God Three Group Chat: Three Kingdoms

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As a member of the Yuezhi royal family, Gachali was well aware of the advantages that cavalry units brought, and was more adept at using these advantages. However, he lacked practical experience in dealing with these advantages.

In past wars, whether fighting the Brahmins in the south or the Parthian Empire in the northwest, the Kachali had a considerable number of cavalry, so they were quite at ease in dealing with the enemy.

However, this situation was urgent. Although the number of troops at hand was large, the number of cavalry was very small. As a result, when faced with a large number of enemy cavalry, they could only rely on conventional methods to deal with them.

It's not that conventional coping methods are ineffective, but rather that most people are familiar with common coping methods, so when it comes to cracking them, the differences are generally not significant.

How should cavalry deal with infantry? How should infantry deal with cavalry? And further strategic suppression and countermeasures all test the command abilities of the commanders on both sides.

In this regard, recalling the decisiveness shown by the Han army, Gacholi had no choice but to place his opponent on the same level as himself and then face him squarely from that perspective.

Theoretically speaking, any Yuezhi person would naturally adopt a humble attitude when facing the Han Empire's army.

However, the Gachori were not only Yuezhi people, but also members of the Yuezhi royal family, possessing extensive combat experience and a considerable number of impressive victories and achievements.

Even if one harbors caution and prudence in their heart, in the actual command process, one will unconsciously ignore this and respond with the intelligence information they have collected and understood, rather than judging based on so-called legends.

Having experienced and witnessed the results of the war over this period, Gacholi had gained a relatively accurate assessment and comparison of the actual combat capabilities of the Northern Han army.

The Han army was very strong, that much is undeniable. However, the Han army was not so strong that it could lead to utter despair. So, while they could fight, how to win was another question entirely.

“Continue southeast, and you’ll reach the Khyber Pass fortress, which the Yuezhi value highly. It has always been considered a forbidden place by the Yuezhi. As long as we reach that place, even without launching an attack, it will cause the Yuezhi army to launch a counterattack. At that time, the Yuezhi we face will not be like they are now…” Xi Zhong gestured with his hand, explaining the special nature of the place to Cao Cao beside him.

A brief description helped Cao Cao understand what the Khyber Pass fortress was like.

It is a place that is more dangerous and more important than Hangu Pass in Chang'an today. Attacking this place would surely shake up the political situation of the Kushan Empire.

For the Yuezhi people in particular, the attack on the Khyber Pass meant more than just losing face.

More importantly, such attacks not only cause internal turmoil but also raise Brahman-related issues.

Peshawar's proximity to the Khyber Pass fortress can be seen as both an advantage and a disadvantage.

As an adversary, when they approached the Khyber Pass, a mere tap was enough to feel the true strength and power of the Kushan Empire.

For Xi Zhong, repelling the Yuezhi army and securing the entire Kabul River Valley, establishing a stable and secure forward base there, was of paramount importance. This forward base was not only the foundation for the future, but also the basis for external expansion and the foundation for future strength.

Establishing such a core requires certain conditions and time, and this timeframe is extremely long.

The Kabul River Valley is very long and has a high margin for error. Even if the Yuezhi in the south react and want to drive them away, considering the logistical costs and the special terrain of the Kabul River Valley, a gradual retreat could buy them a very long time.

However, all of this is based on one premise: that the Yuezhi people did not truly take things seriously and invest all the power of the state and the foundation of the royal family into the north. Otherwise, the pressure they would have had to withstand would have been too great to withstand the Yuezhi people's continuous attacks and build their own base under such attacks.

Therefore, in Xi Zhong's view, their all-out offensive, which seized most of the Kabul Valley and attracted the attention of many Yuezhi people, could be considered as helping the Han Dynasty's offensive forces in the south and responding to the main theme of the country.

They don't act unless they're absolutely sure of success, but when they do, they make a stunning impact. With their current achievements and results, a little embellishment could suppress or even guide the domestic public opinion environment, making it more favorable and attracting more people to help them.

With so many benefits, there's no need to fight for things like the Khyber Pass fortress.

On the one hand, it is extremely difficult to attack and take it down; on the other hand, even a simple attack on the Khyber Pass would provoke a violent retaliation.

Since he dared to attack, he was naturally not afraid of the enemy's retaliation. However, as a strategist, Xi Zhong had to consider not only the situation inside the battlefield but also the situation outside the battlefield, and try his best to grasp the situation so that everything was under his control, so that he could be at ease.

Cao Cao naturally understood Xi Zhong's explanations and grasped their deeper meaning.

Their attack will inevitably provoke retaliation, but the extent of that retaliation depends on the intensity of their attack.

Taking advantage of the Yuezhi people's leaderless state, they advanced hundreds of kilometers in one fell swoop, which can be described as excellent.

For the Yuezhi people, their method of victory could be described as an unfair one. Fighting with significant weaknesses meant that losing was to be expected.

Therefore, it is also certain that a retaliatory war will follow.

However, the scale, intensity, and duration of this war are hard to say.

The final result will be different depending on the perspective.

Continuing the attack on the Khyber Pass fortress would most likely fail to capture it. The downside of this action would be that it would provoke a more intense retaliation from the Yuezhi people, while the upside would be that it would attract more troops, making the southern Guan Yu army's offensive more successful.

From an individual power perspective, the best course of action is to cease attacks, clean up the battlefield, coordinate infantry defense, and develop the Kabul Valley. (End of Chapter)