The Metaverse World
The Majapahit Cetbang Cannon
In Batih Ageng Village, cavalry units can temporarily be moved back to the main area, but village protection units must be abandoned. Otherwise, the village would be there just to be captured. Heru Cokro had no confidence that he could fool Akhsat, the old fox. After moving the cavalry unit, Akhsat would definitely send people to investigate, if the village did not have a protective force, he would not miss such an opportunity.
The Pamong Kebonagung unit can be moved back to the main area to participate in defense. He had yet to find any threat on the east side, he could relax like that for just one day. On the side of the barbarian mountain, ever since the Seng Tribe was destroyed, peace returned and no unusual situation occurred.
Counting everything except the Pana Srikandi unit, the total number was only 3000 people, only half of the attacking force. This was also after reinforcing the unit after 300 people were killed during the Pamuksa War.
In the Pamuksa War, Java Dwipa lost 100 cavalry, 150 sword shield warriors, and 50 archers. However, the cavalry problem could still be solved directly changing the class of the reserve unit.
As for the sword shield warriors and archers, it was extremely difficult, they had to choose from the barbarian mountain tribe. Training one archer who did not know the basics was impossible. Hence, he could only choose from the hunters in the barbarian mountain tribe.
Helpless, Heru Cokro could only follow Raden Said's advice and instantly remove 200 men from the White Wolf Army and reinforce the personnel of the battalion that were killed. He then transferred 200 people from various tribes to the White Wolf Army. With this, he ensured the fighting strength of the unit and also did not have to worry about the White Wolf Army.
The worst thing is that the Pantura Navy fleet can only fight in territorial waters, the cavalry is not suitable to defend the village, and can only act as a strategic mobile reserve force. Therefore, the ones who can really participate in the defense of the village are two infantry units and two territorial defense units, a total of 2 thousand people.
Of the 2 thousand people defending the village, there were only 700 archers, they were definitely in a disadvantageous position.
Based on the strength of Java Dwipa, organizing an army was very difficult and they pushed him. One could see how difficult it was to upgrade the territory into an advanced village.
In the last life, many rulers did not dare to register even when they met the requirements. Only after preparing well, then they send applications to the system.
Under such circumstances, expanding an army in an instant was impossible.
The ratio between population and military personnel has exceeded 10% by a large margin and has reached 20%. If the military is expanded, it will have destructive effects on the economy and finance. Most importantly, recruiting strong and active youth squeezed the workforce in the region. This is tantamount to destroying various growing industries.
Therefore, when military affairs director Raden Said suggested military expansion, Kawis Guwa and Siti Fatimah flatly rejected it.
Heru Cokro was firm and rejected the suggestion.
One reason is the number of military personnel is too small. If one expands the military, the standard will drop. Heru Cokro could not accept the elite troops under his responsibility to disappoint him.
Second, even if he expanded the military, the new soldier was a rookie and had no experience whatsoever. Facing a bloody battle like defending territory, it was hard to tell what kind of appearance they would have.
Heru Cokro wanted to break the deadlock and said, “Because the military is limited, we can only work in other ways. Whatever happens, we are in a position to defend the village and have the advantage as hosts. The most important thing now is to improve the preparation of village defense resources such as alchemical fire oil, rolling wood, and giant stone.”
Heru Cokro turned around and looked at Witana Sideng Rana and said, “Material Reserve Bureau needs to contact the mine and logging camp to have them complete all the work at hand and focus on the giant pile of logs and stones, move it to the top of the territory wall.”
Witana Sideng Rana nodded in acknowledgement. In fact, when the walls of the Dwipa Java region were completed, the Material Reserve Bureau had built a warehouse next to the wall to store logs and giant stones.
When General Giri heard Heru Cokro mention the alchemy fire oil, he asked, "Your Majesty, do we have to set up an alchemy fire oil formation?"
3 months ago during the siege of the ferocious beasts, they used a parrafin wax formation that resulted in their victory. Therefore, it left a lasting impression on General Giri.
Heru Cokro shook his head. “Parrafin wax formation is too ancient. It can be used on stupid beasts, but on robbers, we don't even have the chance to use it. When we use them, they will only retreat until parrafin wax oil has been fully used before restarting the attack. They are not as stupid as those beasts.”
"What do you mean by your Majesty?" General Giri asked in confusion.
Heru Cokro did not want to keep them guessing and smiling. “If we want to use alchemical fire oil, in addition to using parrafin wax, there is a more flexible method. Among them is the cetbang.” cannon
"Cetbang cannon?"
"It's so thick." Heru Cokro explained to everyone the theory and function of the cetbang cannon.
The cetbang cannon is one of the earliest flamethrower instruments in Indonesian history. This cetbang cannon is made of bronze material and is a front-filling cannon. He did not fire an arrow projectile, but round bullets and co-viative projectiles could also be used.
This arrow can be solid-tipped without explosives, or accompanied by explosives and burners behind the tip. Near the rear there is a chamber or combustion chamber that refers to the bulging section near the rear of the cannon, where gunpowder is placed.
This cannon is mounted on a fixed stand, or as a hand cannon placed at the end of the pole. There was a tube-like section on the back of the cannon. In the type of hand cannon cetbang, this tube is used as a place to plug the pole. Arrow throwers must have been useful in naval combat especially as a weapon used against ships, mounted on the bottom of the bow or fire cannon shield, and also good for use in sieges, sieges, and, because of its projectile's ability to be filled with explosives and incendiary materials.
Stamford Raffles wrote in his book The History of Java that in 1247 saka or 1325 AD, cannons had been widely used in Java especially by Majapahit. There are even records that small kingdoms in Java who asked for protection on Majapahit should hand over their cannons to Majapahit. Later under the leadership of Mahapatih Gajah Mada, he utilized gunpowder weapon technology obtained from the Yuan Dynasty to be used in the naval fleet.