軍用

King Wu asked Taigong: "When a king raises an army, are there regulations for the equipment of the three armies, the implements of attack and defense, and their categories and quantities?" Taigong said: "How great is my king's question! The implements of attack and defense each have their proper categories — this is the great power of the military." King Wu said: "I wish to hear about it."

Taigong said: "The grand inventory for deploying an army of ten thousand armored soldiers requires the following by regulation: Thirty-six Martial Assault Great Fushi war wagons. Elite soldiers with powerful crossbows, halberds, and spears form its wings; twenty-four men push each wagon, which has eight-foot wheels with banners and drums mounted on top. Military doctrine calls these 'shock and awe' — they breach solid formations and defeat strong enemies. Seventy-two Martial Wing Great Shield Fushi with halberds and spears. Elite crossbowmen with halberds and spears form its wings, using five-foot wheels, with winch-drawn linked crossbows as secondary armament — they breach solid formations and defeat strong enemies. One hundred forty Light Wing Small Shield Fushi. Winch-drawn linked crossbows as secondary armament, using deer-cart wheels — they breach solid formations and defeat strong enemies. Thirty-six Great Yellow Triple-linked Crossbow Great Fushi. Elite crossbowmen with halberds and spears form its wings, with Flying Mallard and Lightning Shadow bolts as secondary armament. Flying Mallards have red shafts and white fletching with bronze tips; Lightning Shadows have blue-green shafts and red fletching with iron tips. By day, crimson silk streamers six feet long and six inches wide serve as bright markers; by night, white silk streamers of the same dimensions serve as shooting stars — they breach solid formations and defeat infantry and cavalry. Thirty-six Great Fushi Ramming Chariots. Mantis Warriors ride together, able to strike vertically and horizontally, able to defeat the enemy. Supply wagons for cavalry raids, also called Lightning Chariots — military doctrine calls them 'lightning strikes,' breaching solid formations and defeating infantry and cavalry. When raiders come by night, one hundred sixty light chariots with halberds, spears, and Fushi carry three Mantis Warriors each — military doctrine calls them 'thunderclap strikes,' breaching solid formations and defeating infantry and cavalry."

"Square-headed iron hammers weighing twelve jin with handles five feet or longer — twelve hundred of them, also called Heaven's Hammers. Great-handled axes with eight-inch blades weighing eight jin with handles five feet or longer — twelve hundred of them, also called Heaven's Battle-axes. Square-headed iron hammers weighing eight jin with handles five feet or longer — twelve hundred of them, also called Heaven's Hammers. These defeat infantry, cavalry, and raiding bands. Flying hooks eight inches long with four-inch barbed points and handles six feet or longer — twelve hundred of them, to be hurled into enemy masses. For the three armies' defensive positions: wooden Mantis sword-blade Fushi, two zhang wide — one hundred twenty of them, also called mobile barriers, for level ground where infantry defeats chariots and cavalry. Wooden caltrops standing two feet five inches off the ground — one hundred twenty sets. These defeat infantry and cavalry, intercept cornered raiders, and block retreating enemies. Axle-turning short assault Fushi with halberds and spears — one hundred twenty sets. These are what the Yellow Emperor used to defeat Chiyou. They defeat infantry and cavalry, intercept cornered enemies, and block retreating forces. For narrow roads and small paths: iron caltrops with four-inch spikes, eight inches wide and six feet or longer — twelve hundred sets. These defeat infantry and cavalry. When enemies rush forward in darkness for close combat with bare blades: spread ground nets, lay double-pointed caltrops, and link them in triple-connected Weaving Maid formations with two-foot spacing between spikes — twelve thousand sets. In open wilderness and tall grass: square-chested barbed spears — twelve hundred sets. The method for deploying barbed spears: set them one foot five inches high. These defeat infantry and cavalry, intercept cornered enemies, and block retreating forces. For narrow roads and small paths with ground traps: iron shackle-chains linked in series — one hundred twenty sets. These defeat infantry and cavalry, intercept cornered enemies, and block retreating forces."

"For defending camp gates: small shields with halberds and spears — twelve sets, with winch-drawn linked crossbows as secondary armament. For the three armies' defensive positions: Heaven's Net tiger-barrier chain links, each section one zhang five chi wide and eight chi tall — one hundred twenty sets. Sword-blade tiger-barrier Fushi, one zhang five chi wide and eight chi tall — five hundred twenty sets. For crossing ditches and moats: flying bridges, one span each, one zhang five chi wide and two zhang or longer, fitted with eight winch pulleys, stretched with ring-fitted connecting ropes. For crossing major rivers: Flying River pontoons, one zhang five chi wide and two zhang or longer — eight sets, stretched with ring-fitted connecting ropes. Heaven's Float iron mantis pontoons, square on the inside and round on the outside, four chi or more in diameter, with ring nets as secondary fittings — thirty-two sets. Using Heaven's Floats to extend Flying River pontoons can cross great seas — this is called the Heaven's Pool, also named the Heaven's Ship. For encamping in mountains and wilderness: build tiger-barrier brushwood camps using ring-fitted iron chains two zhang or longer — twelve hundred of them. Large ring-fitted connecting ropes, four inches thick and four zhang or longer — six hundred of them. Medium ring-fitted connecting ropes, two inches thick and four zhang or longer — two hundred of them. Small ring-fitted fine cords, two zhang or longer — twelve thousand of them."

"Timber-felling great axes weighing eight jin with handles three feet or longer — three hundred. Chisels with six-inch blades and handles five feet or longer — three hundred. Bronze-capped mallets five feet or longer — three hundred. Eagle-claw square-chested iron rakes with handles seven feet or longer — three hundred. Square-chested iron forks with handles seven feet or longer — three hundred. Vegetation-clearing great sickles with handles seven feet or longer — three hundred. Great shields with blades weighing eight jin and handles six feet long — three hundred. Looped iron stakes three feet or longer — three hundred. Chisel-mallets weighing five jin with handles two feet or longer — one hundred twenty. For ten thousand armored soldiers: six thousand with powerful crossbows, two thousand with halberds and shields, two thousand with spears and shields, and three hundred skilled craftsmen for repairing siege equipment and sharpening weapons. This is the grand inventory for raising an army." King Wu said: "Excellent indeed!"