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Chapter 1412 Ambush
"Tsk... Looks like they didn't put their main force here!"

General Tatarinov was disappointed, and Marshal Buturin was equally disheartened. However, according to the intelligence he had gathered, the Ming army should not be so incompetent, which meant that the number of Ming soldiers in the city's defenses was very small, and the majority of them were Kazakhs.

This makes more sense. The Kazakhs had never seen such a large-scale attack before, and they were not good at defending cities. Seeing the fierce attack from outside the city, their only option was to run away.

Unfortunately, what they didn't know was that besides the Cossack cavalry attacking the city, an even more ferocious cavalry force was waiting in the shadows. Escaping their pursuit on the vast plains was virtually impossible, and victory was out of the question.

Once they left the city, most of them wouldn't see the sun rise the next morning. Besides being fierce warriors, the Winged Hussars were also very devout Catholics, and they were extremely ruthless when facing infidel enemies.

As Sun Tzu's Art of War states, "Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated."

When two armies clash, if they know each other well, the battle comes down to sheer strength. Neither side should try to outmaneuver the other, nor should they consider any shortcuts or tricks.

If both sides have some understanding of each other, but not all of it, they will usually conduct repeated probing first, carefully observing each other's habits and strengths and weaknesses during the engagement, hoping to find weaknesses. Who can seize the initiative on the battlefield depends mainly on the wisdom and vision of the two commanders.

Neither of the above scenarios will result in a very dramatic scene. The worst scenario is when one side knows what color underwear the other is wearing, but the other side cannot see the color of the enemy's outer clothing.

And the most terrifying thing is that this side not only fails to see their opponent clearly, but also has a long-standing reputation and is unwilling to lower themselves to patiently probe step by step. Once such a situation arises, many unexpected results will occur.

Unfortunately, the Bolivian Federation found itself in such a predicament. They were a highly praised military force in Europe, with a high probability of victory whenever they were deployed, and they often won against superior numbers.

The Ming Empire and its army were located thousands of miles away and had only been famous for a short time. Even if they had a few victories, they lacked enough witnesses and their stories mostly came from word of mouth, which lacked details and made them hard to believe.

A long-established and renowned military force encountered a relatively unknown but somewhat famous new army. Despite a long march and a battle of offense and defense, the new army held a numerical advantage. Add to that the presence of the Russian army, which was both an enemy and a friend, and the situation truly became a triple disaster: unfavorable timing, unfavorable location, and uncooperative forces.

No, it should be four unique features, the last of which is the Ming army's combat style. Under the long-term, earnest tutelage of a certain emperor who was extremely lacking in morality and character, this army's combat style gradually matured.

In short, it can be summed up in six words: using any means necessary! They will deceive and cheat whenever possible, resorting to trickery, deception, coercion, and inducement. They have no morals or rules, and everything is based on the principle of victory.

The Spanish garrison on Luzon, various Mongol tribes, Jurchen tribes, Oirat tribes, Yarkand Khanate, Burmese, Ottomans, Venetians, and many Asian countries have all suffered losses; today it's the Poles' turn!
1000 meters... 500 meters, the Winged Hussars changed from walking to jogging, and the riders lit torches one after another. Holding torches in their left hands, they looped the leather straps on their arms to their lances with their right hands, ready to charge.

400 meters... 300 meters, the Winged Hussars accelerated from a trot to a full gallop. 250 meters... 200 meters, the riders spurred their horses and launched their final charge!

By the light of the torches, the figures of those fleeing the city could be seen. They had formed long columns on the grassland, a dense and numerous group. Perhaps startled by the sudden thunder of hooves, many hurriedly knelt down, some huddled together, while the rest stood there dumbfounded.

150 meters! The towering lance slowly lowered, the butt joint accurately fitting into the breastplate mounting, the lance resting in the horse's U-shaped saddle, and with the pull of the leather strap on the right arm, it was steadily held horizontally forward, the tip slightly lowered, just right to be adjusted between the infantryman's chest and the cavalryman's abdomen.

In ten seconds, the spearhead will pierce the enemy's body. No matter who he is or what kind of armor he is wearing, there are only two outcomes if he is pierced by the spearhead: serious injury or death!
Judging by the number of enemies, they might need to turn their horses around, draw their sabers, and hack away again to wipe out most of them. Then comes the bloodiest and most exciting part: entering the city. Before the east gate closes, they'll charge in with all their might, and the battle will be over. Once again, the Winged Hussars will have decided the fate of the city!

"Brush brush..."

However, this final 150 meters became an insurmountable chasm. Suddenly, countless points of light appeared in the enemy ranks, instantly turning into dazzling, miniature suns.

"Clap clap clap clap... Clap clap clap clap... Bang bang bang bang..."

Before the Winged Hussars could regain control of their frightened horses, a cacophony of gunfire and cannon fire erupted across the open field. The riders and horses, exposed to the bright light, became natural targets, mowed down in droves.

At this point, we must mention the bravery of the Winged Hussars. Once they started charging, almost no one stopped or changed course, no matter what happened. Even if their comrades in front fell to the ground, the riders behind would still stare with their eyes wide open, grit their teeth, and spur their horses forward with all their might.

Through countless battles and lessons learned, the Winged Hussars understood one thing:

Cavalry charges rely on momentum and speed. Without these two elements, you'll not only be unable to defeat cavalry, but you'll also be vulnerable against infantry. Grit your teeth, fear no death, and charge forward to victory!

But there are always exceptions, and this time the enemy clearly didn't follow the usual path. Their firing rate was too fast, their range and accuracy too high, and coupled with those despicable cannons that fired grapeshot, more than 80% of the Winged Hussars fell on the way to the charge.

However, some riders still managed to reach bayonet range, roaring as they thrust their lances into the enemy's chest. Unfortunately, what awaited them was not victory, nor the enemy's panic, but deadly bullets.

Those Easterners, dressed in thin clothing with almost no armor, with black hair and black eyes, did not run or dodge when faced with the roaring warhorses and gleaming spear tips, when there was no time to reload. Instead, they immediately threw away their muskets and picked up another, shorter musket from their side.

It has two barrels stacked together, similar in length to a carbine commonly used by cavalry. But it's far more insidious than a carbine; it sprays a large area at once, and can spray a second time immediately after the first.

Once it points its way at you, you're almost guaranteed to be hit within 30 meters without even aiming. At that moment, the riders' armor, chainmail, and tack armor become useless; a bullet will pierce through them, and neither the rider nor the horse can escape.

(End of this chapter)