The Tiger Squat Cannon is not the same as artillery, and the difference between lethality and destructive power is significant.

First, the shells of artillery were much heavier, and the shells of the smallest three-pounder guns weighed three pounds; Second, the artillery charge is large, and there is no need to eject, the muzzle velocity obtained by the shell is high, the kinetic energy is large, and the lethality is naturally much stronger.

Before the invention of high explosives and trigger fuses, the long-range attack of this Tiger Squat Cannon was a chicken rib.

However, Zhu Youzhen felt that if it was improved, in fact, this tiger squat cannon would still have merit.

Zhu Youzhen has seen several drills in which the Tiger Squat Cannon fires scattered projectiles, and although the range is 30 to 60 meters, the lethality of the cannon against dense targets is also amazing.

Zhu Youzhen wanted to transform it into a close-range lethal weapon that specializes in firing shotshots.

According to Zhu Youzhen's requirements, the new Tiger Squat Cannon made of steel has become shorter, the weight of the shells has become lighter, and the corresponding gunpowder power has also become smaller.

Therefore, the barrel can be shorter, the wall of the pipe can be thinner, and the tiger claw used to fix it has also been changed to a bracket with a flat base, coupled with the increase in material strength, the overall weight has been reduced to more than 20 catties.

Coupled with the scattered bullets and propellants carried with the cannon, the overall weight is about 50 catties, and a sergeant with a big shoulder and a round waist can carry it.

When marching in a hurry, it can also be dispersed to two people, more than 20 catties per person, which will not slow down the marching speed at all, and the artillery group of the tiger squat cannon approved by Zhu You is two people, and it can be increased to three people if necessary.

Such a tiger squat artillery group is actually comparable to the mortar group of later generations, but the difference in power is large.

Zhu Youzhen originally wanted to sink the tiger squat artillery group to the squad platoon, but because of the current platoon gun tactics, the tiger squat artillery should also be concentrated to be powerful.

After discussions with Lu Xiangsheng and Sun Chuanting, and in connection with the live-fire exercise, Zhu Youzhen decided to add a tiger squat artillery squad of 10 people to each platoon, equipped with three tiger squat guns.

It is used in a centralized manner in large-scale operations, and in small-scale operations, it is dispersed to various platoons.

After a live-fire exercise, the musket team, equipped with Tiger Squat Cannons, will further increase its firepower, especially at a distance of 50 meters, which can inflict lethal damage on the enemy.

This gives the musketeers time to reload, or to cover the pikemen's formation.

Regarding the disadvantages of the Mini rifle, Zhu Youzhen understood very well, if the Manchurian cavalry or infantry broke into the gun array, then everything would be over.

Although the Mini rifles were equipped with bayonets, it would have been a disadvantage for the musketeers to use bayonets against the Manchu and Mongolian cavalry or their elite infantry.

Therefore, Zhu Youzhen equipped the musketeers with a defensive spear array and a tiger squat cannon to deal with the enemy's pig spurs.

In addition to this, the musketeers were each equipped with two large grenades for emergency use.

Because he did not actually resist the charge of the Manchurian and Mongolian cavalry, Zhu Youzhen could only expect the enemy to be lenient, Zhu Youzhen's ascension to the throne was not stable, and there were still a lot of reforms that needed to be promoted, because of political needs, Zhu Youzhen could never afford to lose militarily.

Therefore, Zhu Youzhen also committed a phobia of insufficient firepower, from portable artillery, to tiger squat artillery, to grenades, and then with the continuous firepower output of the Mini rifle, Zhu Youzhen is still a little worried.

Perhaps only after fighting a battle in a dignified manner can Zhu Youzhen truly understand the strength of this young new army.

But until then, it is impossible to prepare too much.

In addition to good weapons and equipment and sufficient training, Zhu Youzhen also invested a lot in individual equipment.

An ordinary soldier of the New Army, wearing a modified mandarin duck jacket, a flying saucer hat, and sheepskin boots, is no different from an ordinary Ming soldier except for newer clothes.

But if you look closely, the mandarin duck jacket is a two-piece one, the one inside is a regular red coat, but the outer placket is actually a tactical vest in the modern sense.

There are multiple pockets and hooks on the tactical vest, which can be used to carry bullets, flints, daggers, spears, grenades and other combat supplies, and of course, the most extravagant is when fighting, and two steel plates can be inserted in the front and back of the vest for protection.

Moreover, the large hat in the shape of a flying saucer of the new army is also different from that of the ordinary Ming army, and the big hat of the new army is pressed by a whole steel plate, and the protective effect is better.

There is also a difference between the trousers inside the long coat, the position of the trousers is with leggings, and the long cloth strips can be tied tightly when marching to reduce the pressure on the calves of long-term marching, and when resting, the leggings can be directly untied, and piling them in the boots does not affect walking.

Of course, there are also differences in appearance from the ordinary Ming army, and the new army is each issued with a large backpack, which can be placed in quilts, rain cloths, lunch boxes, military shoes, individual rations and other daily necessities.

With tactical vests and backpacks, soldiers are freed up to use their hands exclusively for carrying guns or carrying large weapons, and can react quickly to surprise attacks on the march.

In terms of individual armament, a soldier of the New Army is equipped with a Yuannian rifle, 30 rounds of regular lead bullets, two spare flints, two grenades, a steel helmet, plug-in body armor, a dagger, and a compass.

In addition, in terms of individual soldiers' rations, Zhu Youzhen also made improvements, on the basis of the original biscuits and luncheon meat, Zhu Youzhen relied on the memory of cutting cakes in his previous life, and guided the logistics department to develop cake-cutting rations, which are smaller in size, have a better taste, and have more energy, which can quickly replenish the physical strength of soldiers during tense battles.

Ming people rarely have a sweet tooth, and as soon as this individual emergency ration came out, it received rave reviews for a while, and it was more sensational than the previous biscuits and luncheon meat, but it was easy to be caught if you ate too much.

Many of the soldiers were reluctant to eat the emergency rations, so they tried to take them home while they were on leave, and gave them to their parents, wives and children, and of course, they did the same when the biscuits and luncheon meat were first served.

Of course, the weapons and equipment of different arms are not the same, but the rifle is equipped by everyone, even the artillery and baggage soldiers, and even the firehead soldiers and medical soldiers, everyone must be equipped with guns for self-defense.

Therefore, although there are many types of troops in the new army, and some of them may not go directly to the battlefield, they still have a certain combat effectiveness in case of emergency.

This is also what Zhu Youzhen has always emphasized: No matter what kind of army you are, whether you go to the battlefield or not, as long as you are a soldier, then you are a soldier first, and being able to pull the trigger is the most basic quality.

Therefore, judging from the individual equipment of the new army, it can be said that it has achieved the ultimate under the current level of science and technology and productivity.

Sun Chuanting checked Zhu You and calculated that the equipment of just one new army soldier was no less than twenty taels of silver.