The Sixth Army of Zhenjiang was formed relatively late, and its tasks have always been security errands, which are both safe and idle. However, this did not prevent the officers and men of the Sixth Army from having a belligerent ambition.

When the handsome banner of the Dadu Protector fluttered in the camp of the Sixth Army, the battle spirit of this light infantry legion was completely awakened, and it was actually manic to the point that it could directly defeat the Iron Cavalry of the Golden Clan.

Since then, the Angry Waves Infantry have raised their eyebrows and walked with their heads held high in the entire Zhenjiang Army system.

"We are the same as the ghost-faced white-robed army, we are all the commander's own soldiers!"

However, Li Jiangyao knew in his heart that the momentary courage could not fully represent the true combat strength of a unit.

If you want to maintain a state of invincibility, you must constantly improve from all aspects with higher and stricter standards.

Equipment, training, discipline, operational thinking, and fighting habits are all indispensable.

Therefore, when he proposed to forge an infantry heavy armored iron army, the first thing that came to mind was the Sixth Army.

You must know that upgrading from light infantry to heavy infantry is by no means as simple as changing into a suit of armor.

It is no exaggeration to say that this is a profound change that has been reborn, and it requires ruthlessness, heavy hands, and hard peeling of a few layers of skin.

For example, the simplest question, people.

The weight of the light infantry in battle, including armor and weapons, is about 25 to 30 catties. The weight of the heavy infantry is directly doubled, not counting weapons, just the two layers of iron armor are as high as forty or fifty catties.

This requires soldiers to have excellent physical strength and be able to maintain a mobile and flexible combat state even with heavy loads.

In terms of the physical condition of the soldiers of the Sixth Army at present, it is obvious that many people do not meet the qualification standards.

What should I do if I can't reach it? Either practice hard or eliminate.

Another example is combat thinking and fighting habits. The tactics of the light infantry are mainly passive defense, and they carry out such tasks as patrolling, alerting, law and order, and low-intensity combat. The heavy infantry, on the other hand, had to act as a mobile fortress on the plains, both by surprise and on the spot.

As far as officers at all levels are concerned, these are two completely different command logics, and they must be fundamentally adjusted and changed. In the same way, soldiers must also undergo different training and have a more courageous and fearless mentality.

In addition, familiarity with equipment and weapons, as well as familiarity with tactical formations, must be repeatedly tempered and tempered.

In addition to the problem of people, there is also equipment.

Helmets, visors, neck shawls, arm guards, skirts, combat boots, as well as the inner chain mail and outer scale armor, need to be redesigned.

More than a dozen pounds of fine iron guns, machetes, mountain axes, tiger head hammers, and special strong bows and crossbows must also be prepared one by one.

Food and military pay also need to be fully considered.

In order to maintain the physical fitness of the heavy infantry, they had to eat four meals a day, and each meal could not be less than one catty of dry food and half a catty of meat. At the same time, the allowance is slightly higher than that of other troops.

All of the above is a problem that the Zhenjiang Army Command must face when building heavy infantry, and it is also a problem that must be solved.

However, although the difficulty is not small, Li Jiangyao is very confident.

The source of his confidence is the capital saved by the Zhenjiang Army after so many years of fighting.

This capital refers to both things and people.

After learning of the specific requirements of the heavily armored soldiers, the officers and men of the Sixth Army of the Angry Waves did not complain in the slightest and immediately began to make various preparations.

At the same time, the corps commander Jigriz ran to Li Jiangyao and asked him to give him a month to ensure that the pass rate of the whole army was 100 percent!

"Two months, I'll give you two months." Li Jiangyao said lightly.

With the approval of Daduhu, Jigriz did not say a word, and directly led the Sixth Army to leave the expeditionary camp and go to the Gobi Desert northwest of Zijin Pass.

There, more than 44,000 officers and men of the Sixth Army underwent an almost insane ultra-intense training.

Under the scorching sun, there are waves of heat rising in the vast Gobi, and raw eggs fall to the ground, which can be turned into fried eggs in the blink of an eye. The Sixth Army was shirtless, carrying bags weighing 60 or 70 pounds of stones, chasing after me and practicing the Gobi Desert.

Two months have passed almost in a flash.

Li Jiangyao selected a hundred experienced examiners from the white-robed army to select soldiers who met the standards of heavy infantry. Unexpectedly, in the first round of tests, more than eighty percent of the officers and men in the whole army directly passed the rigorous assessment. In the second round of make-up examinations, the remaining soldiers were all qualified without exception.

Such an achievement completely exceeded Li Jiangyao's expectations.

The will displayed by the Angry Wave Infantry is far stronger than their bronze and iron bodies!

The Sixth Army is worthy of being a heavy armor soldier!

While selecting outstanding soldiers, the problem of equipment and weapons is even more difficult for the powerful Zhenjiang Military Government.

When Effentia heard that the Metropolitan Protector was going to form a regiment of hoplites, he brought a large number of new iron armor from the Persian Empire through his father Ameni for the use of the Sixth Army. In addition, Situ Wushou also mobilized funds to purchase a large amount of refined iron from the private sector and delivered all of them to Mamu's armory. Thousands of craftsmen work day and night to craft all kinds of weapons for the heavy infantry.

In three months, a brand-new heavy armor army finally began to take shape.

Forty-four thousand one hundred and fifty-eight angry wave infantrymen, dressed in black heavy armor, armed with large swords and huge axes, neat and dull steps, smashed on the ground with a bang, and the momentum was no less than that of an iron horseman. They formed a huge phalanx, like a moving steel fortress, steadily towards the expeditionary camp.

Xu Youchang and other generals of Western Xinjiang all stood on the lookout, looking at this Senran army from a distance, and couldn't help but admire again and again.

"How?" Li Jiangyao smiled: "It looks okay, right?" ”

Du Jian praised: "It's okay, this is simply scary." The heavy armored cavalry and war horses helped to bear the load, and those guys were completely on their own, and their physical strength was too exaggerated. ”

"I have always commanded the cavalry to fight," Xu You sighed, "It is said that our cavalry has absolute confidence in attacking the infantry phalanx on the plains. But the appearance of the Sixth Army made me feel that I couldn't rush them at all. ”

Horia also nodded: "That's true. This large group of iron lumps, bows and arrows can't pierce through them, spears can't pierce them, and the knife slash on the body is estimated to leave only a white mark. Once they form a tight formation, it is like a hard mountain, and no matter how fast the war horse is, it will not be able to break away. ”

"I just don't know how flexible it is?" Xie Tanzhi: "If mobility is sacrificed in order to improve defense, then the role it can play on the battlefield will still be reduced." ”

Li Jiangyao smiled confidently: "Wouldn't it be okay to let them show it?" ”

With that, he gave instructions to the herald beside him. When the heralds heard this, they first blew the horn to alert the Sixth Army to their attention, and then successively sounded the banner of changing formations.

The marching Furious Wave infantry came to an abrupt halt.

Immediately afterwards, the eight large squares that were originally arranged in front and back quickly dispersed, and in the blink of an eye, they reformed a giant plum blossom array in the same place.

The reaction and movement of the Sixth Army were very fast, and before the generals could speak their mouths to admire, the defensive plum blossom array changed again, and in less than a quarter of an hour, it was replaced by a fish scale formation with both offense and defense.

"Drums! Let them charge three hundred paces! Li Jiangyao shouted loudly.

Knock Knock Knock –

With the sound of war drums, more than 40,000 ironclad soldiers raised their weapons and shouted "Long live my emperor", and charged forward like a stormy wave.

Although their speed was not comparable to that of the cavalry, they were more powerful in their momentum.

Within a distance of 300 steps, copper walls and iron walls are surging, making people feel unstoppable.

"It's so fast!" Xu Youchang praised: "Changing formations, charging, and doing it in one go, it is by no means slower than the reaction of light infantry." ”

Xie Tanzhi also nodded again and again: "If this is placed on the battlefield, the Turks will definitely feel desperate." ”

Du Jian said to Li Jiangyao: "Boss, you can't be partial." Our Second Army also needs such hoplites. ”

Li Jiangyao smiled: "Don't be greedy. I don't want a class, but a clan-level heavy armor cluster. Only if the scale is large enough to carry the enemy's iron cavalry in the plains and wilderness. ”

Horia asked curiously, "Do you want to set up a few more such troops?" ”

Li Jiangyao bowed slightly: "That's right, at least one or two more pure heavy armored infantry corps will be formed." ”

He turned around and said, "Here's what I think. The First Army still followed the path of heavy cavalry, serving as the vanguard and assault mission of the whole army; The Second, Third, and Fifth Armies maintained a mixed infantry and cavalry model, emphasizing comprehensive combat capability. The Fourth and Ninth Corps served as light cavalry corps, responsible for support and rushing; The Sixth Army, plus the Seventh and Eighth Armies, were all transformed and upgraded into heavy infantry for use against the Turkic cavalry and future offensive operations. ”

Hearing this, all the generals nodded in agreement.

Li Jiangyao continued: "Du Jian, don't envy the Sixth Army. Your integrated combat units will also have new treasures. I have decided to assign two Shenji battalions to the second, third, and fifth armies to strengthen their mobile strike capability. ”

"Divine Machine Battalion?" Du Jian and Huo Liya glanced at each other and asked curiously, "What is that for?" ”

Xie Tanzhi explained: "Inspired by the eight-armed crossbow, Daduhu personally designed a giant crossbow equipped with wheels, which was dragged by a carriage and accompanied by the troops. A battalion of six hundred shooters and one hundred crossbow machines can be used both against the enemy on the plains and in siege warfare. At the moment, the Artisan Workshop is rushing to make ballistas and arrows, which will soon be distributed to the three of you. ”

Du Jian was suddenly surprised and delighted: "So powerful?!" Two battalions means 200 giant crossbows, and if they shoot continuously on the plains, the enemy on the opposite side will have to cry and cry for their mother! ”