Cao Jun's Tongguan Camp and Zhongtiaoshan Camp were built sandwiched between the river and connected by a pontoon bridge. Originally, there was no special defense system between the two camps, because many people in Cao Jun thought that there was a
It was safe until Sima Yi stabbed the chrysanthemum, and he began to set up some sentry towers on both sides of the pontoon bridge, and set up strong bows, crossbows and catapults to snipe the enemy. This formed a Yanyue with the pontoon bridge as its back.
Array.
Of course, the distance between the floating bridge and the two camps is different.
The Zhongtiao Mountain Camp was mainly responsible for defending against the Hussars in Hedong in the north, and the important task of fighting against the Hussars at Tongguan naturally fell on the Tongguan Camp.
Even if the Zhongtiao Mountain Camp discovered that Tongguan's hussars were sending troops to counterattack, and they immediately sent troops to support them, they would still have to walk about fifteen to twenty miles of mountain roads, which would take at least half a day.
And a half-day time difference sometimes determines everything.
After all, Cao's army had no cavalry and had short legs.
Compared with the defense of the camp, the defense system of the pontoon was relatively weak. Neither the defenders nor the defensive equipment were very strong. This was also an important reason why Pang Tong chose to further break through and strike on the water.
But this kind of weakness is also relatively speaking.
After all, the Hussar's navy in Chang'an was not very organized, so neither Cao's army's defense line at the pontoon nor the Hussar's navy in Guanzhong had the power to directly defeat or overwhelm the opponent.
Pang Tong's operational objectives were multi-layered, and they could be described as staged goals. Clearing out Cao's army in the lower city and regaining control of Tongguan Ferry were the first-level goals, which have now been basically completed.
The second stage is to destroy Cao Jun's vehicle formations and traps on the Tongguan Slope Road, which is basically completed.
Although Liu Fu finally withdrew some Cao Jun soldiers and civilians, as well as related vehicle and camp equipment, most of the facilities on the Tongguan Slope Road were destroyed, and they were destroyed by the kerosene prepared by Cao Jun himself.
Well, this has to be said to be a wonderful irony.
It's like Pang Tong not only slapped Cao Zhang and Liu Fu in the face, but also shouted "I'm just going to hit you"...
Anyway, Shandong has such a tradition, so it’s not a big deal.
The goal of the third stage is to destroy the floating bridge.
The floating bridge is an important passage connecting the Zhongtiao Mountain Camp and the Tongguan Camp. If the connection between the two camps can be cut off, Cao's army will be cut and separated in a short period of time.
Moreover, defeating and destroying Cao Jun's pontoon bridge would also allow the Chang'an Hussars' ships to threaten Cao Jun's entire supply line to a certain extent...
Although the river is not as easy to navigate as the Yangtze River, it is still possible, right?
This will not only bring operational convenience to the Hussars, but will also increase the burden on Cao's army, and is more likely to break the stalemate at a certain node and affect the direction of the war.
However, if you want to attack the pontoon, you must first break down the underwater obstacles set up by Cao's army.
Although the morale of Cao's army was not high, the civilian men he brought with him were hardworking and meticulous. The underwater obstacles set up in the river were actually created by the flesh and blood and lives of Shandong civilian men.
When the ice and snow on the river melted, it was washed away once, and then rebuilt again. Unknown how many civilians worked there and died silently in the river.
Perhaps the turbid water of the river is due to being saturated with these innocent dead souls.
Cao's army suffered successive blows, which seriously dampened the morale and confidence of Cao's soldiers.
When Guanqiu Jian saw this, he was very hesitant.
If you try to send Cao's few ships to attack the Hussars Navy, they will naturally be taken care of by the long-range attacks of the Hussars Navy. Whether you can rush forward is a big problem, but if you don't rush up, the range will be insufficient. Cao Jun was beaten in vain again...
After much hesitation, Guanqiu Jian still did not order the ships to attack. Although they could be said to be waiting for work, Guanqiu Jian did not dare to order the only naval ships of Cao's army to go forward to fight. He only dared to let these ships move forward. Defend the obstacle in front of the pontoon bridge.
But Guanqiu Jian didn't know that his mentality fell into Pang Tong's calculations.
On Ma Jun's ship, there are no swords, shields, spearmen or other melee combat units!
Although it is said that rowers can also fight with swords, they will lose part of their mobility, and their combat effectiveness is not as good as that of specialized sword and shield players. Therefore, in fact, the building ships led by Ma Jun are still afraid of close combat. of……
However, Guanqiu Jian didn't dare to go up, so the long-range firepower of the building ship led by Ma Jun was fully used.
Ma Jun installed small catapults and ballistae on the building ship, but no artillery.
Because the current building ships are still too small, the artillery must be installed symmetrically, otherwise excessive weight on one side may greatly increase the possibility of capsizing the ship. However, the long range of these cold weapons is enough to be used. Forming a three-layer long-range strike mode of far, middle and near.
Ma Jun didn't know much about naval warfare, and long-range strikes didn't require complicated operations. The ships moved forward slowly, and once Cao Jun entered the strike range, they would become targets.
Guanqiu Jian ordered the archers to move forward and seize positions on both sides of the river, preparing to wait for the Hussars' ships to break through the obstacles in the river before launching a full-scale counterattack.
Because to break the obstacles in the river, some manpower must be freed up, and at that time, because the power of the ship must be borrowed to drag or destroy, the ship is also in the most unstable state. If you include the two sides and the pontoon With the arranged crossbow vehicle, any enemy who launches an attack will be blocked from three sides, so counterattacking at that moment will naturally be the most stable!
However, what Guanqiu Jian didn't expect was that Ma Jun's ships were not in a hurry to destroy the pontoon bridge, but launched an attack on Cao's soldiers who were within shooting range.
Those unlucky archers of Cao's army were attacked from a distance just as they entered Ma Jun's strike range.
The catapult loaded on the deck of the building ship began to show its power. The gunners raised the wooden hammer high and hit the hook of the thunderbolt cart hard. The heavy weight box sank suddenly, and the long wooden tip drew a line. In an arc, it was thrown up into the sky, and a stone the size of a human head was thrown out.
This kind of catapult is smaller than the catapult on land, but for Cao Jun's archers, no matter how big or small, it is unbearable to be hit.
The stone bullets flew in the air, making a harsh whistle, and flew towards the archers assembled by Cao Jun.
"boom!"
The stone bullets fell on the ground, and the splashed stones hit several unlucky soldiers of Cao's army.
"Steady! Steady!" Cao's army leader shouted in the queue, "The stone cannon is not accurate! They can't hit us! Don't panic! Don't panic!"
According to ordinary experience, this is indeed the case, but the problem is that the people on the building ship now are not ordinary navy generals, but one of the few non-Huang craftsmen in Chang'an!
When it comes to commanding soldiers to fight on the water, Ma Jun is only half qualified in this aspect, but when it comes to skills in equipment and equipment, Ma Jun is far beyond the average general.
When generals see a catapult miss, most of the time they will jump and scold, "These are all Italian cannons..."
But Ma Jun squinted, measured the water flow speed and wind speed, and then immediately ordered parameter corrections!
The leader of the archer array was still shouting to hold on, and then they saw the second stone bullet falling directly into the crowd!
The stone bullets bounced, drawing a bloody path!
"stable……"
The team leader was about to shout again, but he heard soldiers beside him shouting to be careful. When he looked up, he saw another stone bullet whizzing down in the air, which seemed to be heading towards his position!
"No!"
The team leader was so frightened that he immediately stared at the direction of the stone bullet and tried to dodge. However, because the team leader was looking at the sky, he tripped on something and fell out with a cry. !
The stone bullets fell with a roar, and happened to hit the unlucky team leader. Suddenly, no bones were left, and the remaining limbs were scattered with blood and flesh!
Some people who were close to the team leader knew that the team leader was simply unlucky, but the soldiers of Cao's army in the distance didn't know. They thought the stone bullets were really that accurate, as if they had predicted how the team leader would avoid it, and then It's like it hit that place!
There was an uproar in Cao Jun's archer queue, and then the entire queue dispersed. Everyone's attention was focused on the stone bullets flying in the sky one after another, and they had no intention of paying attention to the clearing iron that came out from behind Ma Junlou's ship. Chain's fighting ships have quietly approached Cao Jun's barrage cables.
Under the technical conditions of the Han Dynasty, it was impossible to make this kind of iron cable to block rivers as thick as that of later generations. Even if a thick iron cable was made, due to the weight of the iron cable itself, it would not be necessary for opponents to destroy it. , it broke directly on its own.
The fighting ship in Guanzhong approached the iron rope, pressed the pole against the iron rope, and swung the hull across. The soldiers used the fishing rod to lift the iron chain and placed it in the bayonet on the ship's board.
Iron chains in the Han Dynasty were generally cast and did not have hydraulic presses, but this kind of cast iron was relatively brittle...
Soon, the soldier aimed the slotted jaws of the bayonet at the iron chain, while another soldier held a hammer and smashed the iron chain open in two or two strokes.
The soldiers of Cao's army on the pontoon realized that the iron chain had been broken only then, and they started shouting.
Guanqiu Jian was also startled, yelled, and issued a death order, asking Cao's soldiers to get on the pontoon bridge. He must stop the Hussar Chang'an Navy from destroying the second underwater interception obstacle, otherwise the pontoon bridge would directly face the pontoon bridge. Attack on the Hussars!
But Guanqiu Jian miscalculated again...
When Cao Jun's barrage cables were broken, Ma Jun did not send ships to drag or destroy underwater obstacles as Guan Qiujian had imagined. Instead, he released the fire ship directly from behind the building ship. !
There is not one fire ship, but two fire ships.
The front boat is used for attack, and the rear boat is used for escape.
The oarsmen in the fire boat worked together to steer the boat down the river!
In order to reduce the risk of being hit, fire ships are generally relatively small. In addition to placing fire starters and combustion aids in the cabin, there is only space for the oarsmen to paddle.
The rower was naked, half lying and half sitting on both sides of the cabin, swinging the long oar into the air. Although it was late autumn, he was still sweating and the heat was rising.
Above the rower's head is the newly installed "armor".
This is a rare configuration for fire ships.
Perhaps it is because fire ships themselves are used to burn and destroy, so most fire ships are relatively simple, and even the oarsmen who control the fire ships seem to use them as consumables by default, and do not care too much about the fire ships. The quality of the fire boat itself, as well as the protection device of the fire boat itself for the rowers.
But it's different in Chang'an Pass.
As soon as the fire ship was released, it was like the cards were revealed on the card table, and everyone knew what they were going to deal with.
Guanqiu Jian's face turned red and his voice became hoarse. He had to regain some face in this battle. Otherwise, he had proven that he was a coward by leading the troops to fight him at close quarters. Now if he proves that he is a coward, His ability to command at the rear is also low, so the best outcome for him in this life, even if he can survive after the war, is that he may only be a clerk in a certain county. When he is old and frail At that time, he could only recall again and again the wars he had participated in, the opportunities he had had, and the wrong choices he had made, and then indulge in alcohol or Wushisan, which numbed the nerves and pain, and ended his life.
Guanqiu Jian shuddered at the thought of such an outcome!
He hurriedly took a few steps forward, almost rushing to the river bank, and shouted orders to Cao Jun's military academy.
Cao's soldiers followed Guanqiu Jian's order and rushed onto the pontoon. They endured the damage caused by the crossbows fired by the Hussars' ships and fired rockets at the fireships going down the river!
The archers on Ma Junlou's ship also knew that this was a critical moment, so even though they were shooting all the way, their physical strength was somewhat reduced and their arms were sore, they still gritted their teeth and shot with all their might!
There are three hundred crossbowmen on a large ship, and three or four ships are lined up left and right. Thousands of arrows can be fired in an instant!
Although affected by the wind above the river, the hit rate of the arrows thrown by the building boat is relatively low, but there is no reason for the large number!
The archers of Cao's army who rushed onto the pontoon in an attempt to intercept the fire ship were almost counterattacking under the rain of arrows. Almost every moment and every second, archers of Cao's army screamed and were hit by arrows, and then fell into the river, floating and sinking. of flowing down the river.
The rockets fired by Cao Jun’s counterattack fell one after another...
Guanqiu Jian stared intently at the trajectory of the rockets falling from the sky...
Generally speaking, these fire boats carry tinder and flammable materials, so once they are ignited, they will immediately lose control and will most likely be caught and stopped by underwater hidden piles in the river!
And those hidden piles under the river are not afraid of being burned!
There are not infinite number of fire ships and hussars. As long as these batches are burned, it will be regarded as blocking the hussars' attack on the pontoon bridge!
Victory or defeat is just this moment!
The rocket falls.
Cao Jun’s archers were not too bad either. Some of the many rockets thrown happened to land on the fire ships...
"well……"
Guanqiu Jian subconsciously cheered, but when the second "Okay" came out, his expression changed a little, and the smile that had just appeared solidified on his face.
"Why... didn't it burn?"
Guanqiu Jian's eyes widened.
Is it because Cao Jun's soldiers made a mistake in the rush and forgot the cloth that ignited the rocket?
That's not right, I clearly saw that the flaming one hit the fire ship...
"The fire ships have armor! They have armor on the fire ships!"
The sharp-eyed soldiers of Cao's army shouted.
When Guanqiu Jian heard this, he felt his head buzzing!
Why are ships still covered with armor?
Isn’t it just a bamboo canopy?
"Send out the fighting ships! Stop them!" Guanqiu Jian felt a little dizzy and his brain ached, as if all the blood in his body was rushing to his head, "Stop! If you can't stop them, you will die! You will all die!"
Guanqiu Jian's decision cannot be said to be wrong, but it is too late.
On the battlefield, one step slower is every step slower!
What's more, Guanqiu was more frugal than just this step?
The fire boat quickly drew an "S" shape on the river, bypassed Cao Jun's hidden pile obstacle under the water, and then crashed straight into the pontoon bridge!
When entering the final collision stage, the oarsmen in the fire ship opened the ship's plate armor, evacuated to the rear ship, cut the traction rope, and lit the tinder on the fire ship...
"Stop! Stop it..."
Guanqiu Jian howled, his face turned red, he wanted to cry but had no tears.
The fire ship hit the pontoon like a galloping horse!
Near the battlefield, almost all the soldiers and generals on both sides stopped what they were doing at this moment and stared at the fireships that hit the pontoon...
Ma Jun clenched his fists tightly, his heart in his throat.
"It's burning!"
Although he was sure that the fire ship was qualified, there was still a chance that the fire ship would not be successful.
Although the probability is small, it cannot be denied that it does not happen.
Therefore, the soldiers and generals on both sides chanted the names of gods countless times at this moment...
It seems that they have felt the thoughts of the soldiers, and it seems that the generals and soldiers on the Hussar side are praying to the same object, which is the God of the five directions, while those on the Shandong side are naturally much more chaotic...
This moment seemed extremely long.
The fire ship on the pontoon finally emitted fireworks, and then in the blink of an eye, flames rose into the sky!
"Okay!" Ma Jun clenched his fists excitedly, raised his head high and shouted, "Wan Sheng! Wan Qi Qi won!"
"The hussars are victorious!"
The soldiers of the Hussars were also inexplicably excited and cheered in unison.
On the other hand, Cao Jun was very frustrated.
Guanqiu Jian stood there for a long time, looking at the blazing flames, his expression distorted, and he unconsciously took two steps forward...
"Lang Jun, Lang Jun, what do you want to do?"
The guard on the side asked.
Guanqiu Jian did not answer, but looked at the blazing fire, and then began to run in the direction of the raging fire, "God is jealous of me! What can I do!"
Guanqiu Jian's guard was a little confused at first, but when he saw Guan Qiu Jian running towards the blazing fire without looking back, he was frightened and rushed forward to throw Guan Qiu Jian to the ground.
"Ugh...God is jealous of me, jealous of me..."
Guanqiu Jian was pressed to the ground by the guards, still crying and shouting in pain.
At this moment, he did feel the pain, but he still only felt his own pain, and turned a blind eye to the Cao soldiers who were swallowed up by the flames on the pontoon bridge...
