Chapter 229: The Merchant of Death?
“If we’re talking about revolver-style handguns, mass production within the country should be feasible. However, for automatics, our technological capabilities are lacking. Retraining the soldiers will also take time.”
“Are we considering percussion-cap ammunition? This structure is quite innovative. The problem lies in our country’s insufficient technology for mass production…”
As Ashidancera = Ayame Zero presented the handgun, the technical officers exchanged their opinions.
“What about using Burning Stone (Tone Mag) powder for the ignition method? It’s relatively easy to obtain the powder now.”
“That’s a bit too much… The cost to use it for these handgun bullets would be prohibitively high. At best, it could be used for the battleship’s secondary cannons.”
While observing the officers’ discussion, Amagio Silverhead turned to the nearby Major Pariard Aminas.
“What do you think? Do you think we can establish a timeline for mass production in about six months?”
The major shook his head in response to his superior’s inquiry.
“No. If we have a year, we might manage it. Even then, I have concerns about the precision of our craftsmanship. In six months, we’ll be lucky to produce handmade models.”
“I see… Well, that makes sense. We simply don’t have enough time.”
Amagio sighed and stood up from his chair. He clapped his hands together to draw attention to himself. The technical officers, who had been engaged in lively debate, quickly turned to face him.
“Everyone, have we reached a conclusion?”
“Yes! My apologies, we were still in discussion!”
Amagio nodded at their response, which was evident to all.
“Indeed. We should continue our discussions thoroughly to aid our nation’s growth. If we could manage that, it would be ideal, but… unfortunately, we are out of time.”
As he spoke, Amagio picked up the assault rifle that had been leaning against him. This was also a sample provided by Paraiso.
“Now then…”
Stepping out of the outdoor tent, Amagio prepared to test the samples at a shooting range that had been reserved for the occasion.
With the assault rifle aimed, Amagio Silverhead pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Three shots fired.
The bullets struck near the center of a target set about thirty meters away, creating large holes.
“This is an excellent firearm. It features a three-round burst mechanism, making it perfect for soldiers with lower training levels. The grouping is tight, and the sights are accurate.”
Clicking the safety on, Amagio turned back. The silence that followed his perfect shooting was palpable among the officers.
Most soldiers had heard rumors of Amagio Silverhead being a one-man army, but only a select few had witnessed it firsthand.
“Our country lacks the technological capability to produce this. In a few years, we might catch up, but that would be too late.”
“…”
This was a shared understanding among all the technical officers. The handgun, as well as the assault rifle in Amagio’s hands, were seen as intricate assemblies of precision parts. The dimensional tolerances specified in the blueprints were not something that could be achieved through mass production.
However, if they could realize that, they would be able to mass-produce high-performance firearms.
“I’ll leave the report to you, but I believe everyone here understands. We are short on time. If we do not deploy these weapons to the front lines, our nation’s fate will be sealed.”
Amagio raised the assault rifle high. This was an assault rifle based on the historical AK-47 series, redesigned for mass production by RINGO. It could be produced even with low technological capabilities, was easy to maintain, and could withstand harsh environments while providing high area suppression.
Even so, mass production was not feasible in the current Kingdom of Reputari.
“We will import the entire manufacturing facility. If necessary, we will also import finished products and parts. The same goes for ammunition. Are there any objections?”
“…Yes. Is that acceptable, Your Excellency?”
“I grant permission.”
“Thank you! What exactly does importing a factory entail?”
Importing a factory. At first glance, it might seem nonsensical.
“It means exactly what it says, my friend. We will provide the land, and Paraiso will construct the factory there. They will handle everything: building materials, construction work, trial runs, and even the actual manufacturing.”
“…W-wait, that means…”
“Under normal circumstances, such a thing would never be permitted. However, if we allow this, we will have no choice but to make that decision. Of course, we will implement technology transfer, but ultimately, we are short on time. We need to quickly formulate plans for education, transportation, storage, and maintenance. Now that we have a plan for manufacturing and procurement, let’s swiftly tackle the rest.”
“The assault rifle has been designed with larger clearances for its components, enhancing durability and mass production capabilities. The number of parts has been minimized to facilitate maintenance on the front lines. The caliber is 7mm, and the magazine capacity is 32 rounds.”
“That said, the grouping isn’t particularly great… but Akane said that’s fine since they won’t have much training anyway…”
Akane and Olive were explaining the weapons and ammunition to be supplied to the Kingdom of Reputari. The listening sister, Eve, nodded enthusiastically.
“For the time being, production will be handled by The Tree, so accuracy shouldn’t be an issue. The future is unpredictable, though.”
“Right. Historically, it’s said to have become the most widely used military firearm of its time.”
The historical AK-47 and its derivatives continued to be used worldwide. It had sufficient power, was easy to handle, and most importantly, was easy to manufacture. Since this was redesigned based on that model, there was a strong possibility of history repeating itself.
“This weapon won’t be able to compete with The Tree’s main weaponry. That’s not a problem.”
Akane stated this firmly. While it might pose a threat to smaller machines like Communicators, The Tree wouldn’t be so lenient as to allow that. If guerrilla warfare was anticipated, they could simply bombard the surrounding area. Even if it turned into urban combat, ultimately, the same principle would apply.
“That said, we will still provide machine guns, right?”
“Y-yes… Um, we’ll supply revolvers, sniper rifles, and machine guns that can share ammunition with this assault rifle. Additionally, we’ll provide heavy machine guns and large-caliber anti-material rifles that share ammunition as well.”
They would manufacture 7mm caliber bullets and 13mm caliber bullets, supplying revolvers, assault rifles, machine guns, sniper rifles, anti-material rifles, and heavy machine guns accordingly.
“The anti-material rifles and heavy machine guns could pose a threat, but I think it will take at least another ten years to mass-produce them…”
If they had that much time, the opposing organization would likely be wiped out by The Tree. To be precise, they would be obliterated. Thus, the probability of a threatening organization arising from this weapon supply to challenge The Tree could be considered zero.
The sniper rifles were expected to be somewhat effective. The monk soldiers of the Prava Divine Nation were not particularly resilient when not in combat. Reducing their numbers through sniping would alleviate pressure on the front lines.
While specialized skills would require time for training, it could be managed within a few months. Then, to slow the advance on the front lines, they would scatter assault rifles with stopping power. If used alongside machine guns of the same caliber that could be easily relocated, the defensive capabilities of their strongholds would significantly increase. Deploying heavy machine guns at key locations might even allow them to push back the enemy rather than just hold them at bay.
The issue was that the enemy’s monk soldiers might engage in guerrilla-style warfare.
“This time, we are also supplying long-lasting rations. By forming guerrilla units and continuously applying pressure on the enemy, we can buy time to strengthen our strongholds.”
This strategy had already been communicated to Amagio Silverhead, and he had agreed. Under the pretext of support from the Kingdom of Reputari, they would export to other nations, encouraging them to resist thoroughly within their own territories.
Given the length of the front lines this time, it was unrealistic to expect The Tree’s forces to contain everything. After all, the targets to protect were other nations, which posed a trust issue. Therefore, it was better to simply provide weapons and earn their gratitude.