0p0 Chapter 205 Wang Changdao's New Type of Military Training
Chapter 205 Wang Changdao's New Type of Military Training
Over the past few days, more than two thousand enthusiastic young men have gathered in Cheng'an County. After properly settling their families, the logistics personnel of Li Family Army carefully measured and tailored uniforms for each soldier according to their height and build. The process was not complicated: each person had two sets of clothes, one set of everyday wear, simple yet well-fitting; and the other set of combat uniform, tough and practical, for displaying heroic bearing on the battlefield.
With the recruitment process successfully concluded, these hopeful recruits naturally stepped into the training hall. This stage was undoubtedly highly anticipated by the seasoned veterans. At this moment, their instructors were able to pass on the heavy burdens and trials they had endured to these fledgling recruits in a unique way. This passing on of knowledge contained both a reflection on the past and a deep expectation and hope for the future.
Li Zhen did not blindly follow the complex military structures of later generations, but instead ingeniously innovated upon the military system of his time. He meticulously planned to organize soldiers into squads of ten, each squad having a squad leader and a deputy squad leader to ensure orderly command and coordinated action. Furthermore, four squads were combined into a platoon, with a platoon leader and a deputy platoon leader, combining leadership and support to significantly increase strength.
Furthermore, the four platoons were combined into a company, with the company commander overseeing the overall operations. There were two deputy company commanders, one commander and two deputy commanders, who supported each other and stabilized morale. Notably, each company was equipped with its own cooking and transport teams, ensuring logistical support so that the frontline soldiers could fight bravely against the enemy.
Under this system, the company became the most basic combat unit, maintaining both flexibility and becoming a powerful core of combat strength. Li Zhen's series of measures demonstrated both respect for ancient systems and a profound understanding of the needs of actual combat, enabling the entire team to find a perfect balance between the ancient and the modern, and to radiate unprecedented vitality.
Above that are battalions and regiments. With this arrangement, these two thousand-plus men formed a new regiment. Since these men were all new to Li's army, they were not equipped with advanced firearms, but rather with steel spears and custom-made steel broadswords. Of course, composite bows were mandatory.
These new recruits were all from ordinary farming families. They basically couldn't understand the allocation system set up by Li Zhen, and many of them were even thinking of training with people they knew.
The veteran officers weren't going to tolerate this. After a period of rigorous training, they gradually established rules for these hot-headed young men, helping them adapt to life in the barracks. All the soldiers' quarters were divided into small groups, and rules were established regarding wake-up and bedtime. The army naturally had its rules, and Li Zhen didn't manage them directly, but delegated the task to the officers below him. If these officers couldn't enforce the rules, it meant they were incompetent, and they should be replaced.
On the land of Cheng'an County, the new recruits were commanded by Wang Changdao, a staunch confidant of Li Zhen. Wang Changdao was a seasoned veteran in the army, possessing an uncanny ability to understand the recruits' thoughts. Every day, the recruits recited the cold, hard military orders incessantly, as if trying to etch every word into their very bones. Wang Changdao, this experienced old soldier, had his own set of training methods.
He ordered the new recruits to gather on the parade ground and line up according to their respective companies, like chess pieces on a chessboard, in perfect order. Then, he sat leisurely in the center of the parade ground, his sharp eyes scanning every corner like a hawk, supervising the recruits' training.
Under his watchful eye, no slacking off or cheating could escape his notice. If any soldier was found to be poorly trained, Wang Changdao would show no mercy. They would not only miss their hot meals, but also have to run laps around the parade ground until their clothes were soaked with sweat and their legs felt like lead.
Although this training method is rigorous, Wang Changdao knows that only in this way can these new recruits be forged into true soldiers, making them invincible on the future battlefield. And he himself will continue to write his own military legend through this arduous training.
For two whole months, these new recruits did nothing but run and stand every day, making the entire military camp's drill ground a lively and bustling place. Once Wang Changdao saw that these young lads were on the right track, he focused his energy on weapons training.
Even modern-era cold weapons inevitably suffer damage and wear under rigorous training and on the battlefield. Therefore, Li Zhen, with foresight, meticulously deployed maintenance battalions within each legion, effectively creating a solid support system for the sharp claws of these iron-blooded warriors.
These repair camps are home to elite craftsmen from all over the country. Armed with various tools meticulously prepared by Li Zhen, they treat these weapons, which bear the weight of life and death, with the care of artists working on precious sculptures, meticulously repairing and polishing them. Every hammer blow, every polishing stroke, embodies their deep respect and blessings for the warriors on the battlefield, all so that these weapons can once again shine with a captivating brilliance in the next battle, helping the soldiers advance fearlessly and be invincible.
On the battlefield, the saying "an inch longer, an inch stronger" is not just empty words; it's a lesson learned through blood and fire. Therefore, Wang Changdao carefully selected archers from four recruit battalions to form a reinforced battalion. Upon encountering the enemy, they would first unleash a barrage of compound bow strikes, regardless of anything else.
In addition to an archer battalion, Wang Changdao also selected a group of soldiers skilled in horsemanship to form a cavalry battalion. Of course, being able to ride a horse does not make one a qualified cavalryman; one must be able to shoot and kill enemies while on horseback. But this did not stump Wang Changdao. He spent a fortune to prepare a lavish banquet and borrowed dozens of cavalry officers from other Li family army units to train his new recruits.
During those days of honing their will and forging their iron will, Wang Changdao keenly sensed that there were undiscovered treasures hidden within the team. Each person seemed to be a soldier carefully sculpted by heaven, waiting only for the right time to shine brightly.
In the day-to-day training, Wang Changdao witnessed the awakening of countless potentials, like tender buds breaking through the soil in spring, full of vitality and hope. Those soldiers who were once unknown, or even a little clumsy in some training exercises, found their own stage in the vast world of cavalry training.
What is particularly remarkable is that several warriors who had previously lagged behind in other areas seemed to undergo a complete transformation once they mounted their horses. They became messengers of the wind, galloping with incredible speed and skill, their bravery and speed leaving everyone in awe. Their former weaknesses had become their unique strengths within the cavalry ranks, and they had transformed themselves into indispensable and outstanding cavalrymen in an almost miraculous way.
After two months of training, Wang Changdao had transformed these two thousand men into a formidable elite force, ready to engage the enemy at any moment. The only question was whether their enemy would be the Jin or the Song army.