Chapter 307: Formation

Benjamin quickly shoved a few more bites into his mouth.

Lancelot and Liam did the same, then rushed outside.

"It must be the first batch of flintlocks!"

Lancelot said excitedly.

Liam, feeling a little jealous, mumbled,

"No matter how good the flintlock is, it’s still not better than a cannon."

"Tch!"

Lancelot rolled his eyes at him.

The three men reached the camp entrance and saw Simon followed by a row of wagons, each carrying crates.

"My Lord, have the flintlocks arrived?"

Benjamin asked eagerly.

More than Lancelot, he had been waiting anxiously, because Simon had said these rifles were the key to defeating the reavers.

"Five hundred rifles. This is the first batch." Simon said, smiling.

"The military workshop says they can deliver 2,000 more next month. Within a year, we’ll equip the entire Brambleford Army."

"That’s great!"

Lancelot grinned.

"Our discipline is excellent. Our formations are solid. All we need to do is train the troops to handle them."

Simon nodded.

"Commander Benjamin, this batch goes to the Primary Battalion. Let the men eat first, then gather them. I’ll give a demonstration."

"My Lord, I’ve already learned from you at the workshop. No need to trouble yourself." Lancelot offered eagerly, hoping to show off in front of the soldiers.

"That won’t do."

Simon chuckled.

"Last time was just a test. I loaded the gun casually. Today is formal training; we can’t cut corners."

Benjamin and Lancelot exchanged a glance, both a little embarrassed.

They had even bragged about knowing how to use the flintlock, turns out they’d done it wrong.

The 500 brand-new rifles were unloaded.

Soldiers carried them to the training ground, where the Primary Battalion was already assembled.

They had heard that they would be getting new weapons today, and everyone was flushed with excitement.

Box after box of flintlocks was lined up in front of them, but Simon didn’t distribute them immediately.

He wanted to give a proper briefing first.

As he had done at the workshop, Simon handed one rifle each to Lancelot and Benjamin.

"Before you are flintlock rifles. From now on, these weapons will be your lifeline on the battlefield. Treat them with care; your survival will depend on them. Now, let me explain the structure and functions of each part."

Simon went over the entire rifle, detailing every component and its use.

The soldiers listened with full attention, afraid to miss a single word.

Once he finished the explanation, Simon stood at an angle and began demonstrating the proper loading procedure.

"Watch carefully. First, tilt the rifle at a 45-degree angle. Pull back the hammer. Open the flash pan. Take out a cartridge. Bite it open. Pour a little gunpowder into the flash pan. Close the pan. Pour the rest of the powder and the paper-wrapped ball into the barrel. Use the ramrod to tamp the powder and ball it down. Return the ramrod. Then shoulder the rifle and wait for the firing order."

Lancelot and Benjamin followed each step precisely.

"Fire!" Simon called.

"Bang! Bang!"

Two loud gunshots rang out, white smoke bursting into the air.

The Primary Battalion was stunned. The sound alone was terrifying.

"Awesome, right?" Lancelot grinned.

"These things can pierce armor from 80 meters away. The reavers’ armor won’t save them!"

Liam, now itching with envy, asked,

"My Lord, shouldn’t the artillery unit get flintlocks too? Who’s going to protect us on the battlefield?"

"Don’t worry, Lieutenant Liam. I’ll assign guards to protect you, but you’d better follow my orders to the letter." Lancelot boasted, rifle in hand.

Liam rolled his eyes at him.

Simon ignored their banter and turned to Benjamin.

"Commander Benjamin, hand out the rifles."

Benjamin nodded.

"Form a line and come forward one by one. Don’t play with the rifles; wait for instructions."

"Yes!" The soldiers shouted in unison.

All 500 soldiers in the Primary Battalion were formally equipped with flintlocks.

They stood tall, rifles held upright by their feet. Together, they looked disciplined and powerful.

As he looked at this modern-style army, Simon felt a new sense of security rise in his heart.

Then he shouted. "Stand tighter. Follow my commands step by step!

He and the others stepped to the side.

Then, Simon ordered the troops into firing formation.

Once everyone was in place, he issued a series of commands and finally yelled:

"Fire!"

White smoke lingered over the training ground of the Brambleford military camp as the 500 soldiers of the Primary Battalion took turns firing their new weapons.

At this moment, the first firearm unit of the Brambleford Army was officially born, and soon, more soldiers would be transitioned into flintlock rifle units.

"Now you understand the structure of the flintlock rifle and how to use it to kill. But this is just the beginning." Simon shouted.

"From this point on, and always, you are one team. You will undergo stricter training and obey stricter discipline. Only with this will your weapons lead you to victory. Do you understand?!"

"Understood!"

The soldiers of the Primary Battalion answered in unison, their voices loud and clear.

Simon nodded, then turned to Lancelot, Benjamin, Liam, and the other officers.

"From today forward, you will learn formal battlefield tactics, how to lead a flintlock-armed army."

In this moment, Simon stood not just as a prince but as the supreme commander of Brambleford.

All the officers saluted him and responded with pride:

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Now that the Primary Battalion was equipped with the first batch of flintlocks, the next challenge was discipline and intensive training.

Proper battlefield discipline meant that even under fierce attack, troops would not break formation.

Even if a comrade fell beside them, they had to calmly reload, not panic, a nd not forget how many bullets were in the barrel.

Only with this level of training could the Brambleford Army face the charging reaver cavalry without flinching, as immovable as a mountain, and strike like fire.

"Commander Benjamin, schedule a time for the officers to attend the Oxford Academy. I’ve arranged a classroom there. You’ll see even more advanced things."

"Understood, My Lord!" Benjamin responded seriously.

Simon then gave instructions on how the five hundred rifles should be used.

Though they were issued to the Primary Battalion, that didn’t mean the unit would keep them permanently.

Instead, the rifles would rotate between units for training, allowing every soldier to learn how to load and shoot.

At the same time, they would begin training in firing formations, including small and large columns, horizontal formations, and how to quickly switch between them during battle.

The most important tactic was the hollow square formation, perfect for countering cavalry charges.

This formation had stood the test of time in real history and would be key against the reaver riders.

After laying out the training roadmap, Simon left the camp.

On his way back to the city, he saw many commoners in the fields catching locusts.

The sight made him smile, but the drought still weighed heavily on his mind.

Then he thought of Desmond.

If he could bring back corn, potatoes, and peanuts, then even dry soil wouldn’t lead to famine.

Simon silently hoped Desmond would return soon...