Distant Hearts of Iron
Dispersing the Horde's industrial facilities has many advantages, but it also has drawbacks. The most immediate one is the transportation of steel between the machinery bureau and the smelter. However, this can be solved by using the Southfury River, which would require widening the Southfury River and modifying the irrigation system along its banks. On land, however, things are much easier. ☺💙 🍮🍪
Although there are many drawbacks, they are not insurmountable. Moreover, Zul'ra has no intention of doing all of these things at once; he is still in Tokali!
Zul'ra drafted a plan in his mind, then bid farewell to Rizek and returned to Orgrimmar in an airship with the Ironhoof Master of Kor'kron and some Kor'kron soldiers. Of course, this transport was free, as Horde Ratchet was starting to pick up more money, and Gazlowe was too embarrassed to charge any more.
As the airship pierced through the Thousand Needles, Zul'ra engaged in a detailed conversation with the Ironhoof Master, who was traveling with him, amidst the spectacular scenery of jagged rocks and yellow sand mixed with salt. This conversation was initiated by the serious Tauren, and the topic was something Zul'ra was particularly interested in: the construction of the Horde's army.
Master Ironhoof was one of the main leaders of the Horde's participation in the Horde against Kor'kron. Just like Zul'ra spying on Ironforge's artillery operation technology, he also observed the Alliance's Seventh Legion. He believed that although the Alliance members were racially weak, their soldiers had higher military skills and a more scientific organization than the Horde. Well, in his words, he was reliable.
The Alliance's army is not only well-organized, but also has a well-established rank system. Although Zul'ra looks down Charge Bolvar's reckless and aggressive cavalry charges, such recklessness depends on who you are competing against and how you are doing it. The Alliance's soldiers are very disciplined, and it is very easy for them to coordinate cavalry and infantry.
If we compare it to the Horde's army, apart from the Kor'kron, probably not many troops can stand up to the Alliance army head-on. And if it were the Kor'kron, they might be directly pushed back if the enemy's infantry and cavalry coordinated perfectly.
However, if we don't confront the Alliance head-on, and instead try to defeat the Alliance army with the help of Priest and the logistics of mages, it's practically impossible. Humanity's development and growth to this point is not simply a matter of luck.
Faced with the Alliance's advantages, Master Ironhoof was deeply worried. "The Alliance is so strong, what should my Horde do?" So he went to Zul'ra, explained the situation, and proposed some reforms to the Horde's army.
"Change it, or you're not human!" Zul'ra answered without hesitation to the words thrown at him by the Ironhoof. He had participated in the Horde's two previous military reforms, but due to various conditions and the fact that he was not a professional, the reforms were very crude, and the organization was basically a combination of three elements. Now that someone interested was coming to do it, he was overjoyed.
Zul'ra enthusiastically expressed his support for Ironhoof and proposed collecting information on the Alliance army, improving it to suit the Horde's needs, equipping it with the latest weapons and communication technologies, and grasping the soldiers' mindset to build the Horde's army into a steel torrent with profound ideology, adhering to the principle of "I will not attack unless attacked, but if attacked, I will retaliate."
Master Ironhoof Hoof felt an instant connection with Zul'ra's words, and the two found themselves congenial as they talked. Even after the airship landed, they were still somewhat reluctant to part, but Zul'ra had many things to do, and Ironhoof also needed to visit his family. They agreed on a time to meet again before parting ways.
After disembarking from the airship, Zul'ra did not immediately implement his plan to disperse industry. Instead, he first produced the bills for the Second War of the Shifting Sands, as well as price lists for steel and radios. Then he took a look at the ironclad ship manufacturing plan. Currently, the power machinery and blueprints for the ironclad ships are complete, but they lack sufficient artillery technology.
Currently, the Gaodier side has also brought back the artillery operation technology from Ironforge. The Dwarves of Ironforge mainly rely on the rangefinder of the monocular telescope and their own summarized firing table formulas to operate the artillery. They test fire and then calibrate, relying on experience to figure it out.
The relevant shooting experience and shooting table formulas, as well as the telescopic rangefinder, have all been extracted by Gaodier, who has even managed to retrieve an original copy. The Gnomes and Sin'dorei technicians are now attempting to calculate and replicate them.
With the Gnomes ' sophisticated minds, the formula for the firing table had been calculated based on the Horde's Warhammer Type I and corresponding shells, while the Dwarves ' rangefinders, which the Sin'dorei claimed could be replicated, were also successfully developed, thus enhancing the Horde's artillery operation technology.
Although the technology for operating artillery was updated, things did not stop there, because naval guns and land guns were completely different. Cannons could not simply be placed directly on the deck, nor was that the design drawings intended for them.
With a more advanced concept, the Sin'dorei, while designing the ironclad warships, also designed rotating turrets and twin-mounted naval guns with the Gnomes technicians. However, it would take some time for these turrets to be manufactured and tested, so the construction of the ironclad warships had to be put on hold.
Zul'ra had hoped to achieve the goals of the Iron Will in one fell swoop, but various technical issues delayed the project. Although he had just joined forces with the Alliance in the Second War of the Shifting Sands and made some diplomatic breakthroughs, he had never trusted the Alliance, as the Horde's naval power was too weak.
With an extremely weak naval force, Zul'ra had no choice but to revive the idea of ironclad ships that he had previously abandoned, and have Elandir try to build a new small warship based on an enlarged version of the Warhammer Type I. This would allow him to practice and also allow the Horde to train a group of ironclad ship crews.
After a brief moment of consideration, Elandir agreed to Zul'ra's idea, because the issues Zul'ra raised regarding shipbuilding experience and crew training were real. Crew members from wooden warships couldn't be put to work on ironclad ships immediately. There might not be any major problems, but there would definitely be many minor ones.
After gritting her teeth and painfully forcing the committee to shelve the achievement of the Steel Ambition, Zul'ra turned around and found that Cairne Bloodhoof and Vol'jin had already placed their war-related bills, and the prices of the radio and steel had been calculated.
Zul'ra packed up the price list and bills, and then appointed several dedicated accountants. Before heading to Theramore to collect debts and make sales, he also spoke with the Black Scythe Six and other Warlock. After confirming that they would receive the appropriate funds and benefits, they agreed to obey the Horde's arrangements.
Aside from the Warlock, Zul'ra also spoke with Anveena, asking her if Tarecgosa had returned, but received a negative answer: Tarecgosa had not returned to Orgrimmar and had not left any contact information.