Odawara Barracks

[wassupimviet]

Tasks done here: Basic Tasks - Training. Intermediate Tasks - Maintenance, Engineering.

"Huah! Huah! Huah!"

The Barracks is a large complex, providing housing and training for the Hojo soldiers stationed in Odawara. When not training or patrolling the streets of Odawara, the soldiers can be seen visiting their homes or eating in the mess hall. Rigorous discipline and superior training is the key to victory and these Barracks serve to provide both.

[wassupimviet]

Tsunayoshi paced across the ranks of the new recruits, grimacing at what he saw. Some of them hadn't fitted their armor correctly, some were missing pieces entirely, and others had no weapons. These recruits were sloppy. Sloppy is what got a man killed on the battlefield. Tsunayoshi knew that all too well. Tsunayoshi withdrew a saihai from his side and patted it against an upturned palm.

"Men, form up and move outside! Form into ranks four men deep, three arms away from the man ahead and two from each man on your sides. Go!"

The men filed up into an unruly "line" and exited the barracks, forming up to what Tsunayoshi had told them. Tsunayoshi continued pacing across the rank as soon as he made his way towards the front ranks. Tsunayoshi was looking for two men, any two men. Some caught his eye. Tsunayoshi walked in between the ranks and toward the first of his...subjects.

"Your armor."
"Excuse me, lord Hojo?"
"Your armor! TIghten it!" Tsunayoshi grabbed the chord near the armor plate and pulled it tight. The suddeness of it forced the air out of the soldier. "Don't do it again."

The soldiers remained looking ahead, but Tsunayoshi could tell they had taken notice of the example. Tsunayoshi was satisfied. An example had been made out of a minor infraction. Now, Tsunayoshi made his way towards the second. This was one of the worst cases.

"Where is your weapon?"
"I...I don't know, lord Hojo."
Tsunayoshi pushed the saihai into his face, just a mere inch away from hitting him square in the nose. "Don't give me that. Where is your weapon?"
"I don't know, lord-" Tsunayoshi whipped him across the face with the saihai.The man fell back from the blow and coughed.Specks of blood decorated the dirt ground while the soldier stood up again."Lor-"
"Where is your weapon?"
"I don-" Tsunayoshi thrust the saihai against the man's forehead. Again, the soldier stood up. "I don-" A thrust against the chest. "I don-" A punch. The soldier was on the ground now. "I do-" A kick. And then another. And another. Tsunayoshi knew every eye was on this, even though every man was facing forward. That was good. This was what Tsunayoshi wanted. The soldier hacked and coughed blood onto the floor and waved his hands into the sky. "Stop, stop, please lord Hojo! I sold it! I sold it!
"You what?"
"I..." The man wheezed. "I sold it...it was money for rice..."
Tsunayoshi shook his head before grabbing the man off the floor and dragging him along. The man struggled to walk across. Tsunayoshi brought him to one of the men watching the new troops. "Take this one to the doctor."

Tsunayoshi returned to the front of the recruits and gave them all a steely-eyed stare. They were afraid now, Tsunayoshi thought. This fear could be turned into a willing obedience. For now, Tsunayoshi had to do with forced obedience. Tsunayoshi pat his bloodied saihai against an upturned palm.

"You are ashigaru! You are soldiers! I expect you men to follow orders!" Tsunayoshi yelled with vigor and a talent for instilling fear. "Discipline is the mainstay of any army! If you are disciplined, you live!"

Two soldiers walked out of the barracks and Tsunayoshi nodded at them. They bowed back to him when they reached him. All three faced the trrops.

"These men are captains Sato and Seichi. These men will be your leaders. All those in the first two ranks report to Captain Sato. All those in the second two ranks report to Captain Seichi. You all answer to me."

Tsunayoshi waved his saihai across the body of recruits. Specks of blood flew across the floor. "Widen the ranks! Five arms from the man ahead, three from each man to your sides! Stagger the formation!" Tsunayoshi thrust his saihai ahead. "At the captains' call, you will thrust your spear forward. Do not hit the man ahead of you."

"Strike! Strike! Strike!" The men followed in turn, thrusting their spears at an imaginary enemy. "Strike! Strike! Strike!" A grin played across Tsunayoshi's mouth. At least they knew how to hit someone. That meant they could kill. This was fine, thought Tsunayoshi, this was fine. Tsunayoshi held up a hand and the chanting of the captains stopped.

"Inspect their form." The captains nodded and went out into the ranks, checking that each man held their spear correctly. Tsunayoshi grabbed ths spear off of one man and then forced it back into his hands, pushing the hands exactly how they should be. The captains continued to inspect from the sides while Tsunayoshi stood within. "All those under captain Sato, to the left! Those under Seichi, to the right!" The soldiers filed out and resumed their formation, with Tsunayoshi in the middle. "Strike! Strike! Strike!" The recruits began to stab at the air again.

Tsunayoshi told both of his captains to get a spear of their own. When they returned, they formed up into a stance. "This is a demonstration. Watch carefully." Tsunayoshi nodded to both captains as they showed off basic technique, but slowed considerably, the entire movement taking a minute to perform. Tsunayoshi wanted them to catch every movement, every body mechanic that went into this deceptively simple thrust. "Slow your thrusts and follow the captains." Tsunayoshi watched the soldiers watch the captains perform and noticed the considerably better form the recruits had this time. Things were going well.

Tsunayoshi continued to drill rank and formation into these troops, new as they may be. They weren't good, no. They asked for breaks and rest. They tired easily. But Tsunayoshi made them trudge on for their rewards and in this way he started to make them warriors. But this was only day one, wasn't it? There was far more work to do. Tsunayoshi nodded to his captains to end the drills for the day and send the men back to their barracks.

[wassupimviet]

"Get up! Get up you infantry, you poor beggars!"

Captain Sato banged a ladle against a heavy pot, making a hollow, yet crackly, metallic bang. In the second barracks, captain Seichi was following a similar morning ritual. Slowly, the soldiers rose from their beds under the racket and grunted and mumbled as they fitted themselves to train again. Sato went up to a soldier and shoved the utensils into the smaller man's hands.

"Gather some men. You are now in charge of making our morning meal."

Sato went outside, catching sight of Hojo Ujiyasu overlooking the men piling the firewood to heat the furnaces and stoves. Tsunayoshi was not too far off, already having the veteran units march to the training fields. Sato went off to gather the rest of the men to perform the mundane morning duties.

Ujiyasu signaled to the captains to gather the men. Both Sato and Seichi nodded and moved with practiced methodism. Orders to fall into line and get into formation were shouted across the field and the ashigaru hurriedly ran into their groups. Soon, Tsunayoshi and the veterans returned from their own preliminary training. The two captains combed their ranks, handpicking a number of men from the unit. They were brought to the front and bowed to the young daimyo. Ujiyasu nodded approvingly.

"These men are your new sergeants. Captains Sato and Seichi will assign a number of you soldiers to each of them. I expect discipline within the ranks!" Ujiyasu nodded to the captains.

"File up and move into formation!"
"Form up! Into formation!"

With these commands, the sergeants were quickly assigned to groups of men and the drills began. The events of yesterday continued and dragged on, discipline and fighting ability slowly being drilled into the soldiers. No, they were not battle ready. That could not be expected in two days. They were green, raw recruits. But they were better than they were in the first day. They would be better on the third day. Months from now, they would acquire the skills and taught the courage necessary to hold the line, to face down the enemy. Then they would become an army.

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