Chapter 16: Don’t be a wimp, take it head on
Chapter 16: Don’t be a wimp, take it head on
After the demonstration of the new weapons, the soldiers were left behind to continue drilling, while Paul, Knight Schroeder, and officers above company level gathered in the castle hall for a meeting.
In front of all the officers, Paul announced the hiring of Schroeder as his chief of staff, stating that the position was equivalent to the chief of staff in other armies, and after introducing the old knight to the army system he had created, he awarded him the rank of major, while his squire Joyce was awarded the rank of captain and temporarily served as a general staff officer.
Then it was time to summarize the reasons for the last defeat, with the officers pulling out the scripts they had written overnight and one by one reading their insights into the last battle.
Finally, the young earl said: “Everyone’s summary is very detailed, summarized basically there are two main reasons, new recruits cowardice and unauthorized action. In order to solve this problem, I have decided to set up drummers and buglers in the army, so that the soldiers can develop the habit of following the drum.”
“When marching on the battlefield, the soldiers all step on the drums to advance, neither can they venture forward without authorization, nor can they cower and lag behind, and the bugler blows two kinds of bugles, the charge bugle sounds, in front of which is a mountain of daggers and fire but also have to charge desperately, and the retreat bugle sounds, in front of which is a mountain of gold and silver but also shall not stay for a moment.”
“During the battle the picketers of each unit are responsible for supervising battlefield discipline, and any violator of the above discipline will be punished with the maximum penalty of death, depending on the seriousness of the situation.”
“Bryce, you draw up the detailed articles, I require every soldier to memorize and immediately start training.”
Bryce answered, “Yes, Lord Earl.”
The old knight was surprised, this countryside young lord had quite a bit of insight in military matters even though he was still a minor ah.
He opened his mouth and suggested, “Lord Earl, I’ve already learned about the previous battle, please find out the soldiers who disobeyed orders and retreated without authorization last time, and hang them in public to correct the military’s heart.”
“Ah …… this …… I have already punished them to serve hard labor in the mines ……”
“Well, since you have already spared their lives, let it be this time, but next time don’t have this kind of unnecessary mercy.” Now that the sentence had been passed, continuing to increase their punishment for the same mistake would obviously affect Paul’s prestige.
“Let’s talk about how the next battle will be fought ……”
The officers were very excited after seeing the power of firearms, and most of them thought that after being equipped in large numbers, the next battle would be a sure win.
Schroeder held a different view, “Gentlemen, the Count showed us firearms to give us confidence rather than to make us proud, bearing in mind that ‘pride leads to defeat’ ah.”
This old knight, he really understands my heart, Paul secretly crossed his thumbs.
Schroeder continued, “Gentlemen, I think that the next battle must not rely on firearms, must let the soldiers rely solely on physical combat to win over the pirates, in order to overcome their inner fear and build up a true sense of confidence and honor.”
“Right.” Paul agreed, on earth Suvorov did not have a saying, “bullet is a fool, bayonet is a good man”, dare to fight bayonet soldier is a good soldier.
At this meeting, it was decided to set up a bugler and a drummer, and four types of bugle sounds were temporarily proposed: the assembly bugle, the advance bugle, the retreat bugle, and the charge bugle, which would be slowly supplemented later with the construction of the army.
Adjust the content of daily training, strengthen the intensity of training in spiking, and set up an officer refresher course in the margins of training, taught by the old knights themselves, teaching some military knowledge of this era, such as setting up camp, ambush and counter-ambush, reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance, and so on.
Of course, firearms should continue to be manufactured and trained, after all, we do not know how many pirates will be in force next time, and the necessary killer weapons should still be prepared.
……
Pirate camp, a group of pirates are also discussing the plan.
“Quake, Shark asked me to bring a message for you to stop in moderation.”
“Stop while you’re ahead? He’s got himself a pot full of money, and I haven’t gotten much here yet.”
“You’ve run so far from the coast and clashed head-on with the lords of this area, your guts are too big. Rob a wave of civilians and hurry back to Port Fulan.”
“Bullying unarmed civilians is nothing, besides they have a shit to rob. If we want to do it, we should do a big job, old Gleeman was ambushed by the sharks and stomped his leg, the whole territory is in fear, it’s a good opportunity to start, yesterday that insouciant little brat from their family led the troops to fight with us, his ability is nothing more than that, if we don’t fish for a handful of them, I feel that I’m sorry for my pirate’s profession.”
“Hmph, speaking of old Gleeman, that bastard Shark even killed a proper fiefdom noble, not afraid to cause the collective anger of the Northwest Bay Lords?” “What’s wrong with that, whoever made Old Gleiman break the ‘tacit agreement’ between the lords and us, and break the rules of the Northwest Bay, also had it coming. Besides, the Gladman family was exiled here, and has always pissed all over the neighboring families. I guess some people are still secretly looking at the joke.”
“The tacit agreement was broken by you guys first, right, running to a place so far away from the coast to look for trouble ……”
“Hmph, then what did you come all the way here for? To administer justice to the noble lords? And don’t talk nonsense, in a few days I’ll lead my people directly to the lake center town to ask for something, if they are still not honest, I’ll pester their main force, you lead your people to quietly touch the town from the other side ……”
……
After 9 days had passed, the pirates themselves came to claim the belongings requested in the previous letter.
Pirates rowing a small paddle sailing ship gradually approaching the heart of the lake town, get the report of Paul immediately ordered the army to gather on the shore to wait, and sent a platoon of internal guards to go door to door to notify the residents to lock the doors and windows, take a good chopper to prepare for the worst.
“It’s really a bunch of bold thieves and bandits ah, the last time when they intended to sneak attack was just that, after all, they took advantage of the night, but now they are so arrogant that they dare to come to the ruling center of the first collar count in broad daylight to provoke.” The old knight felt very unbelievable.
“Crap, too negligent, it would be bad if they trapped us with their water advantage, I really should have moved the island’s inhabitants earlier.” The old knight was remorseful for his carelessness, when the Greiman family built the castle on the island to defend against enemies on the road, he didn’t want the enemy to come from the water today, but it became the biggest dead end.
“Is there anyone on the island who is familiar with water warfare?” Schroeder asked, but the answer was quickly known from the way the people looked at each other.
“Then we can only stimulate them to land for a duel ……”
The pirates first sent a few small boats to repeatedly test the waters not far from the shore, and after confirming that the defenders did not have a bow and crossbow type of projectile weapons, they actually started landing with a big grin, it seems that after their last victory, they already did not put the territorial guards in their eyes, which made the old knight breathe a sigh of relief.
Look at the number of pirates than the last time a lot more, would like to engage in a “half a ferry and attack”, in the consultation of the old knight’s opinion but was opposed, he thinks that the pirates are very good water, see the situation is not good will jump back into the water, and landed on the nails when encountering the probability of sure will use the boat blockade of the island of the lake, to the island of the people and the army slowly trapped to death, when how to do, the fishing boat and play jumping and the pirates, and the pirates will be able to play jumping. Rowing a fishing boat and pirates play jump gang war?
“Well, then let’s have a duel in a dignified manner.” Paul gritted his teeth, then reiterated the battlefield discipline again in front of the entire army.
Optimistically think about it, this time the chance of victory is still very big, even if the soldiers can not fight the pirates, there are a large number of grenades, and rushed to produce six successful muskets, how can also let the pirates drink a pot.
Just thinking, the pirate side most people have gone ashore, to this side rushed over.
“Gladman family boy, grandpa’s letter to ask for things are ready?”
It was that big bearded man again, his voice was really loud.
“Joy and anger, joy and anger ……” the little earl recited in his heart.
“Last time you guys were not self-conscious and presumed to rebel against us, you should have been allowed to add some filial piety, but looking at this shitty place of yours, I guess I can’t take anything except a few baskets of stinky fish. It’s still grandpa I’m generous, quickly offer up what you asked for before.”
The bearded man said arrogantly.
Paul ordered the bugler to blow the advance horn, and Bryce shouted, “All troops prepare, execute these bastards today to avenge the brothers who died last time, advance.”
The drummer struck the marching drum, along with the drum beat, the soldiers of the three companies raised their spears and began to slowly advance forward.
According to Paul and Bryce’s intention was for all four companies to press on, but the old knight was adamant about leaving one company as a reserve, and a portion of the pickets, saying that they were for enforcing battlefield discipline.
“Yoho …… haven’t been taught enough or what?” The bearded man laughed loudly, “Brothers, anyway, this time to their old home, they do not give, we take it ourselves!” .
The people around him roared with laughter, “Boss Quake is right, no one is allowed to grab the head with me later”, a pirate coaxed to, both hands tightly gripping a steel knife, the expression on his face also gradually became hideous and horrible.
The two sides gradually close, finally short troops ……
(End of chapter)