I Am the Crown Prince in France

Chapter 303 Tell you what it means to be an elite

But Napoleon immediately remembered several other terrifying daily training items of the Guards Corps. Well, it's just daily training. It is said that there is also "hell-like" intensive training, which he has not experienced yet.

In all the daily training items, except shooting and drawing, he failed to meet the passing standards.

Especially tactical coordination. The Guards Corps has many tactical standards, which are completely different from what he learned in the military academy.

It took him a week just to memorize these tactics, and he didn't know how long it would take to reach the level of muscle memory.

Napoleon couldn't help but recall the shock he had received during the more than two months since he came to the Guards Corps.

From new flash cap guns to artillery cluster tactics. From the theory of great depth, to officers who hang out with soldiers all day long. From good food to free clothing repairs.

These made him once suspect that he had attended a fake military school - so many practical and novel military theories and techniques were never taught at the Paris Military Academy. No, no instructor even mentioned it.

He took a long breath, but fortunately, he unexpectedly came to the Guards Corps and was able to learn these military knowledge. When I devote myself to the great cause of Corsica's restoration in the future, this knowledge will definitely play a huge role!

In fact, he originally planned to take leave and return to Corsica at the beginning of this month. According to the agreement of the Restoration Organization, on the 5th of an even-numbered month, the members will hold a secret gathering in Ajaccio.

But he was very curious about this military combat effectiveness assessment, so he decided to skip the gathering. After all, accumulating more military skills was the most important thing. In order to regain the country, Corsica must first have an army that can withstand the French attack.

Speaker Pauli once predicted very seriously that Napoleon would become the greatest general in the Corsican National Army.

From then on, this became Napoleon's life goal.

That afternoon, the First Guards Corps arrived at Troyes and camped on the outskirts less than two kilometers away from the Champagne Corps.

Napoleon had a simple dinner, then sent away the orderlies, went to an open space on the edge of the camp alone, and began to perform push-ups in accordance with the requirements of the "Physical Training Manual" issued by the Guards Corps...

After practicing for more than 40 minutes, the sky had completely darkened, and the late roll call whistle was blown in the camp.

He wiped the sweat from his face and ran back to his company's camping location with pain all over his body.

Although he was very tired, he could clearly feel that after these two months of training, his strength and endurance had been greatly improved.

The "Training Manual" will certainly be effective, because it was copied directly by Joseph according to the scientific fitness methods of later generations. Coupled with a protein-rich diet, the soldiers of the Guards Corps can improve their physical fitness as quickly as possible.

If the height factor is ignored, basically all of the Guards soldiers can serve as elite grenadiers elsewhere [Note 1] based on their strong physiques.

Early the next morning, the officers of the General Staff responsible for combat effectiveness assessment arrived at the Champagne Corps' station on time. Along with them were 1,200 soldiers of the First Guards Corps led by Lefebvre.

Slightly different from the previous assessments, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince actually came to the scene this time to take over from the officers of the General Staff and be responsible for presiding over the assessment.

On the east side of the Champagne Legion's school grounds, Joseph walked up to the review platform and said some opening remarks such as "Be loyal to the king and maintain the heroic and fearless spirit of chivalry", and then announced the start of the assessment.

More than 7,000 soldiers of the Champagne Corps and lower-level regiments began to file out of the school grounds in an orderly manner. Under the command of General Staff officers, they ran towards the hill 2 kilometers away.

They will circle there and then return to the school grounds. The entire 5-kilometer course is considered to be qualified if completed within 22 minutes, and excellent if completed within 20 minutes.

According to the assessment requirements previously announced by the General Staff Headquarters, soldiers with excellent results can receive a bonus equivalent to one month's salary.

Junior officers who have achieved outstanding results can be directly promoted to one level. Of course, the assessment content for officers is several more and more difficult than that for soldiers.

An hour and twenty minutes later, most of the officers and soldiers of the Champagne Corps who participated in the assessment returned to the school grounds.

After a while, Joseph, who was already a little bored with waiting, took the assessment results submitted by the assessment officer and smiled at the corner of his mouth.

As expected, the entire legion's 5-kilometer run failed.

The fastest return was a grenadier company commander, which took 25 minutes. Ordinary soldiers generally complete the entire race in about 40 minutes. Another 27 people lost their way and have not returned yet. The cavalry of the First Guards Corps has set out to find them.

But speaking of it, the Champagne Corps is indeed the elite of the old army. For example, the number of people who got lost was enough to dwarf other legions - in previous assessments, a legion of three to four thousand people could get hundreds of people lost.

After Joseph asked the officers of the General Staff to announce the results of the assessment, the Champagne Corps, who were as tired as dead dogs on the school grounds, predictably complained, "Such a long distance, 22 minutes of absolute It’s impossible to finish!”

"It took Captain Lacoste 25 minutes to finish the run. He is stronger than a lion! 22 minutes? That's a joke..."

"This is simply the officers in Paris trying to make things difficult for us..."

"I bet there is no army in the world that can meet the assessment standards!"

"Hush - keep your voice down, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is on the reviewing stand..."

"He can hear it best, and maybe he can order the General Staff to revise the assessment standards."

Upon seeing this, Joseph smiled at each other and Lefebvre beside him, and raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet.

The officers of the Champagne Corps were busy waving their riding whips and shouting at the soldiers who were still talking.

When the school grounds became quiet, Joseph loudly ordered Lefebvre:

"Major Lefebvre, assemble your troops immediately and prepare for a 5-kilometer cross-country running assessment demonstration."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

Then Joseph turned to Baron Durquin, the commander of the Champagne Corps: "Please take the soldiers to the mound on the west side so that they can see the demonstration of the Guards Corps clearly."

"As you command, Your Highness." Baron Dilkun, who was quite embarrassed by his subordinates' poor assessment results, hurriedly responded.

[Note 1] Grenadiers were originally a unit responsible for throwing grenades. Since grenades are very heavy, they need tall and strong soldiers. This results in grenadiers usually being tall and large. After the 18th century, the role of grenades on the battlefield has been very small. Grenadiers are usually used as infantry, but they are still the tallest and strongest soldiers in the army and are usually used as elite assault troops.