The terrain of Nankou can also be described as "a key place, a choke point, where military strategists must fight". Although the terrain is not as dangerous as Guancheng, it is equally complex, with many mountains and many mountains. The high mountains in the north and south are long and narrow residences.
The exit of Yongdao is regarded as a gateway to the northwest of Youzhou. The Han army seized this place and established a stronghold, which acted as a seal and blocked the Liao army inside.
In late autumn, the golden wind was howling, the sky was bright, and the surroundings were still dark, but the battle at the south entrance was already in full swing. The fierce fighting started when Liao launched his first attack, without any effort left.
Due to the terrain restrictions of the pass, it was difficult to accommodate too many troops. It was difficult for the Liao army to fully deploy its formation, and even fewer could attack at the same time. Therefore, Yelvcong divided the attacking Liao army into ten teams.
Each team of two thousand soldiers took turns attacking the Han stronghold.
The Liao army that attacked the stronghold, in addition to the Han soldiers and Bohai soldiers who were better at infantry fighting, also included more subordinate soldiers from the north and some barbarians, and these people were completely used as cannon fodder.
Although he was cannon fodder and was forced by bows, arrows and swords from behind, Yelvcong did not let the soldiers attack the stronghold of the Han army with their flesh and blood. He was not stingy in terms of armament. The knives, axes, and shields stored in Juyongguan and the surrounding areas,
All the guns were taken out. The Liao army recruited craftsmen and built ordnance. In addition to the charging chariots for attacking the stronghold, they were broad and thick shields. Knowing that the Han army's bows and crossbows were powerful, they wanted to use this to block them as much as possible.
In addition, Yelu Cong also specially selected two thousand warriors from the elite Khitan soldiers who dared to die, divided them into ten teams, and took the lead in the charge. Among the Liao generals, those like Yelu Cong were already prepared for this battle.
Prepare for heavy casualties. As long as they can successfully engage in battle, the Han army will be overwhelmed by numbers.
Before the Liao army launched its attack, thousands of cattle were prepared, with their tails tied with fat. Yes, it was the Fire Ox Formation. It was proposed by Yelv Xiezhen, who was promoted to the Pishi after being received by the Liao Emperor, and Yelv Cong also
Decisively adopt it, don’t be afraid of old age, just do it and it will work.
The fierce battle between the two sides also started when Huoniu charged into the stronghold. Although the Han army's camp was strong and the base of the stronghold was dug deep, they were still severely damaged in the face of a group of crazed beasts. Although it was not shattered, it was broken.
, there were quite a lot of damage caused by the collision. Some of them even successfully crashed into the Han stronghold. Although the Han army relied on beheading, crossbows and other means to solve the problem, the impact from all directions still caused a lot of damage to the Han army.
It caused a lot of confusion and loss.
Followed by the Liao army's assault troops, they stared at the damaged areas and launched an attack. In other words, the Han army had a certain amount of preparation time, coupled with good training, and only then, under the constraints of superior and subordinate officers, emerged from chaos.
They escaped from the enemy. However, what followed was a desperate charge by the Liao army.
In the face of the Liao army's attack, the measures taken by the Han army, in addition to calling in horses, deer villages, and fortifying the fence, relied on bows and crossbows to kill the charging Liao army, which indeed achieved certain results. However,
This time, the Liao army's fighting will and determination were very firm, and with a certain amount of protection, they were not intimidated by casualties, and quickly achieved close combat effects.
However, due to the terrain and preparations for the battle, the Han army's large number of sharp ordnance was not put to use immediately. The result was that the two sides followed the front stronghold and started a bloody battle.
The person responsible for the garrison of Qianzhai was the Xiongan Army commanded by Han Lingkun. In order to strengthen its defense, An Shenqi also deployed 16 commands under the original Hebei capital and unified them under the command of Han Lingkun, plus the local army in Hebei.
, the strength of the army was 15,000, and including the civilian men who were fighting, the number was nearly 20,000.
After the battle began, Han Lingkun also actively organized the army and deployed defenses to meet the Liao army's impact. But it has to be said that in this battle, the Liao army took the lead, and all aspects of the response were hasty and their own advantages
, could not be fully brought into play. The stronghold walls that could be relied on were not stable under the impact of the fire bull, so that after the battle, the Liao army was quickly led into a bloody situation.
Before the Han camp, the fighting was fierce, the sound of killing was loud, and the crossbow bolts pierced the air. Outside the Han camp, the Liao cavalry was in full swing. The men who controlled the strings kept attacking the Han camp with their cavalry fire, although the casualties were not much.
, but it has a minimum containment effect, creating space for the Liao soldiers attacking the stronghold.
Under the strict military laws, the soldiers of the Liao army who attacked the fortress were driven crazy and were not allowed to retreat until half of them died. The soldiers of the Han army who defended the fortress were not unheroic. Their difficulties were eliminated by killing and bloodshed, and they maintained their strength.
With his usual strong posture, he also formed a frantic formation to resist.
The Liao army came to the ground in waves, refusing to give the Han army a moment to breathe. The Han army also rotated accordingly, refusing to take a step back. Relying on the desperate resistance of the soldiers in the front village, it bought a lot of time for the other villages, especially
It was in the middle camp that troops and horses were prepared and finally prepared for support. At the same time, heavy weapons such as thunder cannons and bed crossbows were also urgently moved to the front to adjust firing.
The autumn wind whistled more and more fiercely, and the war drums at the south entrance did not stop. The fighting between the two armies did not weaken as time went by, but became more fierce, bloody, and cruel.
Within an hour, the Liao army had already launched seven waves of attacks on the Han army's front stronghold. Corpses were piled up in front of the stronghold, five feet above the ground. The following Liao army stepped on the corpses of their comrades.
Rush upward.
The Liao army suffered heavy casualties, as did the Han army. Such a battle was a waste of human lives. On the battlefield, stone arrows flew, and with the power of the thunderbolt cannon, there were constant rocks and fire bombs flying outside the stronghold, inflicting heavy losses on the Liao army.
The direct casualties caused by the military were not many, and the deterrent effect was somewhat effective, but not enough.
It was not the style of the Han army to be passively beaten. After making huge sacrifices and firmly blocking the Liao army's attack, An Shenqi's prepared counterattack force was dispatched.
After eating and being fully equipped, Shi Shouxin, the general of the Xingjie Army, led the Xingjie Army and the Hebei border cavalry, and took the initiative to attack from Zuozhai, threatening the flanks of the Liao Army.
As soon as there was a move here, the Liao army immediately noticed it. Regarding this move, Yelu Xiezhen, who had been practicing beside Yelu Cong and also served as a staff officer, was not surprised but overjoyed, saying: "The Han army is too arrogant. They dare to
Take the initiative to leave the stronghold!"
"It's good to come out!" Old Yelvcong raised his eyebrows and said immediately: "Order the right army's 10,000 cavalry to go and contain the Han army. Just keep an eye on them. Once the Han stronghold is broken, then encircle and annihilate it!"
"yes!"
Soon, the Liao army's right wing, with 10,000 cavalry, attacked and went straight to the more than 13,000 Han army infantry and cavalry coming from the left village. This would be smart, not to attack by force, but to deal with it and contain it. In the army formation
, Looking at Liao Qi's performance, Shi Shouxin looked extremely serious. In fact, he did not agree with taking the initiative under such circumstances. Although it could have a containment effect, it could easily put himself in danger.
But the military orders were like mountains, and he dared not disobey them. However, observing the battlefield situation, Shi Shouxin did not stay away from the stronghold. He only made gestures to deter him from a distance, and was ready to retreat at any time.
On the Liao army's side, although their attention was slightly distracted, their focus was still on the attack on Qianzhai.
"Ten attacking teams have taken turns to fight, with nearly half of the casualties. The resistance of the Han army is very tenacious. They alone cannot break it!" Observing the changes in the battlefield, Yelu Xiezhen said to Yelvcong.
It was already dawn, but Yelu Cong's old eyes were full of blood. Looking at the shattered Han village with corpses piled on the ground, Yelu Cong said decisively: "Get down and let the 'Iron Harrier' come up.
The left army's 10,000 soldiers followed him and attacked, defeating the Han stronghold in one fell swoop!"