The training time of the team was not long. With the help of Ctips, Alsinis quickly integrated into the team.
Then the detachment was merged into the company for further formation training. Alcidis and the others began to familiarize themselves with more complex tactical instructions and flags: what rhythm drum beats and what speed? What kind of bugle sound is advancing? What kind of bugle sound is retreat? What bugle sound is a charge
Also, under the different drums and bugles, also watching the direction of the team flag. When the flag points forward in a certain direction, it means marching, rushing or charging in that direction; when the flag is pointing backward in a certain direction, it means retreating, retreating or retreating in that direction; , rest, alert or prepare... They also have to learn how to quickly change from column to horizontal, form a dense phalanx, and then quickly split into columns from the phalanx to move quickly; there are also some complex tactical actions, such as the second and third squadron defenses in the middle , the first and fourth divisions assaulted on both wings...
Then I entered the group training. At this time, there were no complicated tactical instructions, but more formation changes, such as: fish scale array (Daves's name is actually the Roman checkerboard array) During the march, it quickly turned into a closely connected large square, and the large square returned to a fish-scale array; the front row retreated and the back row was on top to form a new large square; and the square array was kept tight when the array was kept close. , rotate left and right, etc.
In the end it was the whole army. Not only has the previous array conversion, but also increased the cooperation with other brigades and arms. For example: when advancing, the light infantry brigade in the rear quickly passes through the gap of the fish scale array, rushes to the front of the array, forms a skirmish line, performs throwing and shooting actions, and then quickly retreats from the gap to the rear, and the fish scale array quickly merges into a large one. The phalanx; when the sharp bugle sounded hurriedly, it required the cavalry on both flanks to attack (although there are only a few dozen cavalry now, but Davos still specially prepared tactical space for them), which had already retreated before. The light shield soldiers in the light infantry brigade (that is, the seventh brigade) behind the phalanx quickly moved behind the cavalry. Following closely behind, the heavy infantry phalanx slowly pressed on...
There are many novel offensive and defensive methods that Alsinis had never seen before, which opened his eyes to him. At the same time, he was also troubled by the constantly changing flag instructions, but the team leader Ctipps and his comrades kept reminding him. , so that Alsinis would not make a big mistake, and so did the other recruits, and gradually they could keep up with the rhythm of training.
…
When the training was over, it was still early because it was already May and it was getting dark later.
At this time, Archon Davos stepped onto the makeshift podium.
The tired soldiers began to get excited.
Davos said straight to the point: "Brothers, what are we going to do next?!"
"football!!!"
"After the last practice, are you familiar with all the rules?"
"Familiar!!!"
"Let's get started!!!"
"Then it's the same as last time. First, set up the four venues. It is still the first team of the first team of the first brigade vs. the first team of the seventh team. The first team of the second team vs. the third team. The first team of the first company... There are only four hourglasses in a game, the one with the most points is the winner, the loser is eliminated, and the winning team is ready to enter the next round of the game... "
The soldiers were waiting for the consul to say "start preparation", but Davos continued: "Now I announce a new rule that participating teams must join five Lucanian slaves."
The soldiers were in an uproar.
Caps, Drakes, Hieronymus... and other senior team officers have been informed by Davos in advance and know that this is the effort made by the Archon to try to integrate the Lucanians.
No one dared to refuse Davos' order, so Bagule and other forty Lucanian slaves were taken to the training ground.
Originally, Bagule and the others were grinding stones, but Alexis suddenly gathered them together, and then named the forty people headed by Bagule, saying: They are the best forty among the slaves working today. The reward will be to play a game of rugby with the citizens of Amendolara.
Because most Lucarians do not understand Greek, it is the translation made by Bagul. The slaves were restless, worried that it was a conspiracy of the Greeks against the forty.
Alexis swore to the gods: let them come back before dark!
Bagule and the others were taken into the training camp uneasy and stood in front of the Greek soldiers.
And when most of the soldiers were also at a loss for a while, Olivers, the leader of the 1st Division of the 1st Company of the 1st Battalion, took the lead, and he quickly picked Bagule and the other four strong Lucania. Slave, the others reacted, and in an instant, the forty slaves were divided up by the teams that participated in the first round.
Davers explained the rules of the game to them for a short time, and of course Bagul was the interpreter. Then the five of them were merged into Olivers' detachment.
The rugby field is a flat grass field with a length of about 100 meters and a width of about 50 meters, which is delineated with lime powder. White lines are drawn every ten meters. Clear, so at the intersection of the white lines on both sides, there are wooden poles inserted.
According to Daves's request, the company captain can only serve as his own coach, while the division captain must serve as the team's quarterback, because the coach must arrange tactics according to the strengths and weaknesses of his own team and the opponent, and the quarterback is the team's on-court team. core. He has to change his tactics in time according to the changes on the field and lead his players to victory. Davers wanted to exercise the leadership and command ability of the team officers, because he believed that in the modern competition of the previous life, rugby was a game very similar to the ancient cold weapon combat. The confrontation in the middle and the assault on the two wings... It can exercise the strength, speed and agility of the soldiers, and can also cultivate the unity and cooperation of the whole team, enhance the cohesion, and at the same time, it can also cultivate the company captains and division captains to think calmly and quickly make correct responses in the fierce competition. This is very beneficial to the entire army, because the systematic and complex multi-arms (temporarily lacking cavalry) synthetic army created by Davos relies heavily on the capabilities of middle and low-level officers in order to exert its real power.
First, the two sides draw lots to determine the order of attack.
Olivers was lucky to get the first attack, and "coach" Antonios began to arrange tactics for the team: "Bagule, you are new here, you are not familiar with this game, watch and study off the court first."
Bagul nodded: It seems that he is really playing a game.
The soldiers around were all serious, and they were also infected with these Lucanian slaves.
"You, you, you, you... You go first, pay attention to catch the ball after the opponent kicks off, don't hesitate to pass the ball to Olivers immediately after receiving the ball, Olivers, pass the ball to the big man and let him hold the ball Run, try the opponent's strength, the others pay attention to block the opponent for him!..." Antonios is strategizing against the players on the field.
At this time, the whistle sounded, and the referee Drax urged the players of both sides to play. According to regulations, the captain of the battalion served as the referee, and there were four referees in total. Since Epithenes, the captain of the seventh brigade, also served as the captain of the first company, the cavalry captain Ryders was on top.
The soldiers took off all metal clothing such as helmets, greaves, and knives, and only wore linen breastplates to prevent injuries. At the same time, both sides wrapped the prepared linen strips dyed red and blue around their upper bodies to tie them tightly to distinguish them. two teams. There are 55 players on one team plus five slaves. Only 11 people are required to play at a time. However, rugby is a very physically consuming sport, but the soldiers are already a little tired from training and must rely on constant substitutions to maintain their combat effectiveness.
Drax gave an order and the game began.
The hourglass also started timing.
Epithenes kicked the ball into the opponent's half and immediately rushed towards the opponent.
Antonios found that the other party had sent five slaves at the very beginning: Could it be that the slaves had more physical strength than the soldiers to obstruct their own attack. Antonios decided to look at the game first and then make adjustments.
A soldier jumped up, and as soon as he received the ball, the opponent was about to rush in front of him.
Although he was also wearing a linen breastplate, his appearance turned out to be Lucarian.
The soldier holding the ball was stunned for a moment. This distraction was immediately tackled by the opponent. Fortunately, he fell to the ground in time and pressed the ball under him.
The players of the Antonios team made a sound of regret, and the other party shouted loudly. Several players excitedly stepped forward and slapped the Lucanian to express their encouragement.
An attacking opportunity was just wasted. According to the rules formulated by Davos, the attacker has three chances. During this period, he must advance the distance of a wooden pole in the opponent's half (about ten meters), and then get three more attacking opportunities after advancing. Otherwise, it is time for the opponent to attack.
Olivers was not in a hurry, he said jokingly: "Xenotimes, did you exercise with your wife too many times last night, so your hands and feet are so weak that you can't even pass a ball?!"
The players laughed.
"Okay, brothers, this attack must show them the strength of the strongest detachment in the entire army!" (According to Davos's "Military Law", the "one" in the army number is not just a The number is also a manifestation of ability and honor. The first brigade is the strongest team in the entire army, and so on. The first team of the first brigade is also not only the strongest among the detachments of the brigade to which it belongs, but also the strongest among all the detachments in the entire army. )
The soldiers roared and cheered up.
The two sides formed a formation on the yard line where the ball was stopped just now, and the two sides in the middle were facing each other. On both sides, one side was ready to catch the ball and sprint at any time, and the other side was ready to block.
The whistle sounded.