Industrial Revolution of the Mage Lords

Chapter 768 Militia Guerrilla Team

"Listen up, everyone! Rest in place for fifteen minutes. No one is allowed to move around without further instructions!"

On the scorching hot playground, Herrera shouted at the top of his lungs a few times before handing over the task of monitoring the team to several deputies. He then hurried to the shaded area set up at the edge of the field.

Officials from the Bishui Town Municipal Hall were already waiting there, accompanied by several unfamiliar faces, all dressed in dark military uniforms.

The young baron couldn't yet clearly discern the ranks and positions of the officers from the insignia embroidered on their chests, so he could only force a smile, bow, and say, "Gentlemen, this is..."

A city hall official who had dealt with Herrera a few times chuckled and introduced, "These are the people sent by the Eastern Theater Command to guide the work of the militia. One is responsible for assisting you in recruiting and training new soldiers, and the other is the political advisor of the militia... Hehe, he also serves as a staff officer."

Two young officers, around Herrera's age, gave brief and serious self-introductions with stern faces.

This behavior made the baron's heart pound... He knew, of course, that the Saint Valenians would not so easily hand over the power to form an army and command soldiers to a newly sworn nobleman like himself. Their willingness to involve him was mostly due to their desire to take advantage of his good reputation in Steelrock City and their eagerness to counterattack their homeland and expel the foreign invaders.

Sending people to delegate power and monitor is only natural, and Herrera doesn't care right now... His real concern is when he can prepare his army and, with the support of the Saint Valen, launch a revenge campaign against those alien races.

"How many grassland immigrants has Your Excellency recruited to settle here so far?" Seeing the somewhat tense atmosphere, the lieutenant named Downs took the initiative to ask.

Herrera hesitated for a moment before honestly replying, "The Eisengard immigrants who have just arrived in Greenpool Town are mainly elderly people, women, and children. There aren't many young and middle-aged men suitable for recruitment... If the military can approve my expansion of the militia recruitment to the entire Greenpool County, I can guarantee that the force will be expanded to two thousand men within a month."

Downs nodded and continued, "I have come here with a permit for expansion and recruitment, Your Excellency need not worry."

Another political advisor named Karl turned to observe the militiamen who were standing at attention and training on the parade ground, and said in a calm tone, "Does Your Excellency intend to train these men into real soldiers capable of fighting against alien races, using the same methods as mercenaries?"

Herrera blushed slightly upon hearing this. After accepting the task of forming a militia, no one came to give him instructions for a short time. He could only temporarily let his subordinates train the people he had recruited, following the same method he had used to recruit and train mercenaries.

The Northern Army's fighting prowess was beyond question, but he didn't know how the Saint Valenians had trained such a disciplined and fiercely brave magical army. He could only lower his head and stammer, "Please, officers, teach me your methods of training..."

Downs chuckled, took a hard-covered booklet from his briefcase, and handed it to Herrera with a smile. Herrera took it and looked at it... The words "St. Valen Militia Reserve Training Manual" were prominently displayed on it.

This thing can actually be compiled into a special book for people to study?

Before he could even open the book to read it carefully, Downs' voice rang in his ears again, "It's not that there aren't advanced nobles in Eisengarde, like the Baron, who are determined to fight against foreign invaders and defend their homeland... It's just that your weapons are too outdated, and the soldiers under your command are too weak in combat, making it impossible for you to organize an effective counterattack." It was indeed the truth, but Herrera felt as if he had been slapped in the face in public, and his face burned with embarrassment.

Karl then tried to smooth things over, saying, "But our Saint Valen soldiers are also ordinary people. As long as they undergo rigorous military training and are equipped with weapons specifically designed to counter alien races, they can still fight face-to-face with those terrifying enemies on the battlefield..."

At this point, a fanatical and proud expression suddenly appeared on his face. "In fact, since His Majesty the Emperor officially declared war on these northern barbarians, we, the Saint Valen people, have fought dozens of battles, large and small, deep in the wilderness, and have almost never tasted defeat!"

Never been defeated? Has their battle against the alien race north of the Divine Ridge Mountains reached such a fierce level?

Wait a minute... Saint Valen's soldiers are also ordinary people. As long as they are trained and know how to use those terrifying magical weapons, they can effectively suppress and defeat those monsters!

Herrera immediately picked up on the obvious implication in the other person's words and looked up in disbelief, saying, "The military... no! His Majesty the Emperor has agreed to equip us, the foreign soldiers who have submitted to him, with powerful magical weapons as well?"

"Ahem... What foreign militia? Baron, watch your mouth! We're all compatriots now." A city hall official quickly leaned closer and whispered a reminder.

Herrera seemed to wake from a dream and quickly corrected himself, saying, "Yes! That's right... Since His Majesty trusts us so much, we, his subjects, will certainly do our utmost to serve him and fight bravely against the foreign enemies!"

He fixed his gaze on the two officers and said earnestly, "Please instruct me on how to conduct the training of the militia..."

Carl chuckled, “The first step, naturally, is to expand recruitment across the entire county, screen and eliminate candidates, strictly control the qualification standards, and transfer these soldiers from temporary resident status to professional military status…”

Next, these militiamen will be paid 80% of the salary of the regular Northern Army. At the same time, their housing, education and medical benefits will be the same as those of their own soldiers. This is to make them feel a sense of belonging to Saint Valen. Only with sufficiently generous treatment can we ensure that they will not return to their homeland and never come back.

Other weapons, equipment, logistics, and food supplies must also be provided. The standards cannot be too different from those of the regular army. After all, according to His Majesty the Emperor's idea, these people will be deployed in small groups to carry out guerrilla warfare in non-enemy-occupied areas. Their individual military skills and individual combat capabilities must meet the standards, and they must also have a deep understanding of the local situation as grassland people.

Herrera was taken aback by this long speech, and after a long pause, he stammered, "So the soldiers have to learn to read and write?"

This means that quickly assembling an army will take quite a while...

All he could think about was that His Majesty the Emperor would bestow upon him a few magical spears; he couldn't wait to lead his troops and wield the powerful weapons of the Saint Valen people to fight his way back to his homeland the very next day.

(End of this chapter)