Chapter 90 Trade Trap

Upgrading a military crossbow costs Egil's reward for upgrading technology for five times. (. It accounts for half of the total reward. But Egil thinks it is very worth it. The new type of crossbow named Egil's Wrath will greatly enhance the Empire's long-range strike power. It can even make the crossbow more than the Longbow. It will become the most powerful long-range weapon in the Imperial Team. Imperial soldiers equipped with crossbows will become the nightmare of all imperial enemies. It will also be a magic weapon in the future when facing powerful nomadic enemies.

Immediately afterwards, Egil upgraded the technology rewards for the remaining two times, one time in metal smelting - this is a very important and basic technological strength to improve industrial and manufacturing capabilities. Now there are a large number of iron ore, copper ore and lead and zinc mines in the Norman Empire. Hundreds of furnaces are constantly working day and night to produce a large number of production equipment and weapons. Not only can they meet the requirements of the empire itself, but they can also be sold abroad.

In fact, metal vessels will play a very important role in the now-favored slave trade and the trade with the New Continent of America that Egil envisions.

"Let those idiotic, savage people who can't even have the most basic bronze casting pay! Buy our iron products!"

Adhering to this concept, the Norman Empire merchants walked in Black Africa, exchanging metal utensils, glass products and other handicrafts for gold, silver, gems, ivory, fur and other precious items. Of course, there is also the most important thing that the empire needs most urgently - slaves.

The above-mentioned goods were used to exchange prisoners of war from hostile tribes, and even provoked trouble, provoked conflicts between African tribes, and caused war. They even captured the lonely black slaves themselves. The slave traders in the Age of Discovery had already set a model for the Normans, and the Normans had just learned to do this.

In addition, various exquisite items made of lead are also goods that Egil urgently hopes to export. The Baga people of this era do not understand what heavy metal poisoning is. The lead products that dragged down the Western Roman Empire back then will be transported to the New Continent of the Americas by Egil as a weapon. As the pioneer of the empire.

"Since we have no resistance to the Black Death, we cannot use it, so we can't use it." So, while working day and night for the factory that produces lead utensils for Central American Friendship Institutions, Egil also issued a policy order such as "Unrespective of the use of any lead utensils."

Although the harm of using lead products cannot be seen in recent generations, hard work will always bring rewards. Isn’t it?

For the last chance to upgrade, Egil chose the plate armor. The plate armor, which is still in its early stage, exposed many shortcomings, whether it is defense, comfort, weight, or shape. After two wars of the Eastern European Conquest and the Crusades, the blacksmiths and armor masters of the Norman Empire also gained a lot of experience. Egil could see that if they were asked to study the plate armor of three years and five years, the mid-term, all kinds of plate armor would have basically been formed - but Egil couldn't wait that long.

After clicking on Plate Armor Technology, I heard the system prompt sound: Congratulations, your current forging technology and Plate Armor manufacturing technology have reached a certain level, which can cast a more powerful defense, tougher and more durable, and more ergonomic mid-term Plate Armor. In addition, the upgrade of Plate Armor Technology also provides you with more choices.

According to the thickness of the armor, the plate armor is divided into four levels: one millimeter light plate armor, two millimeter medium plate armor and three millimeter thick heavy plate armor. According to the area of ​​the armor, it is divided into three types: full-body plate armor, three-quarter plate armor and half-body plate armor. There are also breastplates that simply protect the torso.

"In this way, the combat effectiveness of the Imperial Team will reach a new level." Egil felt very excited after carefully reading this system introduction - many Royal Knights and Imperial Knights have long complained to him. They said how uncomfortable it is to wear such a plate armor, how bad the breathability is, how hard it is to grind the big hips, feet and teeth. Now that there is a new technology-made armor, it should not complain so much this time.

Of course, the cost of replacing new equipment is also an astronomical figure... When I think of this, Egil felt very stressed.

"In recent times, the money robbed from Syria and Egypt was about 500,000 Normankin. The system gave one million Florins, which is a little more than 1.2 million Normankin... and I have not wasted the taxes in the past few months. From December last year to April this year, the total taxes for five months were 2.7 million Normankinkin... I love it so much, it is more than 4.5 million Normankinkin..."

Egil calculated for a long time and then came to a conclusion: "It's still not enough for you to be ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Although the income has been considerable in recent times, the empire has been booming, and the monthly income has exceeded 500,000 Normankin (partially due to inflation), this amount is still not enough compared to astronomical military reform costs.

To thoroughly carry out military reforms to the end and transform the existing 70,000 troops into a new army, it will take at least 8 million Normankin. To recruit another 30,000 new army and expand the army to 100,000 people, it will take 12 million. In addition, maintaining this army will also require 100,000 Normankin's military pay per month, as well as 50,000 Normankin's military maintenance, maintenance and procurement of military rations.

"At least, complete the reform of the existing army first, and then slowly recruit new troops. The local garrison army and other things will drag it out first. They don't have to worry." So Egil made up his mind and added another love letter to Artoria: "Try your best to plunder the property of Egyptian pagans, and it is best not to leave a copper coin for them."

I believe that Artoria will complete Egil's mission well and ravage the Egyptians. After all, Egil is with this idea when he sent her there.

Joan of Arc, who was more moderate and more concerned about people's livelihood, sent to Syria because this land that is closer to the empire and closer to the holy land, Egil wanted to occupy and localize it. The reason why he sent Artoria, who was like a murderer, to Egypt was because Egil did not want to rule here for the sake of road, management difficulty and political influence.

If you don't rule here, you have to abandon it and throw it to the Greeks, Europeans or Muslims. But before that, Egil hopes to destroy the land as much as possible, take destructive plunder, maximize the wealth of Egypt, and reduce Egypt's war potential. Those who finally get this land cannot increase their strength. On the contrary, they have to bear a huge burden.

That's it, money-related matters need to be done as much as possible. Egil finished writing the letter and handed it to Sonia. The spy leader sent a pigeon to convey the message. Then he returned to his tent and began to think about the purpose of the last reward.

"Advanced the building four times...?"

Compared with the previous reward of upgrading the technology level ten consecutive times, this reward seems a bit shabby. The so-called upgraded buildings does not upgrade all types of buildings across the country, but only a single building for a specific city. Now there are dozens of large cities in the Norman province, and the number of cities summarized by systematically determined. A single upgrade of several buildings can no longer meet the standards of Egil.

"A little bit useless." Egil thought carefully and felt that these four upgrade opportunities should be used in special buildings to achieve the maximum effect.

The first one selected by Egil was Oslo, the military base in Scandinavia, which Egil started. Although its status has declined a little now, its importance is still self-evident. As a systematically judged sergeant city, coupled with the many special buildings built by Egil here that can enhance the ability to recruit new troops, this is still one of the most important cities of the Norman Empire.

There are tens of thousands of local militia troops coming here for training every year. Every year, there are thousands of soldiers who officially join the army here and join the Imperial Team. The number of officers coming here to study every year is more than a thousand. The five large shipyards also provide a large number of high-quality ships for the Norman Navy. The North Sea Fleet, the Baltic Fleet, and the prototypes of the Offshore Fleet. All of them are produced here. Egil's ship Royal Navy Victory, Norman's first gunboat, the first heavy crossbow warship, and the first fast sailboat were also produced here.

It can be said that at least two-thirds of Egil's army were formed here. Without Oslo, there would be no Imperial Army or Imperial Navy. Although Egil is preparing to establish a new military base in Eastern Europe, the process is quite long and there will be no improvement in a few years. So so far, Oslo is still the most important military center of the empire.

What Egil upgraded this time is the Imperial Army Training Ground in Oslo. This special building is upgraded to the Royal Army Training Ground. The experience value of soldiers produced here can be increased by a little more. In this way, the military city will add three experience, the Royal Army Training Ground will add two experience, and the Imperial Guards will add two experience. As soon as the recruits come out here will have seven experience points (the highest is twenty). They are even better than ordinary veterans...
Chapter completed!