The total number of artillery pieces on both sides was more than 160. At this time, they opened fire almost at the same time. There were more than 100 artillery pieces. Therefore, the movement created was shaking, even though the gunners were experienced in artillery firing.
Although there was a battle, many people were still shaken by the huge vibration and fell to the ground.
However, although the total number of artillery fired by both sides was more than 100, the artillery positions of the two armies were more than 700 steps apart at this time, more than 1,000 meters. Within this distance, the Qing army only had 26
Men Hongyi's artillery can hit them, but the Merchant Army only has eight
The heavy artillery can reach it, and other artillery can only be used to make soy sauce. However, after the artillery shells fired by both sides hit the ground, they still have a certain distance to bounce forward. Therefore, the artillery shells that actually reach the opponent's position are larger than the actual reach.
The number of artillery pieces at a greater distance is greater.
But the Qing army used solid bullets. In front of the Merchant Army's artillery position was the infantry trench. There were piles of homespun bags more than two feet high beside the trench. Most of the artillery shells that bounced forward hit the homespun bags.
was blocked and stopped. During the artillery battle between the two sides, the merchant army's infantry
The soldiers were also squatting in the trenches to take cover, so they did not suffer much damage. Although more than 20 artillery shells fell on the Merchant Army's artillery position, their accuracy was not very good, and the Merchant Army's artillery was also protected by homespun bags.
Therefore, it only injured and killed a dozen soldiers. None of the artillery was fine.
The momentum caused by the merchant army was much greater, because the Zhan army used explosive bombs. Regardless of whether they hit the Qing army's position, they would explode. Therefore, a series of explosions were also shattering and powerful.
Moreover, the number of artillery shells that fell into the Qing army's formation and bounced into the Qing's army's formation were sixteen or seventeen.
Although the artillery of the Qing army was protected by wooden fences, it was impossible to make it watertight. More than 20 Qing soldiers were still killed. Fortunately, the artillery was fine. Even those who were watching the battle at the back
Abatai also felt very excited. He never expected that the firearms used by the Merchant Army would become much more powerful in less than two years.
Immediately afterwards, both sides did not stop, and launched three or four more shellings on each other in a row. The Qing army won because of the greater number of artillery, while the Merchant army won because of the power of the shell explosion. As a result, both sides died, but overall,
The casualties of the Qing army were greater than those of the merchant army.
Abatai was in the command vehicle. Although he could not clearly see the situation of the Merchant Army's position, people kept coming back from the front to report the battle situation to him. Moreover, from the continuous explosions from his own position, he could also tell that he was in the artillery bombardment.
It doesn’t take much advantage. But
This result is enough for the Qing army to be proud of. It is necessary to know that it can maintain an evenly matched situation with the Merchant Army in the artillery battle. This is probably only the original Spanish Expeditionary Force. Not to mention the current Merchant Army.
The ones used are already blooming bombs.
But this result obviously did not satisfy Abate, because he brought more than 120 artillery pieces to attack Shandong, accounting for more than half of the Qing army's artillery. He thought he could overwhelm the merchant army with firepower, but he did not expect that
Although the opponent's artillery was smaller than his own, not only was he not at a disadvantage, but he also had a slight advantage, which Abatai did not expect.
At this time, Li Shutai also returned to the rear to report the current battle situation to Abatai. Now the Qing army has been killed by more than 120 people, and three artillery pieces have been destroyed by the opponent. Of course, overall , and did not break any muscles or bones.
Abatai is a bit at a loss now. After all, in this era, both the Qing army and the Ming army used artillery as auxiliary and supplementary force. The Ming army mainly used it to defend the city, while the Qing army only used it as an offensive weapon. The city's sharp weapon, no one regarded artillery as the main force in field battles. To be honest, Abatay didn't know how to maximize the advantages of artillery.
But now Abatai is riding a tiger and is in a dilemma. At this time, Bolo said: "Ama, I think our artillery has withstood the Ming army's artillery. It is better to send infantry. Anyway, infantry is needed. Now we have artillery." Cover it, and the infantry will be able to attack it."
Abata thought for a while and nodded. After all, he did not place all his hopes on the artillery. He still had second and third plans, and it was time to use them now. So he said to Li Shutai: "Deputy Commander Li, Ma ordered all artillery, except the Hongyi cannon, to move one hundred and fifty steps forward and fire. I will send infantry formations on horseback and let them fully cover the infantry attack."
If the current gunner's position is pushed forward another 150 steps, then it will only be more than 500 steps away from the Merchant Army's position. Most artillery can enter its own range, and the strike intensity can be expanded, but relatively , the opponent also has more artillery that can be used. Moreover, the opponent uses explosive shells, which are much more powerful than you, so the result is probably not good for you.
But Abate gave the order, and Li Shutai did not dare to express his objection. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and return to the artillery position to issue the order. At the same time, Abate ordered Er Mengge and Ke Yongsheng to lead four thousand infantry. Under the cover of artillery, they launched an attack on the merchant army's position.
Among the 4,000 infantry dispatched, Manchu and Han each accounted for half. The Manchu army dispatched three Niu Lu, with a total of more than 800 bannermen. The others were their followers and wrappers. The Han army dispatched a Jia La. Strength. And this time Abatai came to capture Shandong, and he was indeed fully prepared. In response to the Merchant Army's sharp firearms, he also made a large number of shield vehicles. Forty shield vehicles were also used in this attack. .
However, the distance of more than a thousand steps could not be passed in a short time. The Qing troops arranged themselves in formation, pushed the shield carts, and slowly approached the Merchant Army's position. At this time, the artillery had already been fired. Move into position first.
In fact, if the Qing army had chosen such a tactic from the beginning, allowing artillery to cover the infantry attack, it might have achieved good results. But now it is a bit late, because after such a delay, the reinforcement artillery of the Merchant Army has also been put in place. , arranged according to their respective positions in the formation, and began to intensify their attack on the Qing army.
Therefore, the firepower of the Merchant Army was nearly doubled, and the sound of each firing was even more shocking and deafening. The twenty heavy artillery pieces were all concentrated together, and they began to take aim. The Qing army's Hongyi cannons were prepared to attack each other one by one as they had done before. However, this time the Qing army was also prepared and used wooden fences around the Hongyi cannons for protection, especially the front end, which also had double Although the explosive bullets are powerful and have a large killing range, the wooden fence is still quite effective in protecting the iron sand and iron sheets, so the endpoint effect is also greatly reduced.
On the contrary, after the other artillery of the Qing army moved forward, it became the key target of the Merchant Army. At this time, the Merchant Army's artillery was inferior to the Qing Army in terms of quantity and range, and the Merchant Army's understanding and use of artillery
The capabilities of the Qing army were also superior to those of the Qing army. Therefore, after the Qing army's artillery moved forward, their footing was not yet stable. Many of the wooden fences protecting the artillery had not yet been erected. They were subjected to a series of fierce shellings by the merchant army, one after another.
Continuously.
And even if some artillery has been erected with wooden fences for protection, firstly, the merchant army can shoot more artillery, and secondly, the targets are more concentrated, and they will always encounter a few. As a result, the Qing army moved forward.
In the artillery position, there were continuous explosions, and the entire position was almost covered in gunpowder smoke, while the miserable screams of soldiers, gunners, handymen and others also kept ringing. In a short time, at least
A dozen artillery pieces were destroyed.
Zhou Shaohuan saw it in the formation and let out a sigh of relief. If he wanted to use artillery tactics in front of the Merchant Army, wouldn't that be a big deal in front of Master Guan? Then this time he would completely cripple the Qing Army's artillery.
But at this moment, the Qing army's infantry had already jumped over the artillery position and approached the Merchant Army's position. Since the Qing army used shield trucks, rifles, and organ guns this time, their effectiveness was greatly reduced.
So when Zhou Shaohuan saw it, he only ordered to divide half of it
When the artillery came, it first attacked the Qing Army's infantry. At the same time, it ordered the use of ten thunderbolt rocket boxes to attack the Qing Army's infantry. It also ordered the infantry hiding in the trenches to prepare for battle. But in this way, it finally allowed
The gunners of the Qing Army moving forward got a chance to breathe.
There were more than thirty artillery pieces in total that turned to fire at the Qing infantry. They took turns firing at the Qing infantry. As a result, they only caused a series of explosions in the infantry formation. The Qing army only had a total of forty shield vehicles, so it was impossible to protect all the soldiers.
, and the shield car could only protect the front, not the sides or the rear, so the explosion only caused the Qing army to scream like ghosts and wolves, and fell in pieces on the battlefield. There were also several shield cars.
Was blown to the ground.
Although they were hit by artillery, the Qing army still insisted on advancing and did not slow down due to casualties. But then the thunderbolt rocket boxes in the merchant army began to fire, and each rocket brought out a dazzling flame.
, making a sharp and ear-piercing whistling sound through the sky. Even the rumbling and deafening sound of cannons could not cover it up. But when the rocket whizzed down, it was the music of death that was played.
After the rocket exploded, iron sheets, iron sand and grease were scattered in the Qing army's formation, causing a much greater danger than the artillery, because no matter how strong the shield car was, it was still made of wood, and once the burning grease splashed,
When you reach the shield car, it will immediately burst into flames. Then
So a shield car is equivalent to being useless. And it is even worse if it splashes on the Qing soldiers. The fire spreads all over the body, which only makes the Qing soldiers let out heart-piercing screams, and then they fall to the ground.
They were rolling and writhing desperately. Even if they were able to put out the fire, they would still be burned to the point of death.
After two rounds of Thunderbolt rockets were launched, more than 20 shield vehicles were on fire. At this time, the Qing army had already lost nearly a thousand soldiers before they even approached the Merchant Army's position, and only the shield vehicles were left.