Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World

Chapter 358: Military Uniforms Must Be Handsome 2

TL: Etude

“Military uniforms must be handsome!”

These words of the Count echoed throughout the hall.

“Only with dashing uniforms can we attract more young people to enlist.”

Everyone’s attention was captivated by the two squads of models who had just entered. Indeed, the designs of these two uniforms were extravagant enough, and the colors bright enough, that the soldiers looked like proud roosters.

Paul had put a lot of effort into the new military uniforms for the army. In an era of lined-up shootings, morale was crucial, and uniforms played a significant role in maintaining it.

Drawing from his past life’s memories and with Winthrop’s help, Paul recreated the military uniforms of England and France from the Napoleonic era on Earth. Of course, this “recreation” was more akin to a complete re-invention. The era spanned several decades, and each military branch had its uniforms. Even within the same branch, there were numerous different uniforms. The Emperor’s Guard Cavalry, for example, had as many as ten different uniforms: battle dress, marching attire, field uniform, regular dress, duty uniform, stable duty attire, social dress, casual wear, parade uniform, and grand parade ceremonial dress. It was indeed overwhelming.

Expecting Paul, a half-baked military enthusiast, to remember all the details of these uniforms was impossible. He could only recreate some of the more commonly seen styles based on impressions from some movies.

Paul’s imitation of early modern military attire truly shocked the natives of this different world, although not in the way he had imagined.

“Paul, are you sure you want our army to wear these uniforms?” asked his ally, Count Malron Ganard of Baylding, somewhat hesitantly.

Paul retorted, “What, you don’t find the uniforms I designed dashing enough?”

“The colors are certainly vibrant, but… is this what you call dashing?”

Malron rubbed the back of his head, unsure how to respond.

Paul, slightly annoyed, said, “Come on, spit it out!”

Malron reluctantly spoke, “Well… these styles seem quite unprecedented.”

“Hey! What’s wrong with that?” Paul exclaimed, throwing his hands up. “Why not lead the way in a new trend?”

“Cough!” Malron reminded him, “Northwest Bay isn’t exactly a fashion capital like Horn Bay; wearing these outfits will make us look like oddballs…”

Bryce joined in, “We’ll be seen as country bumpkins who’ve just mixed and matched fine fabrics haphazardly…”

Paul countered, “Nonsense, these have been historically verified… Anyway, think about it. As long as we have enough money or more guns, even wearing a piece of tattered burlap could become a trend.”

Malron spread his hands and said, “That’s the problem. We’re not wealthy enough, nor powerful enough, at least not in the eyes of others.”

“So, gentlemen! Let’s work together! Let’s accumulate more wealth, let’s acquire more guns. Imagine our soldiers, clad in these uniforms, marching down the streets with pride and vigor, commanding respect from all.”

Paul declared decisively.

The others understood; it seemed the Count was set on using his own designs.

Well, he was the supreme commander of the Alda army, after all. His word was final.

“Count, if I heard you right, did you just say ‘soldiers’?”

Ron, the Logistics Minister, picked up on a particular word in Paul’s speech.

Paul nodded at him, “Yes, soldiers!”

Really? The room was taken aback!

Although the military uniforms designed by the Count had a somewhat peculiar style, they were made with exquisite care and splendor. At first glance, the craftsmanship was evidently costly. Despite the advent of looms, tailoring still required meticulous hand stitching.

Initially, everyone thought that Paul had created these lavish uniforms for the officers.

“Mr. Winthrop!”

Ron asked the tailor, “How much would it cost to mass-produce these two types of military uniforms in civilian workshops?”

Winthrop calculated briefly and replied, “Let me think… Considering the prices in Northwest Bay, each would cost about 10 to 15 silver coins.”

10 to 15 silver coins? Was the Count planning to spend so much on a single set of uniforms for each soldier?

Great Lord of Light! Save Count Grayman whose brain is about to be burned out..

It was known that even for senior military officials like Schroeder, Bryce, and Austin, the official monthly salary was only about 5 to 6 silver coins. (Of course, they had additional income from their countryside estates. Moreover, to ensure the officers’ loyalty, Paul had allocated them substantial shares in the family’s recently established businesses. For them, the military salary was more of a bonus.)

Relying solely on their wages, it would take a field-grade officer two to three months to afford such attire. This was madness. Besides, soldiers needed multiple sets for laundering.

“Count, might you reconsider? Soldiers just need something to wear. I believe their current uniforms are sufficient,” Ron cautiously suggested to Paul, feeling it was time to fulfill his responsibility as the Minister of Logistics.

“No!” Paul rejected the suggestion outright, “I’ve said before, the current uniforms were a temporary solution. Once conditions allow, I want to dress the soldiers better, so their mere presence terrifies the enemy.”

Paul made a firm decision, causing Old Ford, the chief of the Administration Council, to inwardly groan. With the current size of the Alda army, this meant an additional expense of several thousand silver coins.

The direction was now clear; the military uniforms would primarily follow the Lord’s design.

Paul provided two basic designs, and after some deliberation, the one with a blue and white color scheme, reminiscent of the French military style, was chosen.

Then, following Paul’s suggestion, slight color modifications were made for different units: the army retained blue, the navy switched to white, and the internal guard units to green.

However, facing the reality of limited finances, the Count compromised. In the final design, the fabric quality was downgraded, and the soldiers’ footwear was changed from long leather boots to short boots with gaiters.

The Administration Council had even proposed reverting to the previous burlap shoes, but this was thwarted by Paul and senior military officials like Schroeder, as the quality of shoes significantly impacted the army’s marching ability.

Paul announced to everyone, “I plan to find the uniform contractor through a bidding process.”

“Bidding?” The others were puzzled.

Paul explained, “Yes, we’ll publish the requirements for the goods needed, including their nature, quantity, quality, delivery period, and other criteria. For example, with the uniforms, tailoring workshops in Alda, Baylding, Emden, or even other territories, as long as they meet our requirements, can qualify as our suppliers. The choice will depend on who offers the lowest price and shortest production time. This is called competitive bidding.”

Bryce was skeptical, “But can any single workshop handle the order for several thousand sets of uniforms?”

Paul replied, “We can divide the contract into several bids, so we don’t put all our eggs in one basket.”

He added with a smile, “It’s not just the uniforms; in the future, anything that doesn’t involve secrets can be outsourced to civilian power. This will save us a lot of effort and stimulate commercial development in the private sector.”