The 13th of the 5th month, clear skies.
In the wilderness not far from the Fooby Hill barracks, nearly a hundred people stood on a small mound. Most of them were junior officers, and there were also four or five majors with a silver crescent moon on their epaulets.
The highest-ranked among them was a lieutenant-colonel. They were all curious onlookers who were attracted by a small-scale field battle drill by the 11th Battalion.
The main character of the drill was none other than Claude. Ever since he proposed to lead the infirmary garrison against a combat platoon, the strange contest caught the attention of many officers in Bluefeather.
Once the date was set, many Bluefeather members came to watch. They were curious as to why Claude was so confident in winning.
It was common knowledge that a full combat platoon had 54 men. The infirmary garrison that Claude was leading could only be split into two squads. There were 17 new recruits, Claude himself, four nobles and a sixteen-year-old recruit who ran errands for him. There were only 23 of them in total. Considering a full combat squad of 12, there was still one more to go.
Everyone knew what sort of people Claude was assigned to. Their numbers were less than half of the original, and their training time wasn't as long as the other party's. Yet, he was asking for a cannon. Was he crazy?
Most people thought that this field battle was just a farce. The difference in military strength and the advantage of the cannons was obvious. What was there to compete about?
This Claude, relying on the fact that Baroness Maria was backing him up, had really gone overboard.
Who does he think he is? Is he the reincarnation of a god of war? This isn't the medieval era where people flaunted their bravery. The invention of the flintlock had already swept all the valiant heroes into the trash heap of history. Even the mighty magi were chased to the faraway Higros Island by the flintlock. What confidence did Claude have to propose such a contest?
"Combat Platoon 107th will defend first. They'll take the hill in front of us and have a full complement of 54 men. As per your request, we'll add a cannon and seven cannoneers for a total of 61 men."
Most laid out a simple map on the table and pointed at an irregular ellipse on the map.
Second Lieutenant Most and Second Lieutenant Carlos of the logistics department's gunpowder division were the organizers and referees of this field confrontation drill. Training and field confrontation drills below the size of a squadron did not require a higher ranking officer to preside over.
If the news hadn't spread and aroused the interest of many people, then this small-scale field confrontation drill wouldn't have attracted so many onlookers.
"You will attack from this side. Your goal is to occupy this hill.
Second Lieutenant Most continued pointing on the map. "Considering that the defenders have set up a cannon, we will calculate the damage caused by the cannon fire when the attackers are 800 meters away. Every ten minutes during the battle, we will randomly select combatants to be the victims of the cannon fire. Do you have any objections?"
Claude and the other second lieutenant shook their heads to show that they had no objections.
"Very well, Second Lieutenant Kermundo. When you discover the enemy's intention to attack your position, please prepare your defense," Second Lieutenant Most said to the muscular Second Lieutenant.
"I'll have three squads of combatants stand on the right and the cannon on the left. I'll also have a squad of combatants line up behind the cannon for protection."
Kermundo took a step forward and gestured on the map. "Actually, I personally don't think there's a need for this drill. There are too few enemies, after all.
Most of them would've already been wiped out by the cannon fire before they entered the firing range of the defenders. The rest can be wiped out in hand-to-hand combat. "
Claude only smiled in response to Kermundo's disdain and didn't say anything.
"Alright, stop complaining. I owe you a favor, okay?"
Second Lieutenant Most sighed. Didn't this fellow see that there were so many people here to watch this battle? He just said whatever he wanted to say, not giving him any face at all. What a bad temper. "Bring your soldiers to set up the formation."
Lieutenant Comondo nodded and went down the hill. He ordered a platoon of soldiers to carry their wooden targets and run to the hill in the distance that served as the defensive position. Then, they planted the wooden targets according to his defensive deployment and arranged them into three rows so that they could fire at the same time.
As for the cannons, they chopped down a tree to replace them. Then, they set up wooden targets around and behind the tree to protect the cannons.
After about an hour, Second Lieutenant Kelmundo brought his platoon of soldiers back to the small mound that served as the viewing platform.
For the sake of safety, the armies of the various countries used such a method to conduct drills. One side would use real guns while the other side would use wooden targets.
As for the losses suffered by the real guns, it would be calculated by the referee based on the changes in the battlefield.
For example, after the attacking side entered the firing range of the defending side, they would calculate how many troops the attacking side would lose from the defending side's firing based on the coverage rate of the defending side's firing at the wooden humanoid target during their usual training … and so on …
"Claude, the defenders have finished their preparations. Will you be able to attack now?" Most asked Claude.
Claude pointed at the human-shaped wooden targets on the hill in the distance. "I need someone there. After we start shooting, they'll fall to the ground. Otherwise, they'll get in the way of the other targets.
You know that people who get hit will fall down on the battlefield. They won't be able to stay standing forever. "
"Well …" Most was a little hesitant. In this era, firing at the same time was done by covering the enemy's formation as far as possible to kill them.
Even if the diggers hid inside, it wouldn't be safe. After all, the bullets would cover a large area from top to bottom. Claude wanted them to take down the human-shaped wooden targets as soon as the attackers started shooting. That would require someone to keep an eye on them and it wouldn't be safe at all.
Claude knew what Most was worried about. "Don't worry, we won't use firing at the same time. You've seen our training. We shoot accurately and won't hurt anyone.
I'll have Myjack go over as well. I'll have him wave the little red flag in his hand to warn us. "
"Alright, I'll go over.
Second Lieutenant Carlos said fiercely, "You've used so much gunpowder and guns. Let me see what kind of soldiers you've trained.
Don't only realize that you're out of men before you start firing. They'll either be wiped out by the cannons or the defenders! "
Carlos charged towards the hill angrily. Claude hurriedly gestured for Myjack to follow behind him with a red flag and told him to stop twenty to thirty meters away from the defensive formation. Claude told him to check the target after he was done with his shooting.
Claude ran towards where the guard squad was.
Second Lieutenant Molster turned to the Lieutenant Colonel with two silver crescent moons on his shoulder and asked respectfully, "Lieutenant Colonel Leonkro, who do you think will win this field battle?"
Lieutenant Colonel Leonkro was the deputy head of the training department of the division. He came to the Fukby Hill camp to check on the training of the new recruits of the 11th Field Battalion. Coincidentally, he happened to see this battle and was interested in it, so he came to watch.
But before Leonkro could reply, a fat major beside him snickered. "Isn't the outcome obvious? I can't think of any way that Claude will win. Where does he get his confidence from?
I believe that the defensive position Lieutenant Kermundo is setting up would require at least a company to have any hope of success.
Attacking with just twenty new recruits is suicidal. There's no chance of victory at all! "
The major was called Morimede Li Ksdile. He was a staff officer of the corps and was a member of one of the most powerful families in the royal capital.
In truth, he came to Bluefeather to gain experience. Since the war hadn't broken out yet, he had nothing to do as a staff officer and would go wherever there was excitement. That was why he was always seen among the spectators.
Leonkro only smiled and did not agree with Major Morimet's opinion. "Second Lieutenant Komondo's defensive arrangements are well-balanced. Logically speaking, it would indeed require a large group to attack in order to take down the defensive position with their superior numbers.
But since Sergeant Major Claude brought up this condition, he must have his own plans. We'll just have to wait and see. "
Seeing that Claude had reached his squad's position, Most waved a blue flag in the air a few times, signaling that the attack could begin.
Claude blew the whistle in his mouth and waved his hand. He couldn't be bothered to say anything and simply pointed at the hill where the defensive formation was located, signaling for the attack to begin.
If it were a normal combat squad, they would march forward in a straight line.
However, Claude's men scattered and ran forward in twos and threes in a zigzagging line.
The spectators on the hill were shocked. "No! How can they run like that? Where's their formation?
How are they supposed to fire without formation? Don't tell me they're going to regroup when they're within firing range? Don't they know that they'll be attacked by the defenders that way? That'll only result in greater losses. "
Most and Kermundo were flabbergasted as they watched Claude lead his twenty or so soldiers forward with their backs bent.
"Are you going to fire your cannons?" Morster asked.
Kermundo shook his head with a bitter smile. "They don't have a formation. With them spread out like that, I won't be able to aim even if I wanted to. It'd be a waste to fire.
When they get closer, I'll use my flintlock to deal with them. Then, I'll reload the cannons and fire when they're a hundred meters away. "
However, Kermundo was disappointed. Claude's men didn't regroup when they were three hundred meters away from the defensive formation. Instead, they crawled forward.
"Aaaargh!"
Kermundo was furious. Even his formation was useless now. They were so spread out on the ground. Even if the cannons could deal damage from top to bottom, he only had fifty to sixty men on his side. The range of the flintlocks wouldn't be of much use at all.
Does Claude want to fight me head-on?
Does he really think he's invincible after losing more than half of his men?
When they're a hundred meters away, I'll fire the cannons first. That should be enough to take out a quarter of his men. Kermundo placed his hopes on the cannons. The cannons could sweep through a wide area. If Claude's men wanted to take over the defensive formation, they would have to get past the cannons first.
Then, everyone saw Claude's men stop crawling forward. When they were around 150 to 200 meters away from the defensive formation, they started firing while lying prone on the ground.
After the crisp sounds of gunfire, Claude took out a red flag and waved it twice, signaling Carlos and Myjack to take down the humanoid targets that had been shot.
"They're actually reloading their flintlocks while lying on the ground …" The spectators felt their horizons widen. Was that even possible?
After six rounds of fire, there wasn't a single wooden target left standing. Carlos and Myjack stood there, dumbfounded.
Only then did Claude order his men to get up from the ground and walk over, easily taking over the position.