Totem Electric-Heated Steam Engine
Three days later, a public execution was held outside Orgrimmar. Twenty-three Twilight cultists, including the enigmatic Solano, were forced to their knees, and the executioners used a new type of firearm to shoot them in the back of the head.
The execution of the Twilight's Hammer cultists didn't even cause a ripple within the Horde. The Orgrimmar broadcasts played a crucial role in propaganda, and the Horde's civilians now regard the organization as a cult, treating it like a monstrous threat.
Putting aside the situation with Twilight's Hammer, the enthusiasm of the Horde's civilians for labor was stirred up like never before by the broadcast propaganda. Of course, this was also due to the groundwork laid by the gradual improvement in their lives over the past few years; otherwise, who would believe you if you just made empty promises?
With the improvement in their lives as a foundation, and through Zul'ra's broadcasts, the Horde developed a strong sense of mission. Not only did their enthusiasm for work increase, but their Druid faith in nature also expanded.
Even some Orcs began to inquire about Druid. Zul'ra also instructed Hamuul Runetotem's priestly department to take over and maintain the pace of this propaganda, popularizing more natural science, elemental science, and theological knowledge among the Horde's people, and training more Witch Doctor, Druid, and Shaman for the Horde.
The rising enthusiasm of the Horde has also led to a continuous increase in the Horde's manufacturing capacity. The steel mill has produced 80,000 tons of steel and various metal parts and products to date. With the factory operating at full capacity, it can produce 200 new guns, 100 old guns, 1,000 copper-cased bullets, and 800 paper-cased bullets every day. In addition, a new type of artillery has been officially confirmed.
Previously, the Horde did not research and produce artillery, firstly because Zul'ra had developed explosive packs and grenades, and secondly because the Horde had too many redundant old weapons. If these issues were not addressed before rushing to produce new weapons, it would easily lead to waste. Overall, the main reason was insufficient funds.
With the help of the Goblins and Desert Trolls, Zul'ra disposed of all the Horde's outdated catapults and ballistae, making a fortune in the process. Now, with ample funds, he not only acquired a large amount of iron ore, providing the necessary resources for the ironclad warship construction plan, but also began manufacturing artillery.
Unlike muskets, which can be used simply by understanding their structure and knowing the sequence of loading, aiming, and pulling the trigger, artillery requires specialized knowledge. Inaccuracy is one issue, but waste is an even bigger problem.
Muskets are more expensive than bullets, but cannons are the opposite. If a bullet dies, it's only a waste of a dozen or so copper coins, but if a cannonball dies, it's a waste of several gold coins.
The saying "When the cannons roar, gold pours in" is not just a casual remark. The Horde's newly determined cannon was named "Warhammer Type I" by Zul'ra. It is a 30mm caliber rifled breech-loading cannon. The cannon consists of a carriage and a barrel. The barrel consists of a barrel, a breech, and a breechblock, while the carriage consists of a two-wheeled moving body, a carriage, and an elevation mechanism.
After the Warhammer Type I was manufactured, it could not be immediately deployed like a musket. Instead, it had to be tested first. Zul'ra selected a regiment from Kor'kron and sent them to escort five cannons, sixty shells of various types, and eighteen gunners to the coast of Azshara for testing. The target of the test was naturally the Spitelash Naga were entrenched there.
While the cannons were undergoing trial use, the Ironclad Construction Committee also brought good news to Zul'ra: the master shipwright Elandir had, with the help of Goblins and Gnomes, successfully manufactured a preliminary ship-mounted totem heat source steam engine.
Led by Elandir, the engine team boldly overturned the previous direct-heated steam boiler and instead adopted an electric steam boiler, using the totem as a heat source to convert heat energy into electrical energy, which was then used to start the steam boiler to drive the ship's propeller.
Zul'ra approved of Elandir and the others' ideas, but he was curious: since totems could generate electricity, why not just skip the electric steam furnace and use electricity to drive the ship's propellers and build electric ships?
Zul'ra's idea was opposed by the Gnomes engineers because electricity is difficult to control, and with current technology, the power directly converted from electricity may not be enough to support the ship's navigation. If Zul'ra didn't mind, the committee was willing to try, but at this stage the Horde urgently needed new ships, so it would be more convenient to use an electric steam engine.
Science and technology take a long time to go from invention to application. Zul'ra is not an expert in this field, and apart from the Gnomes who have sufficient data awareness, these people rely on their ingenuity to make things. Therefore, it is not appropriate for him to directly interfere in this matter.
After seeing the totem electric steam engine powering the rapidly spinning propeller, and after the Gnomes presented data indicating that the propeller's power could successfully propel the ironclad warship, Zul'ra approved the opinions of the Ironclad Construction Committee, instructing them to prepare blueprints and begin construction of the ironclad warship.
Ironclad warships require a wide range of technologies, including totem electric steam engines, radio technology, and corresponding artillery data. Personnel also need to be trained, and in addition to steel reserves, a large amount of mechanical assistance is required. There is still much preparation work to be done.
In preparation for the construction of the ironclad warships, Zul'ra ordered the steel mills to start operating, first sorting the steel and clearing away the unwanted scrap steel, and then consuming the 430,000 tons of iron ore stored therein, melting it into steel ingots to be ready for shipbuilding.
Just as Zul'ra was gathering his strength, preparing to unleash his full potential for the Iron Will, the Kor'kron Brigade, which had gone to Silithus, sent back a telegram. This telegram did not surprise Zul'ra too much, bringing him information that the seal on the Scarab Wall was loosening.
The news that the seal on the Scarab Wall is weakening is far more dangerous to the world than the resurrection of Hakkar. Hakkar's resurrection would at most cause a bloodbath; he was dealt with by the Zandalar and the Trolls the last time he was resurrected. But the Scarab Wall is a different story.
Behind the Scarab Wall lies an army of insectoids, and behind this army is an Old Gods. If this combination were to break free, the world would surely be destroyed.
Upon receiving the telegram, Zul'ra immediately took action. First, he sent a telegram to Nightsong City, the settlement of the Amani'lai in Ashenvale, instructing them to inform the nearby Kaldorei to invite Tyrande Whisperwind to Orgrimmar on behalf of the Horde.
Along with the invitation telegram from Nightsong City, a telegram was also sent to the Roaring Camp. Zul'ra instructed them to send someone to Theramore to inform Lirath to invite Jaina to Orgrimmar on his behalf. Lirath was currently serving as the Foreign Minister and was in Theramore with Cairne Bloodhoof discussing with Jaina how to unite Stormwind to defend against Hakkar was about to descend upon Zul'Gurub.