Chapter 7: The Village's Military Drills (Part 2)

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“The Hanyang-made rifle, also known as the old bolt-action rifle, is modeled after the German 1888 Commission rifle. Since it was originally produced by the Hanyang Arsenal in China and gradually spread throughout the country, everyone calls it the Hanyang rifle,” Zhang Yun explained to the entire platoon of new recruits under the shade of the afternoon wheat drying yard, holding the Hanyang rifle in his hands.

“This rifle measures 1,520 millimeters in total length, with a barrel length of 740 millimeters, weighing over eight jin. It uses 7.92×57-millimeter round-nose bullets, with a muzzle velocity of 600 meters per second and an effective range of 800 meters, while the calibrated sight reaches up to 1,800 meters. Currently, most Chinese troops on the battlefield across the nation use this rifle. Its 7.92-millimeter round-nose ammunition is widely available, and our platoon has plenty of ammo. We will have to deal with this weapon often in the future, so it’s a weapon we must master.”

“Remember, compared to the Type 38 rifle, the Hanyang rifle’s accuracy is slightly lacking, but its bullets pack a punch; when it hits, it makes a large round hole. So when facing the enemy, just aim for their chest.”

“These rifles have been in use for some time, and the rifling inside the barrel has worn down considerably, reducing accuracy. But that’s alright—good plasters are the ones that can drain pus. Just yesterday, we veterans used these old weapons to take down thirteen enemy soldiers. The gear we have isn’t enough and not the best, so you all will use them for now. Once you’re skilled with these weapons, I’ll bring you to get new rifles.”

“Alright,” “Alright!” The new recruits responded enthusiastically, roused by the call to action. Zhang Yun then stepped down and let several squad leaders take charge, splitting the troops to individually teach weapon maintenance, aiming, and briefly introducing a few tactical maneuvers.

“Changqing, tonight you need to find someone to make some wooden targets. We start shooting practice tomorrow,” Zhang Yun busied himself meticulously with the arrangements. Deputy platoon leader Liu Changqing nodded in agreement and turned to find Old Tang. For matters like this, it was better for Old Tang, who managed logistics, to rally the villagers to help.

The rest of the day passed in a flurry of activity...

The next day, after practicing formations and tactical moves, the new recruits arrived at the shooting range behind the mountain to begin their first live-fire exercise. Aside from veterans assigned to guard duty, Deputy Platoon Leader assigned other veterans to supervise, guiding the new recruits while guarding against accidents, because live ammunition is dangerous and a single mistake could be fatal.

Each recruit was given five rounds, instructed to load all five, disengage the safety, and aim. Then, after firing two shots and ejecting three rounds, they reloaded three more rounds and continued firing.

“Bang,” “Bang,” “Bang,” “Bang.”

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As expected, the new recruits’ first shooting was pitifully poor—few bullets even hit the target. When it came time to reload, their hands fumbled, and by the time the five rounds were done, sweat was pouring down their faces.

The veterans watched nearby, wincing with sympathy. Most of them had fired their first bullets on the battlefield itself; some only fired their first shots while under fire. Seeing the recruits fumble so badly with ammunition stirred both pity and envy in their hearts.

“New recruits, fall back. Veterans, step forward!” the deputy platoon leader commanded.

The veterans lined up at the shooting stand, each holding a newly captured Type 38 rifle, with five rounds loaded in their magazines.

“Fire!”

“Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang.” The veterans’ marksmanship was impressive—all shots hit the target, and many scored between eight and nine rings. This excellent performance was partly due to their high skill level and partly because the Type 38 rifle’s small caliber, low recoil, and high accuracy suited East Asian shooters perfectly, making shooting very comfortable.

“Truly a good gun,” said Squad Leader Dabao, holding his rifle and looking at the cluster of ten-ring bullet holes on the distant target, beaming with joy. The veterans on the firing line shared the same satisfied expressions, pleased with their rifles. They were not unfamiliar with other rifles—British and French models had been seen—but those were all old weapons captured from the Nationalists, usually suffering from worn rifling. The brand-new Type 38, with its precision and smooth bolt action, had truly won their hearts.

“Comrades, the Type 38 rifle has a high muzzle velocity and strong penetration, making it excellent for distant targets. However, at close range, it tends to over-penetrate, causing two holes with one shot. So, if you need to shoot enemies nearby, you can lightly score the bullet tip with your bayonet to leave some marks, increasing lethality. But such bullets will lose accuracy at longer distances, so use this trick wisely,” Zhang Yun added timely commentary, knowing that even the veterans were handling the Type 38 for the first time and weren’t fully familiar with its characteristics.

Afterward, the veterans led the new recruits back to the wheat drying yard to continue familiarizing themselves with the rifles, practicing aiming, standing shooting, prone shooting, and other tactical maneuvers. That afternoon, they also had to practice throwing grenades, digging foxholes and trenches, and changing tactical formations. The recruits had much to learn—these skills were vital for survival and combat effectiveness.

At this time, Old Tang arrived at the range with the young soldiers to collect spent shell casings. These golden brass casings were unused for now but made of copper and were quite valuable. Once the Eighth Route Army’s arsenal resumed bullet production, these could be recycled and exchanged for ammunition. As the steward, Old Tang had to keep careful accounts of such details.

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However, Zhang Yun paid little attention to these petty concerns. He was confident that soon everyone would be armed with new bullets continuously, and they could even send many up the chain of command to help allied units with ammunition shortages.

After all, he had connections!

...

For ten consecutive days, Zhang Yun and the new recruits trained intensively in Xiaowang Village. War was no joke—the recruits were still far from becoming qualified soldiers. Zhang Yun would not recklessly lead them into battle just to satisfy his own zeal or to test the full extent of his special abilities.

Learning on the battlefield might be faster than on the training ground, but it cost lives and blood. Zhang Yun’s values, shaped by his experiences in the future, made him cherish the lives of his soldiers all the more.

Still, Zhang Yun’s focus was not solely on training. While drilling the recruits, he had dispatched several veterans in disguise to nearby townships and villages to gather intelligence and assess changes in the enemy and friendly forces. Zhang Yun planned to protect his own troops while testing the enemy forces in surrounding villages.

Compared to the later stages of the War of Resistance, when the Japanese had numerous fortified strongholds, efficient communication networks, and rapid reinforcements, the current Japanese forces were mainly focused on engagements with various Nationalist units. Here in Shanxi, they held major cities and key counties but had not broadly occupied many county seats or large towns. Many county seats and towns were actually controlled by fragmented groups of troops, collaborators, and bandits.

These forces were like soft targets. As long as their numbers were not greater than the new recruits’ platoon, Zhang Yun could capture them easily. The only challenge was determining whether the occupying forces were Nationalist troops or bandits. Accidentally attacking Nationalist units could lead to criticism for disrupting the united front against Japan.

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