At the end of May, Liu Yan launched a detailed plan for the expansion of the New Army, increasing the original three-level organizational structure of battalion-headquarters-post from two-two to a three-three system, with three posts forming a general and three generals forming a battalion.
Liu Yan also struggled with whether to expand the army by adding new military structures, but after thinking about it carefully, he rejected this idea.
The reason is also very simple. There is currently a lack of qualified grassroots generals in the New Army, and hastily expanding the organizational structure will cause a serious decline in the grassroots command level of the New Army, which will then affect the combat effectiveness of the New Army.
According to Liu Yan's expansion plan, in the establishment of a battalion of the New Army, the flag and team levels will remain unchanged, and the strength of sentries, generals, and battalions will be increased. The strength of one sentry will increase to more than 280 people, and the strength of one total troop will be increased. The number increased to 1,069, and the strength of the first battalion tripled to more than 3,700!
Liu Yan abolished the post of picket officer in each battalion, and all the thousands of households were led by troops. The military discipline inspection duties in the army were fully responsible for the town governor Xun Jingyun. At the same time, Liu Yan also increased the military pay of the New Army officers and soldiers, from four taels of silver per soldier per month to five taels of silver, and the rest of the generals at all levels increased one by one.
For the artillery chief, Liu Yan also vigorously expanded the number. At this time, the output of the Firearms Supervision and Manufacturing Department was very stable, and there were a large number of artillery in the arsenal that could be installed.
So Liu Yan expanded the artillery commander into a battalion, and Qian Qian of Qianhu temporarily served as the commander of the artillery battalion with the title of Qian General.
The artillery battalion also adopts the organization of team-flag-post-general-battalion. A team of seventeen people has jurisdiction over two artillery pieces and is divided into two artillery groups. One flag and four teams are equipped with eight artillery pieces, one post and three flags are equipped with twenty-four artillery pieces, one general and three posts are equipped with seventy-two artillery pieces, and one battalion and three generals are equipped with a terrifying number of artillery pieces of 216!
This kind of firepower is definitely second to none in today's Ming Dynasty, and it is difficult to have an opponent even in Europe at the same time.
Of course, these two hundred and sixteen artillery pieces could not all be field heavy artillery. Liu Yan could not afford to build them, nor could they be transported in time when the army was marching.
The artillery battalion has three groups, namely the Huzun Artillery Group, the Folang Machine Gun Group, and the Rocket Artillery Group, forming a firepower distribution that combines both long and near distances and can be used in all areas.
After the expansion, the artillery battalion can be said to be strong and powerful. Not only is it equipped with the largest number and most sophisticated artillery in the Ming Dynasty at this time, but the number of people in the artillery battalion has also reached about 2,600.
Liu Yan estimated that Qian Qian would be so excited that he burst into tears when he saw this plan.
According to this three-three system expansion plan, the new army will usher in the largest expansion. The number of troops will be expanded from more than 9,000 to more than 28,000, and the monthly military salary expenditure will also soar from 40,000 taels of silver to 12,000. More than thirty thousand taels. This does not include the daily expenses of more than 28,000 soldiers in the future, such as food, drink, clothing, equipment, daily drills, logistics supplies, military equipment, etc. All calculated, the military expenditure for a month is estimated to be 200,000 taels of silver!
At this time, Liu Yan also lamented that in history, Wu Sangui once asked Emperor Chongzhen for millions of taels of silver for the military expenses of Guan Ning's cavalry. Emperor Chongzhen thought that Wu Sangui was self-respecting, so he opened his mouth at will. Now it seems that even if the military expenses Wu Sangui asks for are somewhat watery, they are enough to reflect the cost of raising troops.
If it weren't for the huge increase in the income of various workshops now, Liu Yan would not be panicked because he had money in hand, and he would not dare to expand his troops on such a large scale.
This three-three-system army expansion plan was immediately issued. Liu Yan ordered the commanders of all ministries to immediately start recruiting new soldiers. They would be selected from previously registered reserve soldiers. If the number was insufficient, qualified young men from military households in various places would be selected to join the army. .
At the same time, Liu Yan ordered each battalion to receive weapons and equipment from local arsenals. The Firearms Supervision Department and the Armor Supervision Department were responsible for transporting weapons and equipment to local arsenals, so as to keep the Jimo Camp City fully equipped with weapons and equipment at all times.
Pangmeng Town Inspection Department.
After receiving the recruitment notice from the inspector, Shen Wen said goodbye to his father Shen Dong, took some clothes with him, and came to the inspection department.
At this time, a courtyard in the city had been turned into a military station, and all the nearby recruits gathered here, waiting for transfer.
Here, a New Army soldier issued a number plate to him and asked Shen Wen to take it. This will be the certificate of registration.
Shen Wen nervously put it away close to his body, for fear of losing it.
Then Shen Wen and all the recruits who were gathered here were ordered to take off their clothes and stand naked in a queue of ten by ten. Several medical officers walked around in the crowd, paying no attention to the "shyness" of Shen Wen and others. With a demeanor, he carefully checked everyone's bodies one by one.
Anyone who was disabled, sick, or too thin was considered unqualified and taken out one by one. Then, in front of Shen Wen and others, the New Army gave some copper coins to the unqualified people and asked them to go back to their homes. The New Army did not want them.
"But generals elsewhere are wanted by everyone, even ruffians, but the new army is very selective!"
Shen Wen murmured in his heart, secretly thinking that Liu Yan was too harsh in recruiting troops. Who doesn't want to have more troops under his command, the better, so why are there such restrictions?
At this moment, a New Army soldier next to him said loudly: "All those who have obtained the license plate and passed the physical examination, put on your clothes and go outside the south gate to wait for the transfer carriage!"
After hearing the order, Shen Wen hurriedly followed the large group of people out of the city. He saw dozens of large carriages parked on the official road outside, each of which could hold more than a dozen people.
"Everyone, listen up. Board the bus according to the number plate you are called. You are not allowed to jump in line, make noise, or walk around. Otherwise, military law will be imposed!"
Shen Wen hurriedly took out his number plate again and saw that it read the number A, No. 17, and he read it silently in his heart.
At this time, all the recruits lined up in a long queue. The new army soldiers in front called out their numbers one after another. The recruited recruits who were called came out of the queue and boarded the designated carriage.
"The recruitment of the New Army is really strange. When other generals recruit soldiers and horses, they just give them a uniform, a sword and a gun, and then take them to the barracks for training. Why are there so many rules in the New Army?"
Shen Wen looked surprised, and then heard the New Army soldiers calling his number: "A number seventeen!"
Shen Wen hurriedly picked up his luggage and walked out. The New Army soldier checked the number plate, pointed to the carriage in front and said, "Go to carriage No. 11."
"Yes, Master Jun."
The New Army officer frowned and said, "In the future, when you join the New Army, don't call them military masters. People at the same level will be called Paoze, and superiors will be called officers. Do you understand?"
"Yes Yes!"
Shen Wen was "reprimanded" a few times, and he got into the carriage uneasily. There were already three recruits in the carriage. Shen Wen and the others smiled and said hello.
Then all the new recruits got on the carriage, and the motorcade started slowly, marching along the official road.
Shen Wen was surprised to find that these carriages were not heading to the same place, but were heading to different places at different forks in the road.
The carriage Shen Wen rode came all the way to Jimo Yingcheng, and eight carriages came with it. Seeing the city getting closer and closer, Shen Wen and all his companions raised their arms and cheered. The door to a new life had been opened.
After the carriage entered the city, it went directly to the military camp in the city. More than a hundred recruits, including Shen Wen, were gathered on the school grounds. There were also recruits transferred from other places. Many people had already gathered in the huge school grounds.
Shen Wen looked around. This was the first time he saw so many people, two or three thousand people. Just as he was amazed in his heart, a general wearing armor rode into the school grounds, accompanied by a large group of armored guards. Go with me in a majestic manner.
The person who came was none other than Wang Yue, the commander of the rear camp, and this batch of new soldiers was to supplement the rear camp.
Wang Yue looked at the recruits who had passed the first round of physical examination, with a habitual smile on his face, and said to his subordinates: "The second round of selection will begin immediately!"
"yes!"
As a burst of war drums sounded, Shen Wen and other new recruits were divided into several groups. Many new army officers came to lead the team and began to conduct physical tests on everyone.
Push-ups, long-distance running, squats, sit-ups, etc., after the new army soldiers demonstrated in front, they asked Shen Wen and other recruits to follow them. All recruits who did not pass the passing number had a red X drawn on their number plates. , the number of remaining qualified recruits was recorded as a basis.
In this round of selection, more than 400 new recruits were directly eliminated. These people will serve as Dunjun and be assigned to guard various parts of the Jimo camp. Although they will also receive military pay, they are much inferior to those of the new army.
Shen Wen benefited from years of working in the fields and developed a good physique. Although he was a little thin due to long-term hunger, fortunately, he had good endurance and passed the test without any danger.
At this time, Wang Yue looked at the remaining two thousand recruits and said to his subordinates: "Okay, time is tight and the task is heavy. Since these recruits are all young and strong military families with innocent family backgrounds, let's integrate them all in. The commander-in-chief will immediately Start the drill according to the plan. Your Excellency has already given the order, and each battalion must complete the reorganization as soon as possible and vigorously increase its combat effectiveness."
"yes!"
Wang Yue explained some more, then hurriedly mounted his horse and left. He had to go to the arsenal in the city. Now Xu Ming, Miao Shao, and Qian Qian were quarreling over there, fighting for the weapons and equipment in the arsenal. He couldn't Fall behind, otherwise all good things will be taken away.
"Everyone is waiting where they are. When your number is called, come over and gather to collect supplies!"
Shen Wen breathed a sigh of relief and finally made the choice. But what happened next left Shen Wen stunned.
"No. 17!"
Shen Wen hurried over and saw a mountain of various materials already placed on one side of the school grounds. There was also a long row of tables and chairs in front of it. Many New Army soldiers were there to maintain order and distribute things one by one.
"Don't be stunned, move forward!"
Only then did Shen Wen come to his senses and hurriedly followed the team, walking forward from table to table. The New Army soldiers next to each table would bring one or several things to the ground.
"This is soap and sea salt. Remember, sea salt is not for you to eat, it is for brushing your teeth."
"What? Just use a horsehair toothbrush!"
"Here are towels. Use two towels to wash your face and two to wipe your feet. In the New Army, you have to wash your feet and face every day. You must take a shower every two days. Otherwise, your personal hygiene will be unqualified and you will get a stick!"
"Two sets of short jackets and two sets of long sleeves. These are training uniforms, worn for daily drills. These two sets of mandarin duck battle jackets are military uniforms. They must be worn when the army goes on an expedition or gathers for important events!"
"Two beds of winter bedding and two beds of summer bedding must be kept clean and washed every half a month in winter and every three days in summer, otherwise military law will be imposed!"
"Two pairs of leggings, two pairs of military boots, leather belts, water hyacinths, belts, medicine pouches and other items must also be counted one by one."
"This is your belt. You are assigned to the fourth team of the rear camp, left general, left sentry, right flag. Take your belt and go over there. Your captain will take you to the barracks."
Shen Wen was holding so many things. Although they were heavy and numerous, his heart was filled with joy.
Let’s not talk about the quilts and towels, which are made of high-quality cotton and cotton cloth that we have never used before. Let’s talk about sea salt. Who would be willing to use high-quality sea salt to wash their clothes? Ordinary people can't even bear to eat, let alone brush their teeth!
"This new army is really here at the right time!"
At this time, Shen Wen was extremely excited. With such good treatment, even if Shangguan asked him to die, he would be willing to do so.
Shen Wen then followed his captain to the barracks, met a group of comrades, and listened to the captain's explanation of the precautions in the army.
"Next, you recruits must memorize all the new army's military disciplines within three days. Anyone who can't memorize it will just pack up and leave. All items handed out will be taken back."
"Military disciplines must be strictly observed in the army. Every day, the governor will lead inspections and those found violating disciplines will be severely punished..."
As Shen Wen listened to the rules, his fiery heart gradually cooled down: "Perhaps life in the new army not only has benefits, but also requires a lot of hard work!"
Some people died, but not completely...
