When the news of the execution of the Communists by the Third Republic reached the Elena Plains, it was already early March. Although the weather is still cold, the effects of the deep winter are gradually dissipating, and the militia system promoted by Gastens is also taking shape.

On the newly opened playground on the east side of the town of Elena, soldiers lined up in a neat line to practice gun platoon tactics. They marched in three rows, following the sound of the drums. When the drumbeat stopped, they would stop in unison, pick up the Glory Rifle in their hands, take aim, and shoot. After that, the soldiers in the first row will give up their position to the soldiers in the second row and let them come and shoot. And the soldiers in the first row began to reload. Due to the difference in the time it takes to shoot and reload, the soldiers in the second and third rows can only finish reloading and continue to fire after two salvos of soldiers in the second and third rows.

"The advantage of this method of warfare is that it can immediately burst out of the combined fire of four platoons of soldiers, of which the first platoon shoots twice. The disadvantage is that after engagement, the density of fire from a single shot is inferior to that of a double-platoon soldier. This tactic is more suitable for contact warfare where the terrain is more restrictive and cannot be carried out in a large area......"

Gastens and the company commanders stood next to the playground and were explaining and analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of this three-row line battle. Considering the actual defense of the Elena Plain, this mountain plain, which is surrounded by the Naksan and Johor Bahru mountain ranges, can only be used as an entrance for large troops, and the road next to the Naksan Iron Mine and the Shinsan Pass. The width of these two places is not large, and it is difficult to deploy the two-row line array, so Gastens and his men discussed this three-row line tactic, and judging from the situation of the exercise, it is still very good.

"Speaking of which," Ivan looked at the soldiers on the scene, "these militiamen are going to spring plough in the spring, and our standing combat strength is still only one regiment, I don't know if it's enough." ”

"A regiment is enough to guard against these local forces and possible rogues," Gastens smiled, pointing at the sand table with his thin wooden stick, "but against the regular army of the country, or against the army of Ronninger, the strength of a regiment is somewhat stretched. But that's why I promoted the militia system, after this winter of training, everyone has mastered the skills of platoon guns, and they can be pulled out to fight at any time when needed, and one of our regiments can be expanded into three regiments at any time. This is equivalent to a brigade-sized combat unit, and it shouldn't be a big problem to hold Elena. ”

"Well, but the death rate of queuing up to be shot is very high, and if you fight two battles, it is estimated that you will not be able to eat. When it really comes time to fight against the regular army, even if you can win at the beginning, staying power is still a problem......"

Ivan still thinks a lot. Now Zinke and Bobruv have other positions to concurrent. He had actually become the head of the armed forces under Gastens, so he had more to think about.

"I already have a solution to this," Gastens took two steps in place, "When this training is over, take the hundred people you selected before, and I will show you new things." ”

In the winter, Gastens once instructed Ivan to select a hundred reliable and combat-ready soldiers from the ranks to use as a company of sharp knives. The name of the Sharp Knife Company, as soon as I heard it, knew that it was elite, Ivan and Zink, and a few company commanders really discussed, and selected veterans with reliable thinking, strong combat effectiveness, and rich experience to form the Sharp Knife Company. It's just that after the establishment of the Sharp Knife Company, whether it is training or food, it is not much different from other companies, everyone is waiting, waiting for Gastens to give the Sharp Knife Company something worthy of the name.

At the end of the training, Gastens took the company commanders with some expectations to the weapons test area of the factory. Unlike the gymnasium, which is open to the public, the factory's weapons testing area is more confidential and only accessible to those with permission. From the outside, this is a three-storey ordinary workshop, except that it is a little larger than the average workshop, there is no difference. But when you walk into the workshop, you will find that most of the workshop is empty, and only some small equipment is placed on one side, which is not prepared for industrial production. Some of the weapons that the company commanders had never seen before were neatly arranged on the other side of the workshop.

"Oh, is this the weapon that the Sharp Knife Company should use? It looks like it's powerful! ”

As a self-proclaimed professional soldier, Ivan spotted the weapons at a glance. He took two steps forward, stood in the open space where the weapons were placed, and carefully observed, and quickly sorted out the general classification of these things. Those with steam backpacks that have an extra downward extension near the grip than their steam rifles are supposed to be the new steam rifles. The half-human-tall one with a thick barrel should be the stuff that the head has been making all this time to press the bottom of the box.

"Head, what is this?!"

Ivan couldn't contain his curiosity, but after a quick glance, he turned to ask Gastens, who was looking at everyone with a smile. The company commanders who were with him also turned back, waiting for Gastens to give an answer.

"This is the new weapon I designed for the Sharp Knife Company, and it is also the direction of future weapons," Gastens stepped forward, and Gulasco, who had been waiting next to him, stepped forward and helped Gastens carry the backpack of the new steam rifle.

"This rifle, I call it the Thundering One, is different from the steam rifle we commonly use, the steam engine in the backpack of this steam rifle does not directly provide steam power for the rifle to launch the projectile, but drives an air pump to compress the air into the high-pressure air pump on the rifle, and pushes the ......projectile through the air pump."

The Thundering Model that Gastens took out actually has basically the same structure as the air gun of the modern world on Earth. The main remaining difference is the addition of a steam engine that can continuously inflate gas cylinders, increasing the weapon's endurance. Gastens also thought of replacing this small steam engine with a large inflator and a replacement of gas cylinders. After all, even he could not get rid of the fact that the thermal efficiency of small steam engines was inferior to that of large ones. However, the processing of high-pressure gas cylinders in this world is difficult and the cost remains high, and he is very familiar with the structure and principle of small steam engines, and is confident that he can make advanced equipment that exceeds the concept of this era. Combining these two factors, Gastens chose a path that was more suitable for him.

"So what is this for?"

Berlanchier Warren fiddled with the metal strip underneath the grip of a rifle, curious. He is also an old subordinate who followed Gastens out of the 19th death squad, and he is very familiar with everyone.

"This is the magazine," Gastens said, holding up his rifle and unloading the magazine twice, showing the interface above it. Inside the interface, the neatly arranged lead bullets reflected the silver arc light, revealing coldness.

"Our previous rifles were all front-loading rifles, and we had to stuff a bullet through the muzzle after a shot, which was not only slow, but also very restrictive in the way the soldiers could move. Only standing can be reloaded as fast as possible, but standing can be the most vulnerable to being hit by the enemy. To change this fact, I came up with this method of reloading. This magazine can hold 30 No. 2 lead bullets, or 10 No. 1 bronze bullets. Once inside, you don't need to change the magazine at all before emptying it. And, even if you empty the magazine, you no longer have to stand in the heat of the enemy's bullets, you just need to find a safe place, such as lying down or crouching behind a breastwall, like this, remove it, put it on, and shoot immediately. ”

Gastens explained and demonstrated, and the company commanders around him were already eager to try. They resisted their curiosity, and when Gastens finished his demonstration, one of them grabbed a gun and ran to the side of the shooting range to practice. Although it was a new weapon that had never been touched before, these company commanders were soldiers rolling out of the pile of dead people, and they quickly figured out how to use this weapon. After a brief silence, a continuous burst of firing soon sounded in the workshop.

"This one is so easy to use, isn't it?"

"That's right, you won't be hit at all, just squat down when you change bullets, and the soldiers won't die so much like they're waiting in line to be shot......"

"Hey, Brother Ivan, how do you change this magazine?"

"Comrades, have you noticed that the cylinder of this gun is not hot at all!"

The company commanders who came into contact with the new weapon were talking about it while familiarizing themselves with it. The various characteristics of this gun were quickly understood and mastered by them. After nearly an hour of trying, and having used up all the buckshot and brass bullets that had been prepared, the company commanders returned to Gastens' side. They look at me, I look at you, and they all boarded Gastens, holding back for a while, before Ivan broke the silence.

"Boss! Let me be the commander of this Sharp Knife Company! I've been with you for the longest time, and I've been saved by you, I'm the most suitable! ”

"What, who of you didn't follow the company commander out of the 19th death squad, you have too many things to do and are too busy, and you have to take care of the affairs of the regiment and the affairs of the sharp knife company, just leave it to me!"

Berlanchell interrupted Ivan with a look of disbelief, and then looked at Gastens with a wistful expression.

"Ah, what do you say? You've all been following the head for so long, and you've got a lot of good things, so it's time to give us some opportunities! We've been waiting to contribute to the leader! ”

Haba Nye, who joined Gastens' team after the Tulucas rout, also hurriedly interjected. This new weapon is so easy to use that as long as you are a soldier, as long as you touch this weapon, you will never look down on other steam rifles. The leader has already said that this weapon is specially prepared for the Sharp Knife Company, so if you want to get the gun as soon as possible and in advance, the best way is to become the company commander of the Sharp Knife Company.

"Okay, okay, I know what you mean", Gastens smiled, "It's still a little difficult to produce the Thunder 1 now, and it can't be equipped in batches for the time being, so it's already rare to be able to guarantee a sharp knife company." This sharp knife company, to whom, I don't count, you go back to lead the troops yourself, a week later, we have a competition, whoever wins, the sharp knife company will be brought to whom, understand? ”

"Good!"

Everyone said yes in unison, and the eyes that looked at each other were full of fighting spirit. Gastens saw that he had already ordered it, and said no more. However, Ivan was also thinking about another weapon, a sturdy guy with three legs, a barrel about the thickness of one of his fingers, and two large bottles.

"Head, what is this? Looks a bit like Prince Eliot's hand cannon? ”

Ivan walked over to the weapon, which looked fierce and abnormal, and rubbed his hand, unable to put it down. Gastens didn't intend to hide it, so he comfortably introduced the hand cannon.

"This is another weapon I've made, somewhat referencing Prince Eliot's steam hand cannon, except that it no longer uses a horse as a vehicle, and the projectile drive has been changed from steam to high-pressure air. Those two huge cylinders were prepared for this. At the same time, I have also adjusted the accuracy of this hand cannon, the accuracy is higher, and there will be no problem that the bullets of the steam rifle and steam hand cannon fly away from the previous problem. ”

Although it is a bit vague, in fact, Gastens applied the technology of rifled guns to this hand cannon, and the matching bullets have also been adjusted. It's just that because the process of drawing rifling in the barrel is not yet mature, he only made three of these hand cannons, and he didn't say it explicitly.

"Really? This is also for sharp knives? Berlanchell looked at the cannon and was eager to try.

"Head, what's the name of this? Thunderbolt Type 1? Garence Warren also chimed in, though. He cares about something else.

"This is called Luoshan Type 1, and it is also equipped with a sharp knife company."

After Gastens finished speaking, he still didn't seem to find it enjoyable, and added, "There are three sharp knives in a row." This weapon has a range of more than two hundred meters, and at a distance of two hundred meters, it can also penetrate the armor of the Negru Republic, and about a hundred meters, it can penetrate their kind of iron shield, and no one can stop the attack of this weapon at the moment. ”

Hearing Gastens' introduction, everyone fell silent. Everyone looked at the gun as if they were looking at a beautiful girl with no clothes on. The five company commanders present, look at me, I look at you, and each other was suddenly filled with the smell of gunpowder.

"Head, the game in a week, what's the comparison?" , Ivan was still bold and the first to throw out the questions that everyone was concerned about.

"Shooting, platoon, platoon tactics, long marches", Gastens proposed the four most basic elements. He was immediately there, next to the weapons, and began to explain the details of the game. With such a good carrot hanging in front, all the company commanders listened very carefully, and they all secretly made up their minds that they must train their brothers well when they go back, and they must not let the qualifications of the company commander of this sharp knife company be aside.

Gastens watched from the sidelines, and was very relieved. This kind of positive and confrontational atmosphere is also what he hopes to create. Seeing that spring is just around the corner, no one knows when the war will start again. If you don't take advantage of the current situation to improve Elena's combat ability, when it really happens, you will likely become a loser in the tide of the times.

That's definitely not the ending he wants.