Nanyang Storm 1864

The current Premier of Queensland, John Wickham, was awarded the title of Earl for his merits. Although he was not the eldest son in the family, he received this generous reward. The Wickham family now has two Earls, making them one of the most prominent noble families in Australia.

His father, Lieutenant General Qian Jiang, retired and lived in Australia for a long time. He has since passed away.

Lieutenant General Qian Jiang has been a capable assistant to Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu Empire for decades. As early as the Tongzhou militia period, he was the emperor's loyal deputy general.

He spent his entire life in the military, achieving remarkable military exploits.

Now that their families are based in Australia and enjoy great favor, the deep bond between the two men has blossomed into a beautiful story.

The reason why Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu Empire was so beloved was that he was a loyal and righteous emperor, unlike the Zhu family who discarded their usefulness after it was over. He had a large group of loyal old ministers who were willing to follow him to the death.

After the Second East Indies War, a large number of veteran generals, after being granted high positions and titles, petitioned to retire to the mountains and forests, leaving the important responsibilities to younger and stronger generals.

Among the few remaining military veterans are the still vigorous General Huang Shan and the newly appointed Chief of the General Staff, General Zheng Guoguang, who is also the current emperor's younger brother, was granted the title of Duke of Bintulu, and served as the Governor of East Malaya for more than ten years.

After receiving their final honors in their military careers, General Pan Tianshou, former Chief of the General Staff, General Zheng Shun, and General He Rulin all wrote letters to retire and return to their hometowns.

Quietly, the military underwent a generational transition.

This is the shrewd tactic of Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu Empire. After winning a major war victory, it is a time when the generals' confidence is soaring, especially the middle-aged and young generals who are prone to developing unrealistic ambitions and expectations.

Therefore, in the Second East Indies War, Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu Dynasty focused on employing a group of veteran generals, allowing them to continue to contribute their remaining strength.

the war is over

Officers from the meritorious units were promoted, transferred, or retired.

The old generals relinquished their important military power to new officers and then retired to enjoy their old age.

Several of the Royal Army's main expeditionary divisions were transferred to Australia for garrison duty. In this remote rear area, there was a vast training ground where new tactical exercises could be tested and the excessive enthusiasm of the troops could be exhausted.

Invisibly, it eliminates any possible accidents.

Since the establishment of the Great Chu Empire
There was never a single instance of war or rebellion; all potential dangers were nipped in the bud, demonstrating Emperor Zheng Guohui's skillful military and political maneuvering, which is truly admirable.

In Brisbane

The headquarters of the illustrious 4th Expeditionary Division was stationed there, commanded by Major General Mu Zhenlei, a newly promoted and promising middle-aged general from a family of distinguished service.

His father was the former Minister of Ports, Shipping and Transport, Mokhchen, who was also one of the "Eight Wise Ministers of Davao" in the early years. He and the current Prime Minister, Pham Trinh, were both veteran ministers in the early days of the kingdom's establishment. He is now a senior member of the House of Nobles.

The House of Nobles of the Great Chu Empire was somewhat similar to the Senate of the Roman Empire, consisting of retired nobles and officials who continued to contribute their remaining influence.

In the eyes of Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu
Major General Mu Zhenlei comes from a distinguished family with impeccable political credentials. Such a noble family is inherently bound to the royal family, sharing both glory and disgrace.

Of course, his personal military command ability is also outstanding.

In the vast grassland and hilly areas
Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu, dressed in military attire and riding a horse, was surrounded by high-ranking military officers. He was watching with great interest as he inspected the field training exercise of the first expeditionary division.

Major General Mu Zhenlei, commander of the Fourth Division, followed by His Majesty, ready to answer any questions. He held up a riding whip and pointed to the attacking and defending ranks in front of him, explaining.
"Your Majesty, please take a look;"
Our division is currently conducting an infantry regiment-level combat exercise, with four regiments attacking and one regiment defending, and the scenario is set as a field encounter.

The two sides' cavalry made initial contact. After a brief battle, the cavalry unit of the first regiment was the first to disengage and quickly return to report the urgent military situation.

Upon receiving the report, the regiment quickly constructed defensive positions, taking advantage of the hilly terrain and the river to the north, to confront the enemy head-on.

Judging from the configuration of the first group
The regimental heavy firepower company was divided into left and right flanks, positioned on the hilly highlands to the north and south respectively, to cover the frontal defense with the fierce firepower of Maxim heavy machine guns and 37mm rapid-fire cannons.

The experience of the Boer War in South Africa can lead to the conclusion that...
Crossfire inflicts the most damage on enemy troops charging in groups, and is the most scientifically sound firepower configuration. Therefore, the Royal Army Infantry Manual clearly stipulates this.

The firepower configuration should primarily consist of crossfire to maximize the kill of enemy troops.

Two infantry companies of a regiment were positioned in front, using their entrenching tools to build a temporary defensive line. Each soldier was required to construct a foxhole 60 centimeters deep and one meter wide, and to rely on it for combat.

Foxholes are spaced 3 to 5 meters apart, and only two infantry companies are needed to form a wide front line to block the enemy's fierce offensive.

Behind the front lines

The regiment retains a large reserve force, which can be adjusted at any time according to the situation on the front line, and respond flexibly.

This is based on the experience of the Boer War…

Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu was already fully aware of what Major General Mu Zhenlei had said.

Drawing on the experiences and lessons of the Boer War, a comprehensive reform of the existing Royal Army infantry manual was initiated to adapt to the new era of warfare.

The 19th-century line infantry tactics had long been abandoned, and the British Royal Army, clinging to tradition, suffered greatly in South Africa, becoming an unfortunate negative example.

Observers of the armies of major world powers generally believe that outdated tactics are no longer suitable for the new era. Countries are exploring and developing many new tactics and strategies.

For example, skirmish lines, massed assaults, wave attacks, and coordinated attacks are all significant improvements over the previously rigid army tactics, representing a new trend in army development.

At the individual soldier tactics, platoon and squad level offensive tactics, company level offensive tactics, and battalion and regimental level offensive tactics, there are a variety of approaches, all seeking the optimal solution.

Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu Dynasty had led troops for decades, and through observation alone, he could tell the training level of an army. Nothing could escape his discerning eyes.

Major General Mu Zhenlei, commander of the Fourth Division, also looked very nervous, occasionally stealing glances at the expression on His Majesty's face.

His Majesty's comments possessed unquestionable supreme authority, and his inspection was the ultimate test for the Fourth Division, which kept Major General Mu Zhenlei on edge.

At the far end of the training ground

A long column of smoke and dust billowed out as the Fourth Regiment marched to the battlefield. Soon, banners would flutter and a long procession would appear.

Leading the way was the cavalry, followed by a convoy of over twenty trucks carrying a large number of soldiers and heavy machine guns from the regimental heavy artillery company, charging forward menacingly.

Further back

The supplies were transported by hundreds of mule-drawn carts, with the main force of the Fourth Regiment advancing on foot on both sides of the carts, exuding a strong sense of killing intent.

Currently, among the major powers, there is a very formal concept called building "mule and horse-powered divisions".

The term "mule-drawn division" is widely used in the military manuals of major European and American powers, and is equivalent to the "mechanized division" of later times.

Because of its advanced automobile industry, the Great Chu Empire had a number of heavy trucks in its army, which were used to tow field guns and 37mm rapid-fire cannons, which were heavy firepower at the regimental level.

Through his telescope, Emperor Zheng Guohui of the Great Chu observed that the soldiers were well-trained and in high spirits. They truly lived up to the reputation of the empire's veteran army, and every move they made exuded efficiency.

Not long
The Fourth Regiment adjusted its deployment and immediately began shelling once the artillery was in position.

Of course, field exercises cannot involve actual artillery fire; officers can simply signal with flags.

But before
The artillerymen dispersed, artillery positions were built, ammunition was transported, and the gun barrels were adjusted. Every step of the preparation work was carried out meticulously, without skipping a single step.

In less than 15 minutes
The field artillery positions on both flanks were constructed, and the artillery was ready to fire, demonstrating an extremely high level of training. These veterans were indeed highly skilled.

Artillery is a typical technical branch of the military. Every gunner and deputy gunner is a senior sergeant, at least in their thirties, and many are in their forties or fifties. They are all professional soldiers.

The young gunners, second gunners, third gunners, and ammunition handlers were composed of conscripts.

The Great Chu Empire was the first country in the world to implement a conscription system. Its army consisted of conscripts, professional soldiers, and officers, and it also established a complete reserve conscription system.

The armed militia, widely distributed in cities, countryside, factories, and streets, are one type of reserve soldier, but not all of them.

Among the world's great powers
Britain, France, and the United States are typical examples of professional military systems, with many soldiers in their thirties, forties, or even fifties, including a significant number of veteran soldiers.

The advantage is that professional veterans are highly capable and experienced, making them virtually invincible in low-intensity colonial wars.

Often, a small squad, with the advantage of advanced firearms, could suppress thousands or even tens of thousands of colonial natives, a tactic that established colonial powers found very effective.

The downsides were also obvious: in the high-intensity European wars, these professional soldiers did not perform any better than the Russian serf soldiers, and they could not withstand heavy losses.

This was clearly demonstrated in the Crimean War that broke out in 1853, where the Anglo-French allied forces performed disappointingly against the fearless Russian serf soldiers.

The German Empire adopted the same military service system as the State of Chu. The British newspaper The Times reported that "Germany has established a comprehensive military war and mobilization system modeled after the Chu style" because of this.

Whenever I see similar reports

Kaiser Wilhelm II was furious, shouting that this was a German innovation, and that similar ideas had emerged in the early 19th century, for example, in the writings of a certain military strategist…

Regardless of his denials, the major powers such as Britain, France, and the United States generally believed that the system of universal conscription was an innovation of the Great Chu Empire.

It is believed that the Great Chu Empire was the first to propose and implement a universal conscription system, and established the world's first army that combined conscripts and professional soldiers, giving it an undeniable leading edge.

Therefore, after the German Empire fully implemented conscription, it was given the title of "Chu-style army".

The more dissatisfied Kaiser Wilhelm II became, the more enthusiastic Britain and France became, widely promoting the concept of the "Chu-style army" worldwide, which almost became synonymous with the conscription system.

The second student was Japan. Japan's army was modeled entirely on Germany's system, and they copied this effective and comprehensive conscription system back with them.

In the eyes of countries like Britain, France, and the United States, the Japanese army is the "second best student," while the "first best student" is naturally the German Royal Army.

Whether you're happy or not, it's settled. (End of Chapter)