A small soldier of the frontier army in the late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 246

From such a short distance, the situation of both sides can be seen clearly. In the large formation of the Qing soldiers, under the largest woven gold dragon banner, the banner owner Duoduo with a white flag, wearing a gilt armor, is riding majestically. On a steed.

After seeing clearly the layout of the Ming army on the opposite side, Duoduo couldn't help but burst into a sneer: "I've heard that Lu Xiangsheng is good at using troops, so why are you so stupid to underestimate the enemy in this battle?"

He could see very clearly that there was no problem with the Ming army's central army and its two wings. Not only were they each guarded by a commander in chief leading thousands of cavalry, but they also had a large number of artillery pieces.If our own side attacks their two wings and the central army, it is indeed difficult to reap benefits, but the front army...

There were only a few thousand soldiers of Wang Dou, and there were only six rows, three rows of firecrackers, and three rows of pikemen.Is it Lu Xiangsheng Tuoda or Wang Dou Tuoda?No matter how powerful Wang Doubu's firecrackers are, can the thin three-layered firecrackers block the sharp archers in our own army, and can the dead soldiers dismount and form a formation to attack?
No wonder Duoduo was full of confidence. Compared with cavalry combat, the Qing soldiers were indeed better at infantry combat. There is a saying in Ming's Notebook "Jianjian Xinlue": "It is said that slaves are good at short battles on mountains, and cavalry is weak. Ye He's cavalry is the best. Strong, weak infantry. Therefore, slaves are afraid of northern cavalry, and northerners are afraid of slave steps. Yehe's white sheep bones said: "I fear slave steps, slaves fear my cavalry, strength is equal to resistance, and skill is equal to enemy."

In the battle of the Qing army, [-] to [-]% of the main force were light armored archers, most of whom were infantry or auxiliary soldiers in the army. These people used arrows for long-distance combat and short weapons such as brand knives for close combat.In addition to these people, there are [-] to [-]% of the heavy armored pikemen in the army, which are basically the elite vests and infantry in the army.

These people are equipped with long and short weapons, but when they fight in formation, they all use spears and halberds.The Ming army's tragic firearms were difficult to block their attack in formation. Coupled with slack training, their hand-to-hand combat ability was far inferior to the opponent's. Therefore, when the Qing soldiers dismounted and fought on foot, it was rare for them to fail to break through the Ming army's formation.

Although Wang Dou's troops were formidable, with such an arrangement, Duoduo still shook his head. The opponent's army was not only weak, but they didn't even have cannons except firecrackers.In this way, in the entire Ming army formation, Wang Dou's troops are the weakest.This is also good, face-to-face, fighting in an upright formation, after defeating Wang Dou's army in the wild, it can greatly damage the morale of the Ming army!Look, even the Wang Dou Department, who is brave in the three armies, can't resist the attack of his own army, so why talk about other departments?
After today's battle, perhaps the invasion of the Eight Banners army will no longer encounter resistance.

Thinking of this, Duoduo, the owner of the Banner Bordered White Banner, burst out laughing again. He turned his head to Abatai beside him and said, "Brother Seven, I don't think Wang Dou is like this. It's hard to live up to the fame."

Abatai didn't respond to Dodo's words, but just stared at Wang Dou's army on the opposite side, with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

Seeing that Abatai didn't answer his own words, Duoduo snorted dissatisfiedly. Under his order, the horn sounded, and waves of Qing troops came out.

In the ninth year of Chongzhen, when Abatai led the Xiangbai Banner army to attack Shunxiang Fort, part of it was damaged.However, in the past few years, it has also been supplemented.At this time, under the city of Dingzhou, among the 300 Qing soldiers in Xiangbai Banner, there were about [-] armored soldiers, and there were more than [-] Baya soldiers.However, in the battle of defending the bridge yesterday, nearly [-] soldiers of the Baya La soldiers with the white flag were lost in vain, and now there are only more than [-] people left.

Under Duoduo's order, a large number of Qing troops came out and formed a dense formation in front of the formation.In the front are about [-] archers. In addition to the [-] infantry armored in the banner, there are also about [-] auxiliary soldiers in the banner.

These auxiliary soldiers are also young and strong, and they wear cotton armor. Although they are not as good as those infantry soldiers who wear small swords, ladder swords, shields on their backs, and iron cotton armor, they have also practiced bows since childhood. Horses, the combat ability of the ordinary battalion of the Ming army is comparable, or even stronger.

Behind the two thousand archers, there are another thousand Qing soldiers wearing double-layer heavy armor. Most of these people are elite vests and infantry soldiers in the banner, and each of them holds Eight Banners spears or tiger guns.Only after the archers shot through the Ming army of Wang Dou's department, they formed a formation to attack.

Finally, there are five hundred heavy cavalry, not only each soldier is wearing two layers of heavy armor and each holds a long spear, even the horses are also covered with thick armor inlaid with iron wool, following behind these infantrymen.In the end, there were more than 200 Bala soldiers, all in mercury heavy armor, holding iron-handled long knives or spears, riding horses to follow behind.

Duoduo bet on nearly 4000 people in one breath, which shows his determination to break through the Ming army's formation head-on.However, except for those infantrymen who were slowly leaving to the sound of golden drums, those cavalrymen were still wandering in front of their own formation. The Chinese army attacked empty-handed.

……

Qing soldiers approached slowly, in the wilderness outside Dingzhou City, in the howling cold wind, Wang Dou watched them come quietly.The big battle was about to come, Wang Dou exhaled slowly, looked at the soldiers beside him, all of them gritted their teeth, but their eyes showed firm expressions, and they clenched the weapons in their hands tightly.

The Shun Township army had fought against the Tazi soldiers many times, they had nothing to fear, everyone comforted themselves like this.

Lu Xiangsheng stood on the Yuanrong chariot and saw the silence around him, only the sound of everyone breathing in and out. The Qing army's offensive was already obvious. Their main infantry was the former army attacking Wang Dou's army, but their cavalry The direction of attack is unknown.

Lu Xiangsheng had fought against the Qing soldiers, and he knew that their knights were very erratic and difficult to defend. They might attack the position of the front army, or they might attack the positions of the two wings.He looked towards the direction of Wang Dou's front army, seeing that they were still silent and maintaining the solemnity of the army formation, he couldn't help nodding.Look at Yang Guozhu and Hu Dawei on the two wings. They have dispatched hundreds or thousands of cavalry to move around the two wings. I hope they can protect the two sides of the Wangdou department.

Seeing that the soldiers were approaching densely, forming several waves of offensive formations, Lu Xiangsheng shouted suddenly: "Beat the drums and order General Wang's front army to fight."

Almost at the same time, the passionate drums sounded in the army formations of both sides, and Wang Dou shouted: "Forward!"

Immediately, the thousands of Shunxiang troops of Wang Dou's department marched in formation like a wall. Looking at the Qing soldiers on the opposite side, their dark banners also pressed over.Behind the dense layers of archers in front, there are layers of long spears layer after layer, and there are densely packed white flags inlaid with red in everyone's queue.

"go ahead!"

The two sides got closer and closer, and amidst the sound of orderly footsteps, the armor and weapons of the other side, the fluttering red tasseled cloak, and even the distorted and hideous expressions on the faces of the soldiers from all sides could be seen clearly.

"Stop!"

The Chinese army's drum beat stopped, and at a place less than [-] paces away from the Qing army, Wang Dou gave an order to stop, and the orderly footsteps of the Shunxiang army stopped immediately.

Wang Dou sent an order: "Fire gunner, check the gunpowder!"

As early as when they were in formation, the firecrackers of the Shunxiang Army had already loaded their fixed paper tube ammunition.At this time, amidst the shouts of the officers one after another, the densely packed Shunxiang army gunners removed the cork from the mouth of the muzzle, and carefully checked the condition of the gunpowder in their guns again.

"Light the match!"

A piece of torch is lit with sound.

"Front row ready, ready to shoot!"

The densely packed firecrackers turned down, and the [-] firecrackers in the front row of the Shunxiang Army were all Qing soldiers who aimed their black muzzles at the front.

The array of Qing soldiers on the opposite side was still advancing densely, and their two thousand archers were also divided into four rows. The frontmost ones were the five hundred infantry soldiers with white flags inlaid who were good at shooting.Behind the archers, there are 100 Qing army heavy armored pikemen in a row of 200 or [-] people, and they are arranged in densely packed layers. Each person holds a long spear and a halberd. , they formed an formation to charge and kill.

Looking down from the air, the black heads on both sides are getting closer and closer. At 150 paces, the Qing soldiers who also formed a broad frontal formation were still striding forward.It can already be seen that the Ming army on the opposite side is all wearing iron armor. In this way, with the power of their bows and arrows, they have to enter within fifty steps to be fatal to the enemy.

Soon it was nearly a hundred paces, and the Ming army on the opposite side hadn't fired yet, which surprised these Qing soldiers. In the impression of these people, the quality of the Ming army's bird guns was not good, and it was easy to explode. In winter, the cold wind was howling, and it was often difficult to ignite. .In particular, their will to fight is low, and they fire indiscriminately before their own side enters the range.

Many people in the army have heard the story of King Ming's Doubu, and it can be seen that this Ming army is indeed different.Up to now, I am still waiting patiently, and no one has moved a little.All of their fighters are also firm-eyed. They are indeed well-trained and have strict battle orders.Moreover, it is really rare to dare to confront them head-on without relying on horse-rejecting chariots and other things.

But so what, no Ming army can block the strong bows and arrows of their Qing soldiers.

……

The reckless archers with white flags were still striding forward. The five hundred Shun Township Army firearms soldiers in the front row were aiming at them steadily with their firearms, while watching out of the corner of their eyes that the matchlocks on their own firearms should not be extinguished.

In the blink of an eye, those archers entered a hundred paces, and the arrogant expressions on their faces, as well as the thick white air they exhaled in the cold weather, could already be seen.A hundred paces away, these Qing soldiers who only wore cotton armor or armor inlaid with iron cotton were already under the blow of their own firearms.

Wang Dou exhaled: "The massacre, let's begin!"

He gave an order, and immediately a trumpeter at the position of the central army beside him blew a loud and clear swan sound!

The two generals, each general, and all the team officers all pointed their long knives forward at the same time, and everyone shouted: "Shoot!"

The deafening sound of firecrackers sounded, and the front row of firecrackers fired a volley, and a long and dense smoke zone was vacated on the hundreds of meters long front of the Shunxiang Army.

The dense Qing soldiers and archers in front of them, their cotton armor spurted out blood mist, and a large area fell down in an instant.After many people were shot, their expressions seemed to be stunned, and then they woke up, rolling to the ground and screaming.

Like a gust of wind, there was a commotion among the archers of the Qing soldiers on the opposite side. Some of the archers in the front row were stunned, and some turned around and ran away.

The archers of the Qing soldiers in the two rows behind them started to shoot sharp arrows desperately, but at such a long distance, the arrows are only weak. Arrows will do.Some had arrows in their chests, but they couldn't pierce their fine iron breastplates.Dozens of firecrackers were hit by arrows in their arms, and retreated with a muffled grunt.

After the gunners in the front row finished shooting, they immediately retreated to the third row and reloaded. Under the fearful eyes of the Qing soldiers on the opposite side, hundreds of gunners in the second row stepped forward again.They raised their guns and pointed them at the Qing soldiers on the opposite side.

"put!"

A large puff of gunpowder smoke sprayed out, and a large number of Qing army archers fell in front of them.

The Qing soldiers were even more chaotic, and they couldn't fight back just after being beaten. Seeing the archers around them fall one by one, this kind of psychological pressure was too great.What's more, after a large number of archers in the front row fell, the rest were the auxiliary soldiers in the white flag. Their fighting will was not as firm as that of the armored soldiers.

After the Ming army fired two volleys of firecrackers, seeing the collapse of their own archers, the Qing army issued an order to retreat. Immediately, these archers collectively let out a sigh of relief and dispersed to both sides, revealing rows of soldiers behind them. Heavy armored spearmen.

The dense layers of spears and halberds turned up, shining dazzling light in the cold winter, and waves of Qing army spearmen in heavy armor rushed forward with shouts and guns.

(End of this chapter)