Chapter 176: New Tactics (1)
After two months of reward leave, I became the organizer and commander of the 7th Guard Division, as I had applied for.
Normally, a division commander was a major general or sometimes a brigadier general, so it was a bit unusual for me, a general, to manage just one division.
Our 7th Division needed to be reorganized from scratch due to soldiers who had been discharged and those who had died in battle, and I was able to take the position of division commander as a general because it needed to have extraordinary combat power suitable for a guard division.
The divisions garrison was assigned to Hamburg, about a days carriage ride from the capital.
All these benefits and exceptional procedures were due to the consideration of His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince, so as the division commander, my job would be to transform the 7th Guard Division into the best unit of the Empires army.
Thinking this, I stepped onto the platform prepared at the drill ground, and enthusiastic cheers for me were heard.
Long live the Division Commander! The Division Commander has returned to our 7th Guard Division!
Thinking that the Division Commander would return, I gave up my discharge at the end of my service and applied to be a non-commissioned officer!
Long live General Yaeger! Long live the 7th Guard Division! Long live the Reich Empire!
I thought they would welcome me, but having lived in Korea, I got goosebumps when I heard that a soldier at the end of his service became a non-commissioned officer just for me.
However, here, the fastest way to succeed as a serf or a commoner was to be promoted in the military.
In the Korean military, there was a culture where receiving an application for a non-commissioned officer, which everyone dreaded and disliked, was considered a great honor.
And thinking positively, wasnt this proof that a person like me had such good trust and reputation?
Attention, everyone!
At that word, the soldiers stopped their cheering and looked at me.
Currently, many had left due to death, discharge, and promotion, so we didnt have the full complement of personnel needed for a complete divisiononly about 4,000 people.
It was always moving to see such a number of people moving in order with just one word from me.
Before I give my inaugural speech to commemorate my assumption as the commander of the 7th Guard Division again. Private Randel! Is Private Randel here?
I pretended not to know, but Randel had married his fiance and officially became a couple while I was on leave.
For his achievements in killing 2 enemy officers and 15 soldiers at Richten Hill, he was awarded a medal and promoted to sergeant.
Sergeant Randel of the 7th Guard Division! I am here.
Did the wedding go well?
However, I guarantee that if you follow me, I will bestow upon you honors and riches beyond the glory you earned through the terrible combat at Richten Hill. If you wish to become nobility, I will give you the strength to climb to that position. If you want to live with beauties in both arms, I will give you the opportunity to rise to a position that matches that desire.
Hard training must always present clear rewards and goals.
Because each soldier needed motivation to become stronger beyond their limits, and a firm would give them the power to surpass those limits.
In return, from now on, I will become as harsh as a ghost with the determination to make you strong. But remember, only those who break through this training can belong to the glorious Imperial Guard Division.
After saying that, I left the Imperial Army generals cap in front of the lectern at the podium and put on the red cap I had prepared.
In response to that signal, the officers, non-commissioned officers, and soldiers who had undergone formal and guerrilla training with me since my time as a battalion commander also donned the same caps.
What? Why are we suddenly changing caps? Im getting a bad feeling.
What is that terrifying cap? Why does it give me a creepy feeling? Speak up, General.
Why did everyones expression change as soon as they put it on?
About 500 soldiers and knights came with me when I fought on the Chekovian Front, and of those, about 120 soldiers, non-commissioned officers, and officers followed me.
Among them were tough individuals who had risen from soldiers to officers, and the instructors wearing red caps had the ability to lead the same training I had conducted for soldiers in Brunos territory.
However, since the Imperial Army had a class system, instructors who were soldiers or non-commissioned officers couldnt command officers as they might in Korea
But instructors, who were officers, were organized according to the number of personnel in each rank.
And to minimize resistance to training, instructors were ranked at least one grade higher than the trainees.
These wearing red caps are warriors who have followed me from my time fighting on the Chekovian Front to now. They will directly instruct your training. Refer to them as instructors.
Perhaps it was just my imagination, but the instructors wearing these caps, regardless of their rank, had a wicked smile, and a determined expression to let others taste the same resentment they had accumulated while being trained by General Yaeger.
Lastly, no exceptions will be made based on rank. In fact, the higher the rank, the stricter the training. Especially for trainees of lieutenant colonel and above, I will personally oversee the training. Expect to have your physical strength trained to the level of a swordmaster.
The soldiers on the drill ground looked at me with dazed expressions, as if they had been hit on the head with a blunt instrument after hearing my words.
Today, to prepare for tomorrows training, well warm up lightly. Everyone in uniform will follow me for a 10km march. After that, we will organize temporary units for training. Now, get ready to run at my pace. Everyone, turn left.
As everyone was turning left, I slowly moved to the very left of the formation.
In a situation where most soldiers have not learned even basic drill commands, like left face or right face, as taught in Korean physical education classes, it would take a long time for 4,000 people to turn and face left.
Of course, after completing all the training, it wouldnt take a few seconds for 4,000 people to change direction.
Then, from now on, run at my pace! Follow me with the mindset that there are no exceptions. Remember, every drop of sweat you shed on this drill ground now saves a drop of blood on the battlefield.