Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3359: Small Improvements with Big Effects

The artillery of the cavalry was extremely destructive to the walls of a camp and general rammed earth walls.

It was not just the walls of the village that were damaged, the human body was also severely damaged. Not to mention those who were directly hit, it was considered lucky to find some intact pieces, but more Cao's soldiers were scratched, bruised, and injured by the flying wood chips and stones, and then screamed in agony.

Strictly speaking, this kind of damage cannot be counted as direct damage from artillery. At most, it can be considered as splash damage. Even if you just run farther away or find a safer shelter, you can completely avoid this kind of damage. However, due to the fear and discomfort of artillery in this era, many Cao army soldiers have seen and heard of artillery, and some have been taught how to deal with it, but they forget it completely in actual combat.

Someone noticed that Xu Chu's infantry had already climbed over the outer trench, and they couldn't help but shout in fear: "The cavalry are coming, they are coming!"

"Release the arrow! Release the arrow quickly!"

The generals of Cao’s military academy shouted.

Because she was shouting so eagerly, it inevitably sounded a bit like she was shouting "cheap"...

It was not known whether the archers of Cao's army were too embarrassed to "behave" in public, or whether they felt that they were respectable people and that fighting and killing were not in keeping with their status. In any case, they did not move until the Cao's military school officers shouted at them several times. It was not until the Cao's military school officers suddenly jumped up and angrily killed several slow-moving archers that they let out a loud cry and rushed up some relatively intact wall boards of the village, shooting indiscriminately in the direction of Xu Chu's infantry.

Arrows whizzed down.

Even if it is random shooting, it still has a certain degree of lethality at this distance.

Two or three soldiers were hit by stray arrows and fell to the side. Shield bearers stepped forward to cover the wounded. Someone in the queue reached out and pulled the wounded's armor straps, or grabbed their hands and feet and sent them to the back of the line.

The other infantrymen lowered their bodies, bent over, and marched in a semi-bent posture, quickly passing through the dangerous area under the cover of the raised shield bearers.

Many people in Shandong think that the Hussars were only strong in cavalry, but they forget that there was a period of time when the Hussars did not have cavalry and could only rely on infantry and the White Wave and Black Mountain troops to fight...

From a certain perspective, the infantry of the Hussars also grew up in high-intensity confrontations. When the Han Dynasty was still dominated by the pig-rushing tactics, Fei Qian began to experiment with a variety of different equipment and tactics. Some tactics were abandoned after a short period of actual combat, while others were retained.

For example, the Mo Dao was abandoned.

This thing is very powerful, but the requirements are very high. Not only the equipment damage is very high, but also the damage to the soldiers is also ridiculously high. Without strong arms and waist, you can't use it at all. It's like the big sword in Monster Hunter. If you play it well, it's very coquettish, and you can win all the way. If you don't play it well, you will be like "Oh my god, why is there another cat car?"

In the end, Fei Qian finally decided that the most common one was the most practical.

Knives, guns, battle axes, hammers or iron sticks became the most important infantry lethal weapons on the battlefield.

Instead of continuing to focus on innovative weapons, they focused their main energy on improving the strength of weapon materials and the convenience and practicality of the most common weapons.

This change in guiding ideology also led to the strengthening of the cavalry infantry, cavalry and other arms to varying degrees.

Especially heavily armored units.

Supporting the shield from the outside, these heavily armored sword and shield soldiers who serve as guards not only have the strength of the fine steel covering on the shield strengthened, but more importantly, there is an openable, butterfly-shaped triangular support frame between the shield and the body.

This triangular support frame is usually folded and drooped, like two or three redundant, unsewn external armor plates, but when needed, as long as the movable pins on the iron plate are nailed to the holes intentionally left on the breastplate, it can form a bracket that is sufficient to support the shield temporarily, providing some support for the shield soldier. Although it cannot completely replace the shield soldier's arms to support the shield, it can provide the shield soldier with some relief or breathing space.

Small improvements like this include the small hook on the edge of the shield, the spear belt on the left shoulder of the spearman, and the dagger tied to the calf of the cavalry...

They may seem insignificant, but they are some of the "gadgets" that were proposed by soldiers during actual military combat, improved many times by craftsmen, and finally installed.

And at this moment, these "little gadgets" played their due great effect.

The shield soldiers in Xu Chu's infantry line seemed few in number and their layers were not thick enough, but they continued to hold up their large shields under the arrow attacks of Cao's army, providing protection for themselves and their comrades, appearing to be strong and durable enough...

Xu Chu's infantry rushed through the attack area of ​​Cao's archers, then entered the blind spot of shooting, quickly crossed the collapsed camp walls, and rushed straight into the camp.

Seeing this, Cao's soldiers couldn't help but scream.

"It's over! Ahhhh... the cavalry is coming in..."

Just like siege a city, before the city walls or gates are breached and the enemy soldiers have not yet invaded, the resistance is often the strongest. But as soon as the enemy makes a substantial breakthrough, most of the time all that is left is meaningless crying, cursing, and passive escape.

In fact, the moment of charging into the camp was the most dangerous time for Xu Chu's infantry. Because they lost the protection of the sword and shield soldiers, they were also exposed to the Cao army camp, and psychologically the infantry would be relaxed. If the generals in the Cao army barracks could organize a group of soldiers in time and make preparations, they could often deal a heavy blow to the opponents in the camp at this time.

This is just like seizing the T-head position in a naval battle, and is consistent with the tactics of encirclement and flanking on land; both are simple.

Everyone understands it when it comes to talking about it, but everyone is at a loss when it comes to doing it...

If Cao's soldiers were in such a condition, then the civilians in the side camps of Cao's army would be even more unbearable.

The screams that rang out one after another made the civilians in Cao's camp, who had little combat experience, extremely nervous. They hugged each other and trembled. When they saw the Hussars rushing in, they shrank their heads, closed their eyes, and muttered something in their mouths, as if they were praying to the gods or some gods...

This was the scene Xu Chu saw when he rushed into Cao's camp.

There is something wrong with this.

But at first, Xu Chu didn't take it seriously.

Because he runs in blood and fire with all his heart!

If his troops are swords, then Xu Chu is the blade. If his troops are daggers, then he is the tip of the dagger, the sharpest part!

Xu Chu was even the valve of the steel torrent, controlling the speed of the troops and the rhythm of the attack...

He is the heart of the shock troops and the guardian of the hussars.

Divide and merge

The heat waves from the artillery shells rolled around me, and blood spread in front of me.

Death and war.

They are always twins who depend on each other.

Rushing into the village wall was just the first step.

Xu Chu also needs to break through the defense system in the camp, cross the earthen plateau, and even climb over walls in some areas!

There were some Cao army soldiers in front. When they saw Xu Chu and others rushing in, they howled and turned around and ran away...

But few of the civilians were running.

The Cao army camp was not a flat land, but had many natural ups and downs, plus some specially built and excavated corridors and earth walls, making it like a simple maze.

Since you can still see the location of Anyi City by looking up, there is little possibility of getting lost.

Several Cao army soldiers disappeared at the end of the earthen wall corridor. A cavalry leader was about to rush forward but was stopped by Xu Chu.

Xu Chu said: "You are too rash."

Corners, dark places, and inside tents have always been the areas with the most deaths.

Xu Chu did not stop, but held up his sword, then reached back and said to the cavalry leader: "Give me the axe."

The leader of the cavalry was stunned for a moment, but quickly pulled out the axe from his waist and handed it to Xu Chu.

Xu Chu took it, weighed it, and then walked to the end of the earth wall, and casually extended the axe a little...

The axe's blade was sharpened and flashed.

This is the requirement of the Hussar Corps. Weapon maintenance is a daily task that every soldier must do.

Then I saw Xu Chu casually swinging his axe...

Immediately, there was a sound of something cracking.

Xu Chu strode around the corner, and the cavalry leader hurriedly followed him. Then he saw a Cao army soldier with a chopped head sitting against the earth wall. In the hand of the Cao army soldier was a sharp spear.

The cavalry commander couldn't help but shudder.

According to the posture of the dead Cao army soldier, he was half-crouching with his spear pointed at the corner...

Xu Chu casually pulled the axe out of the Cao army soldier's head and handed it back to the cavalry commander. The cavalry commander looked up and met Xu Chu's even cold eyes, "If you lose your mind, roll to the back of the team!"

The leader, no matter he is an ordinary soldier or a mid-level non-commissioned officer, is very important. Some will lead the troops to victory, while others will only lead their men to death.

"I'm sorry... I, I was wrong..." The leader of the cavalry lowered his head.

"There won't be a second time."

Xu Chu left a few brief words and walked forward.

The leader of the cavalry team looked at the figure in front of them, and at first they showed respect and envy, but then they quickly became determined...

The iron-clad troops rolled forward, and even if they were occasionally scattered, they would regroup behind Xu Chu's figure and continue to advance.

  The goal is clear, and we will advance in different directions!

In a slightly more spacious position in the middle of the camp, the commander of Cao's side camp twitched the muscles on his face and blocked Xu Chu and others.

Xu Chu shook off the blood on his sword and felt that the handle of the sword did not slip due to the blood. He fixed his eyes on the general of the camp and said, "Please tell me your name."

The camp commander grinned and said, "He is an unknown person, not worth mentioning!"

Xu Chu nodded slightly and tapped the shield with his sword to signal.

The soldiers from both sides around them subconsciously moved some distance away.

The two of them stood facing each other.

One wants a quick victory, while the other wants to survive.

"boom! 』

In the center of the field, the two sides collided and made contact.

Xu Chu obviously had the upper hand, but the desire to survive made the Cao army's generals almost exert 120% of their abilities. In their dying struggle, the fight became bloody.

Blood flowed along the blade, and sparks leaped with the collision.

The roar was filled with anger and overflowing with sadness.

Blood and fire became the final tragic background of Cao's general.

Even after Xu Chu chopped off his head, the Cao army general still did not receive reinforcements from the Cao army camp.

Xu Chu held the general's head high, but the subsequent situation made Xu Chu a little confused.

As someone who had fought against Cao's army many times, he was used to the situation that the enemy would immediately collapse after killing their main general. But this time, even though this Cao's general was killed in battle, his soldiers did not retreat, but ran towards death howling.

If it were someone else, they might be stunned by such a situation, but Xu Chu still led his men to hold the line.

The Cao army soldiers who intercepted Xu Chu and others in the camp fell down one by one.

The battle situation is moving in the right direction.

However, Xu Chu had more and more doubts in his heart.

Of course, not all Cao army soldiers were so "dead-hearted". There were still many Cao army soldiers who howled and showed the charm of twisting chrysanthemums when they saw Xu Chu and others. But after all, it was quite different from before...

In addition, in all the areas where Xu Chu led his soldiers through, the civilians scattered in the dugouts would just huddle together with their heads down, and would not run around in panic at the slightest movement like the civilians in the Cao army camp before...

Xu Chu didn't know that these civilians had, to some extent, already been screened through rounds by Cao's army.

Today, the civilians who are able to continue to stay in Cao’s army camp are docile and obedient, just like tenant farmers who have moved to another place.

Refugees are refugees, and tenants are tenants.

When the tenants saw the refugees, they would laugh and say, "Look at these guys, what failures they are as human beings. They must not work hard. When they are in trouble, no master is willing to help them... We are different, different, different..."

In the hearts of these tenant farmers, they all survived by relying on the kindness of the landlords. It was the landlords who gave them houses to live in and places to work, and what they took away was just cheap, insignificant labor. Wouldn't they have this strength again the next day after a good night's sleep? So naturally they needed to repay the landlords, both physically and with their lives, to repay their kindness.

So they came, working hard without complaint, even though some of them knew that some of the civilians had been abandoned, killed, and some had no idea what had become of them...

But as long as you are not dead and the butcher's knife has not fallen on your head, then it's okay.

Now that death is around the corner and the screams are getting louder and louder, these civilians feel the terror of doomsday.

However, if the artillery fire stops and the Hussars leave, these tenant farmers will find that the people screaming and injured are not themselves, then many of them will return to their original behavior and at most shout "Please have mercy, landlord," which would be the greatest form of resistance.

Just a small improvement in these people's cognition can have a huge effect.

Xu Chu didn't have time to think about it, he just felt it was a bit strange. His main purpose was to open a safe passage to help some people in Anyi City evacuate, and it was also a problem to contact the people in Anyi City...

But just when Xu Chu was still considering how to communicate with the people in Anyi City, he saw that half of the city gate of Anyi City was opened, and a group of people incompletely dressed and armored rushed out from inside, also hacking and killing Cao's soldiers, and came towards Xu Chu.

"Go ahead! Protect them!"

Xu Chu was overjoyed.

Pei Ji was quickly led to Xu Chu.

When Xu Chu saw Pei Ji, the sword in his hand was dripping with blood, and there were some broken bones and pieces of flesh stuck on his armor and shield.

Pei Ji's expression remained unchanged, "Greetings, General!"

Xu Chu stared into Pei Ji's eyes, and did not see any timidity or fear on his face. He looked at Pei Ji slightly and asked, "Who are you?"

In ancient wars, communication inconvenience was common and was the biggest obstacle to communication.

It is a very difficult task to pick up all the people in Anyi City.

First of all, most of the people in Anyi City were not soldiers, but civilians, which inevitably led to delays and confusion in the instructions. Some civilians really didn't understand, some pretended not to understand, and some would deliberately misinterpret or make a scene just for their own little rags...

Yes, there are such people. They dare not fight against foreign enemies, but will be very brave and rude to those who come to save them. This is common in ancient and modern times, both in China and abroad.

So Xu Chu was actually ready to turn against him...

Because Xu Chu knew that his actions would never be able to save all the residents of Anyi.

That is a huge undertaking, and it is absolutely impossible to accomplish it with just such a small number of troops...

It is also impossible to achieve a quick victory.

Unexpectedly, before Xu Chu could make any attempt to explain or communicate, such a group of people appeared in Anyi City.

And it looks like there are only this group of people here.

Because the gate of Anyi city was closed very quickly.

  What happened in the city?

Pei Ji replied, "I am Pei Ji."

"Son of Pei? May I ask Envoy Pei..." Xu Chu's eyes moved slightly.

He saw the mourning clothes on Pei Ji.

Although the mourning clothes were stained with dust, dirt and blood, and were a bit mottled, they were still very obvious.

Pei Ji lowered his head slightly, "Xian Yan...fought on the top of the city and was seriously injured and died..."

"Please accept my condolences." Xu Chu said, and then waved his hand, "Give him a suit of armor and let him wear it!"

Pei Ji thanked him and said anxiously: "General! I saw smoke and dust rising from the Cao army camp on the top of the city. I'm afraid that a large number of Cao troops are coming! Please make preparations quickly!"

When Xu Chu heard this, his face suddenly turned stern.