A Peaceful Land of the Orcs (5.2)
This structure also existed at the Red Army's logistics stations, meaning that Orcsen seemed to employ similar practices everywhere. According to the logistics officers' manual, constructing such facilities was recommended even in the field—specifically, when building a logistics station from scratch at any point along a railway line.
Curious about how such a thing could be achieved, I turned the pages, only to find that the method was surprisingly simple. First, level the planned ground, have the railway corps transport surplus railroad gravel and sleepers, compact and stack them, lay floorboards, and assemble the structure.
There was also something called a portable inclined ramp.
Essentially, it was a wooden slide.
Since not all locations could ensure a platform height like this, these massive slides were placed alongside the platform to unload cargo.
What about heavy artillery? In such cases, a crane car would be deployed to handle the unloading.
Looking at the warehouse's unloading area, even at this early hour, several military supply wagons were already lined up.
The Orcsen Army's logistics units used two types of supply wagons: a four-horse-drawn heavy wagon with a 1.5-ton load capacity and a two-horse-drawn light wagon with a 1-ton capacity.
Both types shared the same wheel sizes for front and rear wheels, as well as identical floor heights for their cargo beds.
This meant that standardization extended even to such details.
The only difference was the length of the vehicle, with components like the driver's seat, front wheels, rear wheels, leaf springs, and axles being interchangeable—a remarkable feature.
Repairs were straightforward, even in the event of a breakdown.
This design approach also applied to heavy and light field kitchen wagons manufactured and distributed to the military based on the supply wagon specifications and materials.
Furthermore, decommissioned military wagons were sold to civilians at very low prices, leading to widespread use among farmers and others.
What resulted from this?
Small-scale carriage repairers and blacksmiths in towns had abundant access to standardized military repair and spare parts. They were also accustomed to handling them. Over time, private companies producing civilian wagons adopted similar designs, releasing nearly identical products to the market.
Should the unfortunate scenario of domestic warfare arise, these would become invaluable for procurement.
What a remarkable strategy!
The idea of standardizing military wagons wasn't new, but few armies had gone so far as to consider other processes and implement it so thoroughly.
This was something Ria, as a logistics officer, could fully appreciate.
If such measures could reduce the burdens of field operations, they would also simplify accounting procedures in the rear. Calculating the number of wagons needed to transport specific loads would be quick and straightforward.
Logistics operations also included procuring spare parts for the military wagons themselves, which became much easier under this system.
For instance, front wheels for front wheels, rear wheels for rear wheels.
If the military had multiple wagon types—Type A for one and Type B for another—it would require transporting, stockpiling, and managing each type. Field wagon depots responsible for repairs would face endless challenges. Eliminating such concerns was invaluable.
Standardization extended to logistics supplies as well.
Food, ammunition, medical supplies—each was stored in wooden crates of as uniform a size as possible.
Even the board thickness was standardized—either 15mm or 20mm.
The latter was used for heavy items like ammunition.
The 5mm difference translated into an 80% increase in strength, as proven through engineering studies.
These wooden crates could be disassembled at supply destinations or reused.
They often served as firewood for field kitchens.
The 20mm thick boards could even be repurposed as wagon bed flooring.
The attention to detail was astonishing. Military wagons returning to logistics bases could also retrieve empty crates.
The logistics warehouses were equipped with hand-pushed light rails, another efficiency-boosting measure.
"Alright, alright!"
With such calls, logistics soldiers pushed small freight carts loaded with wooden crates.
Ria observed from the sidelines to avoid being in the way.
The logistics corps included many Kobold soldiers.
Of course, there were also Orc soldiers, who seemed to handle most of the heavy lifting. However, Kobolds were notably prevalent as wagon drivers.
From the perspective of the Dark Elf race, known for their high magic aptitude, this was surprising. But not all Kobolds possessed magical abilities; those without such powers were assigned here.
There were several reasons for this.
First, historically, many Kobolds were engaged in commerce and finance.
During the Dutone War, logistics operations were heavily outsourced to Kobold-run trading companies within Orcsen. Even now, Kobolds operate most of the regimental canteens—stores catering to soldiers.
Second, as a result of this history, the Kobold race had a high literacy rate and excelled in mathematics and accounting, crucial for logistics management.
As a cultural practice, Kobolds commonly hired tutors to educate their children even before they reached the age for compulsory education.
Furthermore, Kobolds were the second most populous race in the country after Orcs, forming a critical recruitment base for conscription.
And—
Here, the Orcs' large build became relevant again.
If heavy Orcs served as wagon drivers, their weight alone would significantly reduce the wagons' payload capacity.
Ideally, each wagon had two drivers. If Orcs took on this role, their combined weight could occupy nearly half the load capacity of a light wagon. Additionally, the wagon's structure made it harder to move with a heavy front end.
Thus, Kobold soldiers without magical abilities—or those unsuited for communication or magic detection due to low aptitude—were assigned to the logistics corps, mainly as drivers.
Many Kobolds were already skilled wagon operators, making them an ideal fit. They used side-mounted steps to climb up to the high driver's seat or cargo bed.
So how were the labor-intensive loading and unloading tasks managed?
Those were handled by the Orc soldiers.
What do you think about this chapter?
