Drill Manual
A well-organized formation not only maximizes collective strength, protects flanks, and maintains morale, but also creates a powerful psychological deterrent through synchronized movements.
Karl's goal was to forge these 2,500 men into an ironclad force, advancing like a wall when moving and standing firm like a mountain when stationed.
Individual bravery deserves praise, but it must never disrupt the overall order.
Equipment is a crucial guarantee of combat effectiveness.
Thanks to the spoils from the previous battle with the Sauron, the increased production in his own workshops, and the large amount of supplies brought by his mother, Lady Eileen, Karl was able to equip the new army with armor far exceeding the standards of ordinary Lord armies in a very short time.
Of course, fully armoring Plate Armor Knight was a pipe dream, but providing infantry with decent protection became possible.
Most soldiers were equipped with sturdy leather armor or thick Cotton Armor. The leather armor was specially tanned and layered to effectively protect against slashes and blunt weapons.
Cotton Armor, lined with cotton or wool, provided good cushioning against arrows and light weapons, and also offered some warmth in the cold northern winters. This was the foundation of the new army's armor.
Even more sophisticated were Chain Mail and Cloth-Faced Armor. Chain Mail was made of finely woven iron rings, which were flexible and had excellent cut protection. It was usually issued to junior officers, elite veterans, or squads undertaking assault missions.
Cloth-Faced Armor, on the other hand, could be considered the "star equipment" of the Carnford Army at this time.
It resembles a thick, quilted Cotton Armor or robe in appearance, but its inner layer is cleverly inlaid with pieces of polished iron, which are fixed to the thick fabric lining with rivets or ropes.
This design combines the warmth and cushioning of Cotton Armor with the sturdiness and defense of metal, and is lighter than plate armor, requiring less sophisticated manufacturing processes, making it more suitable for large-scale infantry deployment.
On the cold plains of Carnford, a thick Cloth-Faced Armor is one of the most reliable weapons a soldier can rely on, besides loyalty and courage.
As for full plate armor, which is expensive to make, complex in craftsmanship, and requires assistance to wear, it remains a scarce resource.
Only a very small number of exceptionally skilled and courageous individuals, recognized as "Soldier King," as well as officers who bear command responsibilities, require better protection, and need to project an image of authority, are eligible to receive this honor.
Their gleaming surfaces stand out on the training ground, serving as both an honor and a benchmark, inspiring ordinary soldiers to forge ahead bravely.
Karl stood on a slightly elevated earthen slope at the edge of the training field, wearing a heavy Wolfskin Cloak to ward off the endless cold winds of the plain.
He silently gazed at the bustling yet orderly drill ground below, with several key officers of the new army standing behind him. They were equally focused, occasionally exchanging opinions in hushed tones, or making notes on the rough wooden boards and charcoal sticks they carried with them.
The core objectives of the current training are nothing more than two things: basic killing skills and iron discipline.
These are the two hurdles that must be overcome to transform a bewildered farmer, who may have only ever touched a hoe, into a qualified soldier.
Their individual martial arts skills prevented them from becoming flustered when engaging the enemy, and they knew how to use their spears, shields, or swords most effectively, turning fear into targeted killing.
Discipline, on the other hand, is the sole crucible that forges these 2,500 independent individuals, who may be filled with fear, selfishness, and cowardice, into a unified whole.
Whistles, drumbeats, flag signals, and officers' commands—these had to become part of their instinctive reactions, outweighing their fear of death.
Advance, retreat, maintain formation, thrust in unison, rotate... these tedious repetitions are precisely so that on the battlefield where flesh and blood fly, when shouts and screams drown out everything, their bodies can still mechanically and instinctively carry out commands.
First, you must become a qualified soldier before you can become a qualified member of the legion.
Of course, the latter implies more complex coordination, cooperation between different types of squads, connection between companies, formation changes and maneuvers in complex terrain, and the ability to replace and regroup when casualties occur.
That requires higher-level training, more practical experience, and a deeper-rooted sense of team identity.
Just as you eat one bite at a time, you also need to be trained step by step in an army.
The individual martial arts skills and basic formations at hand are the most crucial "first bite of the meal".
At this moment, Brendan stepped forward and handed over a booklet roughly bound with thick parchment with both hands.
"Sir, this was created by a few old men, along with some literate clerks and some draftsmen we found among the refugees, all working together to achieve your goal."
Brendan's voice carried a hint of barely perceptible anticipation and trepidation, "As you said, I've tried my best to write down all the methods we found useful in our battles against the Sauron, as well as the losses we suffered and the advantages we gained in previous battles elsewhere, and I've even drawn diagrams."
Karl took the booklet; it was quite heavy, and the edges of the parchment were roughened from being rubbed, clearly indicating that it had passed through many hands.
He carefully opened the book. The first page was a rough table of contents, with entries such as "Spearmen Training Principles", "Swordsmen and Shieldbearers Training Principles", "Squad Combined Attack Formation", "Marching and Camping Regulations", and "Battle Command Flag Signals Explained handwriting.
He randomly flipped to the "Spearmen Training Principles" section, where the text was written in a concise style, interspersed with a lot of colloquial descriptions, such as "Pierce the heart with a steady, accurate and ruthless strike, don't tremble," "Pull back the spear quickly to avoid being slashed on the hand by the enemy's knife," and "If a brother next to you falls, immediately take his place, don't just stand there watching."
The image is accompanied by a simple line drawing: a crude human figure with several red dots marked on its body, and annotations indicating "throat," "heart," "face," and "armpit" as priority attack points.
Another picture depicts several spearmen standing in a line, spear tips held horizontally, with the arrowheads indicating a "simultaneous thrust" action, and the small print below reading "Listen to the drumbeats and exert force simultaneously."
Turning to "Squad Combined Attack Formation," it vividly illustrates how a small square formation consisting of five spearmen and five Swordsmen and Shieldbearers can deal with flanking attacks: the Swordsmen and Shieldbearers quickly turn and raise their shields, while the spearmen provide diagonal cover, and there are simple breakdown diagrams of formation changes.
Although the drawing skills are poor and the figures are like puppets, the intention is expressed very clearly.
To be honest, in Karl's opinion, this so-called "Drill Manual" is pitifully rudimentary, lacking systematic theory, detailed data, and any profound tactical principles.
It's more like a "practical collection of tips" on battlefield survival and teamwork, filled with the intuitive insights and bloody lessons learned by veteran soldiers.