The naval guns aboard the Two Rivers Fleet's steam gunships had far larger calibers than the Two Rivers Legion's field guns, and their power was immense. Some even came equipped with specialized armor-piercing shells, though until then, those shells had never had much chance to prove their worth.
After all, the enemies they faced sailed wooden-hulled ships, which ordinary artillery could easily destroy. Even the Xister Kingdom Navy's large vessels could be dealt with using high-explosive shells. One such shell could tear apart a ship of six or seven hundred tons; two were enough for one weighing over a thousand tons.
Thus, these armor-piercing shells had mostly been brought along as a reserve for research, with the idea of conducting experiments in actual combat along the way. Unfortunately, not a single one had been used.
Once Victor thought of the naval guns, he immediately arranged for several large-caliber guns to be removed from the Two Rivers Fleet's ships and transported inland by water to take part in siege operations.
When they attacked the nobles' castles, these naval guns and armor-piercing shells proved extremely effective. A single armor-piercing shell could blast a breach in a castle wall, no matter how solidly it had been built. Bringing the wall down entirely was merely a matter of firing a few more shots.
If they wanted to conserve ammunition, they could combine the bombardment with demolition charges planted through earthworks to destroy the walls completely.
With the addition of naval guns, taking such fortresses was no longer a problem.
Afterward, Victor had every large-caliber naval gun capable of firing armor-piercing shells brought ashore. They moved along the East Sea Alliance's inland waterways, supporting the Allied Army's legions as they eliminated and destroyed the nobles' fortresses.
Apart from a few fortresses situated on exceptionally treacherous