Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World

Chapter 257:

The news of Alda’s solo military venture into Emerson spread throughout the entire Northwestern Gulf, compelling the lords to reassess the Count of Alda, who had previously shone brilliantly in the Battle of Fort Bidou. Attacking Marltz Kent’s stronghold in Emden was akin to poking a tiger with a bare hand.

Other lords in the alliance nervously wrote to Paul, urging him to exercise caution. They warned that they might not be able to provide timely support if the situation turned unfavorable. In response, Paul reassured them completely, attributing his confidence to two key factors.

First, it was the current combat capability of Alda’s troops. Secondly, it was the newly implemented military conscription system by the staff office.

Starting from last year, the staff office had been deploying personnel to various large villages and towns within their territory. These individuals, either retired officers or active military personnel, were tasked with organizing and training local militias to transform them into a competent reserve force.

With the new year, these instructors were integrated into a new establishment — the Conscription Offices. Besides continuing their training of local militias, these offices undertook an additional task: regularly compiling data on potential conscripts within their jurisdiction. This included assessments of age, height, physical condition, community reputation, and even family criminal records. This information was then collated and sent to Lakeheart Town.

Whenever Alda’s various military branches — the Navy, Army, or Internal Guard — faced personnel shortages, such as significant casualties or the need to form new units, the staff office would consult the latest conscription list. They would then select a number of individuals proportionally from various regions, sending enlistment notices to the respective Conscription Offices. The offices would then personally visit each conscript before organizing and sending them to Lakeheart Town to report for duty on a designated date.

Thus, a new batch of Alda’s soldiers was born. After three months of intensive training, they were ready to take up rifles and enter the battlefield. In urgent situations, they might be rushed into battle after just a few days of training, especially since most of their enemies were also freshly recruited from agricultural work.

According to the staff office’s estimates, with the new militia and conscription systems in place, in an ideal scenario without considering other factors, Alda and Baylding could mobilize a combined force of about 15,000 troops in emergencies.

For Paul, who was a count of the Grayman family, the lack of numerous vassals was actually a significant advantage. He directly managed every inch of his territory, and his decrees could theoretically reach every town and village.

In contrast, lords of similar status did not enjoy this convenience. Their decrees were only unobstructed within their direct territories. In the lands of their vassals, implementation required the vassals’ approval. Of course, this depended on the relationship between the lord and the vassal. A dominant lord with absolute power could enforce most of his decrees in his vassal’s territory, but the effectiveness of such enforcement was another matter.

Moreover, a vassal’s obligations to their lord were not unlimited. For instance, if a baronial territory had 20 knights and could muster 500 soldiers, strictly speaking, the baron only needed to provide about 5 knights and over 100 soldiers to fulfill his feudal duties to his superior. Lords would only commit all their resources when defending their own territories.

However, in reality, no one would be foolish enough to provide only the minimum troops required by vassal duties to their lord. Not only does offering more troops demonstrate loyalty, but it also grants greater influence in the distribution of spoils after a war.

Yet, a higher feudal lord cannot exploit the loyalty of vassals indefinitely. If the conscription of vassal troops exceeds a certain period, the lord must either disband them to return home or take responsibility for their expenses, and even pay additional military stipends.

Before reaching the stipulated period of duty, the logistic expenses and equipment of the vassal troops are managed independently. This responsibility cascades down through the ranks. In most places, the lowest-tier soldiers must personally fund their weapons and armor when summoned by a lord. Of course, if one feels overly lucky or is indifferent to their safety, they could go into battle with just a hoe, but their presence is mandatory regardless of equipment.

This leads to the armies of local lords often appearing disheveled and equipped with an assortment of gear. In Paul Grayman’s view, even large-scale battles like the one at Fort Bidou, involving thousands of combatants, resembled nothing more than an enlarged version of a village brawl.

Only a few wealthy lords could afford to maintain a group of full-time or semi-professional soldiers, uniformed and equipped with standardized weapons, though their numbers were limited. For example, the archers who appeared in the Battle of Fort Bidou were once the soldiers of the former Duke Ferdinand, trained in archery for two afternoons a week.

Only national-level powers, such as the Gabella Empire’s imperial family, the Kingdom of Ordo’s royal house, or semi-independent dukes like Jars with extensive lands and numerous vassals, could afford to maintain organized troops.

In Alda’s previous military campaign, its forces occupied nearly half of Emerson’s territory. Under the long-term management of the Kent family, Emerson had grown into a large countdom, with nearly 100,000 people living in its half territory. Although the first and third battalions could continue to advance, despite the lower-class civilians having little loyalty to their lords, Paul still feared potential unrest in the newly acquired lands, so the southern troops halted at Bayland Castle. One of the objectives of this action was to create a buffer zone between Alda-Baylding and Emerson, which has now been achieved.

Moreover, Bayland Castle, the residence of the Kent family, was more fortified and better defended than Fort Bidou. Even with artillery, conquering it would not be easy. Paul planned to wait for the armies of other allies to gather again before engaging in battle with the Kent family.

While the frontlines were engaged in combat, the rear was focused on development. The rebellion in the south led the royal family to purchase armor and weapons nationwide. With the adoption of new technology, Alda’s iron production soared while the costs of iron smelting significantly decreased. Naturally, they sought a share in the royal family’s high demand for weaponry. However, the royal family needed finished weapons, and Alda’s limited number of blacksmiths were already strained producing for their own territory. It was impractical to divert some to manufacture swords and armor, which Paul considered to be inevitably obsolete. Moreover, both Alda and Baylding had few blacksmiths skilled in crafting traditional weapons.

But other territories had them! It was time to discuss cooperation with the allies.