I Became a Genius Commander at the Academy - 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 division’s garrison was assigned to Hamburg, about a day’s 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 Empire’s 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, wasn’t 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 didn’t have the full complement of personnel needed for a complete division—only 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 fiancée 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?”

“It was the most glorious moment of my life. The villagers were genuinely envious of the generous wedding gifts and the speech you wrote; I received blessings from everyone!”

So, I had a few more similar conversations with soldiers who had made an impression on me during the battles at Richten Hill.

Whether officers, non-commissioned officers, or soldiers of the 7th Division, they all remembered me as the commander who had defended the most difficult and dangerous positions at Richten Hill from start to finish for their sake.

And they recalled how, even amidst that, I had looked after even the most insignificant soldiers like a father, rekindling the emotions of that time.

“Very good! I’m thankful to those of you who had your weddings back home and came here, and I’m proud of you who brought your wives and children along! I truly am proud of all of you.”

No matter how proud and helpful it was for a soldier to become a non-commissioned officer, these guys fought a terrible battle at Richten Hill that would go down in the history of the empire.

So, I petitioned His Majesty to give all survivors the opportunity to be immediately discharged, regardless of how much service time they had left.

They even received a lump sum to start a new life, so it wouldn’t be strange at all if they felt averse to war and the military and chose to be discharged.

“As long as I am the commander of the 7th Guard Division, I will fight alongside you and bear the dangers at the forefront, just as I did at Richten Hill.”

To soldiers, non-commissioned officers, and junior officers, it might seem like a cliché often spoken by those above, but coming from me, who had truly fought alongside them, these words could move their hearts.

After saying this, I looked at the soldiers and continued to appeal with firm actions and voice.

“I also promise this. If you trust and follow me, I promise opportunities for action and honor and financial comfort beyond what we achieved at Richten Hill. However, that path will be very difficult. Thus, I demand from you abilities and will beyond what you showed at Richten Hill. Will you still follow me?”

At those words, soldiers, non-commissioned officers, and officers alike all answered in one voice.

“If it’s with the General, we will follow you even to hell! You are the only one who has treated us lowly soldiers as humans!”

“We will die with the General, and we will live with the General! If we weren’t prepared for that, we wouldn’t have stayed in this 7th Division!”

“Please let us fight for the empire!”

The morale of the soldiers was very high, and their motivation was very clear.

“Good, then I grant it. From this moment on, you have the right to walk the difficult path with me as shields protecting the empire and spears eliminating the empire’s enemies. However, that path will be much harsher than any training you have received so far, and at times, you may want to give up everything because it will be so difficult.”

Even if we set aside formal training, there would be guerrilla training that tests human limits and training for extreme cold and heat to equip us with the ability to fight in extreme climates.

Training for melee combat to equip the ability to fight and win against a larger number of enemies, not just simply stabbing and blocking with spears in response to commands as now.

None of these processes would be easy.

Moreover, the officers and staff officers present here would also have to design numerous policies to modernize the Imperial Army even amidst training.

It would be so hard that it might make you sick.

“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 general’s 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? I’m getting a bad feeling.”

“What is that terrifying cap? Why does it give me a creepy feeling? Speak up, General.”

“Why did everyone’s 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 Bruno’s territory.

However, since the Imperial Army had a class system, instructors who were soldiers or non-commissioned officers couldn’t 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 tomorrow’s training, we’ll 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 wouldn’t 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.”