Spearmen are the most effective arms in ancient wars. Spears several meters long form an insurmountable sharp Great Wall. They can defeat all enemies in front of them with overwhelming momentum. They are also very effective against cavalry who win by speed and collision.
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Historically, when bayonets became common in the army, the glory of spearmen was dimmed a lot. However, did spearmen really withdraw from the stage of history? In fact, it was not until the early 18th century that spearmen withdrew.
the stage of war.
Although the spears of less than two meters have the ability to withstand the impact of enemy cavalry, their length does not give the soldiers enough confidence and deter the enemy. On the other hand, if the first two rows of spears are to resist the cavalry,
To defend against enemy bows and arrows, one must wear heavy armor. The "overburdened" musketeers have poor mobility during battle and their shooting movements are greatly affected.
The cavalry of the Eight Banners of Manchuria and Mongolia were perhaps the most combat-effective army at that time. They had heavy cavalry and light cavalry, and had various fighting styles. They were good at riding and were good at bows and arrows. When the range of muskets was outmatched by bows and arrows, it was indeed extremely difficult.
An existence to deal with.
The flintlock gun has greatly improved in terms of rate of fire and power, but the most critical feature that allows it to replace bows and arrows is not these, but the cost. Firearms and bullets can be manufactured in large quantities, and soldiers are easy to train. Heavy armored cavalry eventually
It was replaced by cuirassiers for the same reason.
Of course, the musket phalanx, coupled with artillery assistance, can also cope with the impact of cavalry. More importantly, it requires soldiers to have a heroic spirit, a high degree of discipline, high morale and a spirit of collectivism. Such an army can even use weapons.
Even if it is lacking, it is still invincible.
But such troops are elite. How many of them are there in the Ming army? Wei Junzhong is thinking about how to be more confident in winning against cavalry in the future and how to reduce casualties? As a higher-level leader, Ma Bao and others
Then we are considering deeper issues.
"The spearmen should be equipped with at least two rows, which can not only withstand the impact of enemy cavalry, but also effectively protect the musketeers. They may be more powerful during hand-to-hand charges." Ma Bao looked at the Qing army camp in the distance and was not too worried about conquering it.
Instead, he was concerned about the current configuration of the army, and he was already focusing on future wars.
"You also need to wear heavy armor and be equipped with appropriate shields." Chief of Staff Wu Sansheng added: "The arrows can be shot without retreating, and the formation can be charged without collapse. We cannot expect every unit to be as tenacious and tenacious as the First Division.
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Ma Bao nodded in agreement. Although this configuration reduced the shooting intensity of the musket, it was more reliable and made the soldiers feel more secure. As for the spearmen, even if they were not able to resist the cavalry, they were more intimidating in hand-to-hand combat and charge.
In war, nothing is without shortcomings and can guarantee victory in every battle. You cannot have your cake and eat it too, so you need to deploy it reasonably and make up for it as much as possible. The power of the musket phalanx is self-evident, but it is also
It is not perfect. Sacrifice some firepower intensity to ensure a smooth victory in the battle and ensure that each unit can be used with confidence. This is the consideration of Ma Bao and others in a higher position.
"Let's leave the task of killing the enemy's partial division to the first division!" Ma Bao pondered for a moment and said with a little helplessness: "Replenish the troops. Equip more artillery, and let them set off after conquering the enemy's camp to give them time.
Set up a position in a suitable terrain and wait for work, and you will have no problem winning."
Wu Sansheng agreed. At present, only the first division can be used to fight the partial divisions of the Qing army, so that they can feel more confident. After hesitating, he said again: "Should we also equip the first division with spearmen?"
, or adjust a heavy armor?"
Wei Junzhong was young and had a proud heart. He looked down upon himself and his troops by ordering the first division to deploy spearmen.
"Let's discuss it!" Ma Bao was also quite cautious. After all, the first division was following Wei Junzhong to block the enemy's attacks in the east and west. Wei Junzhong knew his soldiers and generals better than they did about how to deploy and form formations.
Facts have proved that Ma Bao and Wu Sansheng's worries were somewhat unnecessary. Before they could discuss it after the war, Wei Junzhong and Xu Mingchen had already taken the initiative to come and proposed the idea of deploying spearmen and hiring heavy armor.
Although they won the field battle, Wei Junzhong and Xu Mingchen also saw the problem. The head-on confrontation, coupled with the small number of Manchu and Mongolian Eight Banners, was also an important factor in winning. In other words, such a victory was guaranteed. And the Manchurian Eight Banners had a small number of people.
The Mengba Banner's precise cavalry shooting, as well as its super mobility and impact, also frightened Wei Junzhong and Xu Mingchen.
Using spearmen to block the enemy's cavalry charge, and then using musketeers to shoot the cavalry that has lost speed in front of the formation, is perhaps the surest way to win. After all, the Ming army has an advantage in terms of military strength and has more firepower than the Leng soldiers.
The Eight Banners of Manchu and Mongolia are mainly weapons.
"Please, Your Majesty, give me a chance to fight the Eight Banners Cavalry again." Wei Junzhong paused and continued: "If we can deploy another artillery unit to assist in the battle, I will be sure to defeat the enemy."
"When the enemy camp is captured, all the artillery can be transferred to your unit." Ma Bao was in a good mood and agreed generously.
"The general only needs easy-to-carry artillery, heavy artillery—" Wei Junzhong declined, hesitating to speak.
"The heavy artillery is about to show its power, but you don't want it?" Wu Sansheng joked and pointed. People at the artillery position not far away screamed, and the attack was about to begin soon.
………………
Fujian Province became the main area of war between the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Fierce fighting took place not only on land but also on sea.
Zhangzhou was in danger. Ma Degong, the admiral of Fujian, ordered the Quanzhou Navy, together with the Anshui Division, and a total of more than 400 large and small warships to Zhangzhou to relieve the siege.
On the sea surface of Jinxia, Ma Degong's command and the Ming and Zheng navy launched a decisive naval battle. The Ming navy was personally commanded by Deng Yao, Marquis of Jinghai, and personally supervised the battle by Zhenhaibo Yang Yandi and Linghaibo Chen Shangchuan, using ship cannons.
With multiple advantages, Zheng Jun's fierce general Zhou Quanbin took command of the enemy's formation and used the wolf pack tactics to concentrate the superior forces of several warships to fight against the Qing army in a chaotic situation.
The ships were destroyed one by one.
The sea battle was fierce but not tragic. The combined navy of the Ming and Zheng Dynasties exceeded the Qing navy's cobbled-together navy in terms of quantity and quality of warships, as well as the combat capabilities of its officers and soldiers.
In the end, the Qing navy was defeated, and Fujian Admiral Ma Degong was surrounded and drowned in the sea, becoming the highest-ranking Qing general killed in a naval battle.
At this point, the Qing court no longer had a navy to compete with the Ming army or the Zheng family. The vast coastal area was exposed, and everywhere could become a landing point for the Ming and Zheng armies to attack. (To be continued...)