Chapter 39: The New Army (Three)

  It is said to be a real picture of a war chariot in the Ming Dynasty

  "In other words, if our army can withstand casualties of over 50% without collapsing, then we might have a chance to win against the Eastern Barbarians and the Later Jin?" Yang asked.

  "Yes, Your Majesty. I estimate it to be around that number as well. Of course, it could be higher." Sun Chengzong still didn't dare to guarantee the outcome despite having a good understanding of Ye Zichen's combat strength.

  "Are you saying that it's extremely difficult for me to defeat Dongyue and then Jin?"

  "No, Your Majesty. I estimate that the Eastern Barbarians can only sustain an army with such heavy casualties for a short time, probably around 10,000 to 20,000 men. The rest are relying on these core troops to fight. If these core troops are destroyed, the others will not be a concern. If we cannot eliminate these core troops, then, Your Majesty, our battles against the Eastern Barbarians and the Later Jin may continue for some time." Sun Chengzong explained thus.

  "This...” Yang reform's view of Sun Chengzong still had some trust, what Sun Chengzong said was not wrong, the total number of people in Dongyu Houjin was only that many, and the core military strength was not a lot. Houjin started his career just a few years ago? Later, those Mongolian Eight Banners, Han Army Eight Banners, were all making up numbers. These people relied on those tens of thousands of core troops, without those tens of thousands of core troops, let alone being sold to wild boar skin, it would be good if they didn't turn around and kill them instead.

  "I believe."

  Organization, discipline, willpower. These three are the elements of warfare that Yang Reform considers essential, all with a common goal: to inflict more damage on the enemy until they collapse or are completely annihilated. Yang Reform believes that any human being would collapse when faced with casualties of 50% or 60%, and that an army that requires 100% annihilation is unlikely to exist in this dynasty, even if it did, Yang Reform thinks that the human body cannot withstand bullets and cannons. Yang Reform has confidence in annihilating them.

  ……

  "It seems that my new army's training is indeed not enough! We need even stricter training! The goal should be set at least to withstand casualties of over 50% without collapsing, only then can we have a chance at victory!" Yang concluded.

  "Your Majesty is wise."

  "Master Sun, no need to flatter me. Ah, Master Sun, I heard that there is a type of chariot troop, don't know if you've heard of it?" Yang Reform wanted to say that he was preparing to build some Ming dynasty version of "tanks", armored war chariots. But fearing that Sun Chengzong wouldn't understand, he just said vaguely, chariots.

  "I report to Your Majesty, there is indeed a chariot corps and corresponding battle tactics. Our dynasty also has corresponding precedents." Sun Chengzong said slowly, indeed an active dictionary, no matter what Yang Reform says, Sun Chengzong can always come up with something reasonable.

  ……

  This time, Yang Reform was blinded. Yang Reform did not expect that the Ming Dynasty already had a chariot corps and actual combat examples. In Yang Reform's view, loading heavy iron plates on horse-drawn carts is equivalent to ancient "armored vehicles". The wild boar skin does not have the power to destroy this armored vehicle. Then, install a small cannon on the armored vehicle, arrange several riflemen, and station several grenade-throwing soldiers. Such defensive and firepower capabilities are worthy of being called ancient "tanks". With the combat effectiveness of wild boar skin using knives and arrows, it is difficult to cause any harm to this "tank". Of course, the power source is horses or cows.

  "Master Sun, tell me quickly, what are the battle formations of our dynasty's war chariots and how are they configured? And how do they engage in combat?" Yang was very interested in this. If it were so, he wouldn't even need to dream about searching for information on Baidu, he could just directly apply the existing technology from the Ming Dynasty, wouldn't that be better?

  "Your Majesty, in our dynasty there is a saying 'Yu Long Qu Hu', have you ever heard of it?"

  "But Qi Jiguang? Yu... Yu Dayou......" As for the Ming dynasty surnamed Qi, Yang reform couldn't think of anyone else except Qi Jiguang. As for those surnamed Yu, Yang reform vaguely remembered that he only barely remembered one Yu Dayou, and it was from watching a TV series that he came to know about him.

  "Yes, Your Majesty, it was Qi Jiguang and Yu Dayou. This war cart battalion was created by Yu Dayou and expanded by Qi Jiguang. The war carts were divided into light and heavy carts... the heavy carts were equipped with two 'Frankish' cannons and twenty soldiers, while the light carts were equipped with ten soldiers, each carrying their own food and ammunition, and relying on horses..."

  What the...! Yang's reform is shocked in his heart! What is this? Heavy tanks plus light tanks, plus supply trucks, isn't this the tank armor configuration of Germany's Blitzkrieg during World War II?!

  Yang's reform was full of fantasies. Tank after tank rushed across the land, a large cavalry charge came face to face, then the artillery fired, machine guns fired, and the cavalry fell like wheat, but the brave cavalry still charged to the side of the tank. Then picked up a knife, cut towards the tank with force, left an "imprint" on the tank, and was ruthlessly eliminated by the tank's machine gunner...

  Yang Reform thought of the Soviet cavalry charging German armored tanks during World War II, which was a tragic and majestic feat. It's hard to imagine what it would be like for these cavalrymen to leave a knife mark on the tank with their knives, they must have had a very different taste, of course, during World War II, the cavalry had guns, cannons, grenades, and hand grenades that could cause some damage to armored vehicles, but in ancient times, there were no grenades, only swords and arrows. The "tanks" of the Ming Dynasty did not have such powerful armor protection either. Anyway, Yang Reform really wants to see the expression on the cavalrymen's faces when their knives leave a mark on the armored vehicle, and then get shot into a sieve by the people on the tank.

  What's wrong with this world? How can there be such a battle formation and configuration by tomorrow morning? Has he crossed over from another world? Yang Reform felt a chill run down his spine, unable to speak for half the day. Sun Chengzong was also astonished, what's wrong with this emperor, why is he making such an expression? Is he too infatuated with Qi Shuai and Yu Shuai?

  "Your Majesty? Your Majesty..." Sun Chengzong called out to Yang Reform several times.

  "Go on, go on..." Yang Reform finally came to his senses from the shock. With such a powerful and mighty armored unit, equipped with combat methods, he was not afraid of Wild Boar Skin at all. He directly drove the "tank" into the lair of Wild Boar Skin, launching a surprise attack! Leaving a mark in history, Yang Reform was indulging in his fantasy on the side.

  ……

  "...the war chariot has eight foldable screens, which are laid flat on the axle in peacetime and opened up to stand on one side during battle. The two outermost ones can be moved, allowing infantry to enter and exit..."

  "Good!"

  "...In battle, the cavalry would hold off the enemy in front while the chariots formed up in a fighting array behind; when the enemy drew near, the cavalry would retreat into the chariot array and the soldiers on board would discharge their fire-weapons..."

  "Great!"

  "...after the chariots' firepower was released, infantrymen charged out from behind the vehicles; after the enemy's attack was repelled, cavalrymen again emerged from behind the vehicles..."

  "Too good!" Yang reform was about to jump up and dance with joy. With such complete equipment configuration, training methods and combat methods, he could just take it over and use it. This is not easier than searching for more on Baidu, but also more reliable and safe. After all, these have been tested in actual combat.

  "Your Majesty, is it to train this type of chariot corps?"

  "Master Sun, isn't it feasible? I think this armored cavalry unit is perfect for dealing with the Eastern Barbarians and the Later Jin."

  "Your Majesty, it's good, but training such a chariot corps requires spending a large amount of silver. Your Majesty..." Sun Chengzong wanted to speak but stopped, without silver, nothing can be done, including you, the Emperor.

  "This... Hehe, Master Sun doesn't need to worry, I will get the silver myself. Does Master Sun have confidence in training the chariot troops?"

  "This... Your Majesty, I think the new recruits should undergo your infantry training first and qualify before undergoing chariot warfare training. Only then can the infantry, chariots, and cavalry work together effectively. In terms of combat will and discipline, they can be unified. What does Your Majesty think?" Sun Chengzong was indeed a seasoned general, quickly coming up with a training plan, schedule, and even battle tactics.

  "Master Sun is truly a great talent, this idea is indeed brilliant! Let's follow Master Sun's words." Yang Reform lavished praise on Sun Chengzong.

  "Your Majesty, I must remind you that the chariot warfare tactics have not been used in actual combat for many years and are almost lost. Although there is still a chariot battalion in the Imperial Guard, it's just for show and has not been deployed in battle for many years, purely for decoration. If Your Majesty wants to revive the chariot battalion and rely on it, we need to plan carefully..." Sun Chengzong's words poured over Yang Reform like a basin of cold water, chilling him to the bone.

  "What?!... Yang's reforms can't even make a sound, extremely depressed and angry. Such good things are hidden at home and not taken out to use, so that the war methods have not been updated and lost. This is like those starting writers who dig pits and don't update, it's infuriating. The Ming dynasty is also corrupt enough, Qi Jiguang has been dead for a long time, and the war methods of the War Chariot Camp are actually lost? It's really a group of pigs-like people."

  Yang thought to himself: I'm not afraid of god-like opponents, but I'm afraid of pig-like teammates. [Boss, let's have a 6-yuan boxed lunch today and improve our lives. Otherwise, we won't be able to take the stage.] Indeed, he wasn't wrong! With this group of pig-like teammates, the Wild Boar Skins are laughing their teeth off!

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