"Are the air cavalries trained in the pilot academies in the four provinces ready to fight?"
"I could only say that they've already mastered the basic skills of driving and fighting with airplanes. However, real fighters could not be trained in pilot academies; instead, they could only be trained on battlefields!"
"How many air cavalries could we train by the end of this year?"
"There are 341 pilot academies in the four provinces in total. By the end of this year, each pilot academy could train over 1 million air cavalries. The airplanes have already been produced and are waiting for people. By next year, the number of pilot academies in the four provinces could double. Some excellent pilots could become instructors and spread their skills. Therefore, the four provinces could train over 2 million air cavalries next year …"
"Besides the theater of operations, does Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory have any other pilot academies across Taixia Country?"
"Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory has been training a batch of air cavalries for Black Armor Army since the year before last. Later on, it also trained a batch of air cavalries for Lord Guangnan's Mansion and Heavens Fortune Sect. Last year, Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory also accepted the request of some major clans who had a good relationship with us to train a batch of air cavalries. The air cavalries trained by Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory have already spread out. Many air cavalries of Fire-Dragon Corps have been dispatched to Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory at the request of provincial governors, prefectural governors and major clans across Taixia Country. As of now, there are over 3,000 pilot academies across Taixia Country; additionally, the number of these pilot academies is increasing every day …"
Speaking of pilot academies in Taixia Country, Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory had quietly made achievements in the past two years. Since Commander Cheng Honglie of Northeast Military Region dispatched soldiers to Fire-Dragon Corps to learn how to drive airplanes and use Fiery Oil weapons, the pilot academies of Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory had experienced an explosive growth over the past two years. Any discerning local officials or clan heads and elders of major clans would understand the value of Fiery Oil on battlefields in the future when they saw Fiery Oil; especially the significance of a large number of air cavalries. Therefore, after Commander Cheng's initiative, those who wanted to enter pilot academies and Fire-Dragon Corps to learn how to drive airplanes and use Fiery Oil weapons almost broke the threshold of Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory.
Provincial governors, prefectural governors, clan heads and elders of major clans or dispatched special envoys to Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory, almost breaking the threshold of Zhang Clan.
Zhang Tie knew all these things. However, he handed all the affairs to those madams in Iron Heart Palace. With the planning of those madams in Iron Heart Palace of Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory, Zhang family's force and influence grew more and more prosperous day by day with the opportunities brought by fiery oil, fiery oil weapons and pilot academy.
After Zhang Tie left Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory for less than 1 year, Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory had already become the holy land for training air cavalries across Taixia Country. It was no exaggeration to say that all the people who could drive airplanes across Taixia Country were basically trained by Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory.
The number of pilot academies in Fire-Dragon Bounty Territory had increased to 16; however, they still couldn't meet the demand for training the huge number of air cavalries. Therefore, Fire-Dragon Corps could only dispatch those fighters who had mastered flight skills to help those provinces, prefectures and major clans to establish their own pilot academies. The batch of fighters of Fire-Dragon Corps who learned to drive airplanes from Zhang Tie at the beginning were basically headmasters and instructors of pilot academies. According to the tradition of inheritance of masters in Taixia Country, the air cavalries trained by these people were basically Zhang Tie's disciples, grand-disciples, great-grand-disciples.
Unconsciously, as the first person who gained the title of air cavalries in Selnes Theater of Operations, Zhang Tie had already become the founder of all the air cavalries across Taixia Country. In this field, Zhang Tie had already been acknowledged as the absolute authority across Taixia Country. If Zhang Tie said that he was the second, even this person in front of him dared not say that he was the first.
"In your opinion, should the newly trained air cavalries in the theater of operations be assigned to each corps and be commanded by each corps themselves or form an independent army?" Zuoqiu Mingyue asked Zhang Tie for advice when it came to air cavalries. Given Zuoqiu Mingyue's performance, Zhang Tie knew that Zuoqiu Mingyue had considered this question for a long time. However, he still didn't make the final decision. This was not a small problem; instead, it was related to the stability of the theater of operations and the frontline of Taixia Country and the life and death of hundreds of millions of soldiers in Taixia Country. Despite Zuoqiu Mingyue's position, he had to take it seriously.
It was not new for air cavalries to form an independent army; instead, it was the tradition of human countries before the Catastrophe. Before the Catastrophe, air cavalries were air forces. However, after the Catastrophe, as humans couldn't make powerful aircraft anymore, they could only make airships. Airships couldn't match airplanes in air battle capability. Therefore, in this age, all the countries didn't establish an independent air force. All the airship troops were basically auxiliary forces of ground corps, which were commanded by the commanders of each corps. When in need, they could gather airship troops to coordinate with each other. The main battle force was still ground troops. However, as long as air cavalries formed an independent army, it would be utterly different.
Zhang Tie had also considered about this question seriously. Therefore, the moment he heard Zuoqiu Mingyue's question, Zhang Tie instantly answered, "The new air cavalry troop is different than the former airship troop on both equipment and battle strength. If such a troop was completely depended on ground troops, it might be in a disadvantageous position. Additionally, its battle strength couldn't be fully exerted. Based on the experience of humans using air troops before the Catastrophe, air troops are more effective than ground troops in many cases …"
"Do you agree to establish an independent air cavalry troop?" Zuoqiu Mingyue asked with a solemn look.
"It's very necessary to establish an independent air cavalry troop; however, we don't need to be hasty about it. Given the current situation in the theater of operations, each ground corps has its own airship troop. All the air cavalry trainees in the theater of operations have been trained from each other. Therefore, ground corps have been used to coordinate with air troops in battles and have developed corresponding battle and battlefield command systems and battle experiences. This habit and system couldn't be changed in a short period. I think the first batch of air cavalries in the theater of operations should still be assigned to ground corps as an affiliated combat unit of ground corps. In this way, while retaining the original battle and battlefield command systems of ground corps in Taixia Country, air cavalries attached to ground corps could respond to the battle demands of ground troops rapidly and flexibly in local areas in case of a great impact on the battle force and morale of ground corps!"
Zhang Tie paused for a second before continuing, "However, we should also realize that there are many disadvantages in commanding air troops by ground corps. Air cavalries attached to ground corps would exert their advantages in local areas and individual regions. As long as the battlefield is expanded to one province or several provinces, air cavalries under the command of ground corps would appear scattered and hard to be coordinated. As long as dozens or even hundreds of corps are involved in large-scale battles, air cavalries under the command of ground corps could barely form a fist. As a result, their strength would be scattered and couldn't take into account the overall strategic needs of the entire theater of operations. Therefore, it's imperative to establish an independent air cavalry troop under the command of the Theater of Operations Command which could take into account the overall situation of the entire theater of operations under the unified command of the Theater of Operations Command!"
"Therefore, you mean air cavalry troop should be divided into two parts. One part should be independent and could fight independently; the other part should be responsible for local areas and still belong to ground corps!" Zuoqiu Mingyue asked calmly after relaxing his frown.
"Yes!"
Zuoqiu Mingyue finally revealed a faint smile. Zhang Tie's answer was as same as the system of air cavalries in Taixia Country that he had imagined in the future. However, this question was too important. Although Zuoqiu Mingyue had an idea, he didn't make a decision in a haste. Now that he had such a "top expert" on his side, Zuoqiu Mingyue decided to consult Zhang Tie's opinion by the way so as to see whether there was any omission or supplement in his idea. After hearing Zhang Tie's answer, Zuoqiu Mingyue became completely reassured. Meanwhile, he had a higher opinion about Zhang Tie. As the commander-in-chief of Taixia Country, it was reasonable for him to have such a judgment. However, Zhang Tie could make the same judgment as him on this issue. It indicated that Zhang Tie's vision was as good as that of the commander-in-chief of Taixia Country. What was more, Zhang Tie was selfless on this issue. From another perspective, it indicated that Zhang Tie was absolutely loyal to Taixia Country.
Zuoqiu Mingyue watched Zhang Tie in front of him with narrowed eyes. The more he looked at Zhang Tie, the more he liked him. Zhang Tie could stabilize the overall situation in the rear and solve the problem of the commander-in-chief of the theater of operations; Zhang Tie could make a plan on his side. Even on the battlefield, Zhang Tie's battle strength could also be outstanding and frighten the enemies. Such a person was as rare as phoenix feather and unicorn horn across Taixia Country.
"Qianji Hermit, you deserve your reputation. Zhang Huaiyuan really has a successor. When I was at your age, I was definitely not as good as you …" Zuoqiu Mingyue let out a deep sigh.
Even the Military God of Taixia Country sighed that his reputation as Qianji Hermit was not in vain. After hearing that, Zhang Tie hurriedly bowed towards Zhang Tie …
Zuoqiu Mingyue watched Zhang Tie as he became silent for a short while. Closely after that, he opened his mouth, "I have a junior who is talented, good-looking and virtuous. She's the pearl of Biyong Palace of Zuoqiu Clan. She's still single. I intend to marry her to you. What do you think?"
Zhang Tie was dumbfounded as he had not imagined that the Military God wanted him to be the son-in-law of Zuoqiu Clan …
'What … what's this …'
(To be continued.)
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