Volume One: Knight of the Forest Chapter 25: Cloth Armor and Axe Spear

There was quite a lot of cargo on the ship, and it took fourteen four-wheeled wagons five trips back and forth to finally unload everything. Mark directed everyone from morning until dusk before the task was completed. By the time they finished, Berion had already arranged a sumptuous banquet to reward them and those who had recently carried out the mission in Riverside Town. With delicious food and the encouragement of alcohol, everyone celebrated wildly into the night. As the organizer of this event, Berion slipped away to his room to sleep when people came to toast him, evading his duty as lord when it came to drinking.

However, Berion did not immediately rest upon retreating to his room. Despite the exhaustion of these past few days, the plentiful harvest made it worthwhile. With these two shiploads of supplies as his foundation, Berion felt much more confident in his actions, and the chances of helping the county governor reclaim Maple Leaf Manor were now greatly improved. He took out paper and pen, carefully outlined his plans, clarified the division of labor for everyone under his command, and asked the blacksmith Hamma to make certain items, preparing to officially announce them in a few days.

Considering that everyone had been drinking heavily for several days, with many often inebriated, Berion declared a two-day alcohol ban at Norland Castle, giving everyone ample time to rest and recuperate. He did not want to see them stumbling and dazed at meetings, unable to remember a word he said.

That afternoon, Berion summoned everyone to the lord’s hall. After he sat down, the rest took their seats according to custom—with civil officials on the left and military officers on the right. After the maids had poured drinks for all, Berion began, “We gained much in Riverside Town. Last night, you all saw it for yourselves. Baron Raul and his son truly are my lucky angels. Thanks be to the great God of Fire.”

“Ha ha ha!” Everyone laughed heartily at Berion’s words, and someone responded, “To thank Lord Berion’s lucky angels, from now on, we must never let Baron Raul’s cargo ships and trading caravans slip past us!” Such remarks inevitably prompted another round of uproarious laughter.

Once the atmosphere was warm, Berion began discussing serious matters. “I called you here today mainly to consult you on two things: the recapture of Maple Leaf Manor and the development of Norland Castle. We must prioritize. The county governor only gave me three months. If we fail to train the army and reclaim Maple Leaf Manor on schedule, Norland Castle will face hard times. Our most urgent task is to drill the troops.”

Seeing everyone focused, Berion continued, “After several battles, I’ve realized our troop composition is problematic. Our recent victories depended on outsmarting the enemy and launching surprise attacks, catching them off guard, then pursuing and striking them fiercely. Such tactics require little attention to troop composition or discipline. But we cannot always fight this way. To build a strong force, we must consider troop configuration and enforce strict regulations.

My late master taught me much about commanding soldiers and explained a certain method of troop arrangement, which he believed was the best. Allow me to share it with you.”

The current military system inherited the imperial era’s old structure: single-type units formed into squads of ten, companies of a hundred, and so on, with knights and their squires forming lanced squads, then combining all types into an army corps. This system suited battles where both sides arrayed their forces openly for direct combat. Yet, anyone experienced in warfare knows that once battle begins, situations shift rapidly. Direct clashes between main forces are rare. In this age of knights, large-scale wars seldom occur; most conflicts are private wars between lords, and few ever consider troop structure, let alone improvements.

Berion, who had served in his previous life, knew he could not simply transplant modern army structures here. Cold weapon warfare differs entirely from modern warfare. Drawing on his own military experience and the lessons of renowned generals from history, Berion devised a new military formation for this world. However, he could not claim these innovations as his own or say they were inspired by another world; instead, he again invoked his late master’s name to mislead everyone.

As expected, when Berion mentioned the Dawn Sword, everyone’s attention sharpened. “This military system includes five types: sword-and-shield infantry, crossbowmen, spearmen, axe-pole infantry, with the basic unit being a five-man squad: one sword-and-shield, one crossbowman, one axe-pole, and two spearmen.

The sword-and-shield infantry carry two to five javelins, able to fight both in melee and at range. Crossbowmen use bows and crossbows. As you’ve seen during archery practice, it’s hard to become a skilled archer, but much easier to train accurate crossbowmen. Crossbowmen are also equipped with close-combat weapons—swords, axes, as they prefer. The two spearmen, besides their spears, can select swords or axes for melee and are issued small round shields for protection against arrows. Axe-pole infantry are the main brawlers, wielding powerful axe-poles for cutting and killing; they are the backbone of the squad. As for what the axe-pole looks like, Hamma, bring out the items for everyone to see.”

Upon hearing Berion’s call, Hamma quickly got up and brought out the items covered with canvas from the floor, placing them on the lord’s table.

Berion picked up the axe-pole and introduced it, “Gentlemen, this is the axe-pole. It combines the stabbing power of a spear with the chopping force of an axe. Its lethality is remarkable. Take a look—see how it’s truly a fusion of axe and spear, like a heavy battle axe mounted atop a spear. Its versatility is clear: the spearhead stabs, the axe chops, and the hook on the other side can snag and cripple cavalry horses. Not only is it formidable, but it’s also effective against mounted enemies.”

After Berion finished, Iom quickly stood, took the axe-pole from Berion, and brandished it a few times in the hall. He remarked, “My lord, this is indeed an excellent weapon. Its chops are powerful, its thrusts precise, and it can hook enemies or maim horses. Most importantly, it’s a polearm taller than a man. For those of us trained in martial arts from childhood, weapon length may not matter much—even a skilled swordsman can fend off several spearmen at once. But for ordinary soldiers, longer weapons are better; greater reach means less risk. This weapon is nearly perfect, except it requires strong, robust users. Otherwise, after a few swings, they’ll be exhausted.”

“Indeed, you’re right,” Berion nodded approvingly at Iom’s assessment. “Axe-pole fighters must be carefully selected—not only strong-bodied but also courageous. They’ll be the main melee force.”

After introducing the axe-pole, Berion presented and explained the other equipment he and Hamma had made over the past week, starting with armor. Berion boldly reproduced the cloth-faced armor he had seen in his previous life. As the name suggests, the exterior is cloth, lined with metal plates. This armor was popular in the fifteenth century and widely issued to common soldiers in both East and West.

Its advantages are many, chiefly its low cost. Compared to the chainmail typically worn by knights in this era, cloth-faced armor is far cheaper. Plate armor had not yet appeared; metal armor was limited to chainmail, which required nearly half a year for a craftsman to make, costing almost three years’ income for a minor knight’s fief. Thus, chainmail was often passed down through generations in knightly families.

Cloth-faced armor differs—it does not require the intricate crafting of tiny iron rings. The smaller the rings, the tighter the chainmail, and the better the protection. Cloth-faced armor uses palm-sized iron plates, nailed onto tailored fabric. It’s simple to make, and if damaged, iron plates or fabric can be replaced directly.

The cloth-faced armor Berion and Hamma made used materials seized from Riverside Town. Hamma created a cast iron mold, melted and purified iron blocks, and poured them into the mold, producing sixty pre-drilled plates at once—enough for two sets of armor. After quenching and polishing, Hamma nailed them onto cut canvas, then attached the leather straps; the armor was complete. Its shape resembled a modern bulletproof vest, with thick black canvas studded with dozens of rivets, offering extra protection. Berion painted his double-headed eagle crest in red on both front and back, making the black-and-red pattern striking and attractive. Most importantly, it protected vital areas well.

With an abundance of iron, Berion also made helmets of pure iron, copying the wide-brimmed kettle helmet used by British soldiers in World War I. These could be cast or stamped, requiring little skill or quality material, enabling rapid production. After Hamma made a mold, he quickly cast two, using almost the same process as for iron pots—quite simple.

For weapons, the focus was on the sword-and-shield infantry’s swords. Unlike the widespread use of swords for forming sword-and-shield units in this era, Berion equipped his troops with knives. As an enthusiast of cold weapons, Berion understood that knives dominated historical cold weapon warfare: their chopping power exceeded that of thrusting, and their technique was easier to master. While swords can chop, a curved knife is inherently better for chopping, and swordsmanship requires lengthy training. With knives, mastering the chopping motion suffices.

Other weapons involved improvements to crossbows and spears. Berion had carpenters make a stock, replacing the long wooden handle of current crossbows, so crossbowmen could brace it against their shoulder, increasing stability and aiding aim. Spears were upgraded mainly at the tip; Hamma, following Berion’s drawings, produced spearheads with blood grooves, improving bleeding upon penetration. The heads were lighter, reducing fatigue for spearmen, and a foot-long iron sleeve at the base prevented the shaft from being cut by enemy weapons during combat.

After introducing these weapons, Berion led everyone outside to test them. The results left everyone more than satisfied. Cloth-faced armor could withstand arrows from ordinary bows and crossbows at fifty paces, and resisted slashing and stabbing in melee. Tull swung hard at a man-shaped dummy clad in cloth armor; the rivets stopped the blow, leaving only a small tear in the canvas—the iron plates inside were untouched, and the blade was notched.

The axe-pole’s power impressed everyone even more. Bess took the axe-pole and chopped at a whole pig hanging on a rack, cleanly severing its lower half, bone and flesh alike. Seeing how effective the axe-pole was, others were eager to try their hand at chopping pig meat, but Mark stopped them, reminding them the pig was for tonight’s meal. Reluctantly, they let it be.

Back in the lord’s hall, Berion shared his plan for building the army. From now on, Norland Castle’s armed forces would be divided into two parts: the standing army, responsible for defending the territory and fighting outside, and the militia, tasked with assisting in garrison duties and supplementing forces in emergencies.

The standing army would be based on Berion’s five-man squad: five squads formed a section of twenty-five men; four sections made a company of a hundred; three companies a battalion of three hundred; three battalions a regiment of nine hundred. Of course, given Norland Castle’s current resources, only a single section could be formed—the territory had just over 150 able-bodied men, with a total population of 270, an exaggerated military-to-civilian ratio, and hardly ideal for a poor, undeveloped fief.

After explaining, Berion said, “From tomorrow, we will officially form the Norland Castle standing army, recruiting twenty-five soldiers. I will serve as section leader; Iom as vice leader, managing squads one and two; Bess as vice leader, managing three and four; Tull will lead the fifth squad as my personal guard. The soldiers will be chosen from those who fought in the last two battles. Squad leaders will not be appointed yet; after some training, the best performers will be promoted. I leave the selection to my two vice leaders.”

Iom and Bess rose and accepted the task. “Rest assured, my lord.”

“All adult men in the territory will undergo military training at least twice a week. From them, twenty-five will be chosen to form a militia. The militia will not leave their work but take turns manning the walls and other duties. Barrett will be militia captain, with Gamlin as vice captain, assisting in training and management. The militia’s main weapon will be the longbow, with fighting axes and short spears for close combat. Except for captain and vice captain, militia will only be issued leather armor.” Berion entrusted the militia to Barrett, a hunter, and Gamlin, a former constable with good martial skills.

“At your command, my lord!” Barrett and Gamlin rose and accepted.

“Gamlin, your son Bran is not only skilled but also courageous—he risked his life to protect his mother and sister. I am fond of him and would like to take him on as my squire. What do you say?” Berion asked.

Gamlin was thrilled. When he was constable, he had hoped to send his son to be a knight’s squire, so that with effort, Bran might earn a knighthood. However, few knights directly under the county governor were reliable, and knights only recruited squires from noble families—at least children of knights or trainees. That barrier had stymied Gamlin for years. Now, the lord of Norland Castle, Sir Berion, not only had saved his family but wanted his son Bran as his squire. Gamlin could not have been happier.

“My lord, this is not only Bran’s good fortune, but an honor for our whole family. I’ll have him come to see you shortly,” Gamlin said excitedly.

“Ha ha! Bring him along when we dine,” Berion replied with a smile.