Chapter 429: Jianzhu will be defeated, and the counterattack is imminent
The increasingly fierce sound of gunfire from the direction of Crow Falcon Pass stimulated the nerves of Jierhalang, Dudu and other generals, urging the troops to speed up their march.
The vision suddenly opened up, and the open wilderness area appeared before Jianlu's eyes. But looking further into the distance, the forward could not help but slow down.
On the road and in the wilderness, there are enemies waiting in full formation. Their armor is shining in the sun, their flags are fluttering in the wind, and the air is filled with a murderous atmosphere.
Slowing down but unable to stop, the two thousand leading troops turned towards the wilderness and opened up their formation, while the rear troops continued to pour out from the road.
Jirharang, Dudu, and Turg came to the front of the formation and looked at the enemies outside Lixu.
Feeling vaguely uneasy in his heart, Jierhalang looked around. There were still mountains and forests on one side of the road, and vast fields on the other side. The troops could fully deploy, but——
"Attack!" Du Du narrowed his eyes and made a direct suggestion.
Jierhalang saw the meaning in Du Du's eyes, which coincided with his own.
Confrontation is the stupidest response, and the same goes for waiting. The enemy's artillery can hit here, and only by fighting with the enemy can you avoid the artillery bombardment.
If you don't advance, you will retreat. For Jierhalang and others who have been pursuing this point, fighting forward should be the last option.
"I will lead two thousand troops to attack the enemy on the flank." Turge pointed his finger, and after seeing Jirhalang nodded, he immediately drew his horse and left.
Du Du took a long breath and said, "Then I will lead my troops to attack head-on."
"Be more careful." Ji'erhalang nodded gently and warned: "The team has multiple routes, either skimming the formation and riding and shooting, or fighting on foot and charging into the formation, or making detours on the flanks."
Du Du smiled, drew his horse and led his troops, preparing to attack the enemy formation on the road.
"Fire!" Mao Chenglu gave the order, almost at the same time Turge led his troops to rush out.
Hundreds of rockets flew out from behind the formation, spraying tail flames, like a flock of firebirds flying across the sky, and smashed towards Jianlu.
The sound of horses' hooves roared like thunder, and Turge and Du Du rushed out with their troops one after another, like two torrents, rushing towards the Dongjiang Army's battle formation.
Jierhalang will not stay where he is and be bombed. He will then lead his army forward to get closer to the enemy.
Jianlu's reaction was not slow, much better than that of Huxing'a, but the rocket launch still caused casualties to them, especially Jierhalang's troops who launched late.
Explosions came one after another, flames burst out, the horses neighed in fright, and the soldiers screamed. As the fireworks filled the air, Jierhalang clung to the horse's back and led the team to rush out.
Guo Dajing pursed his lips slightly and sneered, but did not put down the telescope he held in his hand.
Jianlu had no choice but to make a choice. Under the rocket's long-range attack, they lost the space for confrontation. They could either go back the way they came, or move forward bravely. Their choice was not surprising.
If it is said that the rockets can be avoided by shortening the distance, Jianlu's thinking is too simple. Moreover, even in a close fight, the Dongjiang Army will not fall behind.
After a round of rocket firing was completed, more than twenty field artillery fired again. These field artillery were arranged on a high ground on the side, with infantry formations below.
The cavalry led by Turg rushed straight towards them, and just entered the range of the field artillery.
As the roar sounded, solid cannonballs flew through the air with trajectories visible to the naked eye, and smashed into Jianlu's cavalry group.
The huge impact of the cannonballs instantly shattered the people or horses in front of them, bouncing and crashing on the ground without losing any momentum.
People screamed and horses neighed, and more than twenty cannonballs hit the Jianlu cavalry, creating a gorgeous scene of blood and flesh splattering. The bodies of the fallen men and horses also caused some obstacles to the advancement of the Jianlu cavalry.
Turg was lucky. A cannonball almost missed him, but smashed the head of a prisoner nearby. White and red dirt splashed onto Turg's face.
But this did not frighten Turg, but instead aroused his bloodthirsty and violent nature.
He howled and waved his scimitar forward. Countless Jianlu cavalry let out howls of wolves and ghosts, passed him, and rushed towards the enemy formation.
Although Jianlu launched the attack hastily in order to avoid the rockets, he still completed the deployment of the attack in a short period of time due to his long-term battle experience.
Turg did not adopt the method of dismounting and fighting on foot. Instead, he used part of his cavalry to directly charge into the enemy's formation, and part of his cavalry galloped horizontally and used bows and arrows to cover.
There are also some who serve as a reserve team, waiting outside the range of the muskets, waiting for the enemy to reveal a weakness, and then strike with all their strength.
The roar of muskets resounded across the battlefield. The Dongjiang Army, which was blocked only by horses, vehicles and artillery, took the lead in launching a counterattack with heavy muskets.
After having an experience in field combat, the Dongjiang Army once again formed a small formation of 300 men, arranged at random between small formations, to face the enemy.
After a while, they retreated in rout, but the other small formations were not affected. If Jianlu wanted to take the opportunity to pursue the enemy in depth, he would be attacked by the firepower of the two small formations on the left and right.
The staggered arrangement of the small formations of 300 men allowed the Dongjiang Army to have more second-line troops and was able to form a double-layered battle formation, which was full of resilience.
Moreover, Guo Dajing also had five or six thousand flying cavalry as a reserve team, which could be deployed at any time to fight Jianlu on horseback.
The absolute superiority of troops and crushing firepower gave the Dongjiang Army the confidence to fight bravely. Facing the galloping Jianlu, facing the hail of flying arrows, the musketeers fired bullets from their guns, as if venting the anger in their chests.
The Jianlu, who withstood the artillery bombardment and cross-fire of light and heavy muskets, suffered heavy casualties, but they still tenaciously rushed to the front of the horses, vehicles and artillery.
The vehicles and artillery were roaring, spraying out dense rain of shotguns, halting Jianlu's offensive.
The Jianlu in front of the horse were knocked down by musketry, but they broke through the obstacle and were met by shouting musketeers with bayonets drawn.
Some small battle formations engaged Jianlu in close combat, which was only a small part of the large battlefield. The scattered musket battle formations were still able to spit out flames and form a cross-fire attack.
The rocket was fired again, adjusting the firing rate and range, and continuously bombarded Jianlu who was running on the battlefield.
The black smoke of the explosion rose, and the flames of the deflagration bombs burst out. It was difficult to find a safe place on the entire battlefield. The soldiers who rushed forward fought under muskets and bayonets, and those who wandered outside continued to pay casualties.
"This should be the battle I want to see." Guo Dajing put down the telescope, relieved the fatigue of his eyes, and sat upright on the horse. "Only through actual combat will we know whether the infantry battle formation can withstand the construction.
The attack of the captive cavalry."
The battlefield seemed to be a chaotic mess, but experienced people could already see that Jianlu was showing signs of decline under all kinds of firepower.
The result should be as expected, and it also gave more inspiration to generals such as Guo Dajing.
As long as they can withstand the fierce attack of Jianlu, even if they are defeated but not defeated, the advantage of the cavalry will weaken as time goes by.
The reason is simple. While Jianlu achieved victory, they also suffered casualties. The increasing number of corpses of men and horses would increasingly hinder the cavalry's maneuvering speed and route.
This is also one of the advantages of infantry over cavalry, as it is more adaptable to complex terrain.
The second key to victory is the depth of defense. Even if the front line battle formation collapses, the second line troops can make up for it. Coupled with the cross firepower of the battle formations on both sides, it is difficult for the Jianlu cavalry to penetrate deeply and penetrate the entire defense line.
The staggered distribution of multiple battle formations also made it difficult for Jianlu to attack in circuitous ways and maneuver vertically and horizontally.
This fortress-like defense system also made it easy for Jianlu to be attacked by crossfire from two or three adjacent battle formations.
In fact, by now, Jilhalang, Dudu, and Turg have also realized that they are gradually falling into a disadvantage. In the initial fierce attack, although there were some results, it was not enough to shake the enemy's overall defense.
With the increase in casualties, the limitation of the cavalry's speed, and the enemy's stubborn resistance, it has become increasingly difficult to defeat the enemy.
Turg was not willing to give in, and once again organized his troops to attack the Dongjiang Army that was protecting the artillery positions. The corpses of men and horses were scattered everywhere, and it was difficult for the cavalry to directly attack. They could only abandon their horses to fight on foot and charge again.
Boom, boom, boom... After the field artillery was adjusted, it roared loudly again and fired the shells at the Jianlu who were rushing towards them.
Each shell brought up pieces of flesh and blood flying everywhere, and there were screams and wailings. In front of the Dongjiang Army's battle formation, broken limbs and broken arms could be seen everywhere, and there were corpses of men and horses scattered everywhere.
"Fire!"
"Fire!"
The officers roared orders, their voices hoarse, but their arms waving the flags were still strong and firm.
The four rows of musketeers adopted a retreating shooting method, outputting firepower almost continuously, firing rows of lead bullets at the enemy.
The battle formations on the left and right wings also provided strong support. Bullets were fired from the sides, and cross-fire also caused heavy casualties to Jianlu.
Jianlu's eyes were already red. He stepped on the corpses and flesh, braved the lead bullets of death, and charged forward one after another, howling.
Jierhalang sent a thousand Jianlu to come for reinforcements, but now he only has five or six hundred troops in his hands.
Du Du's troops also suffered heavy casualties, but they refused to retreat and fought bloody battles with the Dongjiang Army in front.
The battle became more and more intense, with brutal and bloody melee combat in many places. Guns and knives were stained with blood, and it was life and death.
"kill!"
"kill!"
"Kill!"
A row of musketeers, led by an officer, fired bullets from their guns, straightened their bayonets, and collided with the Jianlu soldiers who rushed forward.
The horrifying sound of knives piercing flesh was heard endlessly, mixed with shouts and screams, irritating people's eardrums.
Under the attack of muskets and artillery, the Jianlu who rushed up were already scattered and sparse. However, the Dongjiang Army officers and soldiers had a strict organization and the advantage of numbers.
Sun Huzi roared angrily, and stepped forward with his comrades, working together with his waist and arms, thrust forward.
As for the bayonet martial arts, it is not complicated. Sun Huzi felt that he had completely mastered it during training. After the test of actual combat, his growth rate was astonishing.
A Jianlu appeared in front of him. He had a fierce face and brandished a machete, and struck Sun Huzi on the head.
Sun Huzi parried with his spear raised, but Jianlu sheathed his sword and jumped back. It was the thrust from his comrade on the right that interfered with Jianlu's attack.
Similar to the principle of flying cavalry, the musketeers also emphasize using more to fight less, cooperating with each other, and taking advantage of collective combat. If it is a one-on-one battle, Guo Dajing also admits that there is still a gap between him and Jianlu in terms of martial arts.
Sun Huzi immediately put away his gun, took a step forward, bowed his waist and stretched out his arms, and stabbed Jianlu fiercely.
Jianlu blocked with his machete. Although he drew away his bayonet, he was forced to take a step back. He felt very helpless in his heart. There were two or three enemies on the opposite side. The constant attacks made him exhausted and unable to perform at all.
Another row of musketeers rushed up from behind. Before starting a hand-to-hand fight, they all raised their guns and opened fire at the Jianlu who were close to Chi Chi.
The vicious Jianlu was caught off guard and was hit in the abdomen by a lead bullet, causing him to arch his body in pain.
"Kill!" Sun Huzi shouted, thrusting his bayonet into Jianlu's chest.
Jianlu opened his mouth wide and blood gushed out from his mouth. He stared wide-eyed and looked at the enemy opposite unwillingly. He grabbed the gun body with one hand and wanted to raise the knife to the enemy with the other hand.
Sun Huzi raised his big foot, kicked him hard, and withdrew his bayonet.
Jianlu was sprayed with dirty blood and fell to the ground in a state of embarrassment. His scimitar came out of his hand, and he was twisting and struggling on the ground, but he only breathed his last breath.
The reinforcements from Paoze and the increase in comrades beside him gave Sun Huzi more courage and bravery. He once again took big strides and shouted, rushing forward side by side with Paoze.
The condescending field artillery roared again, its muzzle firing almost horizontally, sending countless pellets towards the prisoners more than a hundred meters away.
The fierce interception and bombardment had a very obvious effect, and it was also a difficulty that Jianlu found difficult to deal with.
It was difficult for the attacking troops to maintain continuity, and the Jianlu who rushed to the front were unable to follow up. Under the counterattack of the enemy's superior force, they were unable to shake the enemy's battle formation.
However, reinforcements from the Dongjiang Army continued continuously, with a team size of 300 men, constantly enriching the front-line troops, and always maintaining the advantage in strength and firepower.
"General Mao has given an order. The rockets are to bombard the enemy in front with all their strength, and the flying cavalry is also ready for an assault." A messenger came on horseback. While conveying the order to the artillery, he also asked Guo Dajing for instructions.
Guo Dajing did not object and said to the messenger: "Tell General Mao to let him take command."
Mao Chenglu's intention was obvious. The decline of the Jianlu forces was obvious, and he was going to launch a full-scale counterattack. After defeating the frontal enemy, the troops advanced rapidly, blocked the bell mouth, and surrounded all the Jianlu forces in the open area.
Guo Dajing agreed with this and felt very pleased.
Generals at the level of Mao Chenglu and Li Weiluan, including Kong Youde, Shang Kexi, and Liu Xingzhi, will all have to stand alone in the future.
Without accurate insight and judgment, and unable to flexibly grasp changes in the battle situation, how could Guo Dajing rest assured?
"If the encirclement can be closed, can our unit pursue it in depth?" Liu Xingzuo asked Guo Dajing for instructions, hoping to get more accurate instructions and achieve greater results.
Guo Dajing narrowed his eyes and said slowly: "It is better to pursue the enemy with courage. If the enemy is defeated, he will naturally pursue him to the end." This chapter has been completed!