Post by Cao Cao on Nov 7, 2009 5:02:43 GMT
Mah innovation!
“So, you know what I want then?”
“Yeah, you want us to purchase a load of repeating crossbows so that we can begin this idea of yours.”
“Yeah, that is entirely what I want. Do you have any problems with that?”
“Not at all, although...”
“Just buy them.”
“Yes sir.”
The man nodded his head to Hsiang Yu and then left, leaving the older scholar alone in the workshop. He hadn’t remembered what it was that had made him think of this idea, it had just popped into his head – and as always, he decided to just go with it – knowingly acceptant in the fact that if his invention didn’t go down well with his master he’d be punished, possibly even executed. Still, that was no reason for him to doubt his idea, in theory – it was an amazing design, whether or not he could re-create that plan was a different story, but still he would try.
He took a few of the books from the shelf, scattered the pages and then began to draw basic designs of what he wanted to be achieved. Then, when his officer returned later that evening, he called for the assembly of 100 soldiers to arrive at the workshop the following morning, when they did –he greeted each one with a smile, a caring handshake and a small piece of paper that had his ideas summed up in random bullet points.
“Okay.” He started, smiling broadly from behind his crinkled face, “Let’s get this ball on the road.”
His soldiers nodded their head, yet said no words of encouragement, which was to be expected – who wanted to wake up in the early hours of the day to some old man’s squabble. No one, that’s who,
“First things first. Dissemble the repeating crossbows, don’t break anything or I’ll break you.”
His men did as they were told, and slowly took a part the machines given to them.
“Now, let’s look at the materials used here, first thing we need to do is increase the fire power and its firing capacity. Follow my lead.”
He took a crossbow a part swiftly, and then began carving a new groove, before long he had added a small extension to the width of the crossbow and then placed another slot for the magazine, “In such a case as this, it is important that the magazine and stock are about ¾ inches. Wider than in the original design of the repeating crossbow. Create the magazine so that it has a thin partition down its centre which divides it into two compartments. On each side of the central partition a dozen arrows can then be laid, one over the other. Don’t mess up in the measurements.”
He smiled briefly to his men, continued his work until it was finished and then presented them with what it would look like after he had altered it, “Now the bow-string is to pass over two parallel grooves instead of over a single one like what is seen in the original design, each groove should be beneath a compartment in the magazine. As the lever is worked, two arrows will then drop from the magazine side-by-side, one in each groove; both arrows can then be propelled together when the bow-string is released. When you’re all done with this let me know, I’ll be in the back sipping some tea.”
He smiled at his men, who jotted down his words carefully, after an hour his assistant knocked on the slab of his door and informed him that they had all achieved his request.
“Good.” He inspected 10 of the bows and was satisfied with their new function, then he smiled again, “We aren’t done yet my friends. Two more modifications and we’ll be kicking dust in no time.”
He picked up his own crossbow, blew the grooves and then shot the two bolts at the table, then he took a part the crossbow and pulled back the string, he watched the tension tighten and then it snapped, “Replace the wood with hard work on this inner section and use two strings instead of one, thus doubling its power of force. Keep the strings half the size as the original and weave them together to create a fit, curve the chamber if it requires shaping for the new string to fit perfectly.”
He picked up the bolts and then ordered for some more bolts to be created, they were to be the same size but applied with an extra fold during the black-smithing phase of its creation. Folds increased durability when black-smithing, a sword is faded many times, if he could make these bolts slightly heavier he’d made a weapon that wasn’t just faster, but also better in terms of range and power.
“Apply more folds and have them re-tested; only come back to me when you punch a hole through this piece of wood.”
For the next two days men tested his creation, and when it was capable of packing a greater punch they presented it to Hsiang Yu, who – after musing over its design, clapped loudly and laughed. “Brilliant, this is exactly what I wanted, now stand in a line and we’ll see how powerful it is against armour.”
His men froze, eyes weary, “Oh hahahaha, I’m joking you idiots.”
They smiled a little, but it wasn’t until Hsiang stopped grinning maniacally that they settled in their new position as assistant inventers. The day after, they presented the crossbow to Cao Cao, who approved of the creation and promoted Hsiang Yu to chief Advisor and Inventor.
“Tomorrow.” He muttered after the commotion, “We start on the defences.”
“So, you know what I want then?”
“Yeah, you want us to purchase a load of repeating crossbows so that we can begin this idea of yours.”
“Yeah, that is entirely what I want. Do you have any problems with that?”
“Not at all, although...”
“Just buy them.”
“Yes sir.”
The man nodded his head to Hsiang Yu and then left, leaving the older scholar alone in the workshop. He hadn’t remembered what it was that had made him think of this idea, it had just popped into his head – and as always, he decided to just go with it – knowingly acceptant in the fact that if his invention didn’t go down well with his master he’d be punished, possibly even executed. Still, that was no reason for him to doubt his idea, in theory – it was an amazing design, whether or not he could re-create that plan was a different story, but still he would try.
He took a few of the books from the shelf, scattered the pages and then began to draw basic designs of what he wanted to be achieved. Then, when his officer returned later that evening, he called for the assembly of 100 soldiers to arrive at the workshop the following morning, when they did –he greeted each one with a smile, a caring handshake and a small piece of paper that had his ideas summed up in random bullet points.
“Okay.” He started, smiling broadly from behind his crinkled face, “Let’s get this ball on the road.”
His soldiers nodded their head, yet said no words of encouragement, which was to be expected – who wanted to wake up in the early hours of the day to some old man’s squabble. No one, that’s who,
“First things first. Dissemble the repeating crossbows, don’t break anything or I’ll break you.”
His men did as they were told, and slowly took a part the machines given to them.
“Now, let’s look at the materials used here, first thing we need to do is increase the fire power and its firing capacity. Follow my lead.”
He took a crossbow a part swiftly, and then began carving a new groove, before long he had added a small extension to the width of the crossbow and then placed another slot for the magazine, “In such a case as this, it is important that the magazine and stock are about ¾ inches. Wider than in the original design of the repeating crossbow. Create the magazine so that it has a thin partition down its centre which divides it into two compartments. On each side of the central partition a dozen arrows can then be laid, one over the other. Don’t mess up in the measurements.”
He smiled briefly to his men, continued his work until it was finished and then presented them with what it would look like after he had altered it, “Now the bow-string is to pass over two parallel grooves instead of over a single one like what is seen in the original design, each groove should be beneath a compartment in the magazine. As the lever is worked, two arrows will then drop from the magazine side-by-side, one in each groove; both arrows can then be propelled together when the bow-string is released. When you’re all done with this let me know, I’ll be in the back sipping some tea.”
He smiled at his men, who jotted down his words carefully, after an hour his assistant knocked on the slab of his door and informed him that they had all achieved his request.
“Good.” He inspected 10 of the bows and was satisfied with their new function, then he smiled again, “We aren’t done yet my friends. Two more modifications and we’ll be kicking dust in no time.”
He picked up his own crossbow, blew the grooves and then shot the two bolts at the table, then he took a part the crossbow and pulled back the string, he watched the tension tighten and then it snapped, “Replace the wood with hard work on this inner section and use two strings instead of one, thus doubling its power of force. Keep the strings half the size as the original and weave them together to create a fit, curve the chamber if it requires shaping for the new string to fit perfectly.”
He picked up the bolts and then ordered for some more bolts to be created, they were to be the same size but applied with an extra fold during the black-smithing phase of its creation. Folds increased durability when black-smithing, a sword is faded many times, if he could make these bolts slightly heavier he’d made a weapon that wasn’t just faster, but also better in terms of range and power.
“Apply more folds and have them re-tested; only come back to me when you punch a hole through this piece of wood.”
For the next two days men tested his creation, and when it was capable of packing a greater punch they presented it to Hsiang Yu, who – after musing over its design, clapped loudly and laughed. “Brilliant, this is exactly what I wanted, now stand in a line and we’ll see how powerful it is against armour.”
His men froze, eyes weary, “Oh hahahaha, I’m joking you idiots.”
They smiled a little, but it wasn’t until Hsiang stopped grinning maniacally that they settled in their new position as assistant inventers. The day after, they presented the crossbow to Cao Cao, who approved of the creation and promoted Hsiang Yu to chief Advisor and Inventor.
“Tomorrow.” He muttered after the commotion, “We start on the defences.”
