Recruitment
But this was precisely the starting point Karl wanted; he couldn't conjure up a complete modern military Drill Manual out of thin air.
What he can offer are only the core ideas: standardization, replicability, and systematization of experience.
The specific content must be filled in by officers and veterans who have actually fought and led soldiers on the battlefield with cold weapons.
He had senior officers like Brendan lead a "summary meeting" to convene Sergeant Major and veterans from various companies and even platoons.
Let them recall, debate, and refine their ideas: What kind of spear formation is most effective against the charge of Sauron's Berserker? How should Swordsmen and Shieldbearers coordinate with archers in terrain like Icewater Creek? How should sentry posts be set up during a night attack? How can formation be maintained to prevent the army from breaking apart during a retreat?
These scattered experiences were diligently recorded by officers and clerks, and then a craftsman with some drawing skills was asked to add as intuitive illustrations as possible, which were eventually compiled into this booklet.
Its significance lies not in perfection, but in "existence" itself.
This signifies that Carnford's military buildup has taken its first step towards a more systematic approach, moving away from relying on the oral instruction and personal charisma of individual outstanding officers and towards a system based on written records, verifiable information, and teachable methods.
Despite its immaturity, it represents a qualitative leap.
"Very good," Karl closed the booklet, ran his fingers along the rough cover, nodded, and gave Brendan and the other officers approving glances.
"This is a solid start. With this, even a newly promoted sergeant, as long as he can read or have someone read it to him and he can refer to the diagrams, can roughly figure out how to train his dozen or so men."
"Our experience won't just be stored in the minds of a few old guys and disappear when they retire or die in battle."
He paused. "But Brendan, and all of you, remember, this is by no means the final form. This manual, like Carnford beneath our feet, like the army we are building, is still in its infancy. It must 'live'."
He held up the booklet in his hand. "Every single point in this booklet must be tested in practice. We need to see which ones are useful, which ones are just for show, and which situations haven't been considered... Every training session and every battle from now on, whether it's a victory or a defeat, must be recorded and compiled."
"If you regularly organize people to revise and supplement the system, a formation that works this year might not be effective against a new enemy next year; the key points for night battles summarized today might need to be adjusted next time in the snow. What we need is a set of methods that can continuously evolve and adapt to new situations."
Karl's voice wasn't loud, but it reached every officer's ears clearly. "As long as we persist in doing this, constantly revising and perfecting this Drill Manual, and combining it with the soldiers we continuously select from the refugees..."
"Just like crafting standard armor and weapons in a workshop, we can continuously 'produce' basically qualified soldiers. They may not all be warriors who can take on ten men, but they know how to stand in formation, how to obey orders, how to cooperate with their comrades, and they know the most basic things to do on the battlefield."
"This is our greatest advantage over the Sauron, and even over many Lord of the kingdom. The Sauron still rely on tribal chiefs to lead them, on veterans to teach by example, and on life-and-death battles to weed out the weak and retain the strong, training their soldiers with blood and lives."
"They may be able to train a small number of elite troops, but they cannot replicate them quickly and on a large scale. Their population and mobilization system cannot support such a drain."
"And for us, as long as our method matures, as long as Carnford's population grows and order is established, we will have an almost unlimited, renewable potential for standard troops. This is the foundation for our invincibility in the future."
The officers listened quietly, some with a gleam of understanding and excitement in their eyes.
They may not fully grasp the full meaning of Karl's words regarding "standardized production" and "systematic advantages," but they understood the core message.
We must write down our war experience in books, continuously learn and improve, and use smarter and more life-saving methods to build a stronger and more easily replenished army.
"Distribute this version to each company for now, and require Sergeant Major to be familiar with it and to implement it in training." Karl handed the booklet back to Brendan.
"Tell the soldiers that these are not rules and regulations that bind them, but methods for survival and killing the enemy that countless predecessors bought with their blood. Learn them well, practice them well, and in the future, we will make them more comprehensive and practical."
In early April, spring in the Northern Territory finally dispelled the chill, and everything in Carnford Territory began to operate at an accelerated pace, like a thawing river, gradually becoming more regular and systematic.
Most gratifyingly, the long-standing problem of resettling displaced people has been largely resolved.
The vast majority of displaced families have been allocated their own land, and the distribution of land deeds is nearing completion.
Across the vast Carnford Plain, the busy spring planting scene is everywhere, with newly cultivated black soil being plowed and seeds full of hope being sown.
Steward Edgar remains the busiest man in the entire territory, but his burdens have been shared through effective institutional innovation.
He also currently serves as the Minister of Industry and Commerce, a position with a very wide range of responsibilities.
However, thanks to the examination and talent training mechanism that he had previously vigorously promoted, he promoted and appointed a large number of capable grassroots and middle-level officials, and successfully delegated specific responsibilities such as land allocation, Tunbao construction, commercial management, and material allocation to various functional departments.
Edgar himself focused more on overall coordination, strategic planning, and key decisions.
One of his effective policies began to show its power: his personnel, who had been sent to Fran City and even further south, posted recruitment notices widely, attracting all kinds of professionals with generous benefits and a promise of "meritocracy".
The results were unexpectedly good. Many down-on-their-luck scholars, young engineers, skilled craftsmen, and even some literate people who knew how to manage documents, who had not been able to achieve their goals in the interior due to their background or lack of opportunity, began to flock to the Northern Territory with a try-it-out mentality.
This influx of fresh talent has provided valuable technical and intellectual support for Carnford's development.
In terms of infrastructure construction, the Stockaded Village Number Two has been fully completed, and residents are moving in one after another.
The foundation of Stockaded Village Number Three has been compacted, and the walls are being built rapidly.
The site selection and detailed planning for the No. 4 Tunbao have been completed, and construction can begin once resources are available.
After accumulating mature construction experience and standardized processes, the construction cycle for a basic Tunbao (fortified village) has been shortened to within one month, which is incredibly efficient.