I am the prince of the Ming Dynasty, I don't give up

Chapter 253 March
After discussing with the officers of the New Army before Zhu Houzhao, Zhu Houxuan redefined the training goals based on his own understanding. The assessment criteria for bird-gunners were not how accurate their shots were, but the standard of their movements and firing speed. The accuracy of the bird-gun was only relative to the previous fire-guns. Pursuing accuracy with the matchlock smoothbore muskets of this era was tantamount to seeking fish in a tree.

The goal is to make the musketeer fire as many pellets as possible to create a greater density.

If the Ming Dynasty bird guns had qualified propellants and gun barrels, they would be lethal to unarmored targets at a distance of 100 steps. However, most propellants were not qualified, and most bullets did not fit the mouth. There were problems such as too much or too little powder, clogged ignition holes, and poor maintenance during operation, so the range was often not as good as that of bows and arrows. In addition, due to the corruption of officials at all levels, the materials used were getting less and less, and the gun walls were extremely thin, so they would explode when used, causing soldiers to be afraid to use them.

However, these problems do not exist in the new army. The weapons used by the new army are of the highest level of equipment manufacturing by the Royal Group.

Now the rate of musket equipment in the new army has reached 40%, and 20% are equipped with bows and arrows. This is a compromise made after practice, because the firing rate of the musket is still too slow, so bows and arrows are needed to supplement the firepower density.

Under Zhu Houxun's constant influence, Zhu Houzhao gradually accepted the theories instilled by Zhu Houxun and attached great importance to the long-range strike capability of the new army.

At a distance of 110 to 80 steps, there are Portuguese cannons, at a distance of steps, there are bird guns, at a distance of steps, there are rockets (there are many types of military rockets recorded in Ming Dynasty history books, and Qi Jiguang also equipped his army with a large number of rockets), at a distance of steps, there are bows and arrows, and at a distance of to steps, there are tiger squat cannons.
The closer the enemy is, the more attacks he will receive. Try to weaken the enemy as much as possible before engaging in melee combat.

At this time, the bird-gun soldiers had finished their second round of shooting, and all of them stood up with their guns at the command.

"Good! You are worthy of being the centurion with the best training results." Jiang Jiangong's voice came over, and he looked at Shi Wanshan with admiration.

Shi Wanshan looked at Jiang Jiangong. Although he didn't know Jiang Jiangong, he knew the captain who was accompanying Jiang Jiangong.

He calmly placed his right hand flat on his chest and saluted Jiang Jiangong. The kneeling ceremony had been abolished in the new army.

Jiang Jiangong also returned the salute, and then said to the captain beside him: "Add this captain to the mobile force."

Then Shi Wanshan's 120 soldiers were asked to pack their bags, carry only weapons and armor, and quickly assemble at the entrance of the military camp.

17 centurions quickly gathered at the gate of the military camp, with a total of 2040 people. They were all wearing plate armor and Ming helmets. Although they had never been on the battlefield, the new army after a year of training still showed a tough aura and a magnificent appearance!
Jiang Bin was very satisfied with what he saw. This army was different from any army he had seen before. Even though he had seen it many times, he still felt that he had not seen enough. He made a brief mobilization and then announced the goal of the action. As a mobile force, they had to carry out combat missions, so they had to set off first.

At the same time, an officer behind him also announced that the wartime regulations of the new army had come into effect, and they would receive a series of subsidies while performing combat missions.

When they learned that their target was a group of bandits seven or eight hundred miles away, many people felt relieved but also a little nervous. Although they had undergone a year of training, they couldn't help but feel nervous about going to the battlefield for the first time.

Shi Wanshan was calculating how many days it would take them to walk the seven or eight hundred miles. It would probably be very painful to walk such a long distance in winter.

At this moment, a row of empty horse trains suddenly appeared on the railway in front of the military camp, there were as many as fifty or sixty of them.

Shi Wanshan was not unfamiliar with the railway, because the Royal Group had specially built a branch line to the new army camp to transport supplies to the new army. "Everyone get on board!"

Teams of soldiers got on the train. Each horse-drawn carriage had two carriages, with 20 soldiers in each carriage. A hundred soldiers could pull the entire train in three horse-drawn carriages.

The team of 2000 people only used Marleys to complete the haul, and more than a dozen Marleys were used specifically to transport artillery.

But not all of the Marxist carriages were specially used to carry people. Many were used to transport ore and coal. However, you can't be too particular about it at this time.

A carriage is spacious enough for 20 people, although the seal of the carriage is not very good.
The Marshalls quickly got moving. When they passed a station, during the interval of changing horses, the people of the Royal Group threw a lot of warm blankets onto the car, which made Shi Wanshan and his centurions feel much better.

When they arrived at another station, the Royal Group sent a lot of hot meals to the carriage. They did not get off the train and ate, drank, defecated and urinated in the carriage.
At night, the Ma Lie train stopped running and we rested at the rest stop vacated by the Royal Group.

Shi Wanshan saw that their convoy was given the highest priority along the way, including priority in changing horses and getting supplies.
Countless Marxists actively avoided them
It only took two and a half days for someone to inform them that they had arrived. When Shi Wanshan got out of the car and stepped on the ground, he still felt a sense of unreality.

"Are we there already?" Jiang Bin said, looking at the words on the wall of Neiqiu County. "This railway is so convenient. In the past, it would have taken at least ten days or half a month to travel such a long distance in this season."

"Railways will become our main method of transporting troops in the future," Jiang Jiangong said calmly.

"This is the supply list that has been delivered. Please take a look, General. The spare weapons, equipment, and ammunition have been delivered. The subsequent supplies will arrive within two days," Jiang Jiangong said, handing over a stack of papers.

Jiang Bin took the stack of papers and quickly flipped through them. He remained silent for a long time before he sighed, "I have never fought such a rich battle in my life. This is too much."

"This is nothing to the Royal Group. The general has made full use of it. Now everyone in the group is holding back their energy," said Jiang Jiangong.

Jiang Bin nodded silently.

Jiang Jiangong took out another booklet and handed it to Jiang Bin.

"What is this?" Jiang Bin asked puzzledly.

"The staff officers of the General Staff went to the Ministry of War to inquire about the routes of the five times they entered Taihang Mountain to clear out the bandits in Xiongfeng Village. They also went to the Imperial Household Department to check the memorials submitted by various prefectures and counties about the activities of the bandits in Taihang Mountain in the past ten years. I summarized them in this booklet and also made corresponding annotations on this map. I also made a guess about the location of Xiongfeng Village," Jiang Jiangong said, taking out another map.

Jiang Bin looked at the brochure and the map for a long time without saying anything. He looked at Jiang Jiangong's tired expression and the bloodshot eyes, and suddenly understood something.
(End of this chapter)