Wang Junlin knew that in addition to Yuchi Jingde's cavalry, the speed of infantry and the range of long-range attacks to guard against the opponent, and the effect of an ambush in the daytime was actually very limited. What's more, they were smaller in number than the opponent. More than six thousand people attended.
Therefore, in addition to hiding Yuchi Jingde's cavalry in secret mountain roads on both sides and rushing out for flank attacks, he prepared to use 11,000 infantry to block the frontal attack of nearly 20,000 Goguryeo reinforcements. Therefore, these 11,000 infantry strictly It's not an ambush, but a frontal obstruction.
The place where Wang Junlin chose to fight the Goguryeo head-on was the narrowest place of the Blackwater Grand Canyon, which was about 300 paces wide. His command podium was located on the relatively flat top of a short mountain on the side, with three drums and various command flags. , as well as various command and communication troops such as horns and gongs are already in place. Shen Guoer is also among them.
Lu Han and Guan Xiaotong led 3,000 infantrymen each, plus Luo Chunlai's 5,000 naval officers and soldiers who were now serving as infantry. They lined up at the foot of the short mountain and set up some fortifications in front of them. On both sides of the hillsides, We have specially sorted out some flat areas, each with twenty giant trebuchets.
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Li Guangsheng was riding on his horse, looking at the battle line of Wang Junlin's army directly in front of him from a distance. Although it was densely packed, the number was only about 10,000. However, the neatness of the battle array made him feel incredible, and it happened to block all the passages. The most important thing is that there are no cavalry in sight.
"General, the cavalry has completed its charge preparations."
"Okay." Li Guangsheng looked around the surrounding terrain, glanced at the command platform where Wang Junlin was from a distance, and the trebuchet positions on both sides that they could no longer see clearly, thinking that the opponent's cavalry should be hiding there. There was somewhere behind the mountains on both sides. If the other side's cavalry attacked both sides during the battle with the other side's infantry, there might be big trouble. After thinking for a moment, he ordered the deputy general next to him: "Take three thousand cavalry and disperse them on both sides. Protect the flanks, especially the baggage, food and grass."
"Others, kill all the Sui people in front of me who are blocking the way." Li Guangsheng raised his palms in front of his eyes and gestured, then stretched his arms forward suddenly and struck towards the middle of Wang Junlin's army deployed in the canyon: "Go down with the order and charge into the enemy's position with a column attack. Be careful of the Sui army's gunpowder weapons when you rush over."
"Yes, General." The ordering soldier ran quickly to deliver the order.
Li Guangsheng's commanding flag tilted forward slightly. Amidst the sound of the horn, the troops who had just been called up shouted for killing and rushed slowly towards the Sui army blocking the way. Of course, there were 500 Sui troops a hundred steps in front of them. Forced to move forward.
There was no explosion of mines as Li Guangsheng expected, so except for the twenty or so people they shot to death when they forced them to move forward, all the five hundred Sui troops were intact.
Wang Junlin dared to lead Goguryeo's 20,000 army with 11,000 infantry, including 10,000 cavalry. In addition to his confidence in the combat power of his army, it was also because he was fully prepared.
A temporary position of 300 steps was arranged on which the horses were locked in a chain with iron nails. The top was covered with thorns, and a horse gun of two feet was mounted on it. Behind it was a long-range crossbow.
The five hundred Sui prisoners who were forced to walk in front by the Goguryeo people were more than twenty paces away. Regardless of the child shouting something, the five hundred people ran desperately to both sides. The Goguryeo reinforcements a hundred paces behind also No more blocking. In fact, they had no time to block it at this time. However, there was no need to block it at this time. There would be no landmines within twenty steps of Wang Junlin's army, because that would injure themselves.
The moment the five hundred Sui prisoners ran away to both sides, the crossbows from both sides began to attack.
The long-range crossbows on Wang Junlin's side and the bows and arrows in the hands of the Goguryeo cavalry all began to attack. Of course, the trebuchets on the hillsides on both sides of Wang Junlin also began to eject, but only one trebuchet on each side was ejecting gunpowder packets, and the others were
Stubborn stone.
Because the previous attack on Daluo City did not consume bloody gunpowder, and two thousand kilograms of gunpowder were sent to Yang Guang some time ago to blow up the Liaodong city wall, so now Wang Junlin does not have many gunpowder packets here.
As soon as the long-range attacks from both sides started, the expressions of Li Guangsheng and other Goguryeo generals changed. Compared with the volley of arrows fired by the opponent, their arrows seemed too sparse. The most important thing was that every soldier of Wang Junlin was wearing iron.
Wearing plate armor and wearing iron helmets with low brows and face protection, the arrows fired by the Goguryeo reinforcements did not cause much damage except for a few unlucky ones who were hit in the eyes.
Less than one-fifth of the 20,000 Goguryeo reinforcements had iron armor, and most of them were only half-breastplates. As for helmets, only one-tenth of the soldiers owned them. Although they all had shields, they could protect against most bows and arrows, but they
There was no way to stop the hundreds of long-range crossbows and the stubborn rocks and gunpowder packets fired by dozens of trebuchets. More than 200 people died in the first round.
Li Guangsheng reacted quickly and decisively. He instantly understood that the Sui army was no match for long-range combat. With an order, the Goguryeo cavalry began to accelerate their charge.
Goguryeo's 20,000 reinforcements infantry were in the middle, and the cavalry were on both sides. They were about a hundred paces away. Under full sprint, the bows, arrows, trebuchets, and long-range crossbows only had time to fire one more round. Instead, the rapid crossbows fired in succession.
After approaching the 70-step shooting range, the effectiveness of the continuous fire was reflected, and the lethality was extremely high.
In addition, Wang Junlin's long-range crossbows and giant trebuchets have been modified with gears, which shortens the preparation time for each shooting, reduces the number of operators, and increases the power and accuracy.
At this time, each long-range crossbow has two soldiers working hard to wind the crossbow with a winch. Within a hundred steps, every time it is fired, every crossbow gun can shoot through seven or eight, or even as many as ten, at a time.
Named Goguryeo reinforcements.
In short, when the Goguryeo cavalry rushed in front of the Sui army, more than 500 people were killed and injured. In the process, the Sui army was only shot to death by Goguryeo arrows and more than 20 people.
Facing the Goguryeo cavalry charging towards them, the soldiers at the forefront of the Sui army standing in the rain of arrows wearing iron armor and holding spears did not panic at all. They were as peaceful as standing in the sun enjoying the spring breeze.
Although Wang Junlin led his army here a little late due to the trouble of transporting heavy equipment such as giant trebuchets and the poor roads, and only had an hour to deploy defenses. But there were 14,000 soldiers
With the efforts of division of labor and cooperation, they completed all defensive position work except digging trenches, and the resisting horses were also chained up.