Chapter 32: More Hardship for the Manor

In the following days, the training of the conscripted soldiers was intensified. Gwynneth taught them the four directions: front, back, left, and right. Front and back were easy to grasp, as the direction one faced was the front and the opposite was the back. However, distinguishing left from right proved to be a challenge. Finally, Gwynneth asked them to identify the hand they used to wipe their buttocks – that was their right hand, and the other side was left. This method worked reasonably well, with only a few left-handers causing confusion.

Once they could differentiate between front, back, left, and right, the next step was drill training. Gwynneth had them march in formation, turning in different directions and gradually increasing the pace until they were circling the castle. This not only enhanced their teamwork but also improved their endurance.

Two weeks later, the manor sent back the prepared spear shafts, and the blacksmith had crafted nearly two hundred spearheads. Assembling them created simple but effective spears. Although not aesthetically pleasing, they were deadly. The spears, around four and a half meters long, were quite a handful for the untrained conscripted soldiers who were accustomed to malnutrition and weak physiques. They quickly grew tired and sore from handling the spears. Gwynneth allowed them to rest and swap the spears among themselves so that everyone had a turn. By the end of the day, everyone was exhausted.

However, their dissatisfaction vanished at dinner time. Considering the extensive anaerobic training they underwent, Gwynneth added a piece of meat jerky, as thick as two fingers and as long as one, to their usual dinner. This small addition turned the training ground atmosphere almost festive.

In the following days, the training continued with the conscripts getting accustomed to the weight of the spears. After they got used to it, the next step was practicing thrusting and stabbing. Gwynneth didn't demand synchronized movements but encouraged them to follow their rhythm. A genuine thrust with a four-and-a-half-meter-long spear would undoubtedly impose significant psychological pressure on any enemy.

Two weeks later, the conscripts showed the first signs of progress. They could form roughly orderly two-line formations, following Gwynneth's commands to move forward, turn, and retreat. Upon command, they stopped and split into two ranks with a one-meter gap, thrusting fiercely at imaginary enemies. Gwynneth smiled at the sight of their formation and shouting; the conscripts now possessed a certain level of combat capability. With their numerical and range advantages, they could easily overpower Gwynneth's 64 guards. After all, the spear is known as the king of weapons on the battlefield.

But spears weren't invincible. The greatest threat to these unarmored conscripts equipped only with spears was ranged attacks. A mere hundred archers could easily pick them off from beyond the reach of their spears.

This realization highlighted a need for Gwynneth to strengthen his forces – archers. Previously, during the raid on the poacher camp, he had seized over a dozen fine hunting bows. Together with some bows from the castle guards, he had about twenty to thirty short bows, but it was far from enough. Gwynneth planned to form a bowmen unit of about a hundred men. Only at this scale could they inflict effective damage on the enemy. The reason was simple: Gwynneth didn't trust the accuracy of these hastily formed archers.

Archery requires extensive training, unlike spear wielding. No one could claim to hit targets accurately with a bow after just one or two months of practice, not even in one or two years. Until achieving sufficient accuracy, damage to the enemy would rely on covering fire. One archer might not hit a single enemy at 200 yards, but a hundred archers firing at an enemy formation at that distance would hit easily.

In Gwynneth's plan, this bowmen unit had two purposes: to counter enemy archers and to weaken charging enemy troops with suppressive fire. Thus, he needed many bows, specifically longbows. Short bows, though quick and flexible, had insufficient range and power to penetrate enemy armor at a distance and were typically used by mounted archers or for city defense.

Gwynneth sought longbows similar to the English longbows of his previous world – tall as a person. Since longbows were unpopular in the kingdom and unavailable in Windermere City, he had to make them himself. He returned to the manor, instructing the workers to cut down more beech trees, known for their hardness and elasticity.

The workers rough-cut the beech and let it dry. They selected thicker portions, cut them into long strips, and gradually refined and shaped them. These steps were based on Gwynneth's vague memories from his past life, as he had no exact knowledge of making English longbows.

After discussing with experienced carpenters and bow-proficient castle guards, they experimented repeatedly until they managed to produce roughly adequate longbows. These bows, made entirely from beech, were about 5.5 feet (1.67 meters) long, slightly exceeding the average height of the locals. By bending the limbs into the appropriate shape and connecting the ends with sheep or cow intestine strings, the longbows were nearly complete. Tests confirmed that these bows had a range of about 200 yards, meeting Gwynneth's expectations.

Then came mass production. The entire manor's idle labor force was mobilized, and within a month, they managed to craft 120 longbows.

Next was the selection of suitable archers. The principle of archery involves the archer pulling the bowstring, bending the limbs, and releasing. The limbs quickly return to shape, converting the stored potential energy into kinetic energy, which is transferred to the arrow through the bowstring. Therefore, archers needed strong upper body strength to pull these tough longbows and endurance for repeated pulls.

Most archers would have to be young and robust. However, Gwynneth's domain had no spare manpower. Ordinary villagers were not suitable, lacking strength and often needed at home for farming. Thus, Gwynneth turned to the manor. Its residents, who enjoyed better nutrition, were a more stable workforce and could return to the castle when needed.

Under Gwynneth's instruction, the elderly, women, and children in the manor took over many jobs, and after much effort, he managed to gather a hundred young and strong men. They each received a longbow and began their training.