"Be careful to keep the platoon neat! Guns on the shoulder, first row, forward! ”

Following Major Dalí's orders, the officers increased the intensity of the platoon training. Whenever a soldier behaves poorly, he is severely reprimanded.

The main battle weapons of each era determine the tactics of the era, and in this era when smoothbore guns dominate the battlefield, firepower density and discipline coordination are crucial, and soldiers need to be proficient in changing formations to adapt to the environment of different battlefields.

Dense columns are often used for marching, and the personnel are not easily left behind, which is convenient for steering.

Columns can concentrate superior forces in a limited space, so they are also suitable for storming fortifications, and can be converted into phalanxes in a short time.

The shortcomings were also obvious, the frontal width of the column was insufficient, it was difficult to exert maximum firepower, and due to the dense number of personnel, it would suffer heavy casualties in the event of an artillery attack.

The horizontal formation is the most suitable formation for flintlock firepower, it has a wide frontage, and the loss is small when attacked by artillery fire, and the disadvantage is that the depth is not enough, it is difficult to withstand the dense charge of the opponent's column, and it is difficult to quickly convert into a phalanx in the face of cavalry raids.

The infantry phalanx was an effective counterweight to the cavalry threat, using a jungle of bayonets to stop the onslaught of the opposing horses, and the officers could stand in the hollow of the infantry phalanx for protection.

In addition to these three basic queues, there are also a variety of more complex hybrid queues, such as front and rear columns, and front and left and right squares.

In addition to being functional, keeping soldiers in line is an important part of strengthening order execution and morale.

The best effect of platoon training is to make the concept of these platoons deeply imprinted in the instinctive consciousness of soldiers, and mechanical platoon training will keep officers and soldiers sane in the most chaotic battlefield.

Being able to stand in stride in the midst of the most ferocious artillery fire is a symbol of the elite troops of this era.

In addition to platoon training, another major training item is shooting training, because the accuracy of the flintlock pistol is not high, it can only increase the number of shooters to increase the firepower, so it does not need to be particularly carefully aiming, so the main purpose of shooting training is to improve the soldier's ammunition loading skills.

Ordinary soldiers can reload one round of ammunition in fifty seconds without interference, and skilled veterans can even reload twice in a minute.

Some officers went to great lengths to increase the speed of their soldiers' reloading, such as removing bayonets or providing weighted rams.

Major Dalí was extremely opposed to this, as the pursuit of reload speed would increase the probability of a dumb fire. It has been recorded that some soldiers found their guns full of guns after a battle, with a large number of unfired projectiles piled up inside.

It is advisable to slow down the reload a bit and standardize each step so that the soldier can reload with a calm mind.

After Dalí's reforms, not only platoon training and shooting training were greatly improved, but also a number of other programs were added, such as physical training and bayonet fighting.

In order to allow his men to concentrate on training without worry, Dalí also wrote to his superior, the commander of the Third Army, Field Marshal Roland Casper.

The letter listed the fact that the 153rd Battalion lacked supplies, and earnestly requested material support, writing:

"Many of my soldiers don't have boots and have a hard time on muddy roads, and I hope to get 300 pairs of boots, and in addition to that, there are a few boxes of cardboard shells that are damp, and I need to ......."

The letter was sent, but he knew that his request would not be met, and at this time, the Duchy of Valstad was expanding its army to meet the invasion of the coalition forces, and logistics would be a problem.

After much deliberation, Dalí came up with two options to address the shortage of resources.

First, he appointed Lieutenant Duwat as the logistics quartermaster, who had served in the chamber of commerce in the south of the peninsula before joining the army, and who had been good at counting supplies and managing warehouses.

Another option is to proactively collect resources.

Dalí sent the eloquent Captain Poigny to the nearby villages and towns to collect donations, and his speech aroused patriotic fervor among the people, and he was able to return home with a full load on every trip.

Cheese donated by local farmers is an easy-to-preserve, nutritious food. Tableware donated by the craftsmen and blankets donated by the herders are urgently needed in the camp.

The Andrei brothers, who came from the northern steppes, also received the tasks assigned by the battalion commander of Dali, and the terrain conditions here were no different from their hometowns, which just played to their strengths.

André was a careless, stocky man who often went off the rails, but he had a talent for winemaking, and he used the large stock of potatoes in his warehouse to make a good-tasting distilled spirit, which the people of his hometown called "vodka".

Little André was a good hunter, and he led a few soldiers, and when he went out for days, he always caught a lot of game, all of which were hares and wild boars that had become plagues in the area.

Every weekend, after receiving rigorous training, the officers and men were able to enjoy a barbecue feast around the campfire, where large pieces of wild boar and hare meat were roasted until they were charred on the outside and tender on the inside.

Due to the increase in the amount of training, they originally had a lot of complaints about Dali, the new battalion commander.

Now, even the most snarky of people have to admit that this inconspicuous-looking little major does have a set.

The quality of life of the officers and men has really improved, and the 153 Infantry Battalion, which was originally underfed, clothed, and demoralized, has taken on a new look.

The soldiers looked very hard in their daily training, the queue became more and more neat, the shooting assessment scores steadily improved, and the guys who had been deserting before were embarrassed to be lazy anymore.

The good news continued one after another, and Dali's letter was finally answered, and the baggage wagons of the headquarters arrived at the 153rd Battalion station, carrying military boots, uniforms, weapons, ammunition and other supplies, and even luxury goods such as tobacco leaves.

It seems that the Northern Front is gradually gaining the attention of the principality's top brass, and it is likely to become the main battlefield for the next phase of the campaign.

Dalí watched as his men excitedly unloaded the wooden boxes from the wagons and moved them into the warehouse.

Time flies, it was still winter when I first arrived here, and before I knew it, four months had passed, and the weather was gradually getting warmer, and the green shoots had climbed the branches.

In the afternoon of the same day, all the officers and men of the 153rd Infantry Battalion, which had completed its rearmament, formed a column and were inspected by the battalion commander.

The soldiers wore newly issued black uniforms and long boots, and the troops were mentally ready, as well as in terms of training and equipment.

In the evening, the postman sent an urgent secret letter, addressed to Dalí by Dean Simon:

"My good student Dali Einfurt

The coalition negotiating delegation will arrive at Fort Midknight in the near future, and I think they are coming to threaten us, and these continental powers want us to be pressured to abandon our plans to unify the peninsula.

The fate of the Valstad nation is at stake in this peace talks, and as your mentor, I hope that my protégé will be involved in this important event.

You will be attending the meeting as my attendant, and this is a good opportunity to enter the high-level circles of the Principality, so be sure to return quickly, and the affairs of your unit can be represented by your subordinates for the time being.

- Your mentor, Simon Gallieni

Written at home on February 27, 1703"