Rise of Rurik - Chapter 783

[Chapter 784 Rurik Has Unique Mounting and Shooting Skills]

In principle, the selected people are to be full-time fighters, but due to practical factors, many people cannot give up their wealth, so they get more benefits instead.

The first cavalry team will serve as the most senior bodyguard of Prince Ross, and will also be used flexibly as a mobile army in wars.

They must be worthy of the food, clothing and weapons supplied by the princes, and they must be worthy of the monthly allowance of silver coins.

Just like the cavalry soldiers from the Sixth Banner Corps, each of them was given one hectare of land and had a wife. When farming was busy, they still had to plow and harvest in spring and autumn.

As for the cavalry warriors who were born in White Tree Manor, their social status has risen sharply.

Receive a stable allowance during the service period, although for them, they have to serve until the age of 30 before retiring and marrying a wife, which is not a very disadvantageous thing.

According to the prince’s regulations, they are destined to marry late and have children later, so there are loopholes in the rules, and the prince did not prohibit them from creating illegitimate children.

When they retire, they will be given a farm and a generous pension. Retiring at the age of 30 is not a real retirement. If there is a large-scale war, once the cavalry expands, these veterans will serve as reservists immediately.

All outstanding cavalrymen are obliged to serve a full ten years, after which they are honorably discharged into the reserves.

Their children will also receive certain preferential treatment, and the sons of cavalrymen will have the right to take over from their fathers first.

The so-called according to Rurik’s idea, a father who has been riding a horse for ten years can teach many sons who are good at riding a horse in advance through family education.

In this regard, Rurik intends to learn the service system of the Roman Legion, and then make certain adjustments based on the current situation of the Principality of Ross.

The natural and simple tradition that the Principality has long pursued, that all the people are soldiers, must be rewritten to adapt to the new era.

The mercenary team of more than one hundred people who are completely infantry can be called the original standing army that is completely full of production.

The six-banner teams that were trained for the public in the follow-up were not very well-equipped. This complex army organization has clear military significance only when a real war breaks out. In a sense, this is the so-called “one-minute man”, who has Combat capable militias that can be mobilized immediately for battle.

In a full sense, the private armed force that only belongs to Rurik’s own mobilization is currently only 250 people.

Although the people in the mercenary team will be ordered to do some logging and fishing, it is just a kind of economic supplement, and their source of funding is almost all from the prince’s appropriation.

These people lived on the salaries issued by them, and all their food and clothing came from the princes.

With this kind of complete economic bond, they can live a good life with no worries about food and clothing, good remuneration and certainty from others.

Do you really believe in a living god?

A human hero blessed by Odin?

Give them enough status and money, this is the foundation of loyalty.

The so-called management field is extremely huge, and during the seemingly boring winter, one of Rurik’s tasks is to organize the young scribes he trained to settle the economic accounts for the huge principality.

The quiet Ella Hestoria can’t become a female warrior after all. She is busy with paper and pen work, and now she is busy calculating the tax and other material output data collected by the Principality of Ross, and then calculating the output data after the spring of next year. Make a financial budget for material consumption.

The amount of calculation is quite huge, and that’s exactly the case. The quiet girl is very happy that she has established her own unique position in the principality’s power center and has become more important.

Erla is the head of the scribes, and more than a dozen local women who studied with her are also improving their business, and at the same time receiving higher mathematics education from the prince himself.

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This winter, the princes and lords who personally learned horse riding and hacking during the day turned into priests, teaching the scribes the linear programming of advanced mathematics.

Those boring functional equations, various characters, and complex formula systems are born to deal with real problems.

Continental powers are vying for supremacy, and any technology that can be used to improve combat effectiveness is adopted by the monarchs of various countries. Operational research content such as linear programming is used in logistics material transfer calculations and military operation calculations. Accurate budgeting then turns into the calculation of the production and consumption of the entire country’s material system, and finally reaches an extreme, leading to a great attempt-planned economy.

The total population living in the principality is 100,000 people, and the population that is actually firmly controlled is only 60,000 people, and there are more than 10,000 children among them.

This is a very limited economy, but also a rapidly developing economy.

Although it is not yet possible to establish a functional department called the “Planning Committee”, the Principality has established a calculation team based on this population, which can basically calculate the people’s demand and consumption for major bulk materials, so as to set an official price for the materials. And to ensure that the “oatmeal standard” economic system can continue to operate safely.

Of course, the Principality only had such a small population. In today’s terrible era in Europe, a kingdom with 100,000 people, strong organization, and strong combat effectiveness would have no problem moving sideways across the continent.

Just like the Ostrogothic kingdom that was defeated by Belisara three hundred years ago, the country could only mobilize 25,000 men from all over the country. After a big war, the kingdom was instantly destroyed due to the collective extinction of the male group.

The Principality of Ross also faces the same possibility, and the Principality simply cannot afford a big defeat!

Unless, the priority for combat is not mobilized soldiers from civilian civilians, but paid professional soldiers.

Looking around, apart from Denmark, which is obviously infighting, and the Frankish Kingdom, which is more infighting, the Principality of Ross has no strong enemies under its nose. It is impossible to gather thousands of troops to launch a gambling-style war in the past few years, at least in the foreseeable future. of.

The principality should take advantage of this opportunity to develop its comprehensive strength, and further develop its standing army, but its numbers must be controlled.

“Build a cavalry flag team with a strength of 600 people. A small team of ten people, a squadron of three small teams, and a hundred-man team of ten small teams. The six hundred-man teams are matched with the command center of the flag team to form the entire flag team. Then who will come? What about being the flag captain? Well, let them compete in martial arts, and the strong will do it.”

The great plan was calculated in Rurik’s head. According to his estimation, it is possible to support a full-time standing army of 1,000 people with his current financial resources, but it is not appropriate to continue to expand the scale.

At the end of November, the selected 80 riders began to increase their training on spear thrusting.

It’s still the old rule that you have to be whipped before you get rid of the spear before you hit the target. The hot taste is not good.

The snow-capped wilderness outside the city is very cold. According to the habits of the Pecheneg people, people and horses should not run around in this cold weather, and hiding in a warm stable is the right way.

These Turkic horses are generally cold-resistant. After all, the Ukrainian-Southern Russian grassland where they gallop, the lowest temperature in winter can reach -20°C. Now each horse has a very thick winter mane, which makes each horse look more beautiful. To be fluffy and fat.

The horse’s food and treatment became better due to participation in training, and Rurik naturally got more horse manure.

Horse manure is a treasure that cannot be thrown away, and fermented compost can be used to fertilize the field next year.

Horses breathe white mist, and riders with infantry spears breathe white mist.

There is a pillar directly in front of the rider, on which stands a leather ball nearly the size of a football.

Two large squirrel skins were stitched together, and a large amount of hay was stuffed inside to create such a cavalry stabbing target.

look!

This young cavalryman rode his horse and charged with all his strength, the spear was leveled, and the spearhead instantly poked the ball!

He lightly pulled the reins, and the galloping horse stopped slowly. It turned three times on the snowy ground and stopped. He held up his spear again, signaling to all the onlookers his success.

In combat, the cavalry will use spearheads that are easy to break, but any hit will cause fatal injuries to the enemy. What they are now training is to accurately hit the ball target, and everyone must be trained to do this easily.

After seven days of spear-riding intensive training, both men and horses were actually exhausted.

But after three days of rest, the high-profile riding and shooting training finally started!

Even Rurik himself, on horseback, took part.

The short Pecheneg prince Kagan is now dressed as a Russian warrior, and he doesn’t miss the classic blue stripes on his underwear.

He no longer tied his strange braids at the back of his head, and simply followed the example of the prince to maintain a “horsetail”.

It’s not just him, a large group of cavalry students are born with straight or curly hair, but now they generally wear rough “horsetails”, so-called elegant and brave like galloping horses.

Many people have learned archery, and if there is no beautiful recurve bow for the time being, they will replace it with a short wooden bow.

The Principality generally uses the technique of throwing fingers, but on weekdays, everyone is used to the arrow on the left, just like a soldier always holds a sword in his right hand.

Kagan stood on the stirrup and declared to the crowd: “The arrow should be placed on the right side, where the thumb of your left hand holds the bow. Only in this way, you can draw the arrow from the quiver, put it on the bowstring and shoot the arrow immediately. Excellent A good archer can shoot ten arrows in a very short time…”

Kagan simply did a demonstration. Leaving aside the shooting accuracy, he did shoot all ten arrows in a very short time as he claimed, and the whole movement was smooth and smooth.

It is true that the arrow can be shot quickly if it is placed on the right side, but how can an archer who is used to the left side suddenly change the position of the bow to adapt quickly?

Today all the cavalry, including Rurik himself, are extreme beginners in cavalry and archery.

The right bow was a bit awkward, so all the riders simply dismounted and shot at the target with the right bow. They didn’t want to shoot accurately, but just wanted to master a new shooting feel.

It just so happens that the horse can also rest further.

The archery training has been tossing for many days. Even with a low-pound short wooden bow, as many as 300 shots a day, who doesn’t have sore arms?

Finally came the riding and shooting test that can show the success of the training camp. At the beginning, everyone just sat steadily on the horseback and shot the target sideways while standing on the pile.

Those handsome guys from the Sixth Banner Team who have had sufficient archery training have adapted to the new archery mode and have the highest hit rate.

The worst thing is that the sons of boyar nobles in the alliance manor who are forced to serve as soldiers. The so-called sons of nobles are just the stupid sons of the landlords.

Their poor archery skills are indeed embarrassing, which is not surprising. A group of boys who may have been destined to have no chance to hunt are now cavalry, beginners with bows and arrows, and now they know nothing about riding and archery.

Their inherent arrogance was completely crushed by the ruthless reality, but fortunately their white backs were not torn apart by the whip.

They all seemed to be riding and stretching their hips, and Rurik couldn’t help but pouted his mouth to show his sadness.

Because, his own horse riding and archery skills also appear to be hip.

No one will accuse the prince of poor skills, because the performance of the group is not good.

Some people showed frustration, and Kagan explained optimistically at the critical moment: “Don’t think about learning riding and archery in a few days. We Pechenegs learned to ride horses at the age of six, and at the same time practiced riding and archery with our father’s arrows. An excellent warrior needs to be trained until he is twenty years old, and more than ten years of riding and archery training can produce a superb riding and archer! You need years of training to be successful.”

Kagan seems to be exaggerating, but it also illustrates the fact that it is impossible to be a horse-riding archer.

So, Rurik decided to cheat.

It was an ordinary winter morning.

The sun is bright and dazzling today, the air is dry and cold, and the wind is like a knife, which is very piercing.

People gathered in front of the collective dormitory of the young cavalry, and a large number of crossbows with wooden arms were placed on the ground.

Rurik lectured in public with his hands behind his back: “My brother Kagan said that cavalry archers can’t be quick, and this is obviously correct. Look at the crossbows in front of you, and go and take what you like.”

Everyone was quite confused, since the prince made another order, let’s carry it out.

They got the crossbow, and listened to the prince’s order: “After all, the purpose of cavalry archery is to shoot arrows to the enemy’s chest and neck. For this purpose, crossbows can also be used. I can’t wait for you to become good cavalry archers ten years later. At that time You are all retired. Now ride a horse and shoot with a crossbow, so follow this training first.”

They went to the barn to pick up their horses with light wooden arm crossbows, and displayed them in front of Kagan in a unique posture, which really surprised the Pechenegs present, including the Pechenegs of each team. team leader.

“Is this your unique bow?” Kagan asked while stroking the crossbow that Rurik was playing with.

“This is our standard weapon.”

“A bow placed horizontally, and it can actually…”

“Yes.” Rurik said with a stiff face, “It’s like pulling the bowstring with your arms all the time, and you can shoot at whatever time you want. You can even aim at the target and shoot again. A fool can become a sharpshooter.”

“I…I don’t believe it.” Having said that, it was the first time that Kagan saw the unique bow of the Ross people, which was a painful blow to his arrogance.

,

what for?

After all, Kagan didn’t really see the majestic divisions of the Ross army, but just got a general and erroneous understanding of the Ross army.

Even a simple saddle has a relatively hard structural protrusion at the front end, which happens to be a fulcrum, which could have been used to tie the reins and put the iron ring of the crossbow pedal on.

The power of the crossbow with wooden arms is limited, and it shoots ordinary light arrows. After all, it is a modification of a short wooden bow.

“I’ll show you a nocking on horseback.”

Rurik took back his crossbow and manipulated it in Kagan’s presence.

The iron ring caught the bulge, he pulled the bowstring with both hands, leaned back, and the string clasped the mechanism.

An arrow is inserted into the groove and held lightly by a steel shrapnel at the tail.

This kind of crossbow was originally designed with a shoulder rest, and Rurik shot precisely at the hanging squirrel target not far away like holding a musket.

“Ah! I actually hit it!” Kagan was taken aback, and asked a soul question almost at the same time: “Brothers, it looks like you have a lot of these…”

“It’s a crossbow.”

“I want to buy.”

“Do you want to buy it?!” Rurik cheered up. It stands to reason that he can be sold if he wants to buy it, but when it comes to the deal, why not come up with a big deal?

Rurik replied decisively: “Just exchange your recurve bow with mine, a recurve bow for a crossbow.”

“this……”

“Are you hesitating? Is this a wonderful deal for you?”

Rurik was suddenly very lively, and Kagan could see that his sworn brother really liked recurve bows.

According to the rules of the prairie, the brothers were treated courteously in Ross, and they had to give some gifts no matter what.

Kagan thought for a moment, then slapped his thigh: “Then I will exchange thirty recurve bows with you.”

“Deal! Just not now.” Rurik sighed softly, looked at his brothers riding horses and holding crossbows, then looked at the targets set up, and stared into Kagan’s eyes: “Indeed, I can’t finish Horseback riding is fast, if we use our crossbow, it should be much better.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Kagan shrugged. “If you can shoot stones with a sling to kill the enemy, no one thinks it’s wrong to swing a sling on horseback.”

A crossbow cavalry was born?

Do not!

Whether the cavalry uses crossbows or recurve bows, or even the possible use of firecrackers, it is all a kind of tactical assistance and a means of disrupting the enemy’s formation.

The main weapon of the cavalry is still the spear and the saber. At least the crossbow is used to make a group of cavalry and archery beginners become good archers immediately. Don’t imagine that they are counting on the “fire suppression” with rapid fire.

The squirrel target began to hit arrows frequently, and the cavalry with crossbows sideways also passed quickly, and they could grasp the timing better to pull the trigger.

From Rurik’s point of view, the cavalry unit with initial combat effectiveness that he dreamed of has succeeded. Although they have not experienced any actual combat tests, they have at least shown a fairly good ability on the training ground.

There is no need to make extreme demands on them. This group of young people has only been training for a mere month at best. They have mastered horse riding, horse chopping, spear thrusting, crossbow riding and shooting. Although they are not proficient, they have enough time to improve them.

It can be said that in the eyes of ordinary people, the Duchy of Ross has successfully produced a seemingly majestic cavalry unit, which is actually a great honor for the Principality.

[End of this Chapter]