Chapter 48 - The Commander, the Soldier, and the Veteran 'Old Man'
Our equipment for close-quarters combat had finally come together.
Thanks to Master’s efforts, every member of the guerilla unit was now outfitted with standardized gear made from artificial magic ore. Additionally, the training of shooters and spotters were also set in motion. We had a fair number of soldiers with Hunter-type Skills. I narrowed it down to those who had Archer-type Skills.
Priority was given to distributing guns to those soldiers. There were fifteen of them in total. And going forward... we planned to increase that number. Fifth-year soldiers with keen eyesight took on the role of spotters. Training was conducted at the Fortress’s archery range, with strict confidentiality enforced. The role was referred to as shooters. They were essentially hunters aiming to deliver fatal strikes from a distance.
Those already proficient with bows began their training with crossbows. We used specialized bolts for this purpose. I figured it would be effective for them to get used to the shape and handling of guns.
As for the infantry, I appointed Old Man and a sergeant major as their dedicated trainers. The fifth-year soldiers, who had been serving as infantry leaders, participated in the training as part of their practical command training for roles such as squad leaders and non-commissioned officers. I personally took charge of the shooters’ training, as I was the most skilled with guns. After all, I was the original developer, so it was only natural. The crossbow training turned out to be a hit among the shooters.
“Commander, are we not going to use these crossbows in actual combat?”
“You think we can?”
“Yes, sir. They’re quite practical. First, they allow us to fire bolts silently. Additionally, since the bow is made of steel, its effective range is comparable to that of a longbow. On top of that, it’s much smaller than a longbow, making it easier to carry on one’s back. Bolts also take up less space than arrows; we can carry around twenty of them in a quiver on our waist without issue. If we could incant bolts with runes similar to those used in bullets... they could be quite effective against small-sized magical beasts.”
“...Is that the perspective of a former hunter?”
“Yes, sir. I’m aware of the performance of the guns used by you and my comrades. However, they’re often too powerful for small-sized magical beasts. I believe that guns, as a weapon, are only effective when used for careful, precise sniping, as they lack the maneuverability for quick adjustments. As someone who has the Archer Skill, I personally prefer crossbows, which have more than adequate performance for my needs.”
“I see. Is that so? So you change weapons depending on the time, the situation, and the type of enemy you’re facing. That’s what you’re saying, right?”
“Exactly. For most situations, I’d use the crossbow. And for precise long-range sniping, I’d use the anti-monster gun.”
“That’s worth considering. Very well, I’ll review your suggestion with the command staff. I’ll also look into the idea of incanting runes onto the bolts. So, depending on the target, we might indeed switch weapons. But wouldn’t carrying both become too burdensome?”
“I was a logistics soldier for my first year in the Lord Knight’s army, so it won’t bother me much.”
“You were in logistics?”
“It’s standard for new recruits to start as porters. Everyone here has been through that.”
“Ah, I see. No wonder your legs are so sturdy. Understood. I’ll give this further thought.”
If you were to ask whether I could simply nod in agreement to the soldier’s words, the answer would be no. Carrying both a crossbow and a gun would undoubtedly add weight and bulk. The idea of changing weapons based on the target wasn’t a bad one, but the essence of unit operations lies in versatility and immediacy. The critical question was... whether one could instantly take a firing stance under any circumstances.
Carrying more than one type of weapon while on the move... In the operations of the guerilla unit, mobility was paramount. With that in mind, heavy equipment became a disadvantage. Let alone switching between two types of weapons depending on the situation—was that really feasible? From the perspective of efficiency, it seemed like a significant misstep.
This was tantamount to sacrificing versatility. While I couldn’t completely refute the idea, I couldn’t help but feel that way. So, what could be done? Should I reconsider how guns were handled? Should I refine the shooting techniques further? Or perhaps strengthen the crossbows instead? Maybe even divide the unit into gun and crossbow specialists?
――― It was a vexing problem. I couldn’t quite grasp what the right answer might be.
I’d never thought about these things before. If I drew on my past life’s “general knowledge,” soldiers in the military typically carried pistols, hand grenades, submachine guns, or rifles equipped with grenade launchers. Multi-purpose weapons were nothing more than a distant dream. Even though I knew what submachine guns looked like, I didn’t fully understand how they worked.
Even the current guns were a product of painstaking effort to create something functional. I wanted to fulfill the soldiers’ ideal vision, but their suggestions strayed from the fundamental principles of modern battlefields. Preparing separate ammunition types for small-sized magical beasts might be a better approach. Using interchangeable magazines could make things more practical to operate.
As these ideas formed in my mind, they began to take shape.
I would need to discuss these matters with Old Man and others who were handling the infantry’s combat training. In terms of coordination, it was better to ensure the infantry could move effectively. One approach might be to immobilize monsters or magical beasts from a distance and finish them off in close quarters—something that is aligned with conventional experience.
However, considering the lethality of guns, the reverse approach could also be true: infantry would hold the line while precise shots from a distance handled the enemy. The current guerilla unit was capable of such a strategy. But if we adopted this method, we might find ourselves at a disadvantage against enemies that attack in large numbers, such as small-sized magical beasts that come in swarms.
Countless possibilities ran through my mind, but none of them felt entirely satisfactory. Unlike combat against human opponents, fighting monsters and magical beasts involved too many unpredictable variables. How would they move? What degree of threat did their aggression pose as individuals or as a species?
At present, experience was, quite honestly, the only thing we could rely on.
And the one to fill that gap in knowledge was Old Man (adjutant). No one else had as much practical combat experience as Old Man. To the new recruits, his experience was priceless. A veteran who had accumulated such knowledge through real battles and survived was nothing short of a polished gem.
I felt a deep sense of gratitude that Old Man had been assigned to the guerilla unit. First, I would convey my thoughts and the soldier’s requests to Old Man. Then, by blending them with Old Man’s wealth of experience... we could begin to form something tangible.
I would take the suggestions from the shooter seriously and consider every possible way to enhance everyone’s chances of survival.
――― Thus began the days of trial and error.
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