800 javelins, 300 great shields, 200 warhorses, what weird creatures will come out of this? With these equipment, you can make formation consists of 5000 people.
Speaking of that, Liu Mang really gave birth to a really weird creature.
200 warhorses are given to 100 soldiers. A person using two horses can maintain high horsepower. The Arabian war horse's horsepower is high with a rider who is also acting as bodyguard equipped with javelin. One can say, as long as do not have to fight big war, they can absolutely protect themselves.
300 great shields, Liu Mang also gave to the cavalry soldiers. This is the same treatment as Bing Province Heavy Cavalry. The remaining 200 shields were given to the front row. If 200 defense shields formed a good formation, then it can certainly protect these 1000 people.
From the 800 javelins 100 pieces had been given to cavalry soldiers; the remaining 700 javelins have all been given to other 700 soldiers. Those 700 bows were also given to them. So the javelin soldier can also act as a bowman when in a long-range battle.
1000 people can form a phalanx formation, while 100 cavalry soldiers protect the flag. But people may ask, why is it that Liu Mang's infantry can use cavalry javelin? Indeed for conventional infantry soldiers it is impossible to use cavalry javelin because in close quarters combat, it is impossible to utilize the javelin’s strength. Even cavalry soldier draws sword on close quarter’s battle.
The phalanx formation that Liu Mang formed is different. The first row is for the shield troops, protecting and guarding front, behind is 700 javelin soldiers, it took 35 people in one row with total of 20 rows.
The first row of soldier generally squat and align with the first javelin soldier’s row. The second row of soldiers, place their javelin on the shoulder of the first row. This can strengthen their destructive power. But the real essence of phalanx formation tactics lies in complete synchronization of all the soldier’s movements, so if they are not in line with the formation, it will compromise the tactics severely.
Therefore Liu Mang had been very strict on that standing formation because if even one person does not obey the command, it will compromise the phalanx formation and it can be broken by enemy easily.
That’s correct, this is the famous Ancient Macedonian phalanx, the phalanx formation strikes the enemy directly, and those 100 cavalry soldiers protects the flank so as not to be besieged in all directions.
Right now it cannot be compared with the late Han elite units such as Danyang soldiers, Formation Breaker , Great Ji soldiers and skirmishers of Ji Province, or with the White Feathered Soldiers or even Qing Province's elites! Liu Mang's prowess as a general is also nowhere near Gao Shun or Zhang Liao. Also it is nowhere near Qu Yi's force need not mention Liu Guan Zhang.
TL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macedonian_phalanx
TL: Qu Yi, Yuan Shao general known for his prowess defeating Gongsun Zan and on par with Zhao Yun
TL: White-feathered soldier is a heavy infantry unit that act as Liu Bei's bodyguard and was led by General Chen Dao
He can only have this tactic to compete with them, to work as one, unity as strength. If these elite units are wolves, then the present Urban Army are the sheep. If sheep work as one to attack, even wolves must retreat. 1000 people unity and striving to excel, can be compared to that of 5000 people.
TL: Urban Management Army is too tedious to write down, so from now on Urban Management Army is written as Urban Army
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At that time, when Liu Mang wanted to build Urban Army, Lu Bu complied with his request which to take any armament at will, but of course now he cannot comply due to the intervention of Gao Shun and Zhang Liao’s complain report. The next day, the urban army started to emerge by itself. Lu Bu is very curious, he wanted to see what kind of army Liu Mang has built, so he went to Liu Mang's camp.
When Lu Bu entered the camp, he saw a very well-formed phalanx formation, a very organized formation.
Before Liu Mang could explain this phalanx formation, Lu Bu had pulled him closer.
“Today, we must leave, to march, after the recuperation is over!” Liu Mang said.
When Liu Mang said this, a lot of soldier had a happy expression, most likely because they have been made miserable by Liu Mang these past days. Not training any type of martial arts and only practicing four monotone movements the Standing formation, Goose step, rising of javelin, laying flat. This can put ill intent on these soldiers but now finally they can rest a bit.
TL: Modern skills for ancient soldiers? But it is necessary for unity.
”Laugh, smile, be happy, try to be as happy as possible!