Chapter 391: The Secret Weapon from New Zealand
A group of Maori, led by Fernand Dufresne, disembarked at the pier and were then carried by locals in palanquins towards Mangalore.
Several days later.
North of Mangalore lay the vanguard camp of the Mysore army, where over 5,000 Mysore soldiers were stationed, along with 100 elite Tunisian troops brought by Lafayette—Tunisian soldiers were absolutely exceptional in quality here. Less than 15 kilometers to their north was the British defense line established in southern North Canara.
After habitually inspecting the camp, Lafayette looked towards the British stronghold, a vexed expression on his face.
His recent repeated reconnaissance had confirmed that there were only 1,200 British soldiers, along with 3,000 to 5,000 Maratha soldiers, their Indian allies.
Judging by previous engagements, his 12,000 strong army concentrated here could break through North Canara within a month if fully committed to an offensive.
However, a letter from Paris just last week stated that the Crown Prince had instructed him to prepare for defense with all his might, forbidding any large-scale offensive and allowing only harassment of British supply lines.
This made him feel as if he was watching his beloved mistress, clad in nothing, batting her eyelashes at him, while he was bound hand and foot, unable to move a muscle.
Just then, his Tunisian-descended staff officer hurried over, saluting him by tipping his hat and declaring:
Lafayette nodded. Taking over a dozen officers, he left the camp to greet the Maori. The Crown Prince seemed to place great importance on these natives, so he had no choice but to treat them with solemn respect.
In the northernmost town of Mangalore, Lafayette and Fernand Dufresne exchanged greetings, Lafayette politely remarking:
"I've heard of your uncle's exploits. He led a colonization party of only a few hundred people, yet he secured a colony for His Majesty, nearly the size of Britain itself."
This Fernand was indeed the nephew of Dufresne, the leader of the New Zealand Development Team.
The Maori leader hastily replied:
"If my uncle knew that the great hero who thrashed the British in the Far East praised him so, he would surely drink until he collapsed with joy."
As Lafayette spoke, he looked at the group of dark-skinned Maori behind Fernand, with their strange hairstyles. He unconsciously furrowed his brow slightly. The black lines tattooed on the natives' faces made him instinctively think of fierce beasts.
"Ahem," he coughed lightly to cover his inappropriate expression. He turned to Fernand. "What exactly are they supposed to do? The Crown Prince's letter mentioned they possess excellent military skills, but frankly, I doubt they'll integrate well into my army..."
Maganus, standing in the back row, suddenly waved his hand and interjected: "You're the formidable General..."
He glanced at Fernand, asking in a low voice: 'Is it 'General'?'
After receiving an affirmative reply, he then spoke loudly to Lafayette: "Mister Fernand often spoke of you on the ship.
"Oh, right, we've come to help you build 'Pā'."
He gestured to the thirty-odd burly Maori men behind him: "We are all experts in building 'Pā' within our tribe."
Lafayette was clearly surprised that these natives spoke French, but he quickly noticed a word the Maori had just mentioned:
"Pā? What is that?"
Fernand hastily explained to him: "It's a type of simple Maori fortress. Though they may appear rudimentary, they are actually very effective defensively."
Hearing this, Nikau gestured animatedly: "First, we need to choose a high ground, flatten its top, then cut down some sturdy tree trunks to encircle it. After that, we build the central watchtower..."
When the commander of the sapper battalion behind Lafayette heard, "...protecting the watchtower with three rings of wooden palisades," he finally let out a disdainful laugh, and then addressed Lafayette:
"General, I believe this primitive... ah, let's call it a fortress for now, will be utterly ineffective against the British army. You see, the British don't use spears and bows; they have cannons, heavy cannons at that. If we need to construct a defensive system, I think we should opt for star forts."
He was an old subordinate Lafayette had brought from France, a proper military officer, a graduate of the Valois Military Academy with a specialization in engineering. He was very familiar with building star forts. <del>
Lafayette nodded, looking at Fernand:
"You see, as Major Gaston said, star forts would be more suitable when dealing with the British. Perhaps your people could assist him with the construction."
"Yes, General, star forts are effective." Fernand considered his words carefully, but his adventurous nature ultimately led him to be direct. "However, the 'Pā' is more suited to Mysore's circumstances. This is the Crown Prince's directive."
"How can that be?" Major Gaston waved his hand dismissively. "You must have misunderstood His Highness..."
Fernand's gaze shifted:
"Major, how long would it take you to build a star fort?"
"That depends on the scale," Gaston replied. "In an emergency, a temporary frontline star fort can be completed in just three months."
Fernand nodded, then gestured to the Maori behind him.
Maganus immediately said: "If we have enough hands, building one 'Pā' takes a month."
Fernand continued: "Major, besides the construction speed, building a 'Pā' requires almost no funding. That is, if we don't need to pay Indian laborers."
Gaston paused, taken aback. Tipu Sultan conscripted serfs for labor; never mind wages, they even had to provide their own food. Whereas building a star fort would cost at least thirty to forty thousand livres. And that was for the simplest type; for something durable and sturdy, the cost would increase tenfold.
"As for defensive effectiveness," Fernand looked at the Major, "'Pā' may be far inferior to star forts, but they can significantly delay the British army's advance.
"If there are enough of them, these things will become a nightmare for the British!"
"But..."
Gaston was about to say more, but Lafayette cut him off:
"Very well, have the local officials in Mangalore fully assist Mister Dufresne. However, at crucial points, we will still build some star forts."
He had previously received instructions from the French General Staff Headquarters to cooperate with the Maori in strengthening Mysore's defenses.
Although he didn't put much faith in the natives' 'fortresses,' seeing Fernand's extreme persistence, he found it difficult to forcibly object.
In the following days, both the British and Mysore forces were busy with their own affairs. Under this monotonous silence, time flew by.
Half a month later.
When Lafayette saw the first 'Pā' completed in northwestern Mangalore, he couldn't help but widen his eyes in astonishment.
As an experienced officer, the moment he laid eyes on it, he realized: 'It's definitely useful!'
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