Chapter 273 Blunt wing and broken edge

Author: Gongsun Wujiu

Chapter 273 Blunt wing and broken edge

Before the big battle, neither side knew what moves the other side would use, and both sides were speculating on the formations the other side was likely to use.

During the military discussion, Zhang Yue allowed everyone to speak freely.

Among them, Geng Shu believed that despite repeated setbacks in recent years, the Huns were defeated by the Han army many times.

However, they still had an advantage in cavalry strength in this battle.

Geng Shu speculated that the Huns would probably use their best tactics, using cavalry to make a central breakthrough against the Han coalition.

Zhang Yue was convinced of this. Although the Han army was superior to the Xiongnu in terms of equipment and training, the Wusun cavalry under Weng Guimi had the largest number of cavalry in the entire coalition.

But both the Huns and the Han army knew very well how effective the Wusun cavalry was.

In equal numbers, they are not even as good as the Amcai cavalry.

In such a large-scale battle, the Wusun cavalry became the weak link of the coalition forces. There was at least a nine-level possibility that the Huns would use the Wusun cavalry as a breakthrough point.

Once the Wusun people collapsed, a mere rout might break up the Han coalition camp.

“What does Mr. Geng think our army should do?”

Zhang Yue asked

Geng Shu first bowed to Weng Guimi and then said, "I thought I should blunt his edge and break his wings!"

The so-called "blunt its edge and break its wings" refers to the strategy of defending in the center and attacking on both wings.

Weng Guimi asked, "What does Geng Gong mean by asking our Wusun cavalry to abandon their horses and dismount for battle?"

Geng Shu smiled and said, "No, the Wusun cavalry has never been trained in infantry combat. Dismounting and fighting on foot is not their specialty."

Weng Guimi couldn't help but feel a little ashamed, "What does Geng Gong mean?"

Geng Shu said, "The Wusun cavalry should cooperate with the Han infantry, and the chariots should defend the center..."

"The Han army and the cavalry of other countries are responsible for the attack on the left and right wings..."

Zhang Yue said, "What Duke Geng said is great! I want Zhao Guanghan to be the commander of the left wing and Duke Geng to be the commander of the right wing. What do you think?"

King Amcai first praised, "Good!"

The rest of the people thought about it and said, "Good!"

At this time, Zhao Yi suggested again, "Your Majesty, you should also detach two cavalry groups as guerrillas..."

Zhang Yue looked at Zhao Yi approvingly, "This is a great kindness..."

Finally, Zhang Yue sent out three thousand cavalry as a guerrilla to shield the battlefield.

At the same time, Zhang Yue did not intend to let the war unfold according to King Youxian's ideas. After knowing that the Huns had the intention of a decisive battle, he ordered Pan Zhiqiang to attack in advance!

…

When the two armies were confronting each other, multiple armies would be sent out for testing every day.

When Pan Zhiqiang's troops attacked, six armies had appeared on the ground on the south bank of Tianchi.

It can be predicted that with the launch of Pan Zhiqiang's troops, a huge and cruel strangulation battle will soon take place in this land.

After receiving Zhang Yue's order, Pan Zhiqiang led his troops and headed straight for the right flank of the Huns' defense line, regardless of the Wuchao cavalry that left the city to attack his rear.

According to the intelligence, Ni Mi's Xiao Wusun cavalry is stationed here.

Ni Mi's Xiao Wusun cavalry was also a weak link in the Xiongnu camp.

Sometimes the battlefield is complex, sometimes it is very simple. Both sides will attack the other side's weak points first.

The Huns' left-wing defense line stretched for more than 20 miles southeast from Chigu City and set up six large or small forts.

The terrain between the forts was high or low. In the higher places, the Huns built sentry towers with archers stationed on them.

To sweep a sentry tower, you must pay double the damage, and in low-lying areas, the Huns diverted river water to form semi-natural swamps.

At first glance, this tactic was commonly used by the Han people. Pan Zhiqiang speculated that it was probably the work of a Han general who betrayed the Han people.

In the entire left wing line, there is only one place where the terrain is low and flat and far away from the Nalen Water. Water cannot be diverted into it. It is a natural gap.

This time, the terrain was easy to attack but difficult to defend, and it was located right in the middle of the left wing line. So the Huns built a stronghold here using stones and wood!

Because the person responsible for the defense of this place happened to be Nimi, King of Wusun of the Xiongnu, so the Han army privately called him Nimi Village.

If this Nimi stronghold can be broken, more than half of the Xiongnu army's left wing will be destroyed!

When Pan Zhiqiang just crossed the agreed-upon boundary between the two sides, King Yu Ting ordered five thousand cavalry to attack.

King Yutang always lacked trust in Ni Mi's Wusun cavalry.

First, after Ni Mi surrendered to the Huns, it was still difficult to restrain his troops. Second, after getting to know each other during this period, King Yu Ting discovered that the combat effectiveness of the Xiao Wusun cavalry was actually weaker than that of the Da Wusun.

King Yu Ting hoped that Ding Ling's cavalry attack would force Pan Zhiqiang's troops to retreat.

Unfortunately, he miscalculated this time. As soon as Ding Ling's cavalry left the stronghold, Zhang Yue sent 5,000 more Yancai cavalry to Pan Zhiqiang.

Before Ding Ling's cavalry could catch up with Pan Zhiqiang, they had to sell their backs to the five thousand Yancai cavalry sent by Zhang Yue.

Therefore, Ding Ling's cavalry was forced to turn around and fight.

The Dinling people were originally a nomadic people living in the area of ​​present-day Lake Baikal.

After they were defeated by the Huns, some of them were moved to the Altai Mountains (Golden Mountain) area by the Huns.

The dinglings who continue to live in the Lake Baikal area are also called northern dinglings.

Those who migrate to the Jinshan (Altai Mountains) area are called Nandingling.

This time the Ding Ling cavalry among the Huns came from Nan Ding Ling.

The combat effectiveness of the Nanding Ling Cavalry was not as good. According to historical records, during the Xuan Emperor period, they defeated the Huns many times after surrendering to the Han Dynasty.

But that was twenty years later.

The current Nandingling people are still the die-hard brothers of the Huns.

This group of people have no idea about the general trend of the world, and the so-called big man is also extremely unfamiliar to them.

In their eyes, the Huns were already the strongest people in the world.

Of course, they had no loyalty to the Xiongnu. When the Xiongnu summoned the tribes, they just followed the practice of the strong people in the grasslands and gathered thousands of cavalry to join the Xiongnu army.

However, after arriving at Chigu City, their eyes were opened!

Chigu City is not a real city to the Han Dynasty or even to the countries in the Western Regions, but to the Ding Ling people, it is already like a divine kingdom on earth.

This also made them feel that the Huns were the strongest people on the grassland.

The life in Chigu City these days also makes this group of isolated Nanding people extremely satisfied.

In their view, even if they die in this war, participating in the war will be a sure profit for them.

Because last winter, in order to increase his combat power, King Youxian opened his arsenal for the first time and armed this most barbaric tribe.

The weapons of the Nanding Ling people in the past were a combination of wood, stone, and bone. Only a few tribal leaders could possess metal weapons.

It is precisely for this reason that when fighting with other grassland peoples in the past, although they were extremely powerful and not afraid of death, they were still beaten to pieces.

Many Nandingling tribes were even forced to move deep into the mountains.

When this Dingling cavalry first arrived, they didn't even have any better horses.

In the words of King Tutan, it would bring shame on the grassland people.

…
Chapter completed!