Exercise 72
"There will be a siege drill in a moment. [Read full text] In every drill, a few people are always injured. The head of the east gate asked the health workers to come in and join in."
"There's a drill I want to see."
"Come with me." Xie Shu said, taking He Ping to the hill where the bandaging was, and fetched him a telescope. It's just a small mound. There were already many officers standing above. He Ping saw He Ming was there, looking at something with a telescope. Behind him stood a group of Army officers. He Ping saw that Wei Aiwen, Ying Yu, Zhang Bolin and others were all there. They were wearing gray uniforms and leggings. They all had binoculars on their chests and leather map bags on their shoulders. Some of them had a Take a map holder and pencil. Several staff officers were busy laying out maps on folding tables.
Behind them stood a dozen orderlies and guards, carrying short-barreled Mini rifles or Lingao version of revolvers. Everyone stood with bated breath, waiting for instructions.
What was incongruous in this typical nineteenth-century war scene was a radio station with several female operators calling by code numbers.
Seeing He Ping coming over, He Ming nodded slightly to him but said nothing.
He Ping stood silently in a place out of the way and looked in the direction they were looking.
About two or three kilometers away from the mountain, there is a temporarily built earth city. This earthen city is extremely small, with the distance between two opposing city gates being only 150 meters. Although the sparrow is small and has all the internal organs, there are also cross streets in the city. There are shops and houses on both sides of the streets. In the center of the cross streets is a bell and drum tower. All the common fortification measures found in cities in the Ming Dynasty are available. The outside is surrounded by trenches. There is also a deer village set up outside the trench, which is very tightly defended.
"This was built by the third battalion in three days with the cooperation of the engineering company," Xie Shu said. "The outside of the city wall was not covered with bricks and tiles, and the gate was made of branches." Xie Shu said.
About one kilometer away from Tucheng, through the mist, He Ping could see the queue already forming. Judging from the size, it is about the size of an infantry battalion. There are twelve artillery pieces lined up behind the fort, and the artillerymen are rushing back and forth.
He knew that this was about to launch a siege exercise. He looked out through the telescope and could vaguely see figures moving on the city wall, probably soldiers on the defensive side. There was a flag flying on the Bell and Drum Tower in the center of the city, but it was unclear what it said.
Suddenly, a green rocket flew into the sky first, and five minutes later three red signal rockets took off. The 12 artillery pieces placed at the front opened fire one by one, and thick white smoke spurted out from the muzzles. This was the first time He Ping saw such intensive artillery fire. The trajectories of the 12-pound cannon and 24-pound howitzer shells drew streaks of white smoke in the air. The spherical shells hit the earth city, and soil and tree trunks flew in the air. The power of the 12-pound solid bullets stunned He Ping, and some shells directly flew away the masonry battlements and parapets. A fake cannon used as a target was hit by a cannonball and flew out in two pieces. 24-pound grenades cleared the human-shaped targets on the city wall that served as stand-ins for the defenders. Black smoke filled the city and debris flew everywhere.
A watchtower on a city wall received concentrated fire from a 12-pounder cannon and quickly collapsed.
A red signal rocket flew into the air, and amidst the rapid sound of military drums, the attacking troops began to attack in company column formation. In front of the column were the grenadiers in a skirmish line. The soldiers rushed forward, many carrying bundles of firewood, and some carrying light ladders.
The artillery began to extend its fire to suppress the reinforcements of the defending troops heading towards the city gate. The grenade flew over the city wall and landed on the streets and houses near the city gate, causing rubble and wood to fly everywhere.
At this time, the war drums were beating in unison, shaking the sky and the earth. The soldiers shouted "kill" loudly. The attacking soldiers all had bayonets on, and white lights flashed. At this time, there was also continuous sound of cannons on the city wall, and clouds of gunpowder smoke were flying.
The grenadiers rushed under the city wall and opened fire at the top of the city to suppress the firepower at the top of the city. Some of the infantry quickly used axes to cut open the deer village, and some used poles with hooks to open the deer village and create a gap for advancement. When they destroyed Luzhai and opened a gap, the others shouted and fired fiercely at the city head. Above and below the city, the sound of killings was deafening, the sound of gunfire was deafening, and the smoke enveloped everything. A gust of wind blew, and the smoke dispersed slightly. In an instant, three companies and columns opened the gap, bundles of firewood were thrown into the trench, and ladders were quickly erected. The grenadiers who were originally responsible for suppressing shooting began to board the city, and at the same time they continued to throw grenades on the city.
In the blink of an eye, the grenadiers had eliminated the "enemies" at the top of the city. Some riflemen continued to climb onto the city to expand the breach, and some began to attack the city towers, preparing to open the city gates. The "enemies" defending the city took advantage of the tower's commanding heights and launched firearms to mount a fierce resistance. The grenadiers fired and dropped bombs, quickly advancing to the bottom of the tower and clearing out the defenders. After a while, the city gate opened wide, the drawbridge was lowered, and all the infantry who were suppressing fire outside the city rushed in. An official and military flag flying on the Bell and Drum Tower was pulled down. Three red signal rockets then rose into the sky, announcing the end of the attack.
"Awesome" He Ping couldn't help but sigh. He looked at his watch and saw that the entire process from firing the first shot to the end of the battle only took 34 minutes. Not only is the firepower fast and fierce, but the soldiers' offensive actions are also coordinated very well. A well-trained force indeed.
The officers around He Ming were commenting:
"At the beginning, artillery fire should be concentrated on the tower. The enemy cannot rely on the tower to suppress the troops seizing the gate."
"The grenadiers still have a few grenades. Some of them were gone after they attacked the tower."
"Artillery should accompany the infantry. We have lightweight 12-pound mountain howitzers that can advance with the assault column. If the enemy has assembled a large number of reserves near the city gate, as soon as we open the city gate, the enemy will counterattack, which is likely to crowd out the siege troops. go out."
"With suppressive fire from howitzers, it would be impossible for the enemy to mass their forces behind the walls."
"If we have cavalry, we can wait outside the enemy's range and wait for the city gate to open before charging. We don't have to brave artillery fire to assemble near the city gate."
…
He Ming did not express his opinion. He waited for everyone's comments to come to an end before saying: "The third battalion fought well. All departments cooperated very well." He then asked: "Who commanded the grenadiers?"
"Huang Ande, commander of the 1st Platoon of the 3rd Battalion Grenadier Company."
"It's great to be able to command a whole battalion of grenadiers for the first time." He said, "When the assault on the city gate was blocked, we were very decisive in handling it."
"This Huang Ande seems to be from the Ming Army."
"Yes," Wei Aiwen said quickly, "He is a soldier from Shandong, and he is the same clan as Huang Xiong. The two are cousins who have not been out of the fifth server."
"Huang Xiong," He Ming quickly thought of this person. This person was the earliest member of the Army and an officer of the Ming Army, so he had some impressions. "This man is very brave. He seems to be one of the first to be promoted to second lieutenant. Where is he now?"
"The mine protection platoon in the Jiazi coal mine belt."
He Ming nodded. He remembered the security issues at several foreign strongholds besides Lingao.
The safety of Jiazi Coal Mine will not be a problem for a while. There are mine protection platoons and hundreds of miners who have received military training, and the place is remote.
As for the sugar factory in Leizhou, although its combat power is weaker, it still has a few hundred workers - the sky is high in Leizhou and the emperor is far away, the government's ruling power is not strong, and the sugar factory is strong enough to protect itself. If something unexpected happens, Xu Wen is opposite Lingao, so it is very convenient for rescue. There is no need to dispatch the army, navy reinforcements alone are enough.
However, it is not enough to just issue instructions asking them to "pay attention to precautions". They will definitely be criticized during the post-war review meeting. At least one label of "disregard for the safety of the elders" must be slapped on him.
Everyone didn't know what he was thinking about, and they thought he was going to see Huang Ande. Unexpectedly, he only said:
"What do you think of this exercise?"
Panda said: "The artillery fire was so powerful that my assault engineers were of no use at all." In the battle plan, if the operation to seize the city gate failed, Panda's engineers would drop explosives to blast the city gate.
"This city is not big. If you want to attack a big city, you will need your assault engineers." He Ming said, "After all, it is an acting. It can only partially test the combat effectiveness. If we want to attack a big city, our firepower is basically useless. It’s not enough.”
Lin Shenhe said: "If you are attacking a heavily fortified big city and the enemy is very resolute in fighting, you can follow a regular siege battle. Dig zigzag trenches to approach, and then use siege guns to approach the city gates and bombard them with direct aim. , broke directly into the door."
"The Armstrong rifled gun is not a large-caliber smoothbore cannon, and there is no need for a zigzag trench to approach and bombard. Even if it is too far away to hit accurately, it is enough to fire from a kilometer away." Ying Yu said, "Use zigzag trenches to approach the enemy city and let the infantry Impact is still a very useful tactic. Then use mortars to cover it."
The city wall was a major challenge for the Fubo Army. The Ming Dynasty was a dynasty that focused on city building. Even the walls of county towns were very strong. Not to mention the artillery of the 19th century, even during the Anti-Japanese War and the Civil War between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party of China in the 20th century, the high-explosive grenades fired by modern artillery also hit many county towns. There is nothing the city walls can do. Sometimes the artillery has riddled the city wall with holes, but rarely can the entire wall be destroyed.
"If we can launch rockets on a large scale, we can further disrupt the movement of troops in the city and reduce the enemy's morale. It will cause too much damage to the buildings and people in the city."
... He Ping was not interested in listening anymore. He saw another team heading towards Tucheng, carrying carts, various tools and building materials. Xie Shu told him that he was going to build the city. After the restoration, the earthen castle will continue to be used as a training facility.
"Take me to the dressing room."
"Yes, sir." Xie Shu led him down the hillside.
"What did you remember during the drill?"
He Ping saw that he was concentrating on watching the exercise and writing something in his notebook.
Xie Shu said: "I am recording the process of the exercise, and I also have some opinions of my own."
"Really? Are you very attentive to tactics and the art of war?" He Ping said, "Why do you want to be a logistics staff officer? Not a combat or training staff officer?"
"Because you are fighting for logistics. The system of the Fubo Army is far inferior to that of the official army. Even in the military books of the past dynasties, no one has written about it." He said, "Everyone knows that the army has not used food and grass first, but it can This is just a general statement. Fubo Army is different. Everything must be done carefully."
"This is modern warfare."
"What did you say? Long."
"It's nothing," He Ping said, "Being a logistics consultant is very trivial, so you don't mind the trouble."
"It's not too troublesome. Although being a 'grain and grass officer' is indeed very trivial. But everything is organized and there is a set of rules. Especially rules and regulations." Xie Shu said, "I heard that there are certain rules for handling food, pay, clothing, weapons, and weapons in the army. and various thresholds, but the master who handled it regarded it as a family secret and kept it secret from others, and there was no detailed record in the military book."
He Pingyu found it strange that when this person talked about these things, his eyes looked a bit like a military fanatic from the old time and space. Do you think this person is reliable? How could the Army recruit such a person?
"How did you come up with the idea of becoming a soldier? I think you look pretty good. Besides, the Ming Dynasty has always valued civility over military affairs."
Xie Shu was a little embarrassed, and nodded: "Our family actually had some money when we came to Lingao, and my father did quite well in Lingao. I joined the army because I saw the Fubo Army's drills, and I felt that the Australians besides firearms In addition, the art of war is equally mysterious. I have read countless Chinese military books, but I don’t understand the Australians’ art of war. They join the army when they are recruiting troops.”
"That's it?" He Ping felt incredible.
"That's it." Xie Shu nodded solemnly.
"What is your father doing in Lingao?"
Xie Shu gave him a strange look: "He works as a doctor under the Ministry of Health..."
He Ping suddenly remembered that the Ministry of Health had indeed recruited many doctors of traditional Chinese medicine from immigrants and local indigenous people. There were about twenty people, with varying levels of skill, and among them there was indeed a man named Xie.
"Are you Xie Yao's son?"
"It's my father."
He Ping laughed. Xie Yao is a very interesting person. His family indeed took the initiative to defect to Lingao and settled in Calais Commune. In fact, he is not a doctor. He has only read a lot of medical books so that he can treat people. In fact, the medical skills are not very good. When the Ministry of Health was searching for doctors among immigrants, he insisted on applying, saying that he wanted to get a glimpse of the wonderful medical skills of Australians. Not only did he become a doctor, he also had to study surgery.
The father and son are very similar. They both have a strong desire for knowledge and are able to practice it.
He Ping went to the bandaging station and took a look around. A dozen wounded people had been sent here. They were all injured during the exercise. Most of the injuries were not serious. The most serious one was hit by a cannonball during the exercise because he could not avoid it. There was damage from the wood and it looked like a broken bone. A doctor from the trauma department is setting his bones. Others may have contusions or burns, and the hygienists can apply bandages to treat them.
He Ping took a look at the dressing room, including the instruments and equipment inside - all kinds of medicines and equipment were fully prepared. This dressing room is at the battalion level and is mainly responsible for admission and preliminary treatment. In addition to two or three Chinese medicine doctors, there are also health workers. He Ping looked at the casualty admission register and saw that each wounded soldier's military registration number, name, and unit were clearly registered. Everyone also has their own medical records. The management was very standardized, and I couldn't help but nod my head in approval.
He Ping looked at other health and epidemic prevention measures and pointed out many deficiencies, and Xie Shu recorded them all.
After the inspection, it was already evening. Dongmen Chuiyu sent a messenger to invite him to have dinner with him. He Ping went happily. I met Wu Shimang and Yang He on the way. The three of them arrived at the officers' mess together.
He Ping had already visited the officers' mess once in the afternoon when he was inspecting the hygiene. It was a shed built with bamboo poles and reed mats. It is used for dining for officers above second lieutenant. In fact, officers of each unit eat in their own companies. Only officers from the headquarters and directly affiliated units dine here. It was very empty.
In accordance with the policy of the general office, He Ping and others received meal stamps before going out. These are Yifan's several specific measures to build a clean government, completely cutting off the expenditure on official entertainment. Business travelers must receive meal tickets on a daily basis before traveling. With the ticket, you can receive a standard meal from each unit, or you can eat and distribute meals at the village office in the villages along the route. The reception unit will settle the settlement with the Ministry of Finance afterwards, which makes it easy to review at any time.
"It's amazing, there is luncheon meat today." Dongmen Chuiyu, who came back from getting food, raised his eyebrows, "This thing is becoming more and more rare now."
On the dinner plate is fried luncheon meat with bitter melon. The luncheon meat was cut into domino-sized pieces. Although it was small, there was a lot of portion in the dish, at least one-third of it was luncheon meat.
"Of course, if you don't eat it, it will expire." He Ping thought of the last time he checked the food from the old time and space in the warehouse directly under the Planning Institute. There were still many unused cans, which were approaching the expiration date. The reserves were all reserved for the most critical moments at the beginning, but this time I probably took them all out at once.
The food provided in the officers' mess is simple but nutritious. Because of the war, even kvass containing trace amounts of alcohol was not available, so everyone used tea instead of wine.
"After the prisoner of war camp is built, our church will build a small chapel to guide these lost lambs." Wu Shimang ate the fried luncheon meat with bitter melon.
"The army doesn't like you training future soldiers to be religious."
"Future soldiers?" Wu Shimang shook his head, "How can such professional soldiers from the Ming Dynasty become soldiers? All of them are bastards. The Sixth Army has no interest in recruiting a large number of them. At least they have to be labor reformers for a few years. Let’s change our temper and habits. At most, the Army should not recruit believers. I think 10% of them will be sent to Sanya or Vietnam.”
"It would also be great if we could send it to Taiwan via a car."
"I think it would be a good idea to send it to Southeast Asia, to build a colony to mine and grow rubber or something. Since we want to go south, these ruffians are not necessarily very capable. They are only good at harming the people. Let them go to Southeast Asia for military garrison. "A!" ~!
