Chapter 3434: Unexpected

Chapter 3433: Unexpected

‘Woo woo woo…’

‘Beep, beep! ’

With the sound of horns and whistles, the cavalry began to move.

Is it good to have a process?

Of course it is good, but it does not mean that the process can represent everything and govern everything.

Everything needs to be based on reality. Sticking to the process and using the process to block people will inevitably fall into the category of dogmatism.

And what is interesting is that most people in Shandong know that the so-called process is actually used to block their own people.

Once they encounter outsiders, all the so-called processes will automatically become invalid.

Don’t look at the ordinary people in Shandong, who are tightly controlled by the rules and procedures, but once they encounter outsiders who do not follow the rules and procedures, they have no way to deal with it, and even stop their own people who follow the rules and procedures, and give way to those outsiders who do not follow the rules and procedures...

The reason is that it is a country of etiquette and humility.

In fact, if you can’t control those who don’t follow the rules and procedures, can’t you only control those who follow the rules?

According to the process, it’s not time for dinner.

So these Cao army soldiers, with empty stomachs, had to work hard.

However, under the urging of the officers, they still took action, pointed their swords and guns at the cavalry, and prepared to fight.

Cao Hong's original wounds had recovered somewhat, but this time the battle caused the wounds to burst again, and blood flowed down his legs and feet.

The guards could only apply herbal medicine to Cao Hong again, and then tied him tightly with a bandage.

"Xu Chu Xu Zhongkang!"

Cao Hong uttered a few words from his teeth.

Although Cao Hong hated Xu Chu very much, seeing his enemy in front of him, he also had an expectation of revenge, but seeing the chaos of his own soldiers on the front line, his heart continued to sink. The soldiers he brought were already very good, belonging to the elite ranks of the Cao army. At least when facing the cavalry soldiers, they did not think of turning in immediately at the first time, but compared with each other, there was still a big gap.

This is a problem for the entire Shandong Province, and it is not something that Cao Hong can change alone.

Yes, everyone in Shandong said so. So since Liu Xiu established the capital in Shandong, the Han Dynasty has not changed much, but has gone back to the old path.

Regardless of whether Xin Mang is a time traveler, but in the Xin Mang period, some reforms that may be impatient and inappropriate were made based on some social and national ills at the time. From this point of view, Wang Mang was indeed too impatient. If his means were gentler or slower, perhaps the results would be different.

However, there is no if in the Han Dynasty.

Just like Cao Hong at the moment, there is no if.

He took the risk to fight with unhealed injuries, not for if, but for the final victory.

For the victory that Cao Hong hoped for!

From a certain perspective, this is Cao Hong's psychological sunk cost. He paid too much for the success of the Cao family, so he did not allow and was unwilling to accept the failure of the Cao family. Even if Cao Cao told him that this failure was not a big deal, Cao Hong still felt bad in his heart.

Therefore, when Zhang Tiansheng failed to recapture Suoyang Pass, Cao Hong proposed to Cao Cao that they could launch a "siege and attack"...

It would be great if it succeeded, and it would not be a big problem if it failed.

However, Cao Hong still believed that he could succeed!

Facing failure, the pain in his heart far exceeded the physical pain!

The more Cao Hong thought about it, the angrier he became. He suddenly threw the helmet in his hand to the ground and shouted loudly: "A real man! If you want to die, then die! How can you beg for a meal! I am here today! Fight to the death with you! Let these Guanzhong thieves also know that I have my strong warriors and heroic spirit! '

A real man, how can you be so humble for a meal?

In addition to meals, there must be poetry and distant places!

Isn't it?

The surrounding Cao army soldiers looked at each other, and they could only hold their weapons and follow Cao Hong forward.

Cao Hong's guards also bent down and picked up the helmet on the ground, wiped the dust off, and then quickened their pace and walked a few steps to catch up with Cao Hong.

...

...

Cavalry against infantry array.

Before the emergence of hot weapons, this was not a simple matter.

Cavalry has an advantage over infantry, but it may not have an overwhelming advantage over infantry array, especially after Cao's army made corresponding defensive fortifications.

Life and death is undoubtedly the most powerful driving force for the evolution of war.

Cao's army suffered losses and soon made improvements in the corresponding defense.

The speed of this change far exceeded the process efficiency of Shandong's daily affairs.

At first, Cao's army thought that the cavalry were similar to the early Hu people's lancers, at most they were melee lancers with enhanced armor. As long as the ranks were not broken, they could fight. After all, when the Han Dynasty first fought against the Huns, didn't it also fight all the way?

But when Fei Qian first arrived at Xu County, Cao's army realized that it was wrong to simply describe the Hu cavalry as "enhanced Hu cavalry". The defense method originally used to deal with the Hu cavalry, such as locking forts, tightening drawbridges, and huddling in the city, dissipated along with the smoke in the roar of gunpowder.

So Cao Jun quickly developed a method of using mud, sand and stones to block the city gates. The main purpose was to strengthen the defensive power of the turtle shell. However, Shandong discovered that the hussars had evolved again, with catapults, kerosene bombs and other lethal weapons appearing. A sexual weapon, a simple turtle shell, cannot resist both physical and magical damage...

All kinds of things.

Every time Guanzhong improves, Shandong, whether it actively wants to improve or reacts passively, must keep up, otherwise it will be beaten badly.

The archer cavalry tactics shown last time also caused Cao Jun to suffer a big loss, so now in front of Cao Jun's position, even when the dawn light is not very good, Xu Chu can see some large and small things on the ground, like Pockmarked black spots.

That's a trap.

Specializes in trapping horses' legs.

Don't the cavalry have to fire their bows quickly at close range? Now all "close range" positions have dug pits like this.

It's not impossible for Xu Chu to really make people rush up, but he definitely won't be able to run like before.

Once the cavalry cannot run as fast as it can, the damage it will suffer will definitely be greater.

This is obviously not what Xu Chu wants, but if we continue to use the old traditional cavalry tactics...

Turning in front of the formation, feinting on the flanks, pulling the array, scattering the enemy troops, etc. These are all common methods used by cavalry to deal with infantry arrays equipped with long spears, halberds, and strong shields and trenches.

However, Xu Chu was also unwilling to use these tactics because it would be slower.

Slow means giving the opponent more time to prepare and react, which also means a reduction in the survival probability of other hussar soldiers in Suoyang Pass.

The reason for being slow before a battle is because you have to prepare, adjust your formation, and restore and reserve your physical strength and horsepower. But once the battle starts, you can't be slow. You have to defeat the enemy formation quickly and effectively like thunder. Only in this way can you show your best performance. The strength of the Hussars made Cao Jun lose the confidence and courage to resist.

Xu Chu summoned Li Li and asked, "Cao Jun's infantry formation, how to defeat it?" 』

"The previous method obviously didn't work. I'm also thinking about how to fight..." Li Li squinted his eyes and asked, "What do you mean, general?" 』

Xu Chu nodded and looked at Cao Jun's formation in the distance, "Cao Jun's defense here is to lure you and me into the formation." 』

Li Li turned his head and looked in the direction of Zhongtiao Mountain Camp, "Haha, that's interesting." We used Suoyang Pass to fish out Cao Jun, and Cao Jun also used this idea to fish out us! Really...haha! 』

Xu Chu also smiled, then pointed at Cao Jun's infantry array, "Test its quality first." Although it seems that the formation is neat now, I still have to give it a try! 』

Li Li asked: "Should we use bows and arrows?" 』

"No." Xu Chu waved his hand and pointed at some Hu cavalry in the ranks of the troops, "Let them use throwing ropes." 』

"Throw a line?" "Li Li thought for a moment and then understood, "Throw grenades with a sling? 』

Xu Chu nodded, "If the formation is chaotic, it will be a break-in." However, caution is required. Since there are traps in front of the formation, there are probably traps in the formation as well. 』

Li Li accepted the order and went down to prepare.

The horn and brass whistle were blown again, and this time it seemed more urgent and powerful, seeming to indicate something...

…

There is no such clear boundary between offense and defense.

Cao Hong's attack on Suoyang Pass was an attack, but in the blink of an eye it became a defense.

As soon as the battle started, Cao Jun discovered some new changes in the hussars.

At the moment, although Cao Hong did not completely capture Suoyang Pass, he and others were suppressed in the small stone fort. The narrow doorway and stairs at the entrance of the stone castle meant that it was difficult for Cao's army to attack, and it was also difficult for others to break out, so it meant that they had no worries.

But even if Cao Jun focused all his attention on facing the Hussars, it would be difficult to resist the flexible tactical system of the Hussars, and he was even a little tired of dealing with it!

With a glimmer of dawn on the horizon, Li Li led 800 cavalry and rushed to Cao Jun's position.

"Hold on!" Hold on! 』

The military academy in Cao's military line shouted.

Cao's archers have to wait until the opponent is within fifty steps before they can have greater direct lethality. Although ordinary projectiles can reach a hundred steps away, for cavalry covered with armor and wearing horse clothes, the lethality is very low. Actually very average.

Conversely, the same is true for cavalry. Running and shooting looks cool, but its lethality against armored units is also not very good.

More importantly, neither side relies on the base camp to conduct operations, and the number of arrows they carry is limited.

Cao's army will have more, but the Hussars' arrows basically only have two bags, sixty arrows.

If the arrows are thrown rapidly, even a slow hand can shoot out more than a dozen arrows in a minute, and then all the arrows carried can be shot out in a few minutes.

Then it was like Zhang Tiansheng won...

Therefore, in the initial stage of both sides, sporadic arrows were not intended to kill or injure each other, but to confirm the distance.

Li Li led the cavalry in front.

He and his cavalrymen all leaned forward slightly, lowered their waists, and relied on their waist and leg strength to sit on the horse at a distance.

Somewhat similar to standing horse steps.

It is not a static horse stride, but a dynamic horse stride that follows the ups and downs of the war horse.

This can maintain a relatively stable upper body on horseback, which is conducive to weapon control.

Every time Cao Hong saw such cavalry, he would feel a pain in his heart.

Because there used to be such troops among the Cao family, and the number was not large. But in the Battle of Hedong, such troops were consumed a little on the left and a little damaged on the right. Now, those who can ride a horse and run without falling off are already Can serve as cavalry.

If Cao Jun could get more war horses...

Before Cao Hong could finish recalling, the hussars and horses had already launched an attack.

To Cao Hong's surprise, this time the hussars did not try to get within twenty steps of the infantry formation!

But it only started to spread out and turn around after fifty steps!

this……

Why is this so fat? !

The last time Cao's infantry formation was destroyed by the hussars in one round, it was because the hussars showed the power of the archers' armor-breaking heavy arrows at extremely close range. At a distance of about ten steps, Whether the infantry is a spear or Neither the halberd nor the hussars could harm the hussars, and Cao's archers in the middle and rear of the infantry line were blocked from shooting angle by their own soldiers, so they were unable to fight back at long or short range, and could only be passive. Got beaten!

After learning from the painful experience, Cao Hong and others worked out how to counter the Hussars' tactics.

The best way is of course the Lancers.

It's a pity that Cao Jun doesn't have it.

Therefore, we could only study how to use infantry to restrain the cavalry tactics of hussars, so the Battle of Suoyang Pass came about.

In terms of combat deployment, Cao Jun found a slightly sloping mound, which allowed the archers in the rear to gain a certain height difference and some shooting angles.

Of course, the best way is for the infantry to line up at the intersection, and the archers to be on the high ground on both sides, so that they can freely and safely pour out long-range firepower. However, this kind of terrain is generally hard to come by, so most of the time, as long as you find a place with a The height difference is already pretty good.

In addition, there is another condition: the hussars must take the initiative to attack!

This is even harder than finding a suitable terrain.

But at Suoyang Pass, it seems that such conditions can be achieved reluctantly...

Cao Jun's reaction speed was not slow. Seeing that the hussars did not seem to have the intention to move forward, although it was not clear why the hussars did this, they instinctively knew that they could not let the hussars complete various tactical changes so calmly. So Cao Jun's military academy shouted loudly: "Archers!" All available! Strong wind! Strong wind! 』

After giving the order, Cao Jun's archers got busy.

"aim! 』

"Everyone has it, ten rounds of rapid fire!" 』

"wind! Strong wind! 』

Amidst the sound of bow strings, arrows and crossbow bolts roared out, passed over the heads of the large shields and spears in the front row, and rushed towards the hussars.

Cao's archers used short bows.

To a certain extent, it can be roughly regarded as the entertainment bow and arrow of later generations.

The biggest advantage of this short bow is that it is cheap.

But the result is a reduction in shooting distance and power.

The arrows of a short bow are comparable to pistol bullets within fifty steps. The closer the distance, the greater the power. However, once it exceeds fifty steps, the kinetic energy decreases very much, so there is a saying that it cannot penetrate Lu Tao.

Even the damage caused by projectiles is due to the smaller weight of the arrows of short bows, so the lethality cannot be compared to that of long bows with longer arrows or heavier arrows.

The hussars were really stuck on the edge of the maximum lethality of the short bows of Cao's archers.

The reason why the card can be so accurate is that the hussars are basically good players with bows and arrows. Naturally, they are very clear about the distance control of bows and arrows. However, the hussars also did not expect that Cao Jun not only led the ordinary marching troops. Short-stepping bows, long bows, and powerful crossbows!

Longbows not only take longer to make, but also cost more.

It often takes more than a year to make a longbow, and the isinglass wood also requires relatively high quality.

The cost of making a long bow can often be used to make three short bows, or even more inferior, four or five short bows can be made.

Short bows also reduce the need for arrow quality.

This kind of short bow, or relatively inferior ordnance, is the mainstream in Shandong. The reason is naturally that there are many people in Shandong...

As for strong crossbows, they require high-quality materials, special craftsmanship, assembly techniques, etc. Therefore, Cao's army has always had mostly short bows and fewer long bows, let alone large-scale strong crossbows.

But this time, the archery troops led by Cao Hong included many longbowmen and crossbowmen.

In the land of Shandong, during the war in the Central Plains, these things were not very useful, and naturally there was no demand before. However, the Han Dynasty originally had powerful crossbows, and they developed well in the early stage.

After rummaging through boxes and cabinets, I found some items in stock.

In fact, the tactics used by Cao Hong cannot be regarded as the first ones by Cao Hong and others. As early as the early days of the Han Dynasty, Li Ling, who was finally defeated and captured, used this tactic to restrain the Hu Qi at that time. If the bows and arrows had not been exhausted in the end, Li Ling might have been able to retreat to the Han Dynasty with most of his troops. At that time, Li Ling sighed, "Recovering dozens of arrows is enough to escape." 』

Of course, this is not the "tens of arrows" of Li Ling alone, but the ammunition base of the entire army. In other words, under Li Ling's tactics at that time, if there were still two base numbers, that is, fifty or sixty arrows and crossbows, it would be enough to break out.

Unlike the crossbows that are thrown from the ground with the buttocks lying backwards in later movies and TV shows, the crossbows on the real battlefield are on both sides of the array, closer to the front, and are fired stably in a half-kneeling position.

Facing short bows, fifty steps is a relatively safe distance, but facing long bows and strong crossbows, at least a hundred steps must be maintained to be relatively safe. As a result, the short bows of the Cao army are basically tickling the cavalry, but the long bows and strong crossbows mixed in them have really caused casualties to the cavalry!

The Cao army had not used them before, and now they were suddenly taken out, which naturally caused the cavalry to suffer a loss. With the pouring of Cao's long-range firepower, some of the cavalry were shot and fell to the ground!

"Good!" Seeing this, Cao Hong was very happy, "Good shooting! Good! See? ! The cavalry is not made of iron! They will die if they are shot! 』

The Cao army soldiers were also excited.

However, before the Cao army soldiers could cheer for shooting many cavalrymen, the cavalrymen's attack arrived...