In order to strengthen Mozambique's military power, Britain and France intended to allow the Mozambican colonies to use local blacks to form a military force, and the Portuguese, although reluctantly, had an expansive regime in East Africa on their side, which was acceptable.

The image of East Africa in southern Africa is almost no different from the image of Tsarist Russia in Europe, but Tsarist Russia is a little more advanced, and Tsarist Russia is also like this in Asia, so the international image of Tsarist Russia is well known in the world, and East Africa has some presence in Southern Africa at most, and it is not easy to use it in West Africa and North Africa, for example, Egypt's impression of the East African government is not bad, and other countries generally do not know the existence of East Africa except for those dead countries driven from East Africa to North Africa.

Mozambique's use of blacks to form an army is actually very in line with its national conditions, which is to say that the Portuguese colonization is different from the British, the Portuguese can't control their crotch, and they can't be as ruthless as the Anglo-Saxons, so there are a large number of paternal Portuguese and matrilineal African indigenous mixed descendants in the Mozambique colony and Brazil.

These mixed-race descendants were an effective means of ensuring control over the colonies even after Portugal's national power declined, after all, Portugal's current national strength was probably not much different from some small countries in East Asia, and Ernst suspected that Portugal was no match for the Kingdom of Italy.

The Kingdom of Italy, weakened by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, is now nestled in the northwestern part of the Apennine Peninsula, with several Italian islands attached, but still surpasses Portugal in population and industry.

Therefore, if Mozambique chooses soldiers from blacks, it will definitely be selected from mixed-race offspring, the number of mixed-race offspring is more than that of pure Portuguese, and everyone works together to fight against the interests of pure blacks, these mixed-race descendants related to the Portuguese are originally part of the ruling class of Mozambique's colony, but the top is controlled by the white Portuguese, if the mixed-race people have an army, then this pattern may change, which is also what Lyford is worried about.

March 1878.

Province of South Salzburg.

When Britain and France colluded with Mozambique, the Kingdom of East Africa was tacitly preparing countermeasures, and the two sides secretly played a military competition, Mozambique formed a black army, and East Africa was also forming a black army.

Yes, East Africa also intends to organize a military force composed of black people, but the purpose of forming a black army in East Africa is obviously not very different from that of Portugal.

While livestock were being used to replace black slaves in eastern East Africa, some of the replaced blacks were transported by rail from East Africa to South Salzburg Province and the eastern side of Lake Malawi for organization and training.

When the Germans really fired their muskets at themselves, it made these blacks feel a little incredible, because they knew that the Germans were able to ride on their heads and do their power by relying on this "artifact".

However, the blacks still did not dare to resist the Germans in the hands of the artifact, and the fear established in the hearts of these blacks in the daily oppression of East Africa could not be broken for a while.

Of course, they were right, even if they had weapons provided by East Africa in their hands, they would not be able to turn the sky, and there was no difference between guns and bullets and burning sticks.

However, when they really went to the battlefield later, their mentality may be different when they see blood, which was the case with blacks in their previous lives, especially in German East Africa, under the leadership of the Germans, the black soldiers in German East Africa overcame their fear of whites and made the Anglo-Portuguese and Belgian coalition forces at that time lose face.

This is also a problem that Mozambicans fear when forming a black army, and if modern weapons are used for blacks, it is very likely to dispel the impression that whites are invincible.

However, East Africa is not worried about this at all, this time the black armed forces in East Africa are also disposable items, and East Africa will immediately arrange a ticket to the Americas for them, and they will not be able to find East Africa if they become a scourge in the future.

Looking at the army composed of more than 5,000 black soldiers in front of him, it was really a black oppressive piece, and it really looked like a soldier from an African country in his previous life, just a beret was missing.

Ernst said with satisfaction: "It would be very unreal for our army to deliberately play with the Portuguese, so in order to give the Portuguese the illusion of a chess opponent, I think we should make it more realistic, so the existence of the black army is necessary." ”

The commander of the 111th Division, John Sebastian, stood aside and asked with some concern: "Your Highness, is this really no problem?" I personally doubt the level of combat effectiveness of the blacks, what if they become a flaw in the battlefield and drag our regular troops into the water. ”

Ernst: "Worried about what? The Portuguese will definitely use blacks to form an army, and there are not so many whites in their colonies to use Hoho, even if they really transfer troops from their own country, then the black servant army must be indispensable, so are you afraid that there is no advantage over blacks with blacks? ”

There was really no advantage, because the equipment of the Black Legion in East Africa was inferior to that prepared by Portugal for the Negroes, and in order to form the Negro Legion, East Africa collected a large number of flintlock muskets used by the militia, which were much worse than the Minne rifles and Enfield rifles used by Portugal.

This was not something that Ernst could have known, because it was only at this time that the French and British were transporting these unsalable munitions to Mozambique and Angola in warehouses to equip black soldiers, and it was impossible for East African intelligence officers to know about it immediately and send the news back to East Africa.

And even if you know, East Africa will still choose to equip the black army with old-fashioned flintlock pistols, Ernst just wants the East African army to fight ugly, this must not let the regular army do it, in case the acting comes true, there is no place to cry, so it is better to let the black army complete this task.

Ernst: "Our army has been tempered by countless wars, although the strength of the opponent is not very good, but the courage and quality of the army have been cultivated, even to deal with some armies in Europe, so if you want the army to defend against Portugal, I am afraid it will also make the Portuguese feel desperate, this is not what I want to see, so use the black army to fight Portugal, in order to play this scene well." ”

John Sebastian: "If so, it's true! I feel that the 111th Division alone can penetrate Mozambique, and it may be difficult to occupy it, after all, there are not enough manpower, but it is no problem to destroy, and it is no problem to plow Mozambique several times. ”

John Sebastian understands the strength of the Mozambican army in the past, to be honest, the combat effectiveness of the Mozambican army may be at the same level as the militia in East Africa, but there are too many militias in East Africa, and it is a bit of a bully to use the militia to fight the Portuguese.

Ernst: "So this time against the Portuguese, the main force is not you, let the second-line troops and the black army press the front line, you are only responsible for following behind to stabilize the situation of the battle and avoid accidents." ”

The idea in East Africa is that the black army is at the front line, the second-line troops are responsible for supervising the battle, and the elite troops are at the rear to prevent the rollover, so there is a double layer of insurance, unless the Portuguese also summon the big fireball technique, it is impossible for this configuration in East Africa to lose.

Ernst: "There will be a gathering of blacks in the future, and this time we will organize 60,000 black troops to see how the Portuguese will deal with it." ”

60,000 black troops, but the muskets can only be used by 40,000 people, this is still an old antique found in East Africa, and the rest of the blacks can only use cold weapons, and East Africa can't really give blacks any good equipment, even the outdated Dreiser's rifles.

(End of chapter)