Post by Gongsun Chao on Nov 9, 2009 4:49:05 GMT
Tags I'm going for with this post:
Training
Planing
On the long journey from Ru Nan to Changsha, Chao's personal unit, called the Standard of the White Dragon, had received the support of many of the villagers along the way. Many able young men had heard of his name and flocked to his cause, picking up a spear with their hands and the cause of virtue with their hearts. Now in Changsha, Chao realized that before he could lead these men into battle, he'd need to train them in the art of the weapon they'd chosen.
DAY 1
In a large field not far from Changsha's gates, Chao called a meeting of all his unit's spearmen and pikemen. It quickly became difficult to control them all, but Zhang Ci arranged the men into ranks and columns, finally getting them to stand at attention. Over two-thousand eyes fell on the young noble. He spoke in a powerful voice, loud enough for his men to hear, despite their numbers.
"Men of the Standard of the White Dragon! Each of you has chosen to give his service to the cause of virtue, the cause that will unite the land in peace! This shall happen, for Heaven wills it. Yet, it falls upon your courage to fight for the peace that this land shall someday attain. Fortunately, the Heavens do not give us a task without aid, and so today we shall all learn the art of the spear."
Zhou Xu, the young noble's vassal strategist, brought two wooden spears, one for the young Chao and one for his bodyguard Zhang Ci. Chao readied himself and swung the spear at Zhang Ci's stomach, but the hardened bodyguard easily parried the blow. His counterattack disarmed Chao, and the wooden spear flew through the air. Chao turned to the mass of soldiers.
"Lesson number one! A spear is a thrusting weapon. Though it can be swung in rare situations, on the battlefield a soldier must first understand the art of the spear thrust. A thrust is not only the fastest and most difficult attack for an opponent to parry, but it takes advantage of the sharpness of your spears and the strength of your arms."
Zhou Xu recovered Chao's weapon, and Chao attempted to show the soldiers what a correct spear thrust looked like. He, unfortunately, wasn't a very skilled fighter in his own right. He knew only what his father and his mentor had taught him, and he had rarely practiced even that. He took up the spear and lunged forward, its wooden point aimed again for Zhang Ci. Zhang Ci again parried the wooden blade, and his counter-thrust nearly knocked the young Lord from his feet.
Chao got over the initial stun of the blow to realize that his loyal bodyguard had inflicted no actual bodily harm. It would be a dent to his ego, if he did not play this off correctly, however. Fortunately, the young Lord was very skilled at playing this off. Chao turned to his men.
"Lesson Number Two! There is a correct footwork and a correct manner in which a good thrust is made. Listen to Zhang Ci, he will more fully explain."
Although the soldiers had gasped when the young Lord was hit, they soon believed that it was merely part of the training program, and they all listened intently to the imposing bodyguard.
"Bend your arms, bend your knees. Don't lunge forward, but shift your weight forward. Extend your arms outward without locking your elbows."
Zhang Ci didn't have his master's voice, but he more clearly demonstrated the correct motion of a spear-thrust and the men watched him intently, trying to copy him with varying results.
Chao bid each of the less-experienced spearmen find a more experienced pikeman to work with them. Soon they were mostly paired up, either in groups of two or three. This rigorous exercise went on for hours, as the younger spearmen sparred with their mentors, trying to learn from the veteran's experience. When the pikemen had finished going over the basics of the spear thrust with their respective mentees, they also showed the mentees the basics of their better weapons, pikes. They showed the younger men how a pike's axehead could be used to plow through opposing infantry, and how the basic thrust could take a cavalryman off his horse.
Zhou Xu acquired pikes for some of the spearmen, and so the most skilled of them were allowed to practice with these weapons as well. Zhang Ci went around, giving pointers here and there, and showing with his superior skill any motions that the soldiers had trouble with. Chao smiled, for his Standard was progressing well. He hoped that someday it would rival the Standard his father once led into combat against the Yellow Turbans.
DAY 2
The next day, Chao assembled his men into the field once again, this time for a different kind of training. Unit-based training.
Chao, Xu, and Zhang Ci arranged the men so that the most veteran warriors, swordsman that carried large shields, made up the first rank. The second rank was made up of pikemen with longer-than-usual spears, this way they could reach past the veteran's shields and stab anyone trying to charge the phalanx. Behind the longspearmen, were stationed most of Chao's pikemen, and behind them, the archers had their little enclave. This would allow them to fire from the safety of behind the pikemen's lines, their arrows raining death on anyone who charged or approached the phalanx in battle. The newer spearmen made up the flanks and rear, protecting Chao's command unit.
Zhou Xu looked at these ranks and made one adjustment, putting a few ranks of pikemen on the flanks as well. The soldiers were a bit puzzled, so the young noble began to explain the concept of the phalanx.
"Soldiers of the Standard! This formation, the Holy Dragon Phalanx, shall crush our enemies in battle! The veteran vanguard's shields will halt the enemy charge, while the longspears and bowmen will decimate anyone that attacks. When the enemy is weakened by their failed charge, we can open the front rank and the pikemen will counterattack decimating the enemy ranks with the skills that you learned yesterday, and practice daily."
Zhou Xu realized something was missing. He gave each of the veteran swordsman a long wooden stake that they must carry into battle. They didn't understand, so the strategist explained.
"When set in front of the shielded veterans, these stakes provide the first line of defense against a cavalry charge. They will gorge the horses and force the riders off, thereby halting the charge and crushing the cavalry ranks. Thus, a strong phalanx must not go without these stakes."
Then the veteran's agreed wholeheartedly. Soon, the entire phalanx was set-up and in order. Chao knew the strengths and weaknesses of this formation well, since it was what his father was known for using. It could withstand almost any charge, and decimate anyone stupid enough to attack it, but it was weak to flanking and especially weak to the attacks of archers.
When the Phalanx was set up, Chao spoke one last time to his men.
"Men of the Standard! Look at he who stands before you, he who stands to your left and right. Know them and trust them, for it is on them and their courage that your lives will someday depend. Know that each of you has joined for the same reason, you wish for virtue and peace in this war-torn land. I may be young, but I shall deliver to the Heavens victory for the virtuous army of Shu. Let your courage shine, let your blades scream with the yearning for justice, and may the Standard of the White Dragon come to be known as the greatest fighting force in the land!"
With that Chao raised his spear and his men cheered. They were dismissed for the day, but they were ordered to practice that which they had learned daily, and assemble twice a week in formation to perfect it.
Training
Planing
On the long journey from Ru Nan to Changsha, Chao's personal unit, called the Standard of the White Dragon, had received the support of many of the villagers along the way. Many able young men had heard of his name and flocked to his cause, picking up a spear with their hands and the cause of virtue with their hearts. Now in Changsha, Chao realized that before he could lead these men into battle, he'd need to train them in the art of the weapon they'd chosen.
DAY 1
In a large field not far from Changsha's gates, Chao called a meeting of all his unit's spearmen and pikemen. It quickly became difficult to control them all, but Zhang Ci arranged the men into ranks and columns, finally getting them to stand at attention. Over two-thousand eyes fell on the young noble. He spoke in a powerful voice, loud enough for his men to hear, despite their numbers.
"Men of the Standard of the White Dragon! Each of you has chosen to give his service to the cause of virtue, the cause that will unite the land in peace! This shall happen, for Heaven wills it. Yet, it falls upon your courage to fight for the peace that this land shall someday attain. Fortunately, the Heavens do not give us a task without aid, and so today we shall all learn the art of the spear."
Zhou Xu, the young noble's vassal strategist, brought two wooden spears, one for the young Chao and one for his bodyguard Zhang Ci. Chao readied himself and swung the spear at Zhang Ci's stomach, but the hardened bodyguard easily parried the blow. His counterattack disarmed Chao, and the wooden spear flew through the air. Chao turned to the mass of soldiers.
"Lesson number one! A spear is a thrusting weapon. Though it can be swung in rare situations, on the battlefield a soldier must first understand the art of the spear thrust. A thrust is not only the fastest and most difficult attack for an opponent to parry, but it takes advantage of the sharpness of your spears and the strength of your arms."
Zhou Xu recovered Chao's weapon, and Chao attempted to show the soldiers what a correct spear thrust looked like. He, unfortunately, wasn't a very skilled fighter in his own right. He knew only what his father and his mentor had taught him, and he had rarely practiced even that. He took up the spear and lunged forward, its wooden point aimed again for Zhang Ci. Zhang Ci again parried the wooden blade, and his counter-thrust nearly knocked the young Lord from his feet.
Chao got over the initial stun of the blow to realize that his loyal bodyguard had inflicted no actual bodily harm. It would be a dent to his ego, if he did not play this off correctly, however. Fortunately, the young Lord was very skilled at playing this off. Chao turned to his men.
"Lesson Number Two! There is a correct footwork and a correct manner in which a good thrust is made. Listen to Zhang Ci, he will more fully explain."
Although the soldiers had gasped when the young Lord was hit, they soon believed that it was merely part of the training program, and they all listened intently to the imposing bodyguard.
"Bend your arms, bend your knees. Don't lunge forward, but shift your weight forward. Extend your arms outward without locking your elbows."
Zhang Ci didn't have his master's voice, but he more clearly demonstrated the correct motion of a spear-thrust and the men watched him intently, trying to copy him with varying results.
Chao bid each of the less-experienced spearmen find a more experienced pikeman to work with them. Soon they were mostly paired up, either in groups of two or three. This rigorous exercise went on for hours, as the younger spearmen sparred with their mentors, trying to learn from the veteran's experience. When the pikemen had finished going over the basics of the spear thrust with their respective mentees, they also showed the mentees the basics of their better weapons, pikes. They showed the younger men how a pike's axehead could be used to plow through opposing infantry, and how the basic thrust could take a cavalryman off his horse.
Zhou Xu acquired pikes for some of the spearmen, and so the most skilled of them were allowed to practice with these weapons as well. Zhang Ci went around, giving pointers here and there, and showing with his superior skill any motions that the soldiers had trouble with. Chao smiled, for his Standard was progressing well. He hoped that someday it would rival the Standard his father once led into combat against the Yellow Turbans.
DAY 2
The next day, Chao assembled his men into the field once again, this time for a different kind of training. Unit-based training.
Chao, Xu, and Zhang Ci arranged the men so that the most veteran warriors, swordsman that carried large shields, made up the first rank. The second rank was made up of pikemen with longer-than-usual spears, this way they could reach past the veteran's shields and stab anyone trying to charge the phalanx. Behind the longspearmen, were stationed most of Chao's pikemen, and behind them, the archers had their little enclave. This would allow them to fire from the safety of behind the pikemen's lines, their arrows raining death on anyone who charged or approached the phalanx in battle. The newer spearmen made up the flanks and rear, protecting Chao's command unit.
Zhou Xu looked at these ranks and made one adjustment, putting a few ranks of pikemen on the flanks as well. The soldiers were a bit puzzled, so the young noble began to explain the concept of the phalanx.
"Soldiers of the Standard! This formation, the Holy Dragon Phalanx, shall crush our enemies in battle! The veteran vanguard's shields will halt the enemy charge, while the longspears and bowmen will decimate anyone that attacks. When the enemy is weakened by their failed charge, we can open the front rank and the pikemen will counterattack decimating the enemy ranks with the skills that you learned yesterday, and practice daily."
Zhou Xu realized something was missing. He gave each of the veteran swordsman a long wooden stake that they must carry into battle. They didn't understand, so the strategist explained.
"When set in front of the shielded veterans, these stakes provide the first line of defense against a cavalry charge. They will gorge the horses and force the riders off, thereby halting the charge and crushing the cavalry ranks. Thus, a strong phalanx must not go without these stakes."
Then the veteran's agreed wholeheartedly. Soon, the entire phalanx was set-up and in order. Chao knew the strengths and weaknesses of this formation well, since it was what his father was known for using. It could withstand almost any charge, and decimate anyone stupid enough to attack it, but it was weak to flanking and especially weak to the attacks of archers.
When the Phalanx was set up, Chao spoke one last time to his men.
"Men of the Standard! Look at he who stands before you, he who stands to your left and right. Know them and trust them, for it is on them and their courage that your lives will someday depend. Know that each of you has joined for the same reason, you wish for virtue and peace in this war-torn land. I may be young, but I shall deliver to the Heavens victory for the virtuous army of Shu. Let your courage shine, let your blades scream with the yearning for justice, and may the Standard of the White Dragon come to be known as the greatest fighting force in the land!"
With that Chao raised his spear and his men cheered. They were dismissed for the day, but they were ordered to practice that which they had learned daily, and assemble twice a week in formation to perfect it.
