Descending On France 1780
Chapter 132 - 126 It’s all messed up, everything is messed up.

Chapter 132: 126 It’s all messed up, everything is messed up.

The attacking formations of the subsequent brigades were not as neat as the first brigade, but they all managed to maintain their formations until the end.

Anning was very satisfied, as this meant they could at least launch offensive battles in the open fields in the future.

After the infantry brigade finished, it was the turn of the ladies, who were still infantry. Perhaps out of a competitive spirit, although the ladies’ formation in skirts was not as good as the first brigade, it looked much better than the other brigades.

Cano once again suggested, "In my opinion, they are very good as skirmishers. Since we cannot obtain so many horses for now, we might as well use them as skirmishers. Skirmishers require less training but need higher fighting spirit."

After all, skirmishers fight in dispersed formations, and during combat, they are physically further away from their own officers, so they need a higher desire to fight and should not be people forced onto the battlefield.

That’s why, apart from Austria, which has a tradition of using skirmishers, the skirmishers in other countries are often composed of criminals and vagabonds, all of whom inherently have a desire to kill and plunder.

Thus, Cano’s point does make sense, as cavalry also require a strong desire to fight, because most cavalry units fall out of control by their officers once they begin to run, scattering their formation.

Without fighting spirit, they scatter halfway through a charge.

Therefore, the discipline among cavalry is also poor, especially among the Cavalry, which are essentially bandits turned regular.

Theoretically, since the ladies can serve as cavalry, they can also serve as skirmishers.

Anning asked, "Are you confident that you can train the ladies into skirmishers before our next outing for battle?"

Cano replied, "Skirmishers don’t need much training, the key is in their fighting spirit."

Anning said, "Alright, let’s try it. I don’t want the ladies to engage in hand-to-hand combat with regular line infantry."

"Understood, I will train the ladies well," said Lazar Kano confidently.

At this moment, the last to form up, the Twilight Knights, began to move into attack formation.

Their formation was very neat, even better than Davout’s first brigade. It must be said, they are all non-commissioned officers, having undergone many rigorous years of training at their respective officer schools.

Halfway through, the knights in white uniforms began to shout in unison, "We are the General’s blades! We are the ghosts of the old era!"

Anning frowned, "Who arranged this?"

Cano replied, "Not me, they must have prepared it themselves."

Anning pondered, "Representing the new era in the National Guard, here we have a group of ghosts from an old era... When internal strife intensifies later, are we part of the White Party or the Blue Party?"

This division method came after the complete intensification of the French civil war, where supporters of the National Assembly were the Blue Party, and those supporting the restoration of the King were the White Party.

Cano said, "That would depend on your decision."

At this time, Davout rode over to Anning and saluted, "The entire army’s attack formation exercise is over. Please give your instructions."

Anning commanded, "Start practicing the transformation into Formation."

"Understood!"

After Davout left, Anning turned to the Cavalry Commander, Commander of the Guard Knight Order, Valerie de Oliver, and ordered, "Prepare the ladies, let these soldiers experience the power of a cavalry charge."

"Yes," Valerie saluted and turned her horse to leave.

Beethoven murmured, "She left without a sound, I did not even realize she was here."

Anning explained, "That’s because she is a Court Guard Knight. In the court, unless someone of higher rank speaks first, they are not allowed to speak."

"I see."

Anning then called the Messenger Soldier, "Signal the order for the Artillery to cease fire."

"Yes!"

The sound of artillery fire gradually ceased, and on the smoke-filled ground, the troops originally in line formation began to transform into a square Formation.

Lazar Kano was still timing with a pocket watch.

Led by the Guard Knight regiment, two thousand five hundred cavalrymen charged with a rumbling sound from the side of the battlefield towards the infantry formation that had just formed.

The scene was truly spectacular.

Merely two thousand five cavalry had such an imposing sound, one can only imagine the magnitude when forty thousand French cavalry charged together at Waterloo.

No wonder Nei believed that a charge could end the battle.

It’s just a pity that the formation was too effective against cavalry without heavy armor.

Anning watched his troops lined up in formation, firm as rocks on a riverbank, the cavalry formation like running water, splitting upon meeting the rocks.

Anning was feeling the atmosphere of the battlefield, while Lazar Kano was assessing the training level of the troops: "Not bad, no one faltered in the face of a cavalry charge. Of course, that might also be because they know this is a drill."

Anning: "We’ll know if they can truly withstand it once we try on the actual battlefield."

However, encountering an established cavalry brigade on the battlefield will likely happen if the Anti-France Alliance advances.

Anning: "I think it’s about enough, blow the horn, gather the troops."

The messenger soldier who had been following Anning immediately took out his "weapon" and blew the horn for troop withdrawal.

Lazar Kano was still holding his pocket watch, observing the entire exercise.

The speed of troop gathering seemed to be another item in his assessment.

Anning, watching the moving troops, thought to himself that he had prepared for war. What needs to be decided next is how to use this fully trained army.

Historically, the National Assembly declared war on foreign countries with the intent to spread the Revolution beyond France’s borders, a decision made after November 1791.

Before that, Anning did not intend to deplete his forces.

He planned to ignore domestic rebellions.

After all, there was no rebellion near Conte, let the Parliament worry about rebellions elsewhere.

Regarding the war with Prussia and Austria, Anning also planned to stay on the sidelines, as history showed that Demure’s Reform Army won this battle; he just needed to provide Demure with support.

As for when to fully deploy this force he’s cultivated, Anning figured, it should be when Bonaparte rises to power, then he would go all out to support him.

Yes, the battle of Toulon would be when I give my all; by then, Bonaparte would surely remember me, the Dragon Raising Minister, and grant me great benefits.

Surmising this, a smile emerged on Anning’s face.

Just then, a messenger soldier rode up in front of Anning and saluted. "General! A Lieutenant requests an audience! He says he is an acquaintance of yours!"

Anning had not yet realized the issue and casually replied: "Let him come over."

Before the messenger soldier left, the Lieutenant had already ridden over: "I have arrived, Andy, it’s me!"

Anning glanced at the man and almost fell off his horse.

It was Napoleon Bonaparte!

That’s not right! Shouldn’t you be in Corsica sucking up to Pauli? How are you back already?

Napoleon spoke with a smile: "I heard you are in need of officers, so as soon as I landed in Toulon, I rushed over. I’ve come to join you!"

Anning was speechless: "What about Corsican independence?"

Napoleon: "Forget it, Pauli doesn’t understand revolution; he just wants to restore the old ways in Corsica! Hanging around these insects, it’s impossible to do any revolution! I’ve thought about it long, and everything happening in France excites me more.

"So here I am! Tell me, what do we do next?"