Jisang-gun

The Joseon Royal Army (Jisang-gun) is the army of Joseon, responsible for land warfare. It is the largest of the military branches of the Joseon armed forces with 63,361 members as of 1909.

### History

#### Kangwon War

The Jisang-gun had a rough time of it in the last few decades. In the Kangwon War, the Jisang-gun managed to avoid absolute defeat at the hands of the barbaric Aukustian Army, but they were terribly battered.

For most of the conflict Joseon remained on the defensive using the rugged terrain on the border between Chungbuk and Kangwon Province. On only a few occasions did Joseon manage to assemble enough manpower to attack.

The Jisang-gun did not have enough artillery during the war, and this shortfall hurt them throughout the entire Kangwon War. On the other hand, Joseon got covert shipments of Celtican Lebel rifles using smokeless powder. Despite certain design failures it performed massively better than the single-shot Aukustian blackpowder rifles and Joseon marksmen became particularly deadly.

Joseon heavily employed irregular warfare during the conflict and successfully used these tactics to tie down much larger Aukustian forces.

#### Postwar

After the end of the war in 1892 the Army High Command began repairing the significant shortfalls discovered during the conflict and repairing the loss in morale.

### Equipment

Joseon has a history of manufacturing much of their own equipment but increasingly has turned to license production in order to keep up with technological developments.

The Jisang-gun is currently equippped with the Type 76 Tang rifle (OTL Mannlicher–Schönauer) introduced in Year 76 (or 1903). Because the rifle is expensive to manufacture it is still only reaching front-line units. Reservists still carry a mix of older Lebel rifles in one carbine and two rifle variants. About half of the rifles in Joseon service are a locally produced version called the Type 62. There is also the Type 64 Carbine. Both feature improved sights over the Celtican model. The Jisang-gun expects to finish equipping all of their front-line units with Tang rifles by 1914.

Joseon license-manufactured the Maxim Gun until 1908. After that point they began manufactuing the Liotainian Gourkunv M1907 machine gun under license.

The Jisang-gun has used the Type 52 Revolver (OTL M1879 Reichsrevolver) in the 10.6x25mm rimmed cartridge.

Having fallen short on artillery during the Kangwon War the Jisang-gun moved to address this shortage postwar. Joseon developed both the Type 70 8cm Field Cannon (OTL 8 cm FK M. 5) and the Type 75 7.5cm Mountain Howitzer (OTL Ehrhardt 7.5 cm Model 1904). A modest number of "Celtican 75s" and Draken 15cm guns are also owned.

### Organization

Joseon is subdivided into four military regions with sixteen military districts, four per region. Each district administers one regular infantry regiment and one reserve infantry regiment.

These regiments form four regular and four reserve infantry divisions.

* **1st Infantry Division** "White Tiger Brigade / *Baeghobudae*"
	+ 1st Infantry Regiment Capital
	+ 4th Infantry Regiment Taean
	+ 20th Infantry Regiment Jecheon
	+ 22nd Infantry Regiment Cheorwan
* **2nd Infantry Division** "Iron Brigade / *Cheolpungbudae*"
	+ 11th Infantry Regiment Seoraksan
	+ 12th Infantry Regiment Yonan
	+ 19th Infantry Regiment Daebudo
	+ 28th Infantry Regiment Gwangju
* **3rd Infantry Division** "Dragon Brigade / *Bilyongbudae*"
	+ 10th Infantry Regiment Guncheong
	+ 25th Infantry Regiment Boryeong
	+ 26th Infantry Regiment Jeju
	+ 30th Infantry Regiment Seohwa
* **4th Infantry Division** "White Horse Brigade / *Baegmabudae*"
	+ 2nd Infantry Regiment Chungbuk
	+ 8th Infantry Regiment Pyeongchang
	+ 13th Infantry Regiment Jeongseon
	+ 31st Infantry Regiment Chilgok
* **5th Reserve Infantry Division** "White Dragon Brigade / *Baeglyongbudae*"
	+ 3rd Reserve Infantry Regiment Capital
	+ 15th Reserve Infantry Regiment Taean
	+ 17th Reserve Infantry Regiment Cheorwan
	+ 32nd Reserve Infantry Regiment Jecheon
* **6th Reserve Infantry Division** "Lightning Brigade / *Beongaebudae*"
	+ 6th Reserve Infantry Regiment Gwangju
	+ 9th Reserve Infantry Regiment Seoraksan
	+ 14th Reserve Infantry Regiment Yonan
	+ 29th Reserve Infantry Regiment Daebudo
* **7th Reserve Infantry Division** "Iron Wall Brigade / *Cheolbyeogbudae*"
	+ 5th Reserve Infantry Regiment Guncheong
	+ 16th Reserve Infantry Regiment Jeju
	+ 18th Reserve Infantry Regiment Boryeong
	+ 27th Reserve Infantry Regiment Seohwa
* **8th Reserve Infantry Division** "Steel Brigade / *Gangcheolbudae*"
	+ 7th Reserve Infantry Regiment Chungbuk
	+ 21st Reserve Infantry Regiment Chilgok
	+ 23rd Reserve Infantry Regiment Jeongseon
	+ 24th Reserve Infantry Regiment Pyeongchang

After their experience in the Kangwon War, the Jisang-gun took the unusual step of making reinforced regiments the primary combined arms unit rather than the division. Reinforced regiments have four infantry battalions, one machine gun company, three howitzer batteries, and a supply battalion.

Divisions have additional resources such as field artillery, supply, and administrative units.

### Women in Service

During the Kangwon War, Joseon faced a manpower shortage after so many soldiers were captured or killed in the opening month of the invasion. Joseon's army and navy thus allowed women to take on increasing numbers of military tasks. Initially they were employed as typists, couriers, medical duties, and logistics personnel. By 1879 the situation was critical enough that the Army organized them into all-female units for rear-area security. A large number of female sharpshooters were also trained.

Following the conclusion of the war the Jisang-gun still allows women to volunteer for service, but does not conscript them. The number of women dropped overall (to 9% of uniformed personnel) from its height of 22% in 1892. Women have to volunteer both for army service and for a combat unit, which results in very few combat units staffed with female troops.