The third volume sailed in the Ming Dynasty

At the beginning of December, the first confrontation training between the Hongtang camp and the Gushan camp began, and the fierce drill lasted for three whole days.

This time, it was a confrontation of new tactics and new tactics, the first confrontation between veterans and recruits, and also a confrontation between cavalry and infantry.

The equipment of the Gushan battalion has obviously improved, and the Metallurgical Bureau, which has just entered the state, has created a new type of array wall, and the wooden planks used for the formation wall are usually two large carts.

In wartime, it can be quickly disassembled and reassembled into an eight-foot-high giant shield, which can be increased to one zhang six, and the shield surface is covered with two layers of thick cowhide, and the key parts are also equipped with iron sheets.

Small windows can be opened for bows and arrows, guns and cannons, and soldiers can climb to the wall to shoot or throw thunder along the special ladder.

The four wheels of the two carriages can also be disassembled and attached to the formation wall, so that the formation wall can be moved by human or animal power, and can be attacked or retreated.

Lifting guns and bird guns were temporarily equipped to the troops, and each battalion of logistics troops was able to take more than 100 guns, and the number of artillery battalions was increased to more than 500 people.

With 10 Franc machine camp guns and 300 bird guns, the firepower is even stronger; The soldiers were well equipped with swords, spears, bows and arrows, and the number of men in armor was also greater.

Leather armor with iron sheets is favored because it is light and practical, and it is not only commonly equipped by battalion soldiers, but also by many logistics soldiers.

On the contrary, the heavy armor did not increase much, the thing was too heavy, and without the help of others, it was difficult to carry and put on.

The drill and practice were extremely intense, and Qi Gang, Yan Yingyuan, and Hai Zi, the instructor of the teaching camp, served as referees.

The Hongtang cavalry battalion Qianhu Fengzi led the cavalry to take the offensive, and the Gushan new battalion was personally led by Qin Haoming to take the infantry on the defensive, and the two sides opened a formation to confront.

For several days in a row, the cavalry just couldn't take advantage of the infantry.

The proud iron horsemen often hit their heads in front of the tall and thick formation wall, and after attacking the opponent's infantry formation, they were beaten by bows and arrows and fire guns.

On the contrary, Qin Haoming still had the spare strength to concentrate his forces and launch a counterattack under the cover of the formation wall, driving the cavalry all over the ground.

Only with the help of the artillery battalion, and relying on the intensive assault of the two main forces of the front battalion of the cavalry and the right battalion of the cavalry, it was possible to break through the wall and crush the opponent's infantry formation, but each victory was judged to be a large number of casualties.

After several days of confrontation and drills, the two sides won and lost each other, the infantry became more confident the more they fought, while the cavalry was dejected, and the most proud was the artillery battalion that had just been formed.

Wherever they went, they could basically win - the artillery battalion was so heavy that they could repel the cavalry by following the wall, and attacking with the cavalry would destroy the wall.

"Your fighting style is wrong, the combat essentials of the cavalry lie in mobility, you have to float, fight fast and walk quickly, who let you hit the iron plate hard."

At the summary after the meeting, Qin Haoming began to explain again.

Not far behind him, Yan Yingyuan and Qi Gang were facing hundreds of grassroots generals in the training camp to explain the tactics of the exercise.

These people are all selected from Qin Haoming's personal soldiers and veterans of the Tianxiong Army, and they are generals and colonels who have been trained in the training camp, and they are ready to be supplemented in each battalion in the future to serve as hundreds of households and thousands of households.

These guys have no problem in actual combat, but their tactics are lacking, and they can't do it without enlightenment.

"See, this is the power of firearms, this is only ten cannons, 300 bird guns in turn, if it is 100 cannons, 3,000 bird guns in rounds, who has the ability to stop it?

Even the cavalry has to walk around, sloppy, you have stayed at the border pass, tell me what you think. Yan Yingyuan said loudly, since he arrived in the attendant room, he has been trained, so he has become much more confident in speaking.

"My lord, I have heard the elders say that in the Battle of the Hunhe River, we used ash poles and spears to form a dense infantry formation to block the cavalry of Jiannu.

Later, Jiannu defeated us with the help of artillery. Therefore, the last general felt that the attack on the dense infantry formation had to be carried out with the help of firearms. ”

The sloppy head came out of the line and replied:

"My lord, the last general feels that the role of firearms is limited, the rate of fire is too slow to suppress the opponent, and if there is an explosion, it will disrupt the main formation, and the officers and soldiers have suffered from this."

A tall, thin officer said from the ranks.

A black-faced officer immediately chimed in: "My lord, we have fought in the Guannei, and the officers and soldiers also use firearms, so we can still scare people at first, and we will not be afraid when we get acquainted."

Jiannu often risked dozens of lives to rush up, but they could defeat us greatly. ”

Qi Gang glared at the two "traitors" fiercely: "Do you think that our firearms are as shoddy as theirs, tell you that our instruments are well-made, and you can use them boldly." ”

The two looked at each other, smiled and retreated to the queue,

Yan Yingyuan ignored the two stabs, and continued to say loudly: "The future combat method of the Dingnan Army is to fight together with foot, cavalry, and artillery.

The battle of the Hunhe River has been explained to you, the Shi Yan soldiers and the Zhejiang army lack firearms to suppress each other, and there is no cavalry to cover the infantry formation, and they will be defeated if they are beaten to the death, this is the painful lesson of my Ming army, have you all remembered it? ”

"Yes, remember!" The officers of the teaching battalion answered loudly together.

In the distance, Qin Haoming stood up and smiled smugly.

Through the training of the martial arts hall, more and more generals and colonels are now participating, and his troops have gradually taken the form of a modern army in later generations.

As long as we persistently carry out confrontation training exercises, and with the completion of the construction of the Metallurgical Bureau and the War Bureau, and the development of new firearms, we can hope to strengthen our troops.

A week later, the Gushan camp was filled with laughter and laughter, and the army trained here was tentatively organized into 7,000 households, and a few hundred people were eliminated into the logistics unit.

It joined forces with the cavalry of the Hongtang battalion and officially changed its name to the Dingnan Army.

Regarding the military system of the army, Qin Haoming did not make major changes. First, the small flag, the general flag, the hundred households, the thousand households, and the garrison are actually very similar to the squads, platoons, companies, battalions, etc. in later generations, which is enough to facilitate the command of the troops.

Second, the current indiscriminate changes have resulted in grass-roots officers not understanding their meanings, and on the contrary, they have reduced their combat effectiveness and sense of honor.

However, there are still fine-tunings, the most important of which is the introduction of the rank system.

Ordinary soldiers are all divided into upper, middle and lower classes, that is, first-class soldiers, second-class soldiers, and third-class soldiers, and the corresponding ones are Yulu.

The same is true between generals and colonels, because military ranks also play a role in adjusting the command relationship of troops. According to the regulations on military ranks, officers and men with low posts are under the leadership of officers with high ranks.

This is not obvious in peacetime, but when the military structure is disrupted in war and it is impossible to judge the level of position, the benefits of the rank system are highlighted.

Because, the battlefield is unpredictable, opportunities are fleeting, and you are not allowed to spend time verifying the level of your position and affiliation, and military rank has become the most direct sign.

Also, the rank represents an honor. For military personnel, the setting of military ranks is an incentive. Of course, the officer made a mistake, and the demotion in rank could be used as a kind of punishment.

Qin Haoming naturally knew all this.

Therefore, when awarding the title, Qin Haoming specially awarded the Iron Medal to each general of more than 100 households, and presented the Smelting Bureau with an embroidered spring knife engraved with his name.

This move immediately made the generals and colonels of the Dingnan Army return to their hearts and be proud of receiving his sword.

And this tradition has been maintained in Qin Haoming's future career.

Soldiers, what is needed is honor! And with that comes loyalty! Honor and loyalty, the two complement each other, and one is indispensable.