Once Derek and Weslie were dismissed from the meeting, Jin moved onto reviewing the industry sector, which was still relatively unruffled. Most of the workload still centered in Industry Sector 1 with the mass production of clay statues and the other defensive equipment as per Lord Moloch’s guidance.
Industry Sector 1 also handled the construction and design of Sandroku Golems. For an amalgamation of metal pieces whose humble beginning was to be an explosive hauling machine against the Ogres, it subsequently became an enhanced figure of mechanical greatness by the brains of Orcs and Gobs. The System even stated that it could potentially rival a Mecha Worker that dealt with specific construction uses.
Recently, the Goblin Mages and Orc Engineers had been creating prototypes of a defensive Sandroku Golem, aimed to be a powerhouse against the various types of oversized monsters that King Baal was going to throw at them.
They had perused Amura Rei’s blueprints and worked out a few modular types of equipment which would help to build a Guardian Mecha. As it was meant to defend the city, the mage and engineers placed more armour to increase its durability in combat.
With the advent of improved Sandroku Golems, that also meant that they are not going to fight fair. King Baal might have the numbers, but Jin currently had the technological edge against them. Submachine guns, missile launchers and other assault weapons were enlarged based on Hou Fei’s weapon blueprints to fit the new golems, and they were reproduced as such in Sector 1.
Meanwhile, Hespesta, the Goblin Blacksmith had already began building melee weapons as well as automated crossbows and arrows for the first batch of defensive Sandroku Golems which later Jin nicknamed them as Fortress Knight Golems. (Since they were in a Dungeon City Fortress, the name was rather apt, and Moloch liked it as well.)
But because of their bulky build, the Fortress Knight Golems had lots of flaws. (Considering they were the first few iterations of the prototypes, it was normal.) The first on its list was their engine. The motor they used was a replicated Lost Tech that was converted to be constructed with Earth’s raw materials to save cost, and that itself provided restricted mobility to the Fortress Knight Golems. (Which incidentally reinforced their names further.) Not to mention, their battery pack could only last them at most half an hour each, and even with spares, it would be a strain to the sub-par lost tech motor should they wish to pursue their enemies.
Therefore, ranged firepower and defence were used to make up their flaws in mobility. The first version of Fortress Knight Golems was equipped with anti ballistic composition armour from Rei’s blueprints. It was designed to stop a gigantic bullet in its tracks.
While the System was unable to buy the raw materials required from their Mecha World due to their rising costs, it had analysed a few of the raw materials obtainable in the Goblin World which match similar parameters. Hence, the modified armour was built at a cheaper cost but gave lesser protection than the supposed set of armour.
The modified armour was not as effective according to the System’s review since it did not meet blueprint requirements, but Moloch had tested it, and he saw some satisfying results.
He had utilised a number of varying weapons he knew King Baal had in his arsenal (After all, Moloch had once served under him.) From arrows to a crude ballista shot, the armour plating was able to hold up. The Lord Minotaur also tested it out against an advanced level fire spell and the Fortress Knight Golem was able to fend it off with a shrug. (or actually several shrugs)
Even though it seemed invincible, it is still a combination of metal chunks which the goblin pilots were piloting. Thus, there were concerns by the Orc Engineers about the use of lightning spells which could render potentially render the golems useless or at the very least its internal systems.
That was when Moloch chuckled and asked if anyone fought in the northern frontier battle of Gob Gob Bu. Only one was raised his hand, and Moloch inquired if they remembered a tank able to tolerate an electrical based energy blast.
“I vaguely recalled something like that. The officers were panicking that the Lost Tech equipment was not working as intended.” The Orc Engineer said which made Moloch grinned.
“That is because there are magic resistant charms which Master Jin and his other minions were able to create. Let me worry about the Golem’s inherent weakness. Continue to work on improving our golems.” Moloch replied and swore to the rest not to worry about its weakness to electricity.
And improvements, they did.
The Orcs and Gobs had managed to overcome the energy consumption issue by creating an electrical outlet which a thick, durable electric cord could be utilised that the Fortress Knight Golems could be plugged into a stable source to fight. With a stable energy consumption, golem pilots did not have to worry about the power to their engines and fight to their fullest. It would be one less issue to worry during combat.
They could also potentially be plugged into mobile electrical generators which could be transported around by a pair of standard Sandroku Golems. Otherwise, for the Fortress Knight Golems guarding at certain chokepoints, the System had asked Moloch to install sufficient electrical power points in the places where the enemies could potentially flood in. Even if the enemies don’t ‘naturally’ move to those areas, the military commanders will make sure they do.
And speaking of Military commander, Hou Fei was the overall in charge, and the auxiliaries would be Qiu Yue and Moloch. Jin had already passed Qiu Yue the portable tactical machine, so she had been practising on it via simulations created by her Sub System as well as some mini live exercises with the battalion she was bestowed with.
They were none other than the orcs who assisted with the construction. Most of them took turns to take part in the live exercises which Qiu Yue had commenced within the Military Sector 1.
However, she did not do it without the help of Orc General Nubwort. Their general knew that his underlings would not die and hence, they were subjected to the strictest combat training the orcs had ever since. Some of them who were considered special forces previously felt that Nubwort’s training was worse than the living hell they been through. They had no doubt that the title Black Disaster was earnt with much brutality.
On the other hand, the three sons of the Goblin General had their own military platoons as well. Previously, the goblin soldiers were aiding with the construction as a way to keep fit. But their main job was military duties when they signed the contract with Qiu Yue. Hence, they were exempted from construction the moment Military Sector 1 was established as the Goblin Soldiers assisted with the base’s logistics until everything was set up.
Now with the military base up and running, the trio made their military platoons join Nubwort’s training ‘resort’. Furthermore, they did not abandon their men as they stripped their officer ranks in front of their goblins soldiers and joined the practice too. With the goblins added into the mix, Nubwort did what he was taught through these weeks in Jin’s ‘captivity’.
Instead of pitting Orcs against goblins, he had mixed the groups up, making it pretty even in terms of team size and variation. True enough, he saw tactics he never knew his Orc leaders could take, but he did not say a word of praise to them and instead, made them work harder.
When everyone was trained to the degree that Nubwort found it suitable, Qiu Yue then started to incorporate the Fortress Knight Golems into their training exercises and later challenge Nubwort to a battle of wits. There were inter sector fights, intra sector fights and even simulated fights at the entrances. (Of course, they did not use the real dungeon cave entrance. The System created teleported them to a temporary dungeon instance for them to test it out.)
As much as Qiu Yue was surprised with Nubwort tactics, thinking he would be more of an aggressive straightforward general, the Black Disaster learnt even more unconventional styles of tactics from Qiu Yue which broaden his horizons even further.
At this point, if the Orc General still felt any regrets being under Jin, he believed his father would rise from the dead and personally end his life for being ungrateful.
