vava was not coming.
Therefore, a smashing victory would rally anyone or those lords who have been sitting on the sidelines, waiting for a clear victor to emerge.
And at dawn, Operation Thunderous Wrath began, supported by the most elite of soldiers with a curious new vehicle of war, the War Wagon.