A Peaceful Land of the Orcs (4.9)
"Oi..."
Once again.
"Oi, oi.. just how much do they plan on shooting?!"
Finally, with a tone bordering on a shout, she expressed her confusion.
"Fetch the Infantry Manual. Not the main text, but the supplementary one."
At Dineluth's order, Raelnoa took out the manual from her military bag. The supplementary infantry manual was an annex to the main guide detailing basic infantry movements and tactics, focusing specifically on the handling of rifles, the way equipment should be carried, and so on.
Flipping through the pages, they checked the number of cartridges carried by each grenadier.
The front pouches—two ammunition pouches worn at the front of the leather belt—held 30 rounds each, for a total of 60 rounds.
The rear pouches—slightly larger ammunition pouches hanging from the back of the leather belt—held 40 rounds each, for a total of 80 rounds.
Altogether, each soldier carried 140 rounds of 11mm rifle ammunition.
"That's absurd."
Dineluth groaned.
This was more than twice the amount other nations carried.
The 11mm rifle rounds were large and heavy. For both Humans and Elves, regardless of slight differences in equipment design, the standard load for infantry was generally around 70 rounds. That was considered the upper limit.
Carrying more than that would impede marching—the very foundation of infantry mobility. Overburdened soldiers would collapse, leading to stragglers.
Infantry, no matter the country, is a harsh branch of the military. They don't just carry ammunition.
They must also carry rations, water canteens, backpacks, miscellaneous bags, personal tents, shovels, cloaks, first-aid supplies, and, above all, their rifles—everything loaded onto their own two legs.
Increasing their ammunition load without some kind of breakthrough technology—such as drastically reducing the size of the bullets—was considered impossible by all nations. While exceeding the limit might happen temporarily as an emergency measure during wartime, increasing the standard load in peacetime was deemed impractical.
Even the Elves, with greater stamina than Humans, had physiques smaller than Orcs. Their assessment was no different.
And yet, Orcsen's standard load was more than double.
The reason became immediately apparent.
Because they were Orcs.
Orcs possessed massive physiques, incredible strength, and unmatched endurance.
Modern Orcsen had found ways to channel these terrifying attributes of the Orcish military might into practical use.
There was also intent from the logistics division of the General Staff.
Given the naturally high food consumption of orcs, feeding them placed a significant strain on the military's supply lines.
In that case...
Instead of carrying the standard 70 rounds themselves and transporting an additional 140 rounds per soldier in the rear ammunition trains, why not have the soldiers carry it all from the start? They alone could manage such a feat.
By this logic, even if only partially implemented, the burden on supply lines could be reduced.
It was a reversal of conventional thinking.
Still, the policy of increasing the ammunition load wasn't adopted as easily as Dineluth and her team might have assumed.
In fact, it faced numerous hurdles.
Opponents argued that overloading individual soldiers with ammunition would lead them to exhaust it quickly, increasing the burden on supply lines instead of alleviating it.
To address this concern, Orcsen conducted countless experiments along the way.
They had soldiers with the standard 70-round load and others with the expanded 140-round load shoot during exercises, examining whether the increased load resulted in significantly higher ammunition usage.
The results?
Generally, regardless of appearances—no matter how rapid and intense the shooting seemed—a single soldier with a single-shot, bolt-action rifle used at most 10 rounds in one engagement.
The average was around 7 rounds.
Even with a regiment of 2,000 soldiers firing simultaneously, the total was approximately 20,000 rounds. The collective firepower overwhelmed the enemy, not the individual consumption of ammunition.
This number wasn't influenced by the amount of ammunition carried. Modern combat scenarios were expected to conclude within the timeframe where such consumption levels were sufficient.
In other words, even with the increased load, soldiers rarely exceeded the standard 70 rounds. Even in prolonged engagements without resupply, they could manage.
Running out of ammunition was clearly undesirable.
This policy aligned perfectly with the military's strategic doctrine.
"Infantry combat is always decided by firepower."
"Charges are only executed against retreating enemies or weakened defensive positions."
The Orcs had completely abandoned the melee charges they once cherished.
They had decisively rejected it.
A new era. New technology. New tactics.
"Our fangs are firepower."
"Our shields are firepower."
Such was their declaration.
This doctrine extended beyond infantry, encompassing artillery, cavalry, and other branches of the military.
In the field below, the precision and devastating power of the 57mm mountain guns and 75mm field guns were also on full display.
Both types of artillery followed a standard sequence: an initial "trial shot" was fired, adjustments were made based on its trajectory, and after repeating this process with a few rounds, they transitioned to "effective fire," unleashing their full power.
What do you think about this chapter?
