amaotonovel Chapter 5 New-Style Army
Chapter 5 New-Style Army
Alice glanced at the document. The document Alicia had given her clearly explained the situation on the demon side—the entire country was actually fragmented. Many local powerful figures did not accept the usurper, but they did not want to join Alicia's side either, and simply declared neutrality.
This is the case for several nearby territories and directly administered provinces.
But they didn't have the time or energy to persuade them one by one. Alice looked at Smedley, who was standing beside her waiting for her to start her introduction, while Alice took out what she had written.
"This is the training syllabus."
Smedley picked up the paper and began to examine it carefully. The text described a vast and complex standing army system, which differed from the past in that the majority of its resources came not from mages or knights, but from ordinary soldiers.
"It's really possible to do this without knights and mages..."
"Do as I say, bring out your best infantry, we'll train a regiment first."
According to the training methods of the Lobster Soldiers, this army must be brave and fearless, disciplined and professional, but when they stand on the training ground, they will begin a brutal training.
The recruits selected according to the requirements quickly stood on the training ground in a temporary military camp set up outside the city of Trian. Under Alice's strict demands, all those sent were new recruits.
"Stand at attention! From now on, you will enjoy three meals a day with meat and better treatment than other units, but I demand absolute obedience! This is a high-standard unit. If you can't accept this, you can get out now!"
Alice abandoned her usual gentle demeanor, dressed in a hunting outfit suitable for movement, carrying a newly designed backpack and a musket. She looked at Smedley and asked him to get the basic training of the regiment done as soon as possible.
Drill training and obedience training were implemented, replacing the previous vague organizational structure with squads, platoons, battalions, companies, and regiments. In Alice's vision, the entire regiment would have three battle infantry companies, each with about 300 men, an artillery company equipped with 12-pounder M1857 Napoleon cannons, a scout battalion, a grenadier battalion, and a logistics battalion with wagons and carts.
The soldiers' morale during training was generally low, but their uniforms were extremely disorganized. Some were uniforms belonging to unknown generals, while others were simply tattered rags, making them look extremely ugly during drill training.
"The issue of military uniforms needs to be put on the agenda."
Ange stood beside her, still dressed in her black and white maid outfit, and handed her a list. This was Alicia's request: she had seen Alice's plan and knew what she needed.
"Your Highness, this is a list of all the textile and leather workshops in the city."
“Great, okay, here’s the military uniform I designed.”
Alicia was in charge of logistics, so Alice was naturally in charge of reforms. The uniform design was based on the Union Army during the 19th-century Civil War. Gray uniforms meant cheapness and concealment. Battle infantry wore gray uniforms, grenadiers wore red uniforms, and javelin soldiers wore dark green uniforms. Artillerymen wore dark blue uniforms.
Considering the extraordinary circumstances, the uniforms could not be designed to be too ostentatious, but Alice still designed a rank system for her new army and a separate set of uniforms for the officers.
In the era of firing squads, military uniform design took into account its imposing presence. When both sides lined up in battle, a magnificent and imposing uniform was more strategically important than a uniform that emphasized concealment. Uniforms, flags, and drummers became key elements in the morale of the army.
As for the skirmishers, also known as light infantry, Alice designed clothing to help them conceal themselves, taking into account their special nature, and considered equipping them with rifled Minié rifles, or rather, the famous Kentucky Long Rifle.
The barrel is longer than that of a standard flintlock rifle and is rifled. The barrel must be carefully selected. This rifle, designed for long distances, does not have a bayonet lug, but it is designed with a complex sight.
The workshop that produces standard flintlock muskets could easily manufacture this rifle. All it would need to do is cast a longer barrel and then use the Iowa rifling machine made by Alice to easily draw out the rifling. The method of making Minié bullets is also not difficult, but the reason why they are not currently standard equipment is due to cost issues. Round lead bullets are sufficient to deal with armies that use spears and swords, and they are also easier to manufacture.
After two weeks of basic training, the new regiment quickly took shape. Alice issued them new uniforms and also commissioned a new officer's uniform for General Smedley. The blue, white, and red French-style uniform was inspired by the French officer's uniforms of the Napoleonic era.
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Alice and Smedley demonstrated the new weapons to the recruits. The loud bang of the Brownbes flintlock musket shocked and made many people back down. After the guns were distributed to the soldiers, Alice and Smedley began training them in basic drills.
"Encountering the enemy, change to line formation! Officers of all platoons!"
The transition from a column to a line is a complex tactical maneuver. In the past, soldiers could simply form a square or charge haphazardly. Now, they must quickly transform from two marching columns into a long two-row battle line.
The drums beat, and nearly a hundred men marched in time with the beat. Some educated officers, personally trained by Alice, held up their swords to restrain their soldiers.
The uniforms issued to soldiers included two waist-high boxes containing paper-packaged ammunition—gunpowder and bullets in a strict ratio. All that was needed was to bite open the box, pour in the gunpowder, insert the bullet into the barrel, plug it with a cleaning rod, and pour the remaining gunpowder into the powder bath on the side of the flintlock musket.
A skilled soldier should be able to fire three to five shots per minute. With the support of the northern mining areas and craftsmen, mass production of gunpowder and firearms became possible. Although it was not mechanized production, the quality of the muskets was kept at an average level under standardized requirements.
"aim!"
Alice stood in the ranks, holding her sword and pointing forward. The soldiers raised their guns, hundreds of men and hundreds of muskets aimed at a target.
"Fire!"
With a downward swing of his sword, the soldiers pulled their triggers on command. In a second, the muskets fired, and smoke filled the ranks.
A musket with bayonets fixed is a formidable threat to anyone, and Alice estimates that just two volleys would be enough to completely break down an average army.
"First rank, crouch down! Load! Second rank, aim!"
The soldiers in one column quickly crouched down, and from the second column, the muskets were once again ready.
"Fire!"
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