Chapter 124 I Love 400-Meter Obstacle Course

“400-meter obstacle course?”

Hearing this unfamiliar term, the officers in the conference room all looked confused.

They were all veteran officers who had served in the Saxon Army for many years and were intimately familiar with all the various military training subjects.

But this ‘400-meter obstacle course’ was something they had never heard of before.

“Yes, the 400-meter obstacle course.”

Morin nodded, then began, without batting an eye, to claim the classic training subject from another timeline as his own invention.

“Cough, cough… This is a comprehensive training method that I developed based on my combat experience on the Aragon front line. It is designed to fully enhance a soldier’s physical fitness, willpower, and ability to navigate the battlefield.”

As he spoke, he pulled out a hand-drawn sketch from his briefcase.

The sketch clearly showed a running track composed of various obstacles.

“The so-called ‘400-meter obstacle course,’ specifically, refers to a track made up of eight sets of obstacles: log hurdles, a trench, a low wall, a high jump platform, a scaling ladder, a balance beam, a high wall, and a low wire entanglement.”

“The track is approximately 200 meters long. I require the soldiers, carrying their full personal gear, to pass through it once in the forward direction, and then once in the reverse direction. The total distance, therefore, is roughly 400 meters.”

“Hence, I call it the ‘400-meter obstacle course.’”

Morin explained, using his finger on the sketch to demonstrate the route.

“Starting from the starting line, you first sprint 100 meters, round a marker flag, then jump over a three-step log hurdle and the trench behind it…”

As Morin described it, the officers’ mouths slowly began to drop open…

“Completing all this counts as a forward pass.”

“Then, the soldier must immediately turn around and pass through all the obstacles again in the reverse order. The method of passing some obstacles will also change. Only then is one complete training session finished.”

“The passing standards are: 2 minutes 30 seconds for a Pass, 2 minutes 15 seconds for Good, and 2 minutes 05 seconds for Excellent.”

Everyone: “?”

Listening to Morin’s description and looking at the daunting obstacles on the sketch.

The five officers present exchanged glances. Cold sweat began to involuntarily bead on their foreheads.

They were professional soldiers. Just from the description, they could imagine the immense physical exhaustion required to complete such a training session.

Manstein, the Operations Staff Officer from the General Staff, had not had a physical training session in a long time. He calculated briefly and realized he would likely not be able to finish the entire course…

However, Morin’s next words made everyone, including Manstein, feel as if they had fallen into a frozen abyss.

“I must emphasize one point.”

Morin’s gaze slowly swept over everyone present.

“This ‘400-meter obstacle course’ will be the core and most fundamental training subject for our Teaching Assault Battalion in the future.”

“It will be a mandatory training exercise for everyone, high and low, throughout the entire battalion.”

“Starting from me, the Battalion Commander, down to every officer and staff officer in our headquarters, and every soldier in the line companies, and even…”

He paused, his voice growing colder.

“…The cooks and stable hands in the field kitchen and quartermaster unit—without exception, everyone must participate in the training and meet the assessment standards I have set.”

When his words finished, the entire conference room fell into complete silence.

The expressions on the faces of the five newly transferred officers were indescribable.

This is bad!

Manstein, who came from the General Staff, felt his worldview was about to collapse.

After being selected as a staff officer for the General Staff, he had always believed that his future lay in strategizing on maps, winning battles from afar…

Even being assigned to this battalion unit, he thought he would be in the Headquarters, advising the commander.

But now, the way things were developing seemed completely different from what he had imagined.

He cautiously asked Morin:

“Sir… do Operations Staff Officers also have to participate in training of this intensity?”

Morin looked at him, his face devoid of expression, and gave a cold, affirmative reply.

“Of course.”

“I repeat: ‘everyone.’”

He tapped the table, emphasizing his point.

“And I must ensure you clearly understand one thing.”

“Our ‘Teaching Assault Battalion,’ from the very first day of its existence, is a front-line combat unit that lives life on the razor’s edge.”

“In future battles, to grasp the battlefield situation as quickly and accurately as possible, and to react most promptly, our Battalion Headquarters will be deployed as far forward as possible, even launching assaults alongside the front-line attack units.”

“This means that every member of our Headquarters, including you… Mr. Operations Staff Officer, must possess the capability to fight and hold their own.”

“I need my Executive Officer and my Staff Officer to be able to pick up a weapon and charge with me when necessary.”

“I need my Medical Officer to be able to retrieve the wounded with a stretcher team under heavy fire.”

“In my Assault Battalion, there is no rear, and there are no non-combat personnel.”

“There are only two types of people: soldiers who can fight, and soldiers who have fallen in battle.”

“If any of you feel you cannot meet this requirement, then I suggest you submit an application to the War Office now to be transferred out of this unit.”

“The Teaching Assault Battalion does not tolerate idlers, nor does it tolerate cowards.”

Morin’s chilling words echoed through the conference room.

“Yes, sir!”

Watching the officers subdued by his presence, Morin felt no sense of triumph.

For a brand-new unit aiming to revolutionize traditional combat doctrine, it had to start with the strictest discipline and the most brutal training to unify thinking and sharpen willpower.

Only by doing so could they secure a greater chance of survival on the increasingly brutal battlefield.

He paused, allowing them to process the information, then softened his tone and continued:

“Of course, I will not demand things of you while exempting myself.”

“I will be the first to complete all training subjects.”

“If I cannot do it, you may challenge my authority at any time.”

“Now, does anyone have any questions?”

The conference room was utterly silent.

Questions? Who would dare ask a question now?

Looking at the fierce young commander before them, their only thought was to pray that they could meet his standards in the upcoming training…

The next day, everyone met again at the War Office—this would be their office until the Teaching Assault Battalion’s garrison was completed by the fortification engineers.

With the preliminary organization and training syllabus settled, the atmosphere in today’s meeting was finally less tense than yesterday.

Morin also shed his ‘drill instructor’ persona and began to discuss more specific, practical issues with everyone.

Such as the construction of the unit garrison, the requisition of weapons and equipment, and the timeline for completing the transfer of personnel…

“Sir, I personally inspected the garrison site yesterday.”

Executive Officer Kleist proactively reported, displaying the high efficiency of a seasoned Guard Corps officer.

“The engineers responsible for the construction are on schedule. The garrison will be ready before the assigned personnel arrive.”

“Furthermore, the designated site previously housed troops, so the facilities are quite complete. It only requires simple renovation work and can be put into use quickly.”

“As for the ‘400-meter obstacle course’ you requested, I have already given the blueprints to the engineers to determine the specific location and design. Construction can begin as soon as the groundwork is finished.”

“Excellent.”

Morin nodded with satisfaction. Having such a capable second-in-command certainly made his life easier.

“What about weapons and equipment?”

Morin looked at Manstein. He found it difficult to reconcile this young staff officer with the ‘Manstein’ of the other timeline.

Since the Quartermaster Officer hadn’t been assigned yet, the requisition of weapons and equipment for this new unit was currently the responsibility of the Operations Staff Officer.

The young Manstein quickly opened his notebook upon hearing Morin’s question.

The 27-year-old officer felt inexplicably nervous in front of Morin, like a raw recruit.

“Sir, the War Office’s instruction is that as a ‘Teaching Assault Battalion,’ we are granted the highest priority for the allocation of weapons and equipment.”

“We have the first choice and requisition right for all currently standard-issue equipment in the Army.”

“However…”

He hesitated before continuing.

“The General Staff’s recommendation is that during the initial formation phase, we should first use the same standard equipment as other units to allow the soldiers to quickly familiarize themselves and integrate.”

“Once the unit achieves combat readiness, we can then apply to the logistics department for the allocation or customization of some… specialized weapons and equipment, based on our unique operational requirements.”

Morin understood the implicit message.

The War Office was reminding him not to overstep and to first train the unit using standard-issue weapons.

Morin found this reasonable.

After all, Helga’s air-cooled light machine gun was still on paper, and the submachine gun he wanted didn’t even exist yet. He couldn’t solve the immediate need with distant resources.

“I understand.”

Morin nodded.

“Then, proceed with the requisition based on the standard infantry battalion configuration for now.”

“However, I need to make some adjustments to the details.”

“Requisition an increased number of P08 Artillery Pistols for the Assault Battalion for transitional use. And also, requisition more hand grenades.”

“Furthermore, I require a large quantity of training explosives and detonators.”

These were all valuable lessons Morin had learned through the blood and lives of his soldiers on the Aragon battlefield.

In close-quarters combat within trenches, towns, and other confined spaces, the short, potent P08 Artillery Pistol, with its close-range fire suppression capability, was far more effective than the long, clumsy bolt-action rifle.

It could serve as an excellent complement to the Gew.98 until the submachine gun was developed.

Hand grenades and explosives, moreover, were essential ‘pioneers’ for assault operations.

“No problem, sir.”

Manstein immediately recorded Morin’s requirements in detail.

“These all fall under the category of standard equipment. I will submit the requisition to the logistics department immediately.”

(End of this Chapter)

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