Urban Management Army

"Together, we live or die; together, we share riches and honor! Together, we live or die; together, we share riches and honor!"

- Liu Mang

History
When Liu Mang was appointed commander of a battalion of three hundred twelve people. Liu Mang pointed three people, one of which was Cheng Yu, as company commanders, in charge of a hundred people including themselves. The remaining twelve people became his guard. Of them only Cheng Yu and 85 others managed to survive Xiapi and survive Kaiyang, to be appointed in Liu Mang’s Urban Management Army.

Liu Mang was given a thousand robust men to construct a new battalion. Cheng Yu survived both the Battle of Xiapi and the Battle of Kaiyang and was thus dispatched by Lu Bu to become Liu Mang’s assistant. 85 people who were the survivors of the troops that he led in Xiapi, and survived Kaiyang, became section leaders. Altogether consisting of 1,087 troops.

The Urban Army lost 432 people, in their first battle in the Mt. Bagong Campaign. The Urban Army’s casualties were 43% and Liu Mang's personal bodyguards all were annihilated.

The Urban Army became the Lu Bu Army vanguard, and the whole division was raised to 3,000 troops. In order to supplement those Urban Army troops that died in previous battle, Liu Mang incorporated the 2,000 surviving supply troops into Urban Army and training them himself. Lu Bu also assign 300 warhorses again to Liu Mang. So with addition of 2,700 infantry troops, one can say that Urban Army has truly taken shape and can assume responsibility for vital task.

The real reason for Liu Mang to incorporate those supply troops into Urban Army is because those who were sick, elderly, and weak had already been injured and exhausted or killed. From 8,000 supply troops only 3,000 managed to survive and Liu Mang himself killed 1,000 of them. The rest of them they were slaughtered by the Yu Province Cavalry or ran away. Those who survived that battle, were those who helped to defend the road with the Urban Army or those who ganged up to beat down Chen Lan. This explained that they had battle experience and will to survive in battle.

The cavalry squadron attacked the Black Flag's flank and slowed down the Black Flag's advance considerably. They quickly retreated after charging. From 100 cavalry troops, those who survived were not more than 80 troops. 20 comrades lost their lives during this charge.

From 200 Urban Army troops who were dispatched to Administration Office only 30 survived. 27 troops chose to commit suicide, due to the severity of their injuries.

Personnel

 * Liu Mang: General
 * Cheng Yu: Lieutenant
 * Xu Cheng: Personal Bodyguard
 * Brother Ziji
 * Er Gou†

Abilities
The Urban Army is a much disciplined army and definitely can be called as an elite team.

The Urban army is lacking in terms of elite, but they are able to work as one. Once the Urban Army regroups, its strength can even fight heavy cavalry. Even if they are defeated, it is impossible for the opposing army to not pay a heavy price.

However, regarding morale. The Urban Army is unmatched by any elites. Although in the battlefield, the commander always orders his soldiers to protect each other, but usually soldiers just goes in their own pace. Ignoring comrades who have been mortally wounded and only want to watch out for their brothers, fathers, and sons. But in the Urban Army, Liu Mang emphasized the importance of being a team, they are family. A team are people who work together as one, back-to-back with their fellow brothers. So, when one member is in distressful situation, they will quickly move to help them. That is how a family should be, there is trust in the team; they were truly brothers-in-arms. They will complete their task no matter what. They are even satisfied on laying down their life for their general and elder brother, Liu Mang; they became his weapons as well as his shields. The Urban Army is only able to fight together, no one-on-one bouts.

Training
They did not train in any type of martial arts and only practice four monotone movements the standing formation, goose step, rising of javelin, and lying flat.

Liu Mang had Lu Bu’s wives sew cloth backpacks. He had his soldiers fill them with stones to carry around to strengthen her.

Phalanx Formation
Liu Mang learned this formation from the famous Ancient Macedonian phalanx, the phalanx formation hit the enemy directly, and 100 cavalry soldiers protected the flank so as not to be besieged in all directions.

When Liu Mang formed Urban Management Army, he requested a military order that decreed Urban Management Army can take any military supplies without reporting. He took 200 warhorses and 800 cavalry javelin from Zhang Liao, 300 pieces of great shield from Gao Shun, and 700 bows from Chen Deng. 200 warhorses were given to 100 soldiers. A person using two horses can maintain high horsepower. The Arabian war horse's horsepower is high with a rider who was also acting as bodyguard equipped with javelin. One can say, as long as they do not have to fight big war, they can absolutely protect themselves. 300 great shields, Liu Mang also gave 100 to the cavalry soldiers. This is the same treatment as Bing Province Heavy Cavalry. The remaining 200 shields were given to the front row. These 200 defense shields formed a good formation that protected these 1000 people. From the 800 javelins 100 pieces had been given to cavalry soldiers; the remaining 700 javelins have all been given to other 700 soldiers. Those 700 bows were also given to them. So the javelin soldier can also act as a bowman when in a long-range battle. These 1000 people form a phalanx formation, while the 100 cavalry soldiers protect the flag. For conventional infantry soldiers it is impossible to use cavalry javelin, because in close quarters combat, it is impossible to utilize the javelin’s strength. Even cavalry soldier draws sword on close quarter’s battle. The phalanx formation that Liu Mang formed is different. The first row is for the shield troops, protecting and guarding front, behind is 700 javelin soldiers, it took 35 people in one row with total of 20 rows.

The first row of soldier generally squat and align with the first javelin soldier’s row. The second row of soldiers, place their javelin on the shoulder of the first row. This can strengthen their destructive power. But, the real essence of phalanx formation tactics lies in complete synchronization of all the soldier’s movements, so if they are not in line with the formation, it will compromise the tactics severely. Therefore Liu Mang was very strict on that standing formation because if even one person did not obey the command, it will compromise the phalanx formation and it can be broken by enemy easily.

When a strong wave of cavalry troops meet with the Urban Army great shield row. The momentum of cavalry troops charge makes the great shield troops stagger, but fortunately there are spearmen behind them. 2.8 meter spears stab those cavalry soldiers, making those who dare to charge similar to Hangtulu.

The great shield soldiers at the front row, suffer a lot of casualties. They have the protection of great shields, so the cavalry soldiers cannot injure great shield soldiers. But when horses ram them, that is when they suffer internal injuries.

The second row then gives their spears to first row and switch positions. This idea is to supplement those who are injured from the first row, so second row spearmen become the first row great shield soldier to stop cavalry charge.

Third row spearmen, press on. The fourth row puts down their bows and raise their spears, and switch with third row. Second row spearmen, have already stabbed their spears into cavalry soldiers at that point, hence, blood is gushing everywhere, making it hard for them to see, so the third row must press on again on them.

When Liu Mang issues orders from fourth row of phalanx formation until the end row, they send volley to the enemies. With exception of first having only great shields, second and third rows having spears, all of Urban Army soldiers are equipped with long bow.

Cavalry Squadron
These cavalry soldiers are the Urban Army's elites. They are comprised of the Urban Army's original members who survived Battle of Mt. Bagong and those who survived Kaiyang's siege.

Liu Mang truly cares for his cavalry squadron. Because Liu Mang had once led a charge against Chen Lan and Lei Bo, and none of them survived, including Xu Cheng. All of them died protecting Liu Mang. With his previous squadron annihilated, Liu Mang does not want to lose a second time.

The entire squadron is able to quickly change into wedge formation. This formation is used in order to “bleed the enemy's nose” and confuse enemies, therefore opening for further damage. These 100 cavalry troops led by Cheng Yu are able to show the momentum of 1,000 cavalry troops. This is what Zhang Liao taught the Urban Army's cavalry squadron. He taught them that the cavalry squadron must have the momentum to kill in one charge. That way, it will strike fear in the enemy's heart and bring great confusion. And if that happens, the cavalry squad will have won half of the battle.

Trivia

 * The banner is black with the “Liu” character on it.