While the emperor was discussing military strategy in the palace thousands of miles away, thousands of Ming troops were training in Liaodong for the upcoming war.

Across the vast expanse of open ground were tens of thousands of Ming soldiers in shining helmets and armor, practicing battle formations and changing lines under the command of their officers. Heads of men moved in great numbers, footsteps clanged, and the sound of commands and whistles echoed incessantly.

The research and practice of martial arts and the practical experience of frontline generals promoted the continuous progress and improvement of the Ming army's tactics.

The deployment and application of flintlock rifles with bayonets and fixed paper shell bullets laid a solid foundation for this.

"We can't abandon the heavy battle formations; the linear formations can be used as a supplementary variation." Xiong Tingbi observed through a telescope from a distant hill, commenting, "The Jianlu's offensive power should not be underestimated."

The surrounding generals all agreed that this was a prudent and foolproof move. While the line tactics maximized firepower, they still seemed a bit weak.

Huang Long said, "When the enemy retreats, if we can quickly form a line, we will inflict even greater damage."

Zhang Pan smiled and said, "If the enemy retreats, our army must pursue them. Changing the formation seems unnecessary."

"If we can withstand the charge of the Jianlu cavalry, we can deploy across a wide front and inflict heavy casualties with our fierce firepower." He Kegang interjected, "And the Jianlu rarely use cavalry in frontal charges, so there's no need to worry too much."

Xiong Tingbi put down his binoculars and said with a smile, "You all have some truth in what you say, but I want to remind you that this battle is of great importance and you must not take risks lightly."

After a pause, he added, "There's no need to rush into a decisive battle. The battle formation is slow, but it's solid and safe. While the line formation has achieved success, we still have little practical experience. You may not be fully confident in the timing of changing formations."

Holding up a finger, Xiong Tingbi emphasized, "Command your battles in the manner you are most confident in. I will not deny you this flexibility. However, you must adhere to the battle plan. Any mistakes will be met with ruthless military justice."

"I understand!" everyone bowed in response.

Is line tactics good? Compared with phalanx tactics, they are more flexible and can project more intensive firepower per unit time.

There is also a concentrated fire style, where three to four rows of musketeers fire simultaneously instead of taking turns.

This style of fighting has a great deterrent effect, because the firepower is extremely dense and the enemies fall in large numbers.

Although the continuity of firepower was sacrificed, the psychological shock of seeing comrades die in large numbers at once was definitely much stronger than seeing a few of them die one by one.

There's a scene like this in the movies where two teams of soldiers march towards each other with loaded guns, stop within range, and then fire. That's right, it's the so-called "line shooting" style of fighting.

This seemingly stupid tactic has been popular in Europe for a hundred years, and it is not an exaggeration to say that it has become rampant around the world.

Xiong Tingbi also admitted that the flintlock rifles and fixed ammunition equipped by the Ming army were feasible and advanced for implementing the line tactics studied in martial arts.

However, even the most advanced tactics require a period of adaptation and familiarity for commanders and soldiers. Changing formations on the battlefield is a huge test for both commanders and soldiers.

Therefore, he reminded his generals that the best might not necessarily suit your troops; the most skilled were the safest. Especially on a brutal battlefield with blood and flesh flying everywhere, it was difficult to grasp the timing, so it was better to form a simple formation and use a clumsy strategy.

In this way, generals and soldiers will have a clear idea of ​​what to do, so as to avoid unnecessary confusion and unnecessary variables.

Of course, this is also what the emperor reminded and warned, line tactics are not that simple, don't force it.

Even Xiong Tingbi was extremely surprised by this, thinking that the emperor was just talking big but was very correct.

For example, the emperor believed that there should be cavalry on both wings of the line formation and artillery in the back.

If the enemy breaks through the front line, the infantry behind will quickly form a hollow square, with their backs to the artillery, receive artillery support, and then continue to fire with muskets. At the same time, the soldiers in the front row will raise their bayonets to prevent the cavalry from approaching.

Clearly, this was a very well-thought-out tactic. For the Emperor, who was in the inner palace, to be able to think so carefully, Xiong Tingbi could only attribute it to his natural intelligence; there was no other explanation.

Xiong Tingbi also agreed with the emperor's thinking. When a major war was approaching, new tactics could be learned and practiced, but when the real battle came, it was better to use the most stable and familiar style.

Therefore, Xiong Tingbi simply made the phalanx flatter and reminded the generals to be cautious and steady, and to prioritize victory.

"Sir," Cao Wenzhao, who had been silent until then, bowed and said, "If the Jianlu use cavalry to charge, I am willing to lead the cavalry to resist."

Xiong Tingbi smiled and nodded, his admiration evident. He said, "I have no doubt that the Beijing Camp's Flying Cavalry can defeat the Jianlu cavalry head-on. When the war begins, the Flying Cavalry will have many opportunities to demonstrate their prowess. General Cao, there's no need to worry."

Several generals looked at Cao Wenzhao, most of them showing envy.

They had all seen the Flying Cavalry's drills. Their overwhelming power, like a wall of unstoppable force, was astounding.

Even more enviable was the Flying Cavalry's equipment. In addition to sharp high-carbon steel sabers, each Flying Cavalry soldier also carried two short muskets. These were high-level weapons only worn by mid- and high-ranking officers, demonstrating the emperor's investment in and expectations of the Flying Cavalry.

The reason the Flying Cavalry hadn't been deployed until now wasn't because they weren't trained well enough, but because their equipment wasn't available. Besides manufacturing capacity, there was also the issue of funding.

After several years, we finally built a strong army of less than 20,000 people armed to the teeth.

Let’s look at the generals of the Flying Cavalry, Zhou Yuji, Cao Wenzhao, Huang Degong, Yang Guozhu, Liu Xingzuo, Jin Riguan, Cao Bianjiao and others. Which one of them was not a famous general of the late Ming Dynasty who was both loyal and brave?

Even with elite troops and strong generals, a direct confrontation with the Jianlu cavalry wouldn't guarantee victory, but the chances of victory were over 70%. Even Man Gui's naturalized cavalry, with their inferior equipment, could defeat Amin's troops, not to mention the Beijing Camp's flying cavalry.

Therefore, Cao Wenzhao, Zhou Yuji and other cavalry generals were very arrogant and eager. The emperor had invested heavily in them and placed high hopes on them, so how could they not be loyal and serve the emperor and report their victory as soon as possible?

Similarly, Xiong Tingbi also attached great importance to the Beijing Camp Flying Cavalry. In order to be on the safe side, according to the emperor's order, each battalion of Flying Cavalry was equipped with at least 1,000 lancers as a precautionary measure.

Moreover, good steel should be used on the blade. When to use the flying cavalry to deal a heavy blow to the Jianlu cavalry, destroy their reliance and destroy their confidence, Xiong Tingbi must of course be very cautious.

When Cao Wenzhao heard Xiong Tingbi say this, he didn't say much, bowed, and retreated.