Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

After hearing this, Zhu Cilang was very satisfied and laughed heartily. He looked around at everyone and said loudly:
"Excellent! The combat effectiveness of an army depends not only on weapons and armor, but also on innovative tactics and the elite training of its soldiers. General Liu's improvements fully demonstrate the necessity of the reforms I am promoting. Changing military formations is not a one-day effort, nor can it be accomplished by my own efforts alone. Only with the joint efforts of all of you generals can the Ming army be completely transformed!"

He paused, his tone more resolute. "What I want is not just an army that is adept at fighting, but one that knows how to learn and think! This training method must be compiled into a book, reviewed by the General Staff, and then promoted throughout the army. Once it is used on the real battlefield, it will surely achieve unprecedented success!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Shijie, Gao Jie, and the surrounding generals all bowed and shouted, "Yes!"

Zhu Cilang stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the vast army on the training ground, his heart filled with pride. He knew that this army was transforming at a visible rate. When the opportunity arose, it would surely sweep through countless hordes and proclaim the might of the Ming Dynasty!
In fact, the concept of the sixty-man detachment not only gave the army formation greater flexibility, enabling it to effectively respond to enemy attacks from the flanks and rear, but also enabled it to launch unexpected attacks at critical moments on the front lines, becoming a decisive force in the battle. This military innovation not only improved the army's adaptability but also provided greater scope for tactical application.

Liu Shijie, a man well versed in the ways of the officialdom, followed his customary practice by offering a few compliments to express his admiration for His Majesty's foresight. Then, changing the subject, he continued in a serious tone, "In truth, what I and my officers have done is merely to supplement and improve upon the framework Your Majesty has established. First, we discovered a key issue—the spacing between soldiers."

He paused, his eyes sweeping over the crowd before continuing, "This may seem insignificant, but it's actually directly related to the overall combat capability of the army formation. The coordination between spearmen, musketeers, and even between spearmen and musketeers is all dependent on the precise control of the spacing between the ranks. The arrangement of positions, front, back, left, and right, directly determines their coordination in battle, and even the effectiveness of their attacks and counterattacks."

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly, motioning him to continue.

"Determining this optimal spacing was the primary challenge I and my fellow officers encountered during actual training. However, through repeated deductions and combined with actual combat testing, we ultimately found a reasonable distance that allowed the spearmen to maintain a compact formation without compromising mobility. This also ensured that the musketeers wouldn't interfere with each other during volley fire, and maintained a smooth transition when firing in rotation."

"Secondly," Liu Shijie continued solemnly, "Your Majesty's proposed new military formation primarily relies on spears and muskets. While four-pounders are deployed, they serve primarily as a supplement to the muskets. During actual training, we've discovered that how to ensure that spearmen and musketmen perform their respective roles within the formation, providing mutual protection while simultaneously addressing their respective shortcomings, has become the second greatest difficulty in training."

He turned slightly to the side, pointed at the soldiers who were training in the distance, and said in a slightly high voice:
"Thus, the coordinated training of musketeers and pikemen became the core of the entire military formation training! Every step of the musketeer's reloading, firing, and rotation required rigorous training to ensure the accuracy of the volley and the stability of the rotation. Any slight confusion would lead to numerous flaws in the battle formation, becoming a weak point for the enemy to break through."

He looked at Zhu Cilang with a gleaming gaze, and a hint of admiration in his tone:

"However, Your Majesty has foresight! The new formation is smaller and more compact, requiring both spearmen and musketeers to face the enemy directly on the battlefield. This places even greater demands on the soldiers' courage, morale, and discipline. Only those who are brave enough to face the enemy and well-trained can ensure the formation's resilience in actual combat."

Upon hearing this, everyone present nodded, their faces thoughtful. Zhu Cilang smiled, clearly approving of his analysis.

Liu Shijie paused briefly, glanced at the other generals, and continued:

"Of course, compared to the central army's Mandarin Duck Formation, this new formation is relatively easy to train. While the morale and discipline requirements are high, they are far less stringent than the Mandarin Duck Formation. In other words, even local garrisons, or even peasant soldiers who have undergone a short period of training, can master its basic tactics in a relatively short period of time and put them into actual combat."

He changed the subject, his tone a little excited:

"Your Majesty's plan is truly ingenious! If Master Qi were still alive and saw this battle formation, he would probably admit defeat!"

As soon as these words came out, a low murmur of praise suddenly rang out in the crowd, and all the generals agreed deeply. After hearing this, Zhu Cilang smiled faintly and said slowly:

"This method is indeed effective. However, the key to a strong military formation lies in thorough training and coordinated battle formations. While I have set the direction, whether the soldiers can truly grasp it and apply it skillfully on the battlefield still requires more training from you. Do not become complacent with minor achievements."

He paused slightly, his gaze penetrating as he spoke slowly, "The power of the Mandarin Duck Formation has undoubtedly been tested in actual combat, but warfare is ever-changing. There are no fixed strategies for military tactics; only by adapting to local conditions can one remain invincible. The concept of the sixty-man detachment is to enable our army to quickly adjust and respond to varying battlefield conditions, forming a combat system that is both flexible and robust."

Zhu Cilang stood up, hands behind his back, and glanced at the generals present. He said in a sonorous and powerful tone:
"Next, all units must accelerate their training and ensure that the soldiers thoroughly master the new military formations as soon as possible. Especially the coordination of muskets and spears must be practiced with absolute precision. When the time is right, I will conduct an inspection. If you meet my standards, you will all be recognized for your meritorious service."

Upon hearing this, the generals all bowed and clasped their fists, loudly responding, "Yes!"

On the training grounds, teams of soldiers were still drilling, their spears like a forest, their muskets lined up, and their artillerymen standing in formation. Zhu Cilang watched all this, thinking to himself: Once this formation is perfected, even if powerful enemies surround us, our Ming Dynasty will remain as stable as a rock!

……

……

On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, the capital, both inside and outside, was still immersed in the afterglow of the festival, with every household decorated with lanterns and the sound of firecrackers. After reviewing the military exercises, Zhu Cilang immediately began preparing for his next trip—a trip to Zhenjiang to inspect the training results of the new military formation.

On the morning of the sixth day of the first lunar month, he led a group of generals and set out in a mighty procession to Zhenjiang. Zhenjiang, located at the strategic point of the Yangtze River defense, had been a battleground for military strategists since ancient times, and now it was an important base for the practice of new military formations.

Liu Shijie had been waiting there for a long time, his face brimming with confidence, and he spoke eloquently, detailing the tactical advantages of the new formation and its training progress. He even tactfully attributed considerable credit to Zhu Cilang, striving to demonstrate his loyalty and prudence.

Although Zhu Cilang listened attentively, his face occasionally showing an expression of agreement, he remained cautious in his heart. How could the merits of a military formation be determined by words alone?
You must know that tactics untested in actual combat are like untempered weapons: seemingly sharp, but in reality fragile. Once deployed on the battlefield, they are likely to be riddled with flaws, resulting in devastating losses. Furthermore, the implementation of a new military formation involves enormous human, material, and financial resources; any failure would have disastrous consequences. "The new military formation must undergo the most rigorous testing!"

Zhu Cilang had already made up his mind—not only would he conduct a field review, he would also arrange a real confrontation exercise to test the new military formation in a real combat environment. Only in a real confrontation could problems be exposed and gaps identified and addressed.

If the new formation couldn't withstand the test of confrontation, it would mean it couldn't adapt to the battlefield, let alone be widely adopted. Military commanders at all levels were already familiar with traditional tactics, and new tactics meant uncertainty, the need for readaptation, and even the possibility of short-term losses.

More importantly, the ministers at court would never readily accept a tactic that hadn't been tested in battle, especially if it could affect the court's overall strategic decision-making. If the new army was defeated, "dying before achieving victory," then no matter how advanced its concept, it would inevitably be subjected to ruthless criticism and denial.

At that time, if Zhu Cilang wanted to invest more manpower, material resources and financial resources to promote reform, he would probably face unbearable political pressure.

“Most people living in this era are short-sighted.”

Zhu Cilang was well aware of this: the vast majority of people don't care about the true future trends; they only focus on the immediate gains and losses. Every direction of military reform often finds legitimacy and support in its early stages, but ultimately, only the tactics that truly "survive" will be remembered by history.

For this reason, any reform must quickly demonstrate remarkable results, otherwise it will be met with overwhelming skepticism and opposition. People don’t need to hear explanations from losers, nor are they willing to listen to reasons why reform is being blocked.

The only way to convince the public is to produce a record that convinces everyone! Zhu Cilang is no stranger to the basic formation of the "Morris Square".

In the West, this tactical system had evolved over many years and had proven to be feasible. The Ming army, after years of training, also had the foundation to implement this method.

Based on this, Liu Shijie made numerous adjustments, incorporating the characteristics of Ming soldiers, to make it more suitable for the actual combat needs of the East Asian battlefield. However, Zhu Cilang also had his own concerns - the evolution of military formations could not be achieved by simply copying the experience of a single country.

Blindly copying Western military formations would only lead to mockery and even fatal mistakes on the battlefield. From the Swiss Phalanx to the Spanish Phalanx, to the Maurice Phalanx and the Gustav Phalanx, every tactical innovation was underpinned by advances in musket technology.

This was not only the gradual replacement of spearmen with musketmen, but also a testament to the shift in warfare from cold weapons to firearms. The Ming army's tactical improvements were also inseparable from this trend.

Zhu Cilang pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Liu Shijie, I heard you've improved the military formations, ensuring closer coordination between musketeers, spearmen, and artillery. That's excellent. But are you aware that some tactics, while effective, may not be suitable for us? The key lies in how to maximize the advantages of muskets, spears, and artillery formations within the Ming army's system."

Liu Shijie quickly clasped his hands and bowed his head, answering:

"Your Majesty is absolutely right! I understand that while the Morris Phalanx is powerful, it relies on the accuracy and rate of fire of European muskets. While our Ming Dynasty's firearms have advanced, musketeers haven't completely replaced pikemen, so tactics naturally need to be tailored to local conditions. Therefore, I have made some adjustments to the organization, allowing pikemen and musketeers to complement each other, and have introduced four-pounders for tactical support."

Zhu Cilang nodded slightly. "Indeed, tactical innovation cannot be divorced from reality. Only by introducing new tactics based on existing ones can we remain invincible."

That afternoon, at the Zhenjiang training ground, thousands of soldiers formed up, the two sides divided into attacking and defending, and the drill officially began. Zhu Cilang stood on a high platform with his hands behind his back, his eyes as sharp as a knife.

Constructing a military formation isn't just about stacking troops; it involves meticulous consideration of tactical details. The type of weapon used by the musketeers, their rate of fire, their effective range, the spacing between soldiers, and the ratio of musketeers to pikemen all directly determine the formation's organization, ultimately impacting the formation's overall defensive capabilities and the optimal deployment of troops.

If the musketeers are too closely spaced, they will suffer excessive casualties during an enemy cavalry charge; if they are too widely spaced, it will be difficult to form an effective fire network. Similarly, if the number of musketeers is insufficient, they will be at a disadvantage in long-range engagements; if they are too numerous, the phalanx's support in close combat will be greatly weakened. Therefore, balancing these details is the key to building a truly adaptable military formation.

Today, Zhu Cilang personally visited the battlefield to observe the joint drills of the two armies. He was quite pleased with the neat military formations, the orderly deployment of the battle formations, and the smooth and steady transitions between offense and defense.

However, simply having a perfect formation wasn't enough. On a real battlefield, the enemy wouldn't follow the drills step by step, so the actual use of the formation had to undergo the most rigorous tests. Among all the military developments, Zhu Cilang's greatest concern remained the development of artillery.

After reviewing the army's training, he immediately returned to Nanjing by boat to inspect the artillery workshop there. Artillery, as one of the most decisive weapons on the battlefield, its production directly determined the Ming army's combat capability in future battles.

The Portuguese in Macau, intimidated by the Ming Dynasty's military strength and attracted by the trade benefits, had already made compromises. Not only did they cooperate with the Ming Dynasty in arms trade, but even the Macau artillery factory was actually controlled by the Ming Dynasty.

Despite this, the output of this artillery factory was still unable to meet the needs of the ever-expanding army. Moreover, Macau was located at the mouth of the Pearl River, and its remote location made the situation unpredictable if an external enemy invaded. In addition, the Portuguese were ultimately a foreign power, and Zhu Cilang was always wary of them.

For this reason, Zhu Cilang had already ordered the construction of new cannon foundries in Nanjing, Suzhou, and Zhenjiang Prefectures several years ago, in order to gain control of the core military production capabilities. (End of this chapter)