Most of the ancient wars we remember come from TV dramas.
During the charge, the first row of soldiers survived less than three seconds in front of the camera, either being sifted through a hail of bullets in front of them or being stepped on by soldiers behind them for photos.
Are they really not afraid of death? Why are you willing to be gunned down?
First, the first row of soldiers did not necessarily have the highest mortality rate
In the case of hand-to-hand combat, or close-quarters assault, the first platoon of soldiers may have a high casualty rate.
But in most battles, the casualty rate of soldiers in the first platoon was not the highest.
Because before the two sides make contact, they will attack each other from a distance, whether it is an archer or a trebuchet, they will generally aim at the middle of the army, so that more soldiers can be shot.
On the contrary, the first row of soldiers on the edge received fewer blows.
Moreover, the protective measures of the soldiers in the first row were often the best done.
Usually heavy armor, strong shields, and some even shield cars, as strong as the city walls, pushed by the first row of soldiers.
They can hide behind shields and be relatively safe. But the soldiers in the back were not so lucky.
Second, the first row of soldiers was often the elite of the elite, and it was glory
Generally speaking, the soldiers in the first row of the stormtrooper are not greedy people who are afraid of death. After all, the first row is chaotic, followed by a complete chaos.
So the first row is often the elite of the elite, equipped with the strongest shields, the sharpest weapons, the tallest warhorses, the highest honors.
The soldiers in the first row also have many people who choose to atone for their sins, such as death row prisoners and soldiers who violate military orders, anyway, if they are not in the first row, they are also dead, so it is better to spell out a way to live here.
There are also many people whose families have been killed and whose homes have been destroyed, who harbor a strong hatred for the enemy and are not afraid of life and death, but only seek revenge for their families.
Moreover, the soldiers in the first row are also more likely to be respected by everyone, so many people are willing to choose the first row.
Third, the soldiers in the first row were the most likely to get ahead
The first row is the easiest place to make a difference, and they can behead the most enemy troops. Like the soldiers of the Qin State, they relied on the first rank of the enemy for promotion.
Even if they behave the same as the soldiers behind them, they can get more rewards and be more easily promoted. Once promoted, it was less dangerous because it was protected by other soldiers.
Moreover, after the ancient war broke through the city, the general would generally allow the soldiers to loot the city, and the first row of soldiers could be described as a good time and place. When you think about when you grab a seat on the subway or bus, you know how important the first row is.
Fourth, sometimes there is no choice
Of course, not everyone is willing to be the first platoon soldier, but the military order is like a mountain, disobeying the military order will be directly beheaded, timid on the battlefield, and running backwards will also be killed by the supervision army.
Instead of being killed, it is better to fight on the battlefield, and perhaps it will be famous.
above.