Nobody expected the first deal to come from Kamleyne. Claude recalled that the kingdom had bought an ironclad destroyer from the Royal Navy last year.
It seemed that they ran into the same problem of copying. They were limited by the high-temperature alloys used to build the ship's steam-powered machinery and the manufacturing of the propellers. Even with the complete blueprints for the first generation of ironclads, they weren't able to build the ships themselves.
The special envoy from the Kamarlane Kingdom who was purchasing the Ironclad Warships was acting in the name of an ocean merchant and had ordered six Ironclad Warships.
An ironclad cruiser, four ironclad destroyers, and one ironclad carrier made up the smallest cruising and combat unit.
The six ironclads cost 900,000 crowns and were to be delivered in half a year.
But judging from the intentions of this special envoy from the Kamarlane Kingdom, he did not seem to be willing to publicize this deal.
The region was naturally willing to keep it a secret for him and make a fortune.
Borkal believed that the envoy sent by Kamaraine to purchase ironclads was likely facing the same predicament as the royal navy.
They accepted the order from their superiors to copy ironclads, but they found that they couldn't do it. Left with no choice, they could only seek help from the region's military.
Fortunately, we've just built a shipbuilding base in Port Vebator that specializes in the production of first and second generation ironclads. That should solve a huge problem for them.
Claude was willing to build a shipbuilding base in Port Vebator to produce first and second generation ironclads for sale mainly because he noticed that other countries were making rapid progress in developing ironclads.
Based on what he knew so far, most countries that copied ironclads were able to replicate the full metal hull of their ships.
The only difficulty was the huge first-generation marine steam-powered machinery at the bottom of the ship and the imitation propeller on the outside of the hull. However, with the investment of money and time, one day, a certain country would be able to decipher the secret.
Port Vebator's shipbuilding base could sell first and second generation ironclads in order to cause trouble for other countries that were determined to crack the steam-powered machinery.
For those countries that copied ironclads, it was better to buy them than to make them. If they used the money they invested to buy ironclads, they would be able to buy at least 20 of them and form an ironclads fleet. That would be the best guarantee for their country's maritime security.
Also, if they had to research and replicate the technology so that their own country could also build ironclad warships, then the cost of research and replication would not be a small amount. They might have to spend two or three ironclad fleets to build a passable ironclad warship, which could not be compared to the ironclad warships sold by the autonomous military zone.
If they wanted to continue improving their own ironclads, who knew how much more money they would have to invest?
So, Claude hoped that most countries would change their ways and develop their own ironclads instead of buying them from the autonomous regions.
As long as they paid, they would be treated fairly. Even if a war broke out between the two countries, the ironclads would be delivered on time and wouldn't be held back.
In fact, for the autonomous military zone, the sale of the first generation of ironclad warships was a huge deal. It was a windfall of windfall profits.
Even Master Libord, who had designed the first generation of Iron-armored Warships, felt a bit embarrassed when he saw the simplified version of the first generation Iron-armored Warship design. He felt ashamed and embarrassed to fool the buyer with such a simple warship design.
Thus, he conveniently improved the first generation of steam powered machinery used on ships to increase its combustion efficiency and power output, as well as to make it faster and more efficient …
A first-generation ironclad destroyer was sold to the outside world for 150,000 gold crowns, and the production cost of the ship was 50,000 crowns. In total, the region had made a huge profit of 100,000 crowns without any capital.
However, the cost of building a first-generation ironclad destroyer was only twenty thousand crowns, and they still had double the profit.
Let's see what the first-generation ironclads had to offer. First, they had to weld together the metal hull without the watertight compartment. The most technical part was the installation of the steam engines and the main shaft of the propellers.
Then, there were the copper pipes used for communication, the command deck and the cannons on the deck. There wasn't much else. At most, a sharp ram could be installed at the bow of the ship.
A hundred and fifty thousand crowns for a first-generation ironclad destroyer. Back then, the Dominion's first ironclad warship had cost close to a million crowns to test it.
Therefore, for the autonomous military zone, spending so much money to build a first-generation ironclad warship was a loss, but for the countries that were preparing to research and imitate it, it was a very cheap price to buy an ironclad warship …
With Kamarlane making the first purchase in Port Vebator, it wouldn't be long before other countries came to purchase ironclads as well.
On the other hand, the first-generation ironclads produced by the region were already out of storage. The six that Kamarlane was going to purchase would have to be reforged by the shipbuilding base before they could be manufactured.
It was a pity that the envoy from Fochs didn't reply to him after hearing the price of the second-generation ironclads.
If they wanted to purchase the second-generation ironclads, the region would definitely be able to deliver them faster than the six first-generation ironclads Kamarlane bought.
It was nothing more than transferring the active second-generation ironclad warships from the Ironclad Fleet, removing the sensitive parts, refurbishing them and selling them as new ships. Then, giving the money earned to General Moriad to customize fourth-generation ironclad warships …
The twelve first generation ironclads of the Blacksail Pirates were repaired in a remote shipyard in Port Vebator. The sixteen fast ships were then covered in copper, and their bottoms were fitted with the new generation of steam-powered machinery and propellers. Finally, Eriksson led the Blacksail Pirates out of port on a foggy and rainy night, disappearing into the vast ocean without anyone noticing.
Claude busied himself with the recruitment of conscripts and reservists for the region. It could be said that the region had made the biggest change to Aueras' military system.
Aueras' military system consisted of a standing corps and a conscription system. Standing corps, such as the royal guards, crimson dragons, and griffins, the three famous field corps, would serve for up to 15 years after being conscripted.
Once the term was up, they would be granted citizenship and receive a generous salary. It was more or less like a conscription system.
The conscription system, on the other hand, was a system where the various prefectures would forcibly conscript those of a suitable age to form a second line corps for the frontlines.
Those who were forcibly conscripted didn't have a good fate. If they failed, they would die and become nameless cannon fodder.
Even if they won, they would be happy for nothing. They would still be forced to do whatever they were supposed to do after they were forced to retire. It wouldn't change their fate at all.
Only a small number of meritorious personnel were lucky enough to be transferred to the standing corps and officially become conscripts.
The overseas autonomous region now had four standing corps, a navy, and twelve local garrison regiments, with a total military strength of nearly five hundred and fifty thousand.
Since most of them were conscripted through the conscription system, the region was under a lot of pressure in terms of military expenditure.
After all, if they overspent on salaries and benefits, they would have to spend less on weapons and supplies.
Claude planned to combine conscription with conscription and set up a new conscription system for the region.
Not all of the conscripts were willing to serve in the army for 15 years. They were not interested in being citizens. On the contrary, they hoped to go home and reunite with their families as soon as possible.
The reason soldiers had to serve for fifteen years was because the countries of Freia needed experienced veterans and excellent soldiers to protect their countries.
In the overseas autonomous region, a youth who had reached the age of 18 was considered a conscript of the right age.
However, he would only have to serve for five years. During that time, he would be trained in the barracks to become a qualified soldier.
If he was awarded the Meritorious Soldier Award in the war and was promoted, then his military career would be very long …
If a recruit did not need to go to the battlefield during the five years of service, then after the five years of service, the recruit had two choices.
One was to continue serving in the army, but the prerequisite was that he had to become a non-commissioned officer during his five years of service.
He would be hired by the army as a non-commissioned officer and would enjoy a generous salary and benefits. After he became a citizen after his fifteen years of service, he would be able to officially retire and be trained as a civil servant.
The other option was that if the soldier didn't want to continue serving in the army, he could say goodbye to the barracks and go home. He could get married, have kids, or start a business without any hindrance. The army would seal his file and record that he had served for five years.
As long as he wanted to become a citizen before he turned forty, he could apply to continue serving in the local garrison until his fifteen years of service was over.
As long as they were conscripts of the overseas autonomous region, the military reform that the autonomous region was preparing to implement would have a great impact on the future of these conscripts.
Any adult youth who reached the age of eighteen would enter the military camp to receive the tempering and forging of a military career, and to remodel their worldview.
That way, even during his five years of service, he would be able to learn the discipline of the barracks and become a reservist soldier after he was discharged, waiting to be called up again in the event of a war.
The reform of the conscript and reservist registration system that Claude was presiding over broke the ancient tradition of fifteen years of service.
In the future, it would be impossible for the four standing corps of the region to stay in the army for a long time without mastering a certain skill.
The five-year compulsory enlistment system brought new life to the isolated barracks.
The biggest benefit of this military reform for the autonomous military zone was that it saved on manpower and salaries.
Just as Birkin said, enlisting in the army was akin to finding a career for life. As long as one didn't die young on the battlefield, the well-paid job could last him until he retired.
For instance, when Claude was recommended to join Bluefeather back then, he received a generous salary and benefits from the moment his name appeared on the roster.
However, Bluefeather was the unluckiest standing corps during the war. They experienced many ups and downs and even faced the risk of being wiped out.
Claude, on the other hand, was lucky enough to avoid that and was sent to the Ranger Battalion by Prince Hansbach to test out new tactics. He rose through the ranks from then on. Just as Birkin said, it was rare to see someone as lucky as Claude in the army.
But after the five-year compulsory enlistment system and reservist registration system, someone as lucky as Claude would no longer be the main character in the future.
That was because Claude had taken away the generous salary of the recruits during the five years of enlistment, only giving them some benefits.
It was a five-year compulsory enlistment. It wasn't a job search, but a duty. The barracks provided food, lodging, clothing, and transportation, so why would they need a salary?
If they wanted a generous salary, they would have to wait until the five-year compulsory enlistment was over. They would have to rely on their exceptional military skills to be retained by the army as a non-commissioned officer. Only then would they be able to receive a generous salary and benefits. That salary would increase according to the number of years they served in the barracks or if they were rewarded for meritorious service on the battlefield.
However, Borkal didn't beat around the bush and said that Claude had changed the soldiers' pay from 15 years to 10 years. The first five years would be compulsory military service and those who wanted to waste their time in the barracks would be kicked out of it.
Even though they were given five years less salary, the idiots who stayed in the barracks were still grateful. They couldn't understand why it was so hard to leave the barracks and make a living on their own.
They could earn a lot more by doing any kind of business than staying in the barracks.
Year 607 of the Sacred Light Calendar didn't make any big movements in the region. Apart from the eye-catching alliance with Pamigal, they spent the rest of their time dealing with the internal affairs of the region.
Be it cooperating with the council's crackdown or investigating the governance of the officials, they played their part as minor characters.
The next step was to continue resettling the Shiksan families and disband the eight homecoming folk to form the Shiksan Corps.
In the second half of the year, the region was busy with reforming the military system and implementing a five-year compulsory enlistment system and a registration system for reserve soldiers.
In the middle of the tenth month, news of the Blacksail Pirates and Fochs' sailing fleet started spreading from the west coast again.
This time, the Blacksail Pirates took the initiative to cause trouble for Fochs. They took the initiative to attack the sailing fleet stationed at the port of the second colony. Not only did they defeat the sailing fleet, they even captured the entire port and pillaged it for three days before leaving.
The Fox Islands Kingdom had been slapped in the face this time. The so-called powerful maritime power had lost its initial threat. All that was left were two seemingly powerful sailing fleets.
But anyone with a discerning eye knew that sail warships would soon be out of date. Just like this time, the Blacksail Pirates once again used twelve ironclad warships to charge, followed by sixteen sail warships wrapped in copper and also equipped with marine steam-powered machinery. In one fell swoop, they broke through the tight defensive formation set up by the Fokes Islands United Kingdom's sail fleet, causing the enemy to quickly collapse and flee on their own.
The result of this naval battle was that the Kingdom of Carmanleon no longer cared about the threat of a naval blockade by the Fokes Islands. They mobilized their army to take over the last remaining colony of the neighboring kingdom of Lesnia, kicking Lesnia out of the list of colonial nations on the west coast of Nubissia.
On the other side of the Lesnia Kingdom's colony, the Duchy of Lereolo's colony was a step slower. While complaining about the Carman Lane Kingdom's swift actions, the Duchy of Lereolo also mobilized its army to attack the second colony of the Fox Islands United Kingdom without hesitation.
The garrison of the Fochs' colony was unlucky. First, the powerful sailing fleet of the kingdom was defeated by the Blacksail Pirates. Then, they were trampled to the ground by the pirates who went ashore to pillage them. Most of their property was stolen, and some of their wives and daughters were even taken away.
Before they could calculate the extent of their losses, a new occupier of Relioro's colony appeared. Their colony was no more and was declared to be part of Relioro's colony.
The enraged Fochs Islands United Kingdom immediately declared war and blockaded the Kingdom of Camarlane and the Duchy of Relioro.
At this stage, they could not vent their anger on the Blacksail Pirates, but that did not stop them from venting their anger on the two countries. Fortunately, the Fochs Islands United Kingdom also knew that their kingdom's army was vulnerable, so they did not embarrass themselves. They planned to use two powerful sail fleets to block the sea routes of the two countries, sinking or capturing all the ocean-going ships and armed warships of the two countries.
The Kingdom of Camarlane and the Duchy of Relioro also announced that they would join forces to form a powerful naval force to break the naval blockade imposed by the Fokes Islands United Kingdom.
At the same time, the delivery of the six ironclad warships built for the Kamarlane Kingdom at Port Vebator had been completed.
Therefore, when the six ironclad warships appeared in the midst of the armed fleet formed by the Kingdom of Camarlane and the Duchy of Relioro, the sailing fleet of the Fochs Islands United Kingdom lost the courage to attack. They could only circle in the distance, not daring to approach.
Just like that, the so-called blockade at sea came to an end …
Now, Fochs Islands had accepted a large order from Carmanleon and Relioro for twenty-four first generation ironclad warships to be delivered within a year.
Just as the envoys from the two nations were sent away, the Fochs Islands' purchasing party arrived.