Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 343 Ambush from all sides
"I laugh at Zhu Cilang's lack of strategy and Zhang Huangyan's lack of intelligence! If they set up an ambush here, deploying several cannons, a team of musketeers, and a team of crossbowmen, how could we easily pass through?
By then, even if the entire army isn't wiped out, they'll definitely suffer heavy losses!" Saige's tone was filled with undisguised contempt and pride.

He reined in his horse and surveyed the terrain from a high vantage point, his tone revealing a certain smugness:

"What a pity! The so-called elite troops of Emperor Nikan have already been routed. How could they have the energy to set up an ambush?
Their cowardice and incompetence really make us feel relieved!"

Before the Melezhangjing beside him could open his mouth to flatter him, he waved the spear in his hand and shouted:

"All troops, listen to my command. Follow this prince and charge! Capture that Han general alive and attack the Ming Emperor's main camp!"

However, before Saige could finish his heroic words, the deafening sound of war drums suddenly rang out from the hillsides on both sides of the army.

Flags were waving, people were shouting and horses were neighing, the sound was astonishing, as if it had descended from the sky.

A mass of dark Ming troops suddenly appeared on the mountains on both sides, covering the entire battlefield like a wave.

Sage's smile froze on his face, and a hint of uneasiness flashed in his eyes, but was quickly covered up by forced calmness.

"Just bluffing!" he whispered, but there was a hint of reluctance in his words.

At this time, the Ming army on the hillside had already formed up. Chang Denggui was well prepared and had ambushed more than ten red cannons here.

Not to mention, on the hillsides on both sides, there was a battalion of musketeers, a battalion of crossbowmen, and even a cavalry battalion lying in ambush behind the formation.

All this is just as Saige said self-deprecatingly before: If you want to set an ambush, this is it!
With Chang Denggui's order, the general's flag was waved and the war drums thundered. The Ming army's artillerymen had been prepared for a long time and lit the fuse.

"Boom! Boom boom boom!"

Continuous explosions split the sky and shook the valley.

More than ten red cannons fired at the same time, orange-red flames gushed out, and iron bullets weighing more than ten pounds whizzed through the air and headed straight for Saige's cavalry formation.

The iron bullets hit the ground, shaking the mountains and throwing the Qing cavalry into chaos in an instant.

"Ah--!" The screams of Qing soldiers came one after another.

Even though those armored war horses were well-trained, they were frightened by the power of the artillery shells and began to neigh and gallop away. Some were even so frightened that they threw the cavalrymen on their backs off their horses, and the battlefield suddenly became a mess.

The horses and soldiers who were directly hit by the iron bullets suffered a miserable end.

A warhorse was hit by a cannonball, and the cavalryman on its back was suddenly thrown into the air and thrown more than ten meters away. When he landed on the ground, he was already a bloody mess.

Several other war horses fell to the ground due to the collision with each other, and the trampling caused a bloody storm. The horses that were hit in the vital parts had broken legs and heads, and blood spurted out, which was a shocking sight.

Sage's personal guards bore the brunt of the attack. Their armor and horses were vulnerable to the fierce artillery fire. The powerful explosions were deafening and filled the air with thick smoke.

"Hold on! Hold on!" Sage roared at the top of his lungs, but his orders seemed powerless amid the gunfire and chaos.

The Qing cavalry, which were originally brave and good at fighting, completely exposed their vulnerability at this moment. The horses were frightened and the soldiers fled in all directions. The once elite were now left in a state of embarrassment and helplessness.

A wave of fear rose in Saige's heart. He finally realized that he had underestimated the enemy and Chang Denggui's strategy.

His arrogance and recklessness put the three thousand elite guards into a desperate situation.

The artillery fire continued, and every roar was accompanied by the screams of the Qing army and the neighing of war horses.

Those armored warriors, who were once so powerful on countless battlefields, are now completely helpless in the face of iron bullets weighing more than ten pounds.

Chang Denggui stood on the high ground on the hillside, watching all this coldly.

Following the rhythm of the artillery bombardment, he waved his hand and ordered:

"Pistolmen, prepare to fire! Crossbowmen, suppress the enemy's flanks!"

Rows of musketeers quickly raised their guns and aimed at the Qing cavalry below that were already in chaos.

As the guns were ignited, the sound of gunfire was like rain, and the bullets drew deadly trajectories in the air, hitting the target accurately.

Immediately afterwards, the crossbowmen released a dense rain of arrows, which came down like a flood, completely blocking the Qing army's escape route.

"Kill!" The cavalry battalion behind the hillside rushed out like a tiger descending from the mountain, attacking the surrounded Qing army positions.

Saige gripped the spear tightly in his hand, trying to boost morale. He shouted loudly:

"Don't retreat! Hold on!"

However, his voice was drowned out by the explosions, roars and screams.

In this era, heavy artillery, although extremely powerful, still has its limitations.

Since most of the bullets used were solid bullets, the main lethality was concentrated on smashing city walls or destroying obstacles during sieges, and the actual lethality in field battles was not prominent.

However, its intimidating effect cannot be ignored.

The loud noise of artillery on the battlefield was enough to disrupt the enemy's formation.

In this era where combat effectiveness relies on military coordination, once the formation is broken up, it is difficult for soldiers to quickly recover their combat effectiveness.

This psychological and tactical impact is enough to bring about a drastic change in the situation.

The Ming army artillery was well aware of this. After the first round of volleys, the cannons deviated from their original positions due to recoil, but the gunners immediately made adjustments.

The skilled artillery team has a clear division of labor: one person uses a long stick wrapped in wet cloth to clean the barrel of the gun. The stick goes deep into the hot barrel and makes a "sizzling" sound of water vapor when it touches the inner wall; another person loads the gunpowder accurately to ensure a constant dosage.

Then, the iron bullet is pressed into the barrel, and the final step is completed by the compactor, who firmly inserts the bullet into the chamber.

Each step is carried out in a rigorous and orderly manner without any delay.

These soldiers are not only artillerymen, but also experienced veterans. They have been tempered in many battles of the Ming and Qing wars. Their movements are as skillful as machines, and the preparations for each round of firing are as smooth as flowing water.

At the same time, Saige was riding on his warhorse, witnessing all this. He was completely confused and shocked. He couldn't understand the scene before him for a moment.

"Didn't the Ming army collapse long ago? Didn't the Ming court have no more soldiers left to fight? How could such a massive army suddenly appear?"

He was shocked and confused, but unwilling to believe it easily. As a prince of the Qing court, he could not accept that the 3,000 guards he was proud of had fallen into such a passive situation.

While he was stunned, his generals had already realized the crisis and began to quickly adjust their troops, trying to restore the formation from the chaos and plan to launch a new offensive.

However, before Saige's soldiers could fully regroup, the Ming army's second round of artillery fire followed.

With one loud bang after another, the Ming army's artillery positions were once again shrouded in white smoke, and the air was filled with the pungent smell of gunpowder.

The shells drew terrifying arcs in the air, making sharp and piercing whistling sounds, accompanied by the roar of heavy landing, like huge hammers smashing into the Qing army's ranks.

The team's adjustments had just begun to improve when they were disrupted again by this violent bombardment.

The soldiers were in a panic, many of them fleeing in all directions, their horses neighing in fear, and the morale of the Qing army was like torn cloth, difficult to gather again. Saige's face grew paler. He had never seen such a rigorous and efficient artillery tactic, nor had he expected the Ming army to turn the tide of the battle in this way.

At this moment, he began to waver in his judgment for the first time, and even began to doubt whether this battle could be won as expected.

On the other side, Chang Denggui, standing under the flag of the Ming army, looked increasingly determined. He peered through the smoke and coldly watched the chaos of the Qing army.

He knew that although these rounds of artillery fire could not directly determine the outcome of the battle, they had already torn an unbridgeable gap in the enemy's morale.

This battle to lure the enemy lasted more than three days, and the Ming army paid a heavy price.

In order to lure the Qing army here, Chang Denggui not only mobilized thousands of soldiers, but also lost a lot of elite soldiers during the retreat.

He felt enormous pressure. As the head coach, he knew very well how such a loss would be questioned and criticized, but he knew even more clearly that the victory at hand was the only way to respond to all the doubts.

Chang Denggui glanced at the artillery positions that were being reloaded, then looked at the chaotic formation of the Qing army. He took a deep breath and said to the deputy general beside him:
"Order, all troops, prepare, cavalry ready to advance at any time."

Artillery can only cause psychological and local damage. What really determines victory or defeat is still the coordinated attack of infantry and cavalry.

"The enemy is in chaos. As long as we seize the opportunity and pursue them, we can completely defeat them!" He gripped the long sword at his waist, his eyes as sharp as an eagle.

He had been worried for three days, but now he finally felt relieved because the current situation was developing in the direction he expected.

The Qing army arrived too quickly. The main force led by Zhu Cilang had just undergone a carefully planned night attack and was in the adjustment stage. It was difficult to quickly mobilize enough troops to participate in the battle.

Under the current circumstances, we can only rely on the ambush positions that have been set up long ago to lure the Qing army's vanguard into the encirclement.

Although the target of this ambush was only the 3,000 Qing army vanguard, these people were the most elite part of the Qing camp.

If we can completely wipe out the team, or even capture and kill the head coach Sage, the situation will turn around.

Chang Denggui had already made up his mind. He looked around the battlefield and shouted:

"Come on, wave the flags! The cavalry battalions will encircle the enemy on both wings, with the left and right battalions following closely behind. Divide and surround the enemy and defeat them one by one!"

With an order, the flag bearer of the Ming army waved the command flag vigorously. The cavalry battalion and the combat battalion behind the hillside received the signal at the same time. Nearly 10,000 soldiers who were ready to go were like tigers out of a cage.

Accompanied by the earth-shaking sound of horse hooves, the cavalry battalion rushed out first, trampling the earth with iron hooves. The momentum was even more terrifying than the previous salvo of more than a dozen red cannons.

The sound of war drums and trumpets echoed through the valley like thunder.

At the same time, the Qing army did not sit idly by.

They quickly organized a counterattack, targeting the musketeers, archers, and light artillery positions deployed on the hillsides on both sides.

The Qing army vanguard obviously realized that these firearms soldiers were the key to threatening their retreat route.

However, this was the limitation of firearms of this era.

The range of light weapons such as muskets, bird guns, and tiger squat cannons is very limited. If they are ambushed too close, the target will be easily exposed and the surprise attack will lose its effect.

Therefore, these positions could only be arranged on the hillsides on both sides a thousand steps away from the Qing army, so as to maintain concealment and provide fire support.

Chang Denggui had already anticipated the Qing army's reaction. Although this elite cavalry under Dorgon was attacked by the Red Cannon, they did not show any panic.

They had won battle after battle and had accumulated immense confidence, even a little arrogance.

Even though they were ambushed, they still did not take the Ming army seriously and even dared to take the initiative to attack the Ming army's firearms positions on the hillsides on both sides.

These cavalrymen belonged to the famous Two White Flags Units of the Qing Army. They were veterans who had experienced many battles and had made many outstanding achievements on the battlefield.

The organization of the two white flags was not only complete, but was even strengthened several times by Dorgon. Some Niulu had as many as 400 men, and the soldiers were experienced in combat and had strict discipline.

Since entering the Pass, they have suffered very little losses in all the major battles, which makes them almost fearless of the Ming army.

Although the current terrain limited the speed of the cavalry, the Qing cavalry still demonstrated their superb tactical qualities.

The so-called "low hills" were actually not steep at all, but more like hills with smaller undulations, which could not effectively block the cavalry's charge.

The Qing cavalry took advantage of this and tried to climb the hillside to engage in close combat with the Ming army, putting the firearms soldiers in a chaotic hand-to-hand combat and completely destroying their advantage.

However, the Ming army deployed by Chang Denggui was not unprepared.

These firearms soldiers were protected by the combat battalion. They were on high alert and used the terrain advantage to defend themselves.

When the Qing cavalry climbed the hillside under the crossfire of bows, crossbows and muskets, the spearmen who had been in formation suddenly attacked, and their spears pierced the enemy horses like an iron wall, instantly disrupting the cavalry's formation.

Although the Qing army's offensive was fierce, it was ultimately unable to break through the Ming army's defense line in a short period of time.

As time went on, the offensive of the Qing cavalry gradually weakened, and the main force of the Ming army began to form an encirclement.

The cavalry battalions on both wings quickly joined together, dividing the Qing army's vanguard into several isolated small groups and pressing forward step by step.

At this time, Saige began to realize the seriousness of the problem. He stood on his warhorse and looked around, and found that the Ming army's deployment was tight and orderly.

The enemy was obviously well prepared. This was a carefully planned ambush, but I easily fell into the enemy's trap.

Saige's heart sank, and he felt something was wrong.

"All troops, listen up! Break out to the east!" Sage shouted. He knew that if no action was taken, the 3,000 elite troops would probably be wiped out.

However, as soon as he gave the order, he saw the Ming army flags flying on the eastern hillside, and Chang Denggui's army had blocked the retreat route.

The situation on the battlefield took a sharp turn for the worse. The Qing cavalry was forced to disperse amidst the heavy encirclement, losing their advantage in power and speed in the charge.

At this time, the Ming army's infantry troops slowly advanced, shrinking the Qing army's space for movement.

On the battlefield, shouts and screams were heard one after another, and blood flowed like a river.

Chang Denggui stood on the high ground, watching the battle situation coldly. The key to this battle was not simply to annihilate the enemy, but to completely destroy the morale of the Qing army.

"Sage must die," he decided in his heart.

A fierce sound of war drums rang out, which was the signal for the Ming army to launch an all-out attack. Chang Denggui personally led a team of cavalry down from the heights, heading straight for the center of the Qing army.

The flag representing the commander-in-chief Saige was fluttering in the wind, becoming the most obvious target for the Ming army soldiers.

The battle lasted until dusk, when the Qing army's vanguard finally could not hold on and was completely divided and surrounded by the Ming army.

Sage's personal guards fought desperately to cover them, but faced with heavy encirclement, their fighting power was gradually exhausted.

In the end, Saige was forced to dismount and break out, but he was seriously injured in the melee and was captured alive by Ming army soldiers.

(End of this chapter)