Treatise on Armament Technology, Volume 76

Training 1

When the signal ceases, immediately disperse the fifty men into a single squad. Repeat this process a total of three times, and the training session will be concluded. At that moment, all decurions shijiang (十將): leaders of ten-man squads responsible for executing the General's direct orders and maintaining discipline shall simultaneously receive the Great General’s original: dajiang (大將) rewards, punishments, and commands to advance or halt. Upon the cessation of the third blast of the horn, begin from the front to furl the banners and lead the army back to its original position.

It is further stated: during the course of combat training and troop drilling, the size of the squads must be adjusted—either increased or decreased as the situation demands. Carefully observe the Great General’s original: da zongguan (大總管). The supreme commander of the regional military circuit. position: when the white and green-blue original: bibai (白碧). Bi refers to a jade-green or cerulean color; these contrasting flags allowed soldiers to identify specific commands from a distance. flags are crossed, the Shock Troops tiaodang dui (跳盪隊): elite, highly mobile assault units tasked with leaping into enemy ranks to break their formation, the Vanguard Troops zhanfeng dui (戰鋒隊): the primary frontline combat force intended to take the brunt of the engagement, and the Reserve Troops zhudui (駐隊): stationary or "staying" troops used to hold a position or reinforce the line shall each merge three squads of the same type into one larger unit. These are then incorporated into the central unit. Coordinate this movement to ensure that the density original: xichou (稀稠). Literally "sparse and thick," referring to the spacing between soldiers; an even distribution was vital for maintaining the integrity of the line. of the formation is uniform. This results in one hundred and fifty men per unit.

If no further merging of units is required, proceed immediately to engage in combat. Follow the previous protocols: lower the spears original: naqiang (捺槍). The act of leveling or bracing spears for a charge and unfurl the banners original: jiefan (解幡). Untying the banners so they fly freely to signal the start of an active engagement. If it is necessary to add more soldiers and merge units further, observe the Great General’s position: when the red and black original: zao (皂). A classical term for black, often used for the flags of specific divisions flags are crossed, all units—categorized by their respective colors—shall again merge three squads into one. As before, these are added to the central unit to ensure the density is even. This results in four hundred and fifty men per unit. If combat is then required, furl...