Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3910 To not teach the people to fight is to abandon them

Before dawn, when only a sliver of light appeared in the east, the several large cowhide drums at the edge of the simulated battlefield were struck by bare-chested strongmen.

The deep, penetrating drumbeats, like the beating of a giant beast's heart, instantly shattered the silence of the wasteland, announcing the official start of a new round of high-intensity drills.

Based on the previous experience in Gongxian, the troops participating in the exercise were divided into offensive and defensive sides, with roles rotating regularly. This was to ensure that everyone from soldiers to military academy students to generals could deeply understand every detail, weakness, and response of the city wall attack and defense from two completely different perspectives.

Especially for the attacking side, haphazard, chaotic charges are strictly prohibited. If such a disoriented and reckless charge occurs, at best the attack will be deemed a failure, and at worst the entire team will have their rations reduced, leaving them only able to watch others feast while they can only drool.

All attacks must be carried out strictly in accordance with the constantly changing flags and rhythmic drum commands of the central army.

Military academies on the front lines are especially hard on their voices; after a few days, everyone's voice is hoarse. Yet, these academy students still shout commands in every training session, dividing them into waves, areas, and tasks, so that their soldiers can mesh together like precise gears and be deployed into battle in turn as required.

The first step in any exercise is always long-range firepower preparation and suppression.

Although the artillery was not actually fired, some open areas were deliberately left on the battlefield, with designed firing lines marked out. Red and yellow flags were also erected on the simulated city walls to indicate that they were under attack.

The garrison squad near the yellow flag will be judged to have lost one-twentieth of its men, while the garrison unit near the red flag will be judged to have lost one-tenth of its men.

Immediately, a group of soldiers playing the defensive side will retreat behind the simulated city wall, cursing and swearing...

The yellow and red flags were placed in sealed bamboo tubes before the drills, and were drawn by the captains of each defense squad.

If you draw a regular flag, it means you weren't hit by artillery fire...

This phase of the exercise focuses on simulating the accuracy and rhythm of artillery.

After all, the randomness of artillery fire remains an unavoidable problem in the current situation.

The moment the defending side withdraws its personnel "killed or wounded" by artillery fire is the moment the attacking side's troops move out.

At the military academy's brief and powerful commands, the heavy infantry formations, carrying thickened and reinforced shields, began to advance steadily.

Their steps were heavy and unified, their oars and shields almost tightly linked together, forming a moving metal wall.

Slogans rang out, accompanied by deafening drumbeats, both to encourage themselves and to maintain a neat formation.

Their mission was to provide reliable mobile cover for the engineers and assault teams that followed, to protect them from possible "arrows".

Compared to the heavily armored shield bearers, the engineers were always exceptionally busy, constantly buzzing and whirring. They operated various improved or newly designed trench-filling and obstacle-clearing machines. There were folding trench bridges that could be quickly deployed and laid; there were earthmoving carts with heavy shields at the front, which soldiers concealed behind and pushed forward; and there were those carrying giant axes and grappling hooks, specifically responsible for clearing barricades. Under the cover of shields and saddlecloths, they worked as efficiently as worker ants, simulating the process of quickly opening safe passages under enemy interference on a real battlefield.

Arrows covered in chalk rained down from the simulated city wall, covering the attackers' heads.

Even the officers responsible for recording the events were covered in white spots and ash. However, these military judges seemed to have turned to stone, completely unconcerned about being hit. They simply stared intently at the attacking soldiers, occasionally issuing commands, pointing out which soldier had been struck in a 'vital area' by a chalk arrow and had to withdraw from training…

Most of the unlucky ones withdrew from the attacking force on their own, cursing and swearing. However, some soldiers, at the request of the medics, pretended to be wounded, lay on stretchers, covered their faces, and were carried off the front line by the medic apprentices amidst the laughter of their teammates.

The most intense, fierce, and courage-testing part of the entire exercise was undoubtedly the simulated assault on the city walls.

Erect long ladders, climb quickly, seize the crenellations, rapidly establish a foothold on the "city wall," and coordinate with each other to expand the breakthrough...

Everywhere is a fierce battle.

The troops playing the role of the "defenders" will use simulated forks to push against the ladder. Once four forks get stuck on the ladder, it will be judged that the ladder is loose and will fall. Then, a military judge will wave a white flag at the attacking soldiers on the ladder and shout at them to retreat.

There are also more convenient methods, such as using straw bags to simulate rolling stones and logs. Once they are thrown, the soldiers who are covered with grayish-white powder are considered casualties and must leave the field.

Of course, the defenders' "rolling stones and logs" are not unlimited; they must be used within the framework of the defenders' military academy plan.

The attacking soldiers below the city were also keeping a close eye on the city walls, and the defenders would loudly warn their comrades at the slightest sign of anything unusual.

If the defenders' most powerful weapon, the rolling stones and logs, misses its target, it will elicit a burst of joyful laughter from the soldiers below the city walls, along with some sarcastic remarks, and even a few ditties...

Aside from flimsy siege ladders and centipede ladders, the most important method for attackers to scale the walls was to use heavy siege equipment, such as large siege towers and stacked cloud towers.

These large objects are generally not easily identified as damaged, but if the defending side gets the specially made red and yellow powder on them, it will be considered as being burned by "oil" and they will be removed from the attacking line.

In addition, the defending side can also organize a brief "counterattack" to drive down the attacking soldiers who have climbed the city walls using training weapons wrapped in cloth.

Shouts, crashes, military academy commands and rebukes echoed all around the simulated city wall.

Everyone was giving it their all, and some unlucky ones even got injured and bled in the fight.

What motivates such a high-intensity drill?
On the one hand, the previous success in Gongxian had left a deep impression on these cavalry officers; on the other hand, Fei Qian had already issued clear instructions to motivate them…

Units that rank highly in the overall evaluation of the exercise will not only receive extra rewards of food and wine and silk before the battle, but will also have an outstanding record added to the merit records of all their soldiers.

More importantly, the top-ranked units will receive the valuable "first-strike option"!
This means that in the actual siege of Sishui Pass, they have the right to prioritize choosing a certain section of the city wall as a breakthrough point!
This section of the city wall must be the one they are most familiar with during training...

The merit of being the first to scale the walls has always been the most dazzling and rewarding achievement on the military merit list!

For any honorable and spirited unit, this is the highest honor!

Especially those young men from Bingyong who were already known for their bravery, were eager to show off their martial prowess in front of the world-renowned Sishui Pass!
If you had this honor, you could brag about it to your descendants for a lifetime!

Therefore, every unit that was rotated to the "attacking side," from captains to ordinary soldiers, put in their utmost effort.

On the simulated battlefield during the day, smoke and dust billowed, roars thundered, and the air was thick with killing intent.

Every tactical maneuver strives for speed and precision, every team coordination aims for seamless teamwork, and every use of equipment seeks to maximize its effectiveness…

As the sun sets, the drums of the drills cease, and night falls over the wilderness, the soldiers who participated in the training will return to their camp under the guidance of the military academy.

However, the extreme physical and mental excitement during the daytime training did not subside immediately.

The soldiers returned to their respective camps, lined up to rest, and received their meals.

Those squads that received excellent ratings that day were practically strutting around with their noses in the air, carrying extra portions of meat broth and chunks of meat, and swaggering out like crabs in front of the other soldiers who could only get ordinary meals.

This situation spurred other soldiers to spontaneously gather around the campfire in units of five, eating and discussing, summarizing, and reflecting on the day's offensive and defensive experiences...

Some people used daggers to draw simple shapes on the ground, while others used stones, clods of earth, and sticks they picked up to build rudimentary models. They discussed the drills of the day with great enthusiasm and heated debate.

An old soldier, his face still covered in dust and abrasions, spat and pointed with his cane at several lines on the sand: "During the third wave of attacks on the left corner of the barbican during the day, I felt that when the shield formation moved forward, the brothers on the right flank were too slow! In that mere ten paces of space, the flank took two more volleys of arrows from the city walls! That's why we were outnumbered!"

Beside another campfire, a man who looked like a squad leader was summarizing the charge: "After crossing the second simulated trench, our squad's formation spread out too wide! We were twenty or thirty paces behind each other, and the crossbowmen following behind couldn't keep up. Our covering fire stopped, and we were just sitting ducks on the city walls!"

Some units, whose turn to play the 'defenders' the next day, were giving their men a heads-up: 'Tomorrow it's our turn to go up the city wall! We need to think carefully about where those bastards ran into the wall today, and what tricks they'll pull tomorrow? Where should we pile our rolling logs for maximum effect? ​​And the pitchforks—think about how they messed with us today, and how we're going to get back at them tomorrow!'

These rank-and-file soldiers and junior officers were no longer passively accepting orders or simply burying themselves in numbers; they began to proactively consider tactical details, analyze the reasons for success and failure, summarize lessons learned, and propose improvements.

Throughout the entire cavalry camp, a strong and positive atmosphere of 'tactical discussion' permeated the air. While the generous rewards and material prizes were undoubtedly a powerful driving force on the surface, the deeper motivation lay in how these soldiers, unknowingly, were being armed by Fei Qian with a systematic approach to warfare, transforming them into a new type of soldier ahead of their time!

They believe that victory is not merely about flesh and armor, nor is it simply about piling up life and death, but can be achieved through more precise calculations, closer coordination, and more effective technology!

Individual martial prowess has become secondary; teamwork is the most important thing!
Meanwhile, as soldiers sweat and toil on the battlefield, injuries are inevitable. Therefore, the doctors and apprentices in the accompanying medical unit are at their busiest during this time…

In such high-intensity combat drills, minor bruises and abrasions caused by twists, falls, and collisions, or even fractures, or serious injuries caused by accidents, are inevitable.

Almost every day, some unlucky guys will actually be injured and forced to leave the game.

The sprawling medical camp is often brightly lit until late at night.

Inside the tents filled with the bitter smell of herbs, experienced military doctors, along with their apprentices, would patiently and meticulously clean the wounds of each injured soldier and apply ointments.

Those with fractures will also have their bones splinted.

Beyond treating wounds, doctors and apprentices also had to attend to the emotional needs of these wounded soldiers…

After treating one wounded soldier's wound, the old doctor looked at the others and said slowly, "Young men, don't be anxious, and don't be resentful... This Sishui Pass is important, but it's not the last pass! Our lord's ambition is to pacify the land and cleanse the world. From here eastward, how many powerful cities and towns await recapture in Shandong, the Central Plains, and along the Yellow River? Therefore, if you don't take good care of yourselves now, and your hands and feet aren't nimble enough, and you force yourselves to fight, you might develop chronic injuries and become lame, then you'll have to retire! Next time there's an even bigger and more important battle to fight, even if you're anxious and want to go to the front lines, you won't be able to! By then, it will be too late to regret it, wouldn't that be even more of a loss? So, calm down, listen to my advice, change your dressings on time, and rest and recuperate... As for the battles... there will always be a time for you to fight!"

Meanwhile, in the artisan camp located behind the main camp, a different scene of bustling activity unfolded.

Inside the blacksmith's shop, the clanging of hammers seemed never to stop.

Meanwhile, the hissing sound of the carpenter sawing and planing wood could be heard from time to time on the other side.

In the center of the artisan camp, the master craftsmen gathered together, engaging in heated discussions that often lasted all night.

Real-world testing is the best place to test and improve equipment.

none of them.

In the offensive and defensive battles, some equipment played a role, but it also exposed some problems.

The centipede-shaped ladder has insufficient structural strength, and its joints are easily damaged...

The siege towers and cloud-carts were too bulky and inconvenient to move...

The earthen cart was somewhat inadequate against arrows aimed from above...

These exposed flaws all came to the master craftsman, who racked his brains to find ways to improve them.

In an open space piled with timber, iron, and semi-finished tools, several foremen were arguing heatedly around a model of a "centipede ladder".

A master craftsman, his fingers rough as tree bark, pointed to the hinge between the ladder sections. "This is the crucial point! In the past, hardwood tenons and mortise joints were often used, reinforced with iron hoops. However, if a strong soldier from the city walls were to strike it heavily, this spot would easily break. I believe it should be made of old mountain vines repeatedly soaked in oil and dried, then woven together with three layers of tough cowhide into a rope, threaded through and connected, and finally covered with movable iron plates for protection. This way, it can be bent and stretched freely, is easy to erect, protects against swords and axes, and has excellent fire resistance."

"No, no!" said another craftsman, his hands tanned dark by the sun. "This method is good, but it takes too long. By the time the mountain vines are dried and then coated with cowhide lacquer, a year might have already passed!"

"Then you tell me!"

"If you ask me, isn't this hardwood prone to breakage? Let's just use copper or iron!" The dark-skinned craftsman gestured. "Rattan and leather are not metal or stone; they will wear out with use and are vulnerable to sharp blades. It's better to use wrought iron or scrap copper! It can withstand ordinary swords, axes, and fire, and soldiers will feel safe climbing it!"

"No, no!" someone shook their head and said, "Using copper or iron is too heavy! It's so long and so heavy, how many people would it take to carry it?"

"How about using iron chains and leather ropes?" someone suddenly suggested. "Use grappling hooks and iron chains at the top, which are impervious to knives and axes; attach leather ropes at the bottom, and you'll have both protection! When scaling the city walls, use the hooked ropes to grab the crenellations and secure them, then you can climb up!"

"That's good, but it's easy to wobble!" another craftsman chimed in. "And ordinary soldiers aren't skilled at using it, so it gets stuck in mid-air, neither up nor down..."

"How about we build a few and see which team is willing to give it a try tomorrow?"

"I think it's a good idea..."

These detailed discussions, debates, and even experiments all revolve around a single, core objective...

How to achieve greater breakthrough efficiency with fewer casualties!

Fei Qian brought far more than just a few extraordinary skills that were ahead of their time; he unlocked the shackles that had bound the minds of these Han Dynasty craftsmen!
War is a catalyst.

The artisans no longer sought to serve the high-ranking officials and nobles, nor did they delve into exquisite and decorative toys. Instead, they became more at the grassroots level, serving the needs of ordinary soldiers in war.

The craftsmen no longer mechanically followed the ancestral or the requirements given by high-ranking officials to repeat production. They began to actively analyze battlefield needs, study possible countermeasures by the enemy, and carry out targeted innovation, optimization, and even disruptive designs.

Military academy, soldier.

Physician, craftsman.

Within the vast cavalry camp, each person plays a different role, but together they create a brand-new 'war machine' that transcends this era!
Under the invisible yet powerful ideological command and resource integration of Fei Qian, the time traveler, every 'component' in the military camp is operating at high speed, working closely together, and continuously improving towards the same ultimate goal...

The soldiers' tactical skills and teamwork awareness...

Teamwork and adaptability...

The applicability and reliability of siege weapons...

The timeliness and effectiveness of logistical medical support...

They began to move away from blindly advocating and relying on individual bravery, and instead placed increasing emphasis on strict discipline, teamwork, and the accurate execution of complex tactics...

This is a "methodology" that only a certain major power in later generations possessed...

Be realistic and keep pace with the times.

Perhaps this is the most valuable lesson they have learned from Fei Qian.

On the towering city walls of Sishui Pass, Cao Cao was probably still anxiously counting down the days, weighing the increasingly fragile morale within the pass, and hoping for reinforcements from who-knows-where...

Within this cavalry training camp, thousands upon thousands of people are steadfastly accumulating strength and honing their skills through training!

They irrigated the battlefield with their sweat, illuminated the darkness with their thoughts, and forged steel with their wisdom!
What they were waiting for was not just a simple order to launch a final attack, but the constant tempering and evolution in the process, transforming the personal desire of the Former Qin Dynasty to gain merit through martial prowess and bloodlust into a sense of belonging to collective honor, a comprehensive understanding of the nation's war power, and a strong desire for the unification of China!

This is a seed destined to belong to the Chinese people...

Fei Qian planted it ahead of time.

Today, this seed is nourished by sweat and blood!
Amidst the sounds of war drums, arguments, and the clanging of hammers, it hatched from its shell!

Then, in the eyes of countless fervent Han people, it will gradually take shape, rise into the sky, and shine throughout the four seas and eight wastelands!