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Zorn puts a gloved finger to the blade at his neck, frowning. “I believe there has been a misunderstanding…”

The Shinsengumi commander grits his teeth, looking over at Zorn. “I believe I know exactly what happened here.” He points to the crates sitting on the deck of Zorn’s ship. “You have been trading with Subversive Groups.”

He shrugs. “I honestly do not know who they are, sir. I merely made a business deal.” He gestures to the ship. “Though I assure you, the tea is not stolen if that is your fear. All of the crates are marked with official trade seals.”

The Shinsengumi raises an eyebrow, but continues talking. “You will both be brought in for questioning.”

Zorn shakes his head. “I assure you that will not be necessary.”

The Shinsengumi barks more orders at his men, and they grab the two of you and drag you toward the front of the warehouse. One of the men collects your Henry as they move you. As you are dragged through the building, you see that several of the accused “Subversives” who were guarding this place have been killed. Their bodies have all been moved to a single location in the middle of the building. You see four men carrying one of the crates that Zorn had traded for the tea, moving it over to the corner of the building where other ones have been stacked.

You are both taken outside, where two horse-drawn carts wait. One is a closed box, with tiny windows and a single door on the back, while the other is an open-topped cart for hauling cargo. The Shinsengumi boss orders his men to stop dragging the two of you, and you are both released. The stern swordsman crosses his arms. “You will both be relieved of your weapons now. If you resist, you will be killed.” With that, his men step forward and remove your Dragoon, your extra cylinders and ammunition, and your knife, handing them to their boss. The boss looks at the knife with a nod, looking at you before he sets it aside. He then nods at Zorn, and his men search the Prussian.

To just about everyone’s surprise, Zorn is armed to the teeth. First the Shinsengumi removes a sawn-off coach gun, then two derringers, then a Colt Pocket Revolver, and lastly a long, thin dagger with an ornate handle. “Please be careful with that,” Zorn nods at the man who holds the dagger. “It was a gift.”

The Shinsengumi commander frowns, barking more orders at his men. They quickly seize the both of you again, putting iron shackles on your hands and tossing you into the back of the paddy wagon. You pick yourself up from the floor just in time to see the door close and hear the sound of a lock being clamped onto it. You swear to yourself, sitting on the floor near the back. Zorn sits cross-legged against the side wall, removing his hat and resting it gently on the floor.

The wagon begins to move, lurching forward unexpectedly fast. You hit your head against the wall, swearing again as the cart seems to reach its top speed. “Well, that went better than expected.” Zorn shrugs. “I honestly thought they would behead us on the spot.” He looks over at you. “I suppose this is what you Americans call a Paddy Wagon?”

>”I didn’t expect you to be so well-armed.”
>”Why do you think they want us alive?”
>”Who were those people you bought the tea from?”
>Remain silent.
>Write-in.

Also here's the archive link I forgot to add to the OP post:
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?searchall=Boshin

>>2822882
>>”I didn’t expect you to be so well-armed.”

>>2822882
>>”I didn’t expect you to be so well-armed.”

>>2822882
>”I didn’t expect you to be so well-armed.”
>"I'm surprised they are so intense about all this, its not like we were trading cannon. Strikes me as a wartime measure, this raid, and even then its somewhat overblown."

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“I hadn’t expected you to be so well-armed,” you remark.

“These are dangerous times, my friend.” He gestures around in front of himself. “As our situation indicates.” He chuckles. “I once had to fight my way out of a Manchurian tea plantation. They did not like my offer.” He shakes his head.

“This seems like an overly-severe response though.” You grimace, feeling the wagon turn a corner. “Sending in a bunch of swordsmen to deal with the likes of us?”

“Well, the people I was trading with were also swordsmen.” Zorn leans forward, grinning. “These are dangerous times, Herr Stockton. And the Japanese are a warlike people at heart.” He reaches into his coat pocket, pulling out his pipe and mashing some tobacco into it. “Thank God they did not find this. I need a good smoke.” He lights the pipe with a match, puffing happily on it. “You know, that is one thing the Japanese have in common with my people. We both have the hearts of warriors.” He leans back. “Though, maybe that is just the natural state of man.” Zorn sighs, then points at you with the stem of his pipe. “It is good that you heeded my advice about not shooting the Shinsengumi.”

“Well, we were outnumbered.” You shrug. “And you sounded like you had a plan.”

Zorn laughs, running a hand along his beard. “Ah, but I do.” He puffs on his pipe some more. “I always have a plan.”

“So what is it?” You raise an eyebrow. “We’re locked in this thing.”

“Yes we are. Locked in and being transported.” His eyes narrow. “Which means one of two things. We are either being taken to jail, in which case I can think up an escape plan… Or we are being taken to someone higher up on the chain of command.”

>”Escape plan? Have you ever been in the clink before?”
>”Well what could you do if we get an audience with their boss? They’ll just interrogate us.”
>”Why don’t we just try to break out of this cart while it’s moving? We might be able to escape before they can react.”
>”I suppose I’ll leave it to you then.” (drop the subject)
>Write-in.

>>2823109
>”Well what could you do if we get an audience with their boss? They’ll just interrogate us.”

Unequal treaties plz com through.

>>2823109
>>”I suppose I’ll leave it to you then.” (drop the subject)

>>2823109
>"Well, your the boss, boss, how would you like things to play out? If you want we could make an attempt to break out of this cart, although I understand that may not be to your liking."

>>2823109
>>”Escape plan? Have you ever been in the clink before?”
>>”Well what could you do if we get an audience with their boss? They’ll just interrogate us.”
Being on the run from the law might make it a little hard for us to do jobs.

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“Suppose we get taken to their boss,” you begin. “We’ll just be interrogated, right?”

“Possibly,” Zorn nods. “But interrogations can lead to… All sorts of interesting things.” He puffs some more on his pipe.

“Like us getting decapitated,” You mutter.

“I beg your pardon?” Zorn raises an eyebrow. “I could not hear you over the sound of the cart’s wheels, Herr Stockton.”

“Nothing,” you reply. “Just talking to myself.”

“Ah, well as I was saying…” Zorn puts his hat back on. “An interrogation is a two-way street, mein Herr.” He shrugs. “If we are brought before a person with any real authority, we could perhaps cut them a deal for our release.”

“A deal?” You grimace. “We aren’t exactly in a situation to be making deals, by my knowledge.”

Zorn laughs loudly. “Perhaps not, perhaps not. Only time will tell.” He sets his pipe down and reaches into his breast pocket. “Are you a drinker, Herr Stockton?”

“I reckon everyone is in times like this.” Your eyes light up a little as you see him pull an ornate flask from his pocket.

“To calm your nerves, my friend.” He hands you the flask and you take it gingerly. Opening the cap, you encounter a strange smell, syrupy and sweet.

“Schnapps,” he nods. “Go on, try it.”

You take about a shot’s worth, reeling from the texture. It’s like maple syrup mixed with whiskey, if you had to describe it. You grimace, but then a sweet aftertaste hits you. “What’s it made from?” You hand the flask back to Zorn.

“Herbs mostly,” he shrugs. “And raspberries.” He quickly takes a swig before pocketing the flask. “It seems we have arrived.” Just as he notes this, you feel the wagon begin to slow down. Zorn quickly taps the ashes from his pipe, putting it in another pocket of his coat. “Hopefully that will not burn the wagon down.”

You both scoot toward the front-end of the paddy wagon as the rear door opens violently. Two of the Shinsengumi stand outside, and one steps in and grabs you by the manacle chain. He quickly drags you out, and his buddy gets Zorn. You find yourselves standing on cobbled stone, and looking around you see that you are in the courtyard of some large building. The sun has totally set now. Your captors begin dragging the two of you toward a large set of doors, where two armored guards stand to the sides. You are taken through the doors, and down a well-lit hallway. The floors are wooden, and the walls look like some sort of white clay or thick paper.

You are both dragged into a room off to one side, with a low table being the only furniture. There is no decoration to speak of, and the light comes from a couple of wall sconces. The Shinsengumi leave you two in the room without a word, closing the sliding door behind them as they go. Zorn raises an eyebrow. “Well, we do not appear to be in jail, so that is good.”

>Wait quietly.
>”Any idea what they plan to do with us?”
>”I’ll have some more of that Schnapps, if you’re still offering.”
>”Now’s our chance.” (attempt to escape)
>Try to get out of the shackles.
>Write-in.

>>2823897
>>”Any idea what they plan to do with us?”
Zorn seems willing to play along, and any obvious tampering or resistance on our part will only make things more difficult if caught.

>>2823897
>>”Any idea what they plan to do with us?”

>>2823897
>>”Any idea what they plan to do with us?”
>”I’ll have some more of that Schnapps, if you’re still offering.”

>>2823897
>”Any idea what they plan to do with us?”
>”I’ll have some more of that Schnapps, if you’re still offering.”

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“I’ll have some more of that schnapps, if you’re still offering.”

Zorn smiles, getting the flask out. “Taken a liking to it, eh?”

You shake your head as you take the flask and drink from it. “Still getting used to it. But like I said earlier, anyone in this situation is a drinker.”

“I suppose so,” Zorn nods as you hand him back the flask.

“Any idea what they plan to do with us?”

Zorn shrugs. “Well, this room is far too nice to be spilling blood in…” He rubs his chin. “So I would think execution or torture are out of the picture.” He is about to say more when the door slides open and a man steps in.

He wears western-style clothing, a black suit with a white shirt and a dark blue necktie. You can tell that he’s young, maybe a little bit older than you, and he’s tall for a Japanese man. He must be real popular with the ladies too, with handsome facial features. You see a Japanese sword on his hilt, with his off-hand resting comfortably on it. He frowns as his eyes move between the two of you. “Well, torture is certainly an option.” He speaks near-perfect English with a crisp Japanese accent. “Though, we do not conduct that here.” He nods, and two Shinsengumi enter the room, walking up to you and Zorn and unlocking the shackles. “Who are you?” They both leave and close the door behind them.

Your Prussian client is the first to speak. “I am Hermann Zorn, at your service.” He bows slightly. “And you are?”

“The one asking the questions.” The man’s frown deepens. “Hermann Zorn. You were at the scene of a raid conducted by the Shinsengumi earlier tonight.” He leans against the wall, crossing his arms. “You have been accused with aiding enemies of the Shogun.”

Zorn raises his hands defensively. “Well, that is a bit of a stretch. I was merely buying tea in bulk.”

The Japanese man grumbles to himself, then turns to you. “And who are you?”

>”His bodyguard.” (vague)
>”Daniel Stockton.” (honest)
>”It’s nice to see a person wearing something other than pajamas around here.” (deflect)
>Write-in.

>>2824352
>>”His bodyguard.” (vague)
A description of why we were there should be more telling than a name.

>>2824352

>”His bodyguard.” (vague)

>>2824352
>>”His bodyguard.” (vague)

>>2824352
>>”His bodyguard.” (vague)

>>2824352
>>”His bodyguard.” (vague)

>>2824352
>”His bodyguard.” (vague)

>>2824352
>”Daniel Stockton.” (honest)
Name and
>”His bodyguard.” (vague)
Occupation

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“I’m his bodyguard,” you answer.

“A bodyguard…” The Japanese man frowns. “With a repeating rifle and a Dragoon revolver.” As he speaks, he pulls your revolver from his jacket, holding it carefully. “That is believable enough.” He sits the revolver on the low table before continuing. “You have not been in Japan very long, have you?”

You shake your head. “Not particularly.”

He glances at your revolver again, then speaks. “We found extra cylinders and paper cartridges. Planning on getting into a firefight?”

“Just careful,” you reply.

The Japanese man nods slowly. “I suppose so. If you had wanted a firefight, a good deal of my men would be dead tonight.” He turns around. “And I would be disemboweling both of you.”

Zorn leans toward you. “See why I did not want bullets being exchanged?”

The apparent Shinsengumi commander steps toward the sliding door, calling out in Japanese. Almost immediately two of the Shinsengumi enter, carrying one of the crates that Zorn had traded for the tea. “Hermann Zorn, these crates came from your ship?”

“Yes they did. Please be careful with them.”

“Their contents trouble me greatly.” He runs a hand along the lid of the crate, then pries the lid open carefully. From inside he removes a rifle with a large, off-kilter handle near the back, where the hammer would be on most rifle-muskets.

Zorn's eyes light up. “Ah, the rifles.”

“Your people call this the ‘Needle Gun,’ yes?” The Japanese man balances the rifle in one hand. “Breech-loading, quick to fire, with a substantial bullet.” He looks at Zorn with a severe expression. “There were two-hundred of these in the warehouse we raided. All yours?”

“All mine, yes.” He shrugs when you glare at him.

The Japanese man’s gaze is directed back to you. “Your thoughts, Mr. Bodyguard?”

>”I’m a free agent. He never told me about the rifles.”
>”Well, you should count yourself lucky they didn’t end up in your enemies’ hands, I suppose.”
>Remain silent.
>Write-in.

>>2826537
>”Well, you should count yourself lucky they didn’t end up in your enemies’ hands, I suppose.”

>>2826537
>”Well, you should count yourself lucky they didn’t end up in your enemies’ hands, I suppose.”

>>2826537
“Well, you should count yourself lucky -“

>>2826537
>>”Well, you should count yourself lucky they didn’t end up in your enemies’ hands, I suppose.”
Didn't needle rifles have issues with needle reliability? I guess the japanese wouldn't know any better at this point.

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“Well you should count yourself lucky,” you begin. The Shinsengumi commander raises an eyebrow, but makes no attempt to stop you. “You were able to capture them before they ended up in your enemies’ hands.”

There is a long bit of silence, and for a moment, you fear the worst. Finally, the Japanese man speaks up. “Perhaps this is true. Repeating rifles are a force to be reckoned with, from what I have been told.” He examines the rifle in his hands more closely, pulling the lever and opening the breech. “This craftsmanship is quite impressive.”

This time, it is Zorn who speaks up. “You like it? There are far more where it came from. Enough to arm a thousand men. Plus more ammunition than can be shot.” He remains stone-faced as he speaks. “They can be yours for a very reasonable price.”

The Shinsengumi commander doesn’t look up from the weapon, instead he cycles the bolt several times. He then shoulders it, aiming at the wall. “And what would your reasonable price be?”

Zorn speaks carefully. “The freedom of my bodyguard and I, the tea that I have aboard my ship, and exclusive purchasing rights on tea from a nearby plantation for the next three years.”

Your interrogator raises his head to look at Zorn. “A thousand men?”

“I have an additional three hundred rifles ready to be delivered,” Zorn says. “And can have five hundred shipped here from the Spandau Armory within less than six months.” He then points to you, smiling. “And my friend here is a combat veteran with much experience. He can train your men in modern infantry tactics!”

The Shinsengumi commander looks at Zorn, then the rifle. He collects your pistol from the table, then turns and begins walking out of the room. He barks some orders to his men, who enter and remove the crate of Needle Rifles, then put your shackles back on. The commander turns to the two of you and points at you. “Stay here. I will return soon. If you try to leave, my men will cut you down.” He then shuts the door hard.

You look over at Zorn, who lights his pipe happily, chuckling to himself. “Perhaps I should have driven a harder bargain.”

>”I never agreed to train any soldiers.”
>”You’ve probably saved our necks, good thinking.”
>”Why didn’t you tell me you were smuggling guns to criminals!?”
>”You aren’t really a tea exporter, are you?”
>Remain silent.
>Write-in.

>>2826713
>Your a pain in the ass, but it could be worse.

>>2826713
>Your a pain in the ass, but it could be worse.

>>2826713
>>Your a pain in the ass, but it could be worse.

>>2826713
>>”I never agreed to train any soldiers.”
In something of an exasperated tone.
>”You aren’t really a tea exporter, are you?”

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“You’re a real pain in the ass,” you say. “But it could be worse.”

Zorn chuckles, and you find yourself chuckling too. “Indeed, I get that a lot.” He sits cross-legged on the floor, scooting up to the low table and resting his elbows on it. “You should sit, Herr Stockton. It will likely be a while before they are back.”

You sit without much ceremony, leaning against the wall tiredly. “So what do we do if they decide to decline your offer?”

Zorn shrugs. “Then I suppose I throw my pipe ashes on the wall to catch it on fire, then we try to fight our way out.” He puffs on his pipe for emphasis. “Maybe we will take some of the kimonoed hosenscheissers with us.”

“What’s a kimonoed hosenscheisser?” You raise an eyebrow.

Zorn laughs loudly. “Well a kimono is what these Japanese wear.” His laugh subsides into a chuckle. “And the other word is German, do not worry about the meaning.”

You shrug, leaning back and looking up. This is the first time you’ve noticed, but there is a painting of two dragons fighting on the ceiling. It is incredibly detailed. You rub your eyes tiredly, yawning. It’s been a long day. “So, guns for tea?” You look at Zorn again. “Bit of an odd exchange.”

Zorn nods. “Yes, it would seem that way. It makes perfect sense, really.” He traces a little triangle in the air with his finger. “Guns to buy tea, which gets sold to a buyer elsewhere for money, which can be used to buy more guns.” He grins. “Triangle Trade, yes?”

You frown. “That’s… Not what the Triangle Trade was.”

Zorn shrugs lightheartedly. “Ah, forgive my ignorance of the term. Still, it is trade done between three goods in three different locations, so it is like a triangle.”

You sigh. “I suppose it is.”

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The two of you make small conversation for the next twenty minutes or so, mainly just to pass the time. You both take turns with the schnapps until it’s gone. Eventually, you both hear talking outside, and stand up just in time to see the sliding door open. The Shinsengumi boss from before walks in, along with a severe-looking man with a white headband, and a thin, wiry man in a black kimono with a white symbol on the right lapel. The man in black speaks in Japanese to the Shinsengumi boss from before, and he nods, then takes a step toward the both of you. They all have swords on their hips.

“I have not yet introduced myself.” He bows lightly. “My name is Hijikata Toshizo, Vice-Commander of the Shinsengumi.” He then gestures to the man with the headband. “This is my commander, Kondo Isami.” The man bows, a grim expression on his face. “And this is the honorable Lord Matsudaira.” The man in black, whose face has remained a blank slate since he arrived, bows. “They do not speak English, and have asked me to translate.”

You glance at Zorn, who is clearly just as surprised as you by your interrogator’s change in demeanor. You must be dealing with big-wigs here. You notice that none of them are particularly old-looking, with even the ‘honorable lord’ Matsudaira not seeming much older than you.

Hijikata clears his throat. “I am speaking on behalf of Lord Matsudaira.” He glances in the direction of his ever-calm superior, but not directly at him. “He accepts your offer for military supplies and training assistance.” You breathe a sigh of relief, watching Matsudaira’s face for any indication of emotion. There is none. “He would be honored to have you both as guests tomorrow, in order to discuss the exact nature of his troops’ training.”

“Excellent,” Zorn says with a smile. “We will be more than happy to be your guests, Lord Matsudaira.” As he speaks, Hijikata translates. Matsudaira’s eyebrows raise, if only barely, and he nods.

His eyes then wander to you, and he steps toward you, extending a hand. “Your name?” His accent is thick, but still understandable.

You swallow nervously, then shake the man’s hand. “Daniel Stockton.”

For the first time, you see Matsudaira crack a smile. He says something in Japanese, and Hijikata translates. “The Lord is pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. Stockton. He hopes your stay in Japan will be fruitful.”

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And that's all for tonight. I wish I could've run Sat and Sun, and I wish I could've run faster sessions yesterday and today, but with work and my garage door breaking it just wasn't possible. Assuming no mandatory overtime, next session will be this Saturday afternoon.

>>2826964
Waiting warmly.

Also I forget, what did the MC do in the Civil War? I want my Civil War-tisms tickled.

>>2826972
As far as battles? Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and the Wilderness. He wasn't able to take part in the March to the Sea. If you mean what was his job, he was a sergeant in a New York infantry regiment.

>>2826964
Thanks for running

>>2827004
> New York infantry regiment
> Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wilderness

Interesting, this tickles my fancy. Though I assume because neither Antietam or Manassas is listed he probably wasn't part of the Irish Brigade or a Zouave.

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>>2827030
>he probably wasn't part of the Irish Brigade or a Zouave.
140th New York Volunteers. From what I've read, they were eventually outfitted as Zouaves, but it was near the end of the War.
But about 80% of my research is done through Wikipedia, so I could be completely wrong.

>>2826952
We'll definitely need a scaled approach.

Maybe do what the Germans did, train up a small core of dudes to become leaders, and then use them to help train the rest. Maybe focus on ten officer types (preferably english speakers) and then when they're good, give them each ten recruits and drill, drill, drill.

>>2826663
It did and considering its the early model it has problems but only after repeated use of said needle.

However, as of right now, it is one of the most advance rifles of the age, unless the Chasspot is here.

Also what variant is our dragoon pistol?

>>2826663
There were needle problems, but it easily could have taken apart and have the needle replaced. But the problem would only appear after extend use. So they can last for a good while, before being worn out.

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>>2828954
>Also what variant is our dragoon pistol?
Third Model. With handle-slots for the detachable shoulder stock.

>>2829015
Fucking nice.

>>2829015
how many rounds in this? 6?

>>2828441
supporting.

we need some smart japanese lads. some samurai if we can get em on board. pick out the good ones, make em leaders. observe guys who can hit a target and guys who show aggression in sparring and put em into a special sharpshooter/skirmisher unit. everyone learns to fight and move as line infantry.

>>2829087
>how many rounds in this? 6?
Yep, it's a good old-fashioned six gun. Though in practice only 5 chambers would typically be loaded while carrying it around for safety's sake, providing an empty chamber to rest the hammer on. You wouldn't want to bump the hammer and shoot yourself in the foot.

>>2829087
Sounds good, since the peasant lads are more willing to follow there own, more so if they are samurai or nobles of some kind.

>>2829094

Spare cylinders would be filled to the bring with 6?

>>2829099
Generally, yes.

>>2829100
How long does it take to replace the cylinder on a dragoon?

>>2829102
Not more than 15-30 seconds for an experienced gunman, the process is pretty simple.
>Knock out barrel wedge
>Remove barrel and old cylinder
>Put new cylinder on
>Put barrel back on
>Knock barrel wedge back into place
Then you just put your percussion caps on and you're ready to go.

>>2829118
Or be a madman and have the percussion caps already on the new cylinder. To cut down on time

>>2829087
>line infantry

That's where I might disagree. While I don't doubt the need for a solid back, they weren't exactly lacking for dudes to stand in line and fire. I sort of like the idea of specialist infantry. Especially being years before the actual historical outbreak of hostilities, this is a chance to make a very special unit. Whether Sharpshooters, Zouaves, Assault or Infilitration... The sky is the limit.

>>2829441
If I might ask as someone who started reading the thread and isn't versed in Zouave tactics, what were their purpose? I'd like to know what sorts of fighting style our character is accustomed to, and what little I've found seems to paint American Zouaves as light infantry scouts. Is that the correct way to understand?

>>2829573
They evolved a lot over time, but that's probably a reasonable way to state it. The proper nes fought like skirmishers, some would even drop to the ground to reload and fire instead of standing straight up-- a great trick if you didn't have a trench. Fake Zouaves basically just wore garish outfits and fought like regular line infantry.

Essentially they're meant to be fast and able to respond to diffrent problems on the field.

>>2829630
Interesting, certainly something that could be useful against Imperials trained in Western styles. Of course, it'll be a question if the soldiers we train will take well to not only Western drill but then to this specialized role. Either way, thanks for answering.

>>2829988
Especially with how backwards things are here and how slow the japanese are to pick it up, it could be a game changer.

The thing about this is that the samurai types may not like it. They complain it's not fitting of a warrior, we'd have to convince them we're training killers.

Also, historical boshin war really didn't have a lot of bloody grindfests like the American Civil War, one day of Gettysburg had more gead than almost the whole thing.

Having fast troops capable of securing positions, digging in, and daring to be driven out might make for a solid way to control territory and turn the countryside.

>>2830070
You definitely don't have to convince Samurai to use guns that's for sure. What matters more is training the troops how to fight like irregulars until you build up a large enough force.

Even the ability to just delay and stump a larger force will work wonders when it comes down to crunch time, much like Buford's cavalry at Gettysburg or basically everything Nathan Bedford Forrest ever did.

>>2830070
Well, whatever occurs, it will certainly be an entertaining read. You do have a point, the samurai will almost certainly have an issue with the way we train the army, especially if we suggest that, to fill the ranks, we should begin including volunteers and conscripts from the lower ranks of society. Of course, that's the main issue we're discussing at the moment; training is, and to be honest, it might not be that hard of a sell to the samurai that perhaps a unit of marksmen or skirmishers in loose formation can be useful for putting down Imperials who act as though they serve the Emperor.

Perhaps paint the Zouave style units as brigades meant to provide those who hope to be the first into the battle, to earn the glory of first blood, a place in the new style of warfare? Add some idea that doing the duties of a scout and skirmisher out before the rest of the army is a great honor for the risk you place yourself in? I know that the Satsuma Rebellion began due to the samurai believing themselves to be losing power and influence in the military along with the government, so perhaps by describing the Zouaves as gallant warriors who accept only the bravest of samurai into their ranks will make it easier to get the higher-ups and the recruits to buy in.

Mostly just idle thoughts at the moment, sort of exhausted after a day of classes and such, so ignore me if I'm spouting nonsense.

>>2830203
*that's not the main issue

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So I just got home and my internet is fucked. Trying to fix the router, but it may be down for hours or worse. If I get it fixed, we’ll have a session today, if not, it’s postponed until tomorrow at the usual time. Sorry guys.

Quick update: my modem is completely done, so I have to go get a new one. Once I get home and get it set up, we’ll have a session. ETA is 3 hours.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGxjIBEZvx0

The last couple of weeks have been a blur. Your meeting with Matsudaira Katamori (who you learned was the Daimyo of the Aizu Domain, as well as the Shogun’s military commissioner) quickly led to you having a group of 40 English-speaking men to train. Of course, Zorn had to teach you the basics of operating a needle-gun, since you’ve never even seen one before. You started the mens’ training with basic weapon safety and operation, then quickly moved on to target practice. Several of the men are members of the Shinsengumi, though it was apparently no trouble for Katamori to find English-speakers in Edo. You’ve been given a training ground just outside of the city of Edo, complete with lands nearby perfectly suited for conducting maneuvers. From what you’ve been told, it used to be the second home of a minor lord from a different province, the presence of a couple buildings on the property is very useful. Still, that’s a long way off, you actually have to turn these men into soldiers before you can do anything too advanced. Today, you’re running the first specialized training, bayonet drills.

The man charges at you, cork-tipped bayonet narrowly missing your face. “No, I said center mass!” You grab the man’s bayonet, pressing the cork onto the area just below your sternum. “You want to hit somewhere that you’re guaranteed to kill the enemy. Try again.”

The man screams, charging at you. Of course, there are other safety measures in place today, such as the steel cuirass you’re wearing below your jacket. The bayonet knocks solidly into you, faster than you could’ve moved out of the way. The impact knocks you off your feet, and as you land, the man’s bayonet slams into your torso again, knocking the wind out of you, just as you taught him. He offers you a hand, which you readily accept.

“Excellent work, Nakajima.” You nod at the man. “Alright,” you look to the rest of the men. “Those bags of sand over there are supposed to represent the enemy.” You point to a score of sand-filled scarecrows held up by bamboo poles. “Conduct bayonet drills we’ve demonstrated on the dummies for the next thirty minutes. We’ll move on from there.”

“Yes sir,” the men speak in unison, grabbing their rifles and heading over to the dummies. You cross your arms as you watch the men. You have to admit, you’re impressed by their ability to retain and follow orders. As soon as they heard you were working for the Daimyo, all of them fell in line quickly. If the Japanese are like this across the board, you’ll be able to have a thousand men trained in no time. Assuming they remember their training in combat, of course. That’s always the crucial factor. You walk over to your field table, pouring some coffee from the kettle you have sitting there into a tin cup. You sip it, looking at your mens’ progress. They’re all doing the bayonet trills appropriately.

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“Ah, Commander Stockton,” Hijikata approaches you. He’s wearing a much more samurai-like getup, with the traditional kimono and sandals. He looks over at the men conducting drills. “I see training goes well.”

“As well as I could’ve expected really.” You take another sip of coffee. “They’re taking well to the repeating rifles.”

Hijikata nods. “That is not surprising. Western modernity is… Trendy amongst the merchant class.” He gestures to the men. “That is where many of these recruits are from.” He shakes his head. “Merchants’ sons fighting alongside samurai. I never thought I would see the day…” Hijikata then gestures to your cuirass, raising an eyebrow. “Using yourself as the demonstration? That takes a great deal of courage.”

You shrug. “The demonstration bayonet had a cork on the end of it.” You knock on the steel of the breast plate. “Besides, this is designed to stop bullets, I should expect it to protect from bayonets.” You take another sip, eying the men to make sure they’re using the bayonets the way they’re supposed to. “After today, I’ll need to move on to advanced training.” You start removing the cuirass, sitting the cup down to free up both hands.

“What did you have in mind?” Hijikata raises an eyebrow.

>”Well, I had some experience as a Zouave, so their training will be aimed at that standard. Basically scouts and light infantry, patterned after French units.”
>”Leadership and instruction. They’ll be responsible for training Japanese-speaking recruits in the future.”
>”Infiltration, sabotage, and guerilla warfare.”
>”Honor Guard. They’ll be the public face of the Aizu military force.”
>”Line infantry.”
>Write-in.

>>2839165
>>”Leadership and instruction. They’ll be responsible for training Japanese-speaking recruits in the future.”
If we're looking to train large amounts of men, setting the first group of as trainers will speed things up considerably.

>>2839165
>”Leadership and instruction. They’ll be responsible for training Japanese-speaking recruits in the future.”

>>2839165
>”Leadership and instruction. They’ll be responsible for training Japanese-speaking recruits in the future.”
>”Leadership and instruction. They’ll be responsible for training Japanese-speaking recruits in the future.”

but also
>”Well, I had some experience as a Zouave, so their training will be aimed at that standard. Basically scouts and light infantry, patterned after French units.”

to mix them a little, so they can create their own scout units later

>>2839165
>>”Leadership and instruction. They’ll be responsible for training Japanese-speaking recruits in the future.”

>>2839165
>”Leadership and instruction. They’ll be responsible for training Japanese-speaking recruits in the future.”

>>2839269
Ditto

>>2839165
>”Well, I had some experience as a Zouave, so their training will be aimed at that standard. Basically scouts and light infantry, patterned after French units.”
>”Leadership and instruction. They’ll be responsible for training Japanese-speaking recruits in the future.”

>>2839165
>>”Well, I had some experience as a Zouave, so their training will be aimed at that standard. Basically scouts and light infantry, patterned after French units.”
>>”Leadership and instruction. They’ll be responsible for training Japanese-speaking recruits in the future.”

>>2839165
>”Leadership and instruction. They’ll be responsible for training Japanese-speaking recruits in the future.”

>>2839165
>”Well, I had some experience as a Zouave, so their training will be aimed at that standard. Basically scouts and light infantry, patterned after French units.”

Leadership and instruction is good, but they first need to learn the things they will teach later.

>>2840414
They'll going to teach the peasants, how to be rank and fire line infantry.

>>2839165
>”Leadership and instruction. They’ll be responsible for training Japanese-speaking recruits in the future.”
>”Well, I had some experience as a Zouave, so their training will be aimed at that standard. Basically scouts and light infantry, patterned after French units.”

40 men training now. They should all be training now as Zouaves. At some poinf half of them should become dedicated trainers for future soldiers, and take on their own recruits to train. The other half should become the officer corp of the first 1000 man unit, which we give advanced leadership training to.

Top three get high command ranks (Colonel, Lt Col, Major), seven get staff roles for support, paymaster, etc. The other ten become company commanders (LTs.) Company commanders pick their sergeants from the next wave of recruits.

When finished, we can draw officer candidates from the trained troops and start giving them leadership training, while the dedicated trainers get on with the next wave.

>>2841938
Actually, as I think of it, we should probably see about asking for some warrior class types to start getting officer training. Especially in the Shogun's army, merchant sons might not be respected by other commanders, so having some of them mixed in might prevent our guys getting disrespected or used like cannon fodder.

It also might be prudent to take the number 2 and 3 best officer types and keep them with us, so there's notany crazy rivalries at the top of the unit. We tell them we want to give them more training to become th leaders of the next units.

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My apologies for the lack of updates yesterday and today. Internet was still not working properly. I've got the new router working now, so we'll have an actual session tomorrow at 5PM Eastern Time.

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You remove the cuirass fully, setting it on the ground. “Well, I’ve got some experience as a Zouave, so I’m thinking I’ll train them in that style.”

“Zouave?” Hijikata raises an eyebrow. “I am afraid I do not know what a Zouave is.”

You nod. “Light infantry and scouts mostly.” You remove your hat, wiping sweat from your forehead before continuing. “My regiment was outfitted and trained as Zouaves right before the Battle of the Wilderness. Basically our uniforms and tactics were patterned after French colonial units in Africa. Loose formations, precise shooting, using terrain to our advantage, things like that.”

Hijikata crosses his arms, nodding. “I would imagine it was very useful in the wilderness battle you fought, then.”

You grimace. “It was, but the Wilderness was a bloodbath.” Sighing, you pick up your coffee and continue. “Our regiment took heavy casualties, most regiments did really. I remember that we had been flanked by the enemy, friendly supporting units had fallen back, and the Confederates just started picking us off…” You sip your coffee. “We lost a third of our regiment in a matter of about half an hour as we tried fighting our way back to the lines.”

Hijikata shakes his head. “All because your comrades retreated? Were they punished for it?”

You shrug. “I don’t know. A cannonball struck a tree right next to me.” You mime something hitting you with your free hand. “Shrapnel hit my side and shoulder, knocked me out. When I came to my senses again…” You sigh, drinking more coffee as you look out at the men doing bayonet drills. “Well, that’s all over and done with. No use in bringing it up now.” You shrug, refilling your empty cup with more coffee. “Want some?” You gesture to Hijikata.

“I am fine, Commander. Already had my morning tea.” He shakes his head. “So you intend to train these men to fight in the wilderness.”

“Yes,” you nod. “I also plan on teaching them to instruct other men, that way they can effectively train a large fighting force of Japanese-speaking soldiers.”

“A good idea, if we are to have a thousand new rifles.” He turns to you, bowing. “Anyhow, I must return to Edo for the rest of the day. Good day.”

You return the bow, and Hijikata leaves without another word. You spend the next half hour or so supervising the mens’ bayonet technique. They all have a pretty good grasp of how to handle themselves in melee, so you dismiss them to their barracks while you decide the next step of their training.

>Maneuvers/marching in the nearby countryside, in full kit.
>Advanced target practice.
>Scouting tactics training.
>Hand-to-hand sparring.
>Leadership training.
>Write-in.

>>2843352
>>Scouting tactics training.
They are likely to have the least practice with this, And scouting and stealth are almost more important than shooting for lighter troops.

>>2843352
>Maneuvers/marching in the nearby countryside, in full kit.
Getting a army to where you want it, as fast as possible can turn the tide of a battle. Also basics first so they can do more advance stuff afterwards

>>2843352
>>Maneuvers/marching in the nearby countryside, in full kit.
basics first

>>2843352
>Maneuvers/marching in the nearby countryside, in full kit.

The basics can win wars

>>2843352
>Maneuvers/marching in the nearby countryside, in full kit.

You finish your second cup of coffee, then you get an idea. You head over to the building where the extra uniforms and gear are stored, quickly finding yourself some gear and a set of clothes closer to a proper uniform, then you head over to the barracks and brief your men. Ten or so minutes later, you’ve got the whole 40 man group standing at attention in full kit.

“Alright men,” you begin. “Today we’re marching through the nearby countryside and conducting basic field maneuvers. I figure we’ll be gone anywhere from three to six hours, so be ready for that. Nakajima will be my second-in-command, and the rest of you will draw straws to determine command hierarchy. Split up into three groups of ten and a group of nine, then draw straws.” The men acknowledge your command, quickly breaking into groups. You meet up with Nakajima, a Shinsengumi member who has node exceptionally throughout training, and walk over to the group of nine.

Once the men have their pecking order established, they follow your group out of the training area, down a dirt road leading north. It is unseasonably hot, you’ve been told, and it certainly feels that way. As you all pass a creek, you have the men fill their canteens. You decide to continue along the road for now, taking some time to instruct the men on the advantages and disadvantages of sticking to the roads while they travel. Since you have a map, you decide to instruct the men on map-reading. As it would turn out, many of them have never seen a map or compass before, so you have to go over the basics with them. As expected, Nakajima seems to take well to the concept, and you have him instruct some others while you’re all on the road.

As you begin to enter some hilly terrain, the road forks. Since this is going to be a Zouave unit, you figure you should take the roadway leading away from any villages. You lead the men along the road, which enters a forest after a short while. You, and undoubtedly the rest of the men, are thankful for the shade provided by the trees. You take your pocket watch out after a while walking through the forest, noting that you’ve all been marching for about an hour or so. According to the map, the road leads through the forest for another mile or so, before winding into a little farming village.

>Test their map-reading and hiking skills. Go off-road.
>Remain on the road, but tell the men to pick up the pace.
>Have the men stop for lunch.
>Write-in.

>>2843609
>Test their map-reading and hiking skills. Go off-road.

If and when we stop for lunch, We need to not eat and let them dig in before suddenly driving them into a massive mile jog/run.

>>2843609
>>Test their map-reading and hiking skills. Go off-road.

>>2843609
>Test their map-reading and hiking skills. Go off-road.

>>2843609
>>Test their map-reading and hiking skills. Go off-road.
Though if some of them haven't used a map before, don't expect too much of them for now.

>>2843609
>>Test their map-reading and hiking skills. Go off-road.

You turn to face the men, pointing into the forest. “Off the road. Move through the woods, to the east.” You begin walking into the forest itself, with your men following behind. The underbrush is thick, but nothing compared to the forests of America. You and the men cover ground with relative ease, then as you reach a clearing, you have the men stop marching.

You get out the map and compass, calling the ‘sergeants’ of each group over. You sit with them on the grass, going over the map. The forest goes on to the east for about three miles, to the north is the village with the rice farms, to the west are more farms, and south is the direction you came from. You make sure to point these features out to the men as you go along.

“Now, let’s pretend that we are marching to a battlefield, but we have to avoid the enemy.” You point to the map. “That village has people who might report our presence to the enemy, so we can’t go there.” You then point to the large rice fields to the west. “And we can’t go there because it’s lots of flat ground with good visibility. That means the enemy will have no trouble spotting us, and tearing our forces apart with artillery, if he has any.”

“So we have to move through these woods until we can pass the village unseen,” Subaru, one of the sergeants, says.

“Correct, which is why we’ll march here.” You point to an area where the forest extends north around the village. “Then we’ll move north through that patch of woods to conceal ourselves until we’re far enough from the village.”

“Why would we not just attack and kill the enemy before they can find us?” Sato, another sergeant (and Shinsengumi), speaks up gruffly.

“What if the enemy outnumbers us, say, ten-to-one?” You raise an eyebrow at Sato.

He raises a fist. “Then we fight to the last man and take as many of them with us as we can!” He grins. “It is more suitable to a warrior than sneaking around like cowards.”

>”And then our allies lose the battle because we weren’t there to support them. Where is the honor in letting your comrades die needlessly?”
>”You were selected to train in modern tactics. If you’re unwilling to do that, go back to camp.”
>”Nakajima, punish sergeant Sato for insubordination.”
>Write-in.

>>2843868
>”And then our allies lose the battle because we weren’t there to support them. Where is the honor in letting your comrades die needlessly?”

>>2843868

>”And then our allies lose the battle because we weren’t there to support them. Where is the honor in letting your comrades die needlessly?”

>>2843868
>>”And then our allies lose the battle because we weren’t there to support them. Where is the honor in letting your comrades die needlessly?”

>there is a selfish honor of fighting needlessly and wasting lives, and a greater honor of a well planned offensive that proves victorious. Tell me which would your leader prefer?

Btw during the war what was our main armanent.

I know we were possibly trained in rifled muskets like the 1861 Springfield (or earlier variants depending on when we joined up)

But since we trained in sharpshooter/light infantry were we equipped with sharps or starrr rifles or carbines?

The idea of breech loading should not be foreign to us if that’s the case though the idea of bolt action would be

>>2843868
>>”And then our allies lose the battle because we weren’t there to support them. Where is the honor in letting your comrades die needlessly?”

>>2843931
We've got the Iron Henry, so we're familiar with repeating breech-loaders at least.

>>2843952
Yeah and early repeaters were at best close range weapons, since early metallic carriages during the civil war were roughly pistol caliber.

Granted post civil war saw the rise and adoption of metallic rifle based calibers but we do not have any on hand or way of supply.

The M1841 needle rifle we have now is a paper cartage rifle.

>>2843931
>Btw during the war what was our main armanent.
Springfield 1861 Rifle-Musket until Gettysburg, then a brass-frame Henry.

Also I just got home from the store, writing now.

You frown at Sato. “And then our allies lose the battle because we weren’t there to back them up. Where is the honor in letting your comrades die needlessly? In letting your Shogun down?”

Sato grimaces, bowing slightly. “Forgive me, Commander. These new ways of fighting are still foreign to many of us.”

You nod. “Don’t worry about it. Just remember what I said in the future. It's better to fight another day than die over strategically-worthless ground.” You look to the other sergeants. “Any other questions?”

The sergeants shake their heads, so you dismiss them back to their men. Before long, you are all on the move again. The map doesn’t give you a good idea of the topography in this forest, and you find yourselves having to alter the planned route around difficult terrain. Eventually though, you get back on the right track, heading north toward a landmark on the map that you’ve designated as the target. It is a large hill that you hope will have a good view of the surrounding terrain.

As you and your men navigate the woodlands, you instruct them on some basics of remaining concealed in woodlands, such as crouching in the underbrush. You decide to run them through a scenario where the enemy is on the road just beyond the treeline and they have to lay prone and remain silent until you say otherwise. You check the time on your watch, waiting ten minutes for the ‘enemy’ to pass. You figure it is both good instruction and a decent chance for the men to rest for a moment. Once the ten-minute mark passes, you order the men up and resume marching. You have them alternate from crouching stealthily and moving at a normal pace. Eventually you all emerge from the forest, well out of sight of the village. You see the hill in the distance, Hill 1, you’ve nicknamed it.

>Have them encircle and charge up the hill as if they were taking it.
>March up the hill normally.
>Go up the hill before the main force and have them try to sneak up on you. Anyone who can catch you unawares gets a reward.
>Use the hill for target practice.
>Write-in.

>>2844097
>>Go up the hill before the main force and have them try to sneak up on you. Anyone who can catch you unawares gets a reward.

>>2844097
>>Go up the hill before the main force and have them try to sneak up on you. Anyone who can catch you unawares gets a reward.

>>2844097
>Go up the hill before the main force and have them try to sneak up on you. Anyone who can catch you unawares gets a reward.

Roll me some 1d20s.

Rolled 18 (1d20)

>>2844229

Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>2844229
rollin

Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>2844229
For the Shogun!

Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>2844229

“Alright,” you look at the men. “I’m going to the top of the hill. Once I get up there, I’ll fire one shot into the sky.” You draw your Dragoon for emphasis. “That’s the signal to sneak up the hill and try to capture me. If you can get the drop on me and take the position by surprise, the squad that does it will get a reward.” With that, you begin making your way up the hill. It is steep and rocky, yet deceptively grassy too. You struggle to keep a good pace at a couple spots. Eventually, you reach the top, and fire your Dragoon once into the air before holstering it.

Then you wait. You decide to sit cross-legged on the grass while you try to listen for movement. It is windy up here, but you can hear rustling after a while, and as the first men make it over the top, you’re already standing there with your finger pointing their way like a pistol.

“Bang,” you call out to the men led by Nakajima. The Shinsengumi chuckles, helping the rest of his men up onto the plateau. “You were stealthy, but I could hear your canteens clinking off of your rifles.” You point to a man’s canteen for emphasis. Good attempt though.”

You all wait for the next group, and you hear them long before they’ve arrived. Sato seems to be arguing with one of his men, barking at the lad in Japanese. You do the finger-gun to them as they arrive too. Sato, clearly perturbed, sits over away from the rest of you.

Interestingly enough, you can’t hear the next team coming. Then you hear them, loudly clambering up the side of the hill, waving their arms at you. You raise an eyebrow, wondering how they could be so stupid, when you feel something touch the back of your head. “Got you, sir.” You turn around to see Sergeant Subaru, standing with his men. His hand is in the same finger gun pose that you’ve been using. You see him look at Sergeant Kojima, who is now coming over the top with his men.

“Good work,” you finally say. “That distraction was a smart idea.”

Subaru bows slightly. “The idea was Sergeant Kojima’s, sir.”

You turn to face the final sergeant, who bows politely at you as well. “Smart thinking. I wasn’t expecting you to actually get me.”

“Thank you, sir.” Kojima bows again.

You scratch your head. You’d promised a reward to the team that caught you, but Subaru only managed to do it because of Kojima’s ruse. What should you do?

>Reward both Kojima’s and Subaru’s units.
>Reward only Subaru’s unit.
>Reward only Kojima’s unit.
>Reward none of them. That distraction was outside of mission parameters!
>Write-in.

>>2844298
>>Reward both Kojima’s and Subaru’s units.

>>2844298
>Reward both Kojima’s and Subaru’s units.

>>2844298
>>Reward both Kojima’s and Subaru’s units.

Out of the box thinking and teamwork.

>>2844298
>Reward both Kojima’s and Subaru’s units.

>>2844298

>Reward both Kojima’s and Subaru’s units.

This makes me wonder how shit will go down in WW2, if we're instilling these tactics now.

>>2844298
>>Reward both Kojima’s and Subaru’s units.
Lateral thinking should be rewarded.

>>2844329
Depends on how it spreads, and how deeply rooted "die valiantly by charing in a straight line" is.
Though depending on how things change, we might not have a WWII Pacific Theatre at all.

>>2844338
oh we will, if Japan is craving chinese land

Though with that said. Our military experience will be quickly outdated soon considering the European conflicts coming up soon and the technological advancements.

>>2844345
If it only maintains a certain amount of chink land and not push in further? Might be possible.

>>2844351
That will be hard i imagine. Considering Japanese empire need to expand though i imagine the buracracy is what will ultimately kill it.

>>2844355
Precisely because it will be a vastly different empire in place. Rather than an ineffectual civilian government and Emperor controlled by military High Command, one more decentralised with the Shogun and the Damiyos and Domains under him might be more able to resist defacto control by the military.

>>2844380
One of the biggest changes is a lack of a divide between the army and navy. That is amazing if you don't know how much shit that caused them.

>>2844385
That's kind of dissapointing though.

I liked the variety of aircraft the navy and army made.

>>2844380
Sounds like more infighting

>>2844298
>>Reward both Kojima’s and Subaru’s units.

You grin. “Sergeant Kojima, Sergeant Subaru, you and your squads will both be rewarded for your independent and quick thinking. Well done.”

Both of the sergeants bow again, thanking you. Your training group stays up on the hilltop for a while, and you decide it is as good a place as any to have lunch. The men eat little rice cakes that remind you of a lighter, more edible form of hard-tack. After everyone eats and rests for a bit, you go over some more tactics and theory, lecture-type stuff, then descend the hill and begin your march home. Along the way you discuss with Subaru and Kojima the nature of their units’ reward. You all come to an agreement that it will be an evening of leave in Edo, on you of course. You don’t mind paying for it, since you can just draw the funds from the ample money set aside by the Aizu Domain for you and the troops.

Your formation takes the dirt roads back, stopping in the village along the way and greeting the locals. Nakajima translates for you, and you learn that the locals are fascinated by your strange uniforms and rifles. The young women in particular seem very impressed with your soldiers, with some crossing the line into open flirtation, not that the men seem to mind at all. The villagers are all very polite, and after maybe half an hour of visiting, you and your men move on. Taking the road is a far shorter journey, and you are back to the training compound within an hour or so. Altogether, once you check your pocket watch, the maneuvers have taken just over three and a half hours.

You decide to finish up the day’s training with some physical fitness exercises, mostly jogging, jumping jacks, and other simple things. You and the sergeants oversee the mens’ nightly cleaning of their weapons, then you all return to your respective barracks to change into more casual clothing. Then, just after sundown, you and the men eat dinner, which is mainly rice, and beef, and chicken. You meet with your sergeants afterward, discussing plans for further training and explaining the concept of Zouaves to them. All but Sato are open to the idea, and you notice that Kojima is particularly interested once you describe the fast-and-loose tactics often employed.

After you dismiss the sergeants, you head back to the room in the main building that you’ve been using as a bedroom. Along the way, you pass Harp (whom you’ve brought on as a disciplinarian and organizer when he’s not busy in Edo), and he greets you.

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“Ah, Stockton.” He puffs on his pipe. “I hear that you and the men were on maneuvers today. They do well?”

You nod. “Better than expected, in some regards.” You raise an eyebrow. “Anything happen around here today?”

“Nothing much.” He shrugs. “Some of Lord Aizu’s men came around.” He’s taken to calling Matsudaira ‘Aizu’ and you can’t tell if he’s joking or genuinely mistaken. “They delivered some more bags of rice, a couple more crates of the paper cartridges for those rifles, some mail, the works.” He crosses his arms, yawning. “Been a pretty boring day-“ He stops himself. “Oh, there was a letter for you, interestingly enough.” He points down the hall. “I went ahead and left it in your room.”

“Thanks, Harp.” You smile as he walks off.

A letter? You frown, going down the hall and entering your room. It is sparsely-furnished, with a wood-and-canvas cot and several wooden boxes making up most of the furnishings. You see the letter sitting atop your trunk at the foot of the cot. Walking over, you grimace upon seeing the all-too-familiar return address. Opening it anyway, you read through it, sighing as you finish. You don’t bother re-reading it, choosing to tear it up and burn the pieces with your candle. You lay down, yanking your boots off and pulling your hat over your eyes. Finally, you snuff out the candle and sigh. It’s a lot quieter out here beyond the city’s limits. You don’t like it.

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And that's it for tonight! Hopefully with a new modem and router I won't have to worry about interruptions like last weekend happening again. I'll be hanging out in this thread for a while longer tonight, so feel free to ask any questions and whatnot. Assuming no weirdness from work, I'll have a new session and thread up this coming Sunday at the usual time. Thanks for playing!

>>2844478
How much of modern doctorine do we know.

Iirc the M1841 (and variants) helped beat the Austians due its ability to avoid being prone. so with something like M1841 being the standard line infantry or will we go for a simipler rifled musket for the peasants?

Also how much are the old matchlocks are around?

>>2844478
Things are going pretty smooth so far. I wonder how long it;ll take for something to go wrong.

Thanks for running.

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>>2844495
>How much of modern doctorine do we know.
Not much. Mostly what you've experienced and what you've read about in newspapers/heard through the grapevine. Your primary experience is as a light-infantryman and a standard line-infantryman.

>Iirc the M1841 (and variants) helped beat the Austians due its ability to avoid being prone. so with something like M1841 being the standard line infantry or will we go for a simipler rifled musket for the peasants?
That will be a decision you have to make later on, should you gain sufficient authority.

>Also how much are the old matchlocks are around?
They are the primary armament of the Shogun's military. An elegant instrument from a more civilized time.

>>2844505
Will we be able to get observers to Europe and get reports of various wars and conflicts.

Also when will the arms market open up since there is a lot of U.S. ilitary surplus after the war.

We could get some older springfields or P-53 Rifle Muskets.

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>>2844508
>Will we be able to get observers to Europe and get reports of various wars and conflicts.
Possibly. Currently near everything is up in the air. Though they will flock to Japan of their own accord, should hostilities become serious enough.

>Also when will the arms market open up since there is a lot of U.S. military surplus after the war.
See the above spoiler. Carrion birds herald the merchants of death.

>>2844508
>>2844533
>>Will we be able to get observers to Europe and get reports of various wars and conflicts.
O shidd. I read that wrong. The answer is still "possibly" though.

>>2844534
Which faction are the guys who still use swords and believe match locks, and samurai are good enough?

>>2844537
Currently both still trend toward that mindset, though the Daimyos supporting the Emperor (Satsuma in particular) are more modern and more open to further modernization at this point.

>>2844540
We need to get domestix ammunition.

Here's another thought. If we want to get more Dreyse rifles, then I'd assume we need to get them purchased ASAP. The Austro-Prussian war hasn't started yet, and chances are access to these guns will be severely restricted while that war takes place. Priority supply will go to Prussian regiments, not us.

>>2847562
Raid a satsuma armoury

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