How to Survive in the Roanoke Colony-Chapter 247: Excavator’s Edge (2)

San Agustin was the brain and heart of Spanish Florida.

Like most Spanish Florida strongholds, it was a fortress and village built on the coast.

From this land where about 3,000 people resided, the Florida governor issued orders to each stronghold, and from those strongholds, extended influence to various Indian tribes and villages.

For this purpose, a dense and sophisticated road network was woven around San Agustin, and the system was organized so that the Florida governor could immediately intervene if problems arose anywhere.

Of course, as a counterbalance, slave rebellions from various places converged on San Agustin, and the entire Florida colony was overturned.

The importance of San Agustin remained even at this moment when the rulers of this land had changed.

Whoever controls this coastal fortress controls the entirety of Florida.

Therefore, in the Spanish reinvasion of Florida that would be attempted, this place was virtually the front line.

Targeting the enemy’s heart is a basic strategy. Moreover, San Agustin is a coastal fortress. From the perspective of Spaniards with naval power, attacking this place itself isn’t easy.

However, here, the war tractors, the pride of the Virginia Agricultural Knight Order, become useless.

If we enumerate the characteristics of war tractors made in our Virginia, they are as follows:

Weight exceeding 30 tons on average.

Speed and power still insufficient despite maximizing the output of the steam engine.

Drive system that relies solely on large wheels, with no special means to move over rough terrain.

Naturally, they were prone to being neutralized even just near mudflats, let alone sand beaches.

Rolling over even slightly rough terrain, war tractors would spread out in place, and ultimately, tractors struggled to be effective without the prerequisite conditions of solid ground, flat terrain, and easy access to water and fuel.

Meanwhile, the area around San Agustin, as mentioned earlier, has geographical conditions where several rivers meet the sea. Even after being developed for over 10 years, wetlands still abound throughout.

It’s the worst place for tractors to operate. It’s particularly difficult for tractors to be effective in defensive battles to begin with.

And tractors are already deployed in positions favorable for their activities.

To block potential invasion routes of the Spanish army.

In other words.

San Agustin is a battlefield where tractors struggle to be effective. Moreover, because it has the sea right in front, it has a dangerous location that can be directly exposed to invasions via sea routes.

Therefore, this place is most vulnerable to enemy attacks.

The new government of Florida is located in San Agustin. Because this is the center of Florida.

Moreover, San Agustin has the necessary conditions to immediately extend influence throughout Florida.

If this place is lost, it would be instantaneous for the entirety of Florida to be trampled under their feet again.

So this place cannot be abandoned either.

No one knows what kind of battle will unfold in this San Agustin... but one thing was certain.

The battle here will determine the fate of Florida going forward.

I watched the San Marcos fortress from afar, then quietly returned and lit a fire near my tent. As I was quietly grilling some freshly hunted rabbit meat by the fire, someone approached from a distance.

Thud.

And sits right next to me.

I feel gazes around. Numerous eyes shine in the darkness, looking this way.

"...Why don’t they approach?"

When I asked, the ’Bishop’ of the underground organization answered.

"They consider it irreverent to directly touch an angel. When I told them to follow, they said they would watch from a distance."

"..."

"A total of 1,200 people have gathered. This is the number of liberated free people who have gathered from all over Florida to protect San Agustin."

"...That’s good news."

"It was only possible because you are here. Gathering 1,500 soldiers in that fortress is truly close to a miracle."

Saying this, the Bishop pointed to the fortress faintly visible beyond the horizon. Even now at night, it was visible from kilometers away, brightly lit with torches to guard the surroundings.

Inside, people who had never been properly trained and didn’t even know how to shoot a gun until recently would be awkwardly maintaining their positions and learning how to read flag signals.

I cut the grilled meat into pieces and put it in my mouth. It was tough and smelly, but edible.

"...Were you eating?"

"It’s fine. Please stay seated, Bishop."

"I wonder if I caused confusion by falsely assuming the role of a priest when I’m not well-versed in doctrine..."

"Not at all. The church has already resolved to formally appoint you as a bishop. Whether you’re well-versed in doctrine or not, can’t they do at least that much for someone who has fought for the liberation of slaves for over 10 years?"

"..."

"And gathering about 1,000 soldiers is also an achievement you all accomplished. I just came here and watched you all."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"When I commanded the escape of slaves, you broke the shackles that made slaves into slaves. It is an achievement you all accomplished, and there is not a single point where my name should be elevated."

My words were sincere.

After all, I never imagined Florida would be overturned like this in just a few years.

In the end, it was those who had set foot here who created this miraculous situation, not some grape farmer who secretly helped them from afar.

"So, believe in yourselves."

"We believe in you."

"Don’t believe in me. The outcome is in your hands. Believe in what you will accomplish in your land."

Right now, all I can do is offer encouragement for the coming war and commend what has been achieved so far.

Even if people exalt me as an angel or whatever, I’m just an ordinary person.

How many Spanish troops will come? I don’t know.

I don’t have the power to magically eliminate all those enemies, nor the knowledge or ability to predict how the war will unfold.

"I will believe in you all."

At those words, the gazes watching me from around shook and blinked, then several disappeared. As the ’Bishop’ also greeted me and was about to withdraw, I added one more thing.

"...However, I will help you all as much as I can."

Tap. Tap.

After tapping the object behind me, I picked up the last piece of meat and put it in my mouth, and then...

There was no one around.

It seemed acting secretively had become their habit. Typical of the leaders of a secret organization.

I dusted off my hands, stood up, and looked at the tent behind me.

And in front of it, the massive object, taller than a person, wrapped in tent cloth.

As mentioned earlier.

War tractors are difficult to use near San Agustin.

...What were the disadvantages of our war tractors again?

Absurdly heavy weight exceeding 30 tons.

The pitiful output of an engine that barely produces a few horsepower.

A drive system made of simple wheels that becomes useless when stuck in mud.

Because of this, war tractors cannot be used in this area, which is mostly wetlands.

But.

If the weight is reduced to about 10 tons, making it relatively lighter.

And if it can be propelled with powerful force easily exceeding 100 horsepower.

If it has a drive system made of continuous tracks that can easily escape most rough terrain.

That ’war weapon’ can be handled even in this land full of sand and wetlands.

That’s right.

Roaaaaaar!

My excavator can be effective even here.

As I removed the tent cloth, the excavator, armored with Lexan and steel, gleamed menacingly.

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