Tang Dynasty Army
The equipment and quantity of the Tang Dynasty army
Tang Army consists of 3 people as a team, 3 teams as a squadron, 5 squadrons with 45 people + company captain + team deputy + 2 flag bearers + officers and clerks, a total of 50 people as a company. The company here is one of the most basic combat units of the Tang Army.
In the Tang Dynasty, every 40`50 company was a regiment, each regiment was a basic tactical unit, and each regiment had its own unique military uniform, logo, and flag. , name, type
Every 9 regiments is an army, and the army of the Tang Dynasty was improved from the army of the Sui Dynasty. In the Sui Dynasty, one army governed 2 light cavalry regiments, 2 armored cavalry regiments, 8 infantry regiments, and 4 auxiliary regiments (combat in mountainous areas and complex jungle areas); each regiment had 2,000 people, and the 1st Army had 32,000 people. However, during the war in the early Tang Dynasty, the rulers found that such troops were too bloated, especially the heavy cavalry, which was too logistical pressure to face the Turks.
Therefore, a reform was made, every 9 regiments was an army, and each army governed 2 light cavalry regiments (2000 men per regiment), 1 armored cavalry regiment (2000 men per regiment), and 2 long corps (2500 men per regiment) ), 1 Modao Corps (2500 men per regiment), 1 Sword and Shield Armor regiment (2500 men per regiment), 1 Crossbowmen regiment (2500 men per regiment), 1 Carriage regiment (2000 men per regiment), There are about 20,500 troops in the whole army, of which 12,500 infantry are the leaders of 3 regiments, and Mo Dao Shou wears bright light armor, accounting for 60%, which is already the establishment of the group army.
Individual equipment: If it is a government soldier: Pikeman: 1 rifle, 1 long spear, 3 horizontal knives, 1 barrier knife, 1 disarming knife, 1 crossbow, 65 crossbow bolts per person , 3 spare crossbow strings, 1 hard bow, 30 bow arrows, 1 soft bow, 30 bow arrows, 5 spare bow strings, 1 pair of round shields
Fubing Cavalry: Armored equipment: 1 horse lance, 3 horizontal knives, 1 barrier knife, 1 disarming knife, 1 crossbow, 65 crossbow bolts, 3 spare crossbow strings, 1 hard bow Handle, 30 bow arrows, 3 spare bowstrings, 1 pair of round shields.
The Mo Dao Shou is to replace the spearman’s spear with a Mo Dao, the crossbowman replaces the spear with a crossbow (with 100 crossbows), and the Sword Shield Shou replaces the spear with a large square shield; the rest of the spears are 1 Handle, 3 horizontal knives, 1 barrier knife, 1 disarming knife, 1 crossbow, 65 crossbow bolts, 3 spare crossbow strings, 1 hard bow, 30 bow arrows, 1 soft bow, 30 bow arrows Support, 5 spare bowstrings, 1 pair of round shields are accessories
Light cavalry: 1 horse lance, 1 horizontal knife, 3 soft bows, 150 bow arrows, 8 spare bowstrings, 1 barrier knife, 1 armor release knife, 1 pair of round shields per person
As for the recruitment, it is the same as described in the “Taibai Yinjing”: among the 12,500 infantry, 7,500 armored soldiers mainly use Mingguang armor.
There are 2,500 Mo Dao soldiers in the 7,500 armored soldiers. Each of these Mo Dao soldiers has a compound bow and 30 arrows hanging on their waists, and a long-handled Mo Dao and a long spear are inserted in the back.
In addition, the 5000 armored soldiers also have a compound bow, 30 arrows, a spear, a horizontal knife, a barrier knife, and a disarming knife.
Of the 5,000 light infantrymen, 2,500 were equipped with a composite bow, 30 arrows, a horizontal knife, a barrier knife, a disarming knife, a long spear, and a square cowhide shield.
Another 2500 light soldiers are equipped with a compound bow and 30 arrows. On the back is a larger arrow, loaded with 100 arrows, equipped with a crossbow and a long spear.
The standard equipment of cavalry is: a horse lance (length 4-5 meters), with a round shield, a composite bow, 30 arrows, and a long and short Tang-like knife (horizontal knife). The bow strength of the bow used at that time,
The class is about 75 kilograms today, and it is difficult for ordinary people to pull this kind of bow. The bow comes with 3 strings and 30 arrows
and a
Arrow pot (called Hulu), there are generally 3 kinds of arrows, one is the armored arrow; the second is the raw arrow; the third is the long stack arrow
Each soldier’s individual equipment, weapons have been looked at, now are the rest: (1) Three leather strips for capturing prisoners;
These are carried on the body, and then carried by the workhorse attached to each infantryman: (1) One horse bowl, all made of high-quality wood or made of iron. (2), a small knife, a small mistake, a pair of pliers, a lock, a medicine bag, a salt bag, a flint bag, a knot hammer, and a whetstone. (3), trousers slave (see pantyhose in modern times, Chinese national football and foreigners wear it when they play football in winter), wipe forehead, six belts, hat and felt hat (determined by the temperature difference between day and night in the desert).
(4), one set of blanket, futon, and felt. Three pairs of hemp shoes (cotton was introduced to China very late)
(5) One set of animal wool woolen coats for each person. Elite troops also have a leather suit.
One grain bag per person, made of lambskin around the waist, holds dry food for three days. One water bag per person is also made of leather
Let’s talk about the company: the core of the army is the company (infantry, cavalry, etc.), these 50 people must be good brothers who cut chicken heads and burn yellow paper, and the three most closely related brothers are a team.
The equipment carried by each company includes 5 military tents, 5 rice cookers, 10 treasure chests of woodworking tools, 10 treasure chests of hardware tools, 20 sickles (a sharp weapon for grabbing food from the enemy’s farmland), and 5 mangers (for camping). After use, the material is made of cloth), 10 guillotine knives for cutting grass, 10 water scoops, several medical first aid kits, several lighter systems, and 50 salt bags that come with the company
The cavalry unit must carry two sets of plug-ins on the horses of the cavalry unit in addition to the above-mentioned baggage.
After Tang Xuanzong reformed the army, all the infantry in the Tang Dynasty were equipped with horses. And each infantryman is equipped with two horses, one to ride and one to carry his own equipment and supplies.
Tang army should be garrisoned differently in different places. In the Tang Dynasty, the main construction and production groups were the Central Army and the Fanzhen Army. : During Xuanzong’s time, several prefectures were set up as a town along the border to set up nine junta envoys, once a brief envoy, the vassal towns both referred to the jiedu envoys and the troops under them. Soldiers 486,900 people. Anxi Jiedushi is now XJ Kuqa to manage the Western Regions 24000
Beijing Jiedushi is now TLF defensive Tuqi Shi, Jian Kun 20000
Hexi Jiedu envoy to Wuwei in Gansu to isolate Tubo and Turks 73000
Shuofang Jiedushi envoy to today’s Ningxia Lingwu to defend the Turks 64700
Longyou Jiedu envoy to defend Tubo 75000 in Ledu, Qinghai today
Jiannan Jiedushi is now Chengdu to defend Tubo and appease Nanyi 39000
Hedong Jiedu envoy today Taiyuan in Shanxi to defend Turks 55000
Fanyang Jiedushi is now BJ defending the Khitan, Xi 91400
Pinglu Jiedu envoy to present Jinzhou, Liaoning Province to recruit Shiwei and Jin 37500
In addition, there are 70,000 guards directly under the two capitals, and the national army is about 556,900 at its maximum.
These 556,900 people are enthroned and enjoy various treatments and subsidies. The foreign legion government will not give them equipment, military pay, but only allow them to get 30% of the spoils after the siege of the city (even if a war is all fought by the foreign legion. Yes, they are also only 30