King of German Mercenaries

After talking about gun control with the officers and nobles present, Marin began to talk about another important topic. That is - pick the black knight...

Marin took out the carbine version of the clockwork musket again, mounted the horse, and demonstrated to everyone. I saw Marin straddling his horse Karl, with a leather bag on each side of Karl's neck, three carbines on the right, two on the left...

After riding on the horse, Marin drove the horse for a short acceleration, and then took out a loaded clockwork carbine from the leather bag on the right, holding the gun in both hands, and at 30 meters, he opened the target in front of him. one shot...

But, embarrassing - Marin misses...

Marin hurriedly controlled the warhorse Karl, took a half-circle, returned to the original spot, and accelerated again. This time, Marin was more cautious and did not dare to show off. Instead, he shot 20 meters away from the humanoid target. This time, I finally hit the target...

Then, when the interest came, Marin quickly changed the gun, and continued to shoot the humanoid target during the semi-circle movement. Of the 4 shots, 2 were shot...

Everyone didn't understand what Marin wanted to express, and Marin was also very embarrassed-because of his poor shooting skills, he didn't express what he wanted to express.

So, Marin waved his hand and called Steindorf, the captain of the Musketeer Company of the First Phalanx under his command:

"Boren, go and demonstrate, just like what I did just now!"

"Yes, my lord!" Steindorf, the captain of the musket company, went to the stable to lead a more tame war horse. And Marin's guards also loaded five carbines and tied them with leather bags to the back of the horse's neck.

After Steindorf got on his horse, he did not shoot immediately, but cautiously accelerated three times from Marin's shooting position, drew out his carbine three times, aimed at the human-shaped target, but did not shoot.

After three trials, Steindorf confidently re-accelerated. At a distance of 30 meters, Steindorf decisively pulled out a loaded carbine and pulled the trigger...

"Crack—" Steindorf hit the target with the first shot, and it was at a distance of 30 meters. Marin's 20-meter distance is 4-for-2, which is far worse than Steindorf. Moreover, Steindorf's shot directly hit the heart of the humanoid target, which was very "lethal".

After Steindorf finished fighting, he also realized that he seemed to have beaten the count severely. Therefore, he glanced at Marin nervously, for fear that Marin was dissatisfied with him, but Marin didn't have any special expression.

In fact, during the charge, Steindorf could have fired two more shots within 10 meters from 30 meters to 20 meters. But in order not to embarrass Marin, Steindorf fired another shot when he reached 20 meters, but he missed it on purpose.

Marin also saw what Steindorf was thinking, and he drank:

"Boren, don't have any scruples, show your best form!"

After Steindorf heard it, he also put down his psychological burden. In the second round of the charge, the first shot was fired from 30 meters, and then, from 30 meters to 20 meters, another shot was fired, completing two shots.

In fact, when the warhorse accelerates, the distance from 30 meters to 20 meters is only about one second. In this short time and short distance, Steindorf can shoot two shots, which is definitely a master of drawing a gun very fast, somewhat similar to the master of drawing guns in the western cowboys of the 19th century. After all, one second is enough for the average person to draw another gun. But Steindorf not only put the finished gun back in the leather bag, but also pulled out another gun and completed the aiming shooting. It can be seen that this person's reaction speed and shooting skills are amazing. Moreover, these two shots all hit the target...

At 20 meters for a "semi-circle" movement, Steindorf fired two more shots, all of which also hit the target. You must know that this semi-circle is a semi-circular orbit, going back and forth, not diagonally forward.

Otherwise, Steindorf could have finished all 5 shots.

Marin can also confirm this, in the semi-circle, if the speed is relatively fast, the average person can shoot up to 4 shots. If the horse was a little slower, maybe 5 shots. It is no wonder that those regular black knights are generally equipped with 5 clockwork muskets. And those informal black knight mercenaries simply brought only three. Because, with too much, they won't have time to shoot. Some black-shirted knights with general shooting skills can only shoot 3 shots in the "semi-circle movement". Only the well-trained black-shirt knights of the regular black-shirt knight troop can shoot four or five shots in the semi-circle movement.

Steindorf can actually shoot 5 shots, but it was the first time he made a semi-circle motion on horseback. Therefore, he only fired 4 shots during the high-speed semi-circle. But as long as you get used to it, shooting 5 shots is not a problem at all.

Seeing this, everyone still doesn't quite understand what Marin means. So, Marin explained the idea of ​​forming black knights and the tactics of black knights to everyone:

Specifically, Marin intends to form a cavalry team with mounted guns. The tactics used by the black knights are called "half-turn tactics". The content of its tactics is-

When facing the enemy's phalanx of plate armored knights or the phalanx of infantry without muskets and crossbows, a squadron of black knights of about three or four hundred men lined up in twenty or thirty rows, with twenty or thirty men in each row.

After the battle started, the twenty or thirty black knights in the front row started to accelerate first. They pulled out their first carbine and aimed straight ahead. The first shot is fired when the maximum achievable range of 30 meters is reached. Then, quickly throw the finished gun into the empty third leather bag, and then quickly pull out another loaded carbine, and try to fire another shot at a distance of about 30 meters to 20 meters. Then, when approaching a distance of 20 meters, the black knights in the first row, taking the middle as the dividing line, are in the shape of semi-circles and start to move to the left and right sides. The ultimate goal is to walk out of a semi-circle and return to the side of the formation. . This move is also known as the "semi-circle" move. Because, when the horse is running, it is impossible to turn around after a sudden stop. Therefore, they turn, generally out of a semicircle shape, hence the name "semi-circle".

When the soldiers in the first row had moved in a "semi-circle" and left the front, the black knights in the second row had already begun to prepare. Before the first row had turned, they started to accelerate slowly. Behind the front, the second row of black-shirted knights arrived at the first shooting position at 30 meters, and collectively released the first shot... Then the second shot, the third shot... Generally at least three shots, at most five or six shots...

Moreover, these knights in black shirts don't really have much requirements for the accurate head, as long as they ensure that the muzzle is raised horizontally and forward. Because the opponent must be a dense battle formation. As long as you shoot straight forward, you can always hit a hapless one...

The black knights in the 20th and 30th rows took turns to shoot down, and the first few rows of the opponent were enough to be beaten. Then, the knights in black shirts moved collectively, not facing the enemy directly, and ran to the distance to reload...

When the bullets are loaded, these black knights will shamelessly appear in front of you again, rushing forward to shoot again in turn, and knocking down a few rows of your horses again...

Under such circumstances, infantrymen without long-range weapons are basically beaten under pressure, and they cannot fight back. Plate armor knights, on the other hand, generally chase after them, trying to pick out the shameless ones in front of them. But it was useless. The knights in black shirts usually chose to flee when they saw the plate knights rushing up. But it's not just running away, when people run away, they will turn back and shoot you...

A few minutes after the plate armored knights charged, the warhorse was tired and could not run anymore. Those knights in black shirts will run far away, and after loading 5 carbines leisurely, they will run over and slam the plate knights who are resting...

I have to say that the plate knight is a cup. The plate knight is very hard and is very suitable for charging. However, because the load is too large, the general plate knight can only rush for a few rounds, and then have to rest for a long time. Not the knight tired, but the war male.

A knight is generally a tall man with a weight of one hundred and dozens of pounds. With the plate armor that weighs dozens of pounds and the horse armor that weighs dozens of pounds, the total load is as high as two or three hundred pounds.

Carrying a weight of two or three hundred pounds, the general war horse can only charge back and forth a few times. Even a good warhorse can rush for a few minutes at most. Then, take a long break. The knights who returned after the charge often had to rest on their horses with the help of knight attendants. If you don't get off the horse and continue to let the war horse carry a weight of two or three hundred pounds, the war horse will be exhausted.

The horses of the black knights, in order to be flexible, are rarely equipped with horse armor. The black knights themselves are also more equipped with light armor. The reason for this is to facilitate running. When the plate armored knight came after him, the black-shirted knight could easily slip away so that the plate armored knight could not catch up. When the plate knights are exhausted, the black knights have loaded their muskets, and they can use the resting plate knights as live targets...

...

Marin explained the tactics of black-shirted knights in a high-flavoured manner. Steindorf and other civilian officers were fine, but Frenzberg and other knight-born knights were frowning...

They believe that this tactic invented by Marin is too shameless and does not conform to the "upright" fighting style of the knights, but because Marin is the boss and they are employees, it is not easy to refute them face to face.

When Marin proposed to choose one of the officers present as the commander of the black knight, all the officers from the knight family chose to decline...

Marin frowned, unhappy. However, thinking of the bad temper of the knights in this era, I didn't reluctantly. In the end, he turned his attention to Boren Steindorf, who had a strong horsemanship and was good at commanding musketeers...

"Boren, this commander, how are you going to be?"

Steindorf was shocked. Originally, Marin wanted to form a "black knight", but he had no idea. Because, although he is capable of riding and archery, he is a commoner. Moreover, Marin paid more attention to the cultured knights from the knight family, and he could see it.

Originally, he thought that the black knight had nothing to do with him. Unexpectedly, the officers from the knight family present refused to be the commander of the black knights. So, this pie hit him on the head.

You know, Marin clearly stated that the size of the black knights is about four or five hundred people. Being the commander of the black knights is equivalent to being on the same level as the phalanx leader. Under normal circumstances, officers of this level must be those officers from the knight family.

Unexpectedly, those knights were not happy. So, Marin had to choose Steindorf...

In fact, Steindorf also came from a family of knights. It's just that their ancestor, the youngest son of the knight family, left the family long ago and became a commoner. So, a few generations later, Steindorf was already a commoner, only retaining the surname left by the knight family. Moreover, Steindorf was not well educated when he was a child. He only attended church school for one year. After that, due to family difficulties, he could not afford to read, so he went straight to work.

Therefore, Steindorf is not literate, at most he can only write his own name and recognize a few words. And Marin has cultural requirements for middle-level officers. Even if it is Kahn, Sauer and other cronies, Marin will force them to study when they have time.

In fact, Steindorf also really wanted to read and study, but he was not a close friend of Marin, and Marin never thought of asking a teacher to open a kitchen for him. Therefore, he has never had a chance to come forward. Being able to be the captain of the first phalanx musket company is considered a great luck. Because the knights don't know how to shoot...

Only this time, he was more fortunate. Directly because he had no competitors, he was appointed by Marin as the commander of the black knights, and became a middle-level officer on the same level as the phalanx commander...

After that, Marin made a selection in the army, picking the black knight. Because it pays attention to speed and flexibility, and has very low requirements for horseback martial arts. So, in order to lighten the load on the horses, Marin asked to select warriors who were not too tall and not too heavy. Of course, the horsemanship should be good enough.

After all, in addition to carrying people, the warhorse also carries 5 carbines, and it also weighs 15 kilograms. Pick a lighter and shorter fighter, and save the 15kg load at once.

The black knights mainly shoot, and use sabres to chase down the enemy's rout. Therefore, the requirements for the ability of the front face are lower. Those fighters who are thin and not very skilled in martial arts can also be selected. Of course, it can't be too weak, at least the riding skills are better, and it can also make corresponding tactical actions on horseback. When chasing and cutting down soldiers, physical strength must also keep up.

Fortunately, horse farming is popular in Europe, and many civilians have served draught horses since childhood, and are no strangers to riding. Therefore, it is much easier to choose cavalry in Europe than in ancient China.

In this way, in the army, Marin took the lead in selecting 200 soldiers who were about 1.7 meters tall and who were not heavy and formed the first "Knights in Black Shirts". What surprised Marin was that most of the 200 people came from the musket troops of the four phalanxes. Because the musketeers are the most talented and easy to use in the use of carbine. In addition, many people have ridden horses since childhood and are no strangers to equestrianism. Therefore, when choosing, the musketeers have an advantage. Of the 200, 140 were formerly musketeers.

In this way, the first batch of 200 "black knights" under Malin officially appeared. Because it is a brand new unit, Marin has only theoretical support. Therefore, the specific training and tactics need to be explored by Steindorf and the black knights. But in any case, they are not blindly groping. After all, there is also information from Marin's previous life from the Internet as theoretical support. With direction, all is well said...