At the second watch, 20,000 Shatuo troops were waiting quietly a few miles outside Dunhuang City. This was the time that the Shatuo army and the inner city officials had agreed. At the second watch, the fire signal would be used as a signal, and the inner city gates would be opened by the inner soldiers.
When the time came, a fire suddenly lit up on the top of the city. The city gate opened, revealing the dark city cave. Someone waved desperately at the city gate. Zhu Xie Jinhai was overjoyed and ordered: "Come into the city!"
Two thousand vanguard cavalry suddenly launched into action and rushed towards the city gate. They rushed to the bottom of the city, but the city gate was suddenly closed. The cavalrymen reined in their horses. At this moment, there was a sudden fire on the top of the city and a sound of bangs.
With the sound of the sound, thousands of arrows were fired from the top of the city, and the arrows hit the cavalry below like a storm.
The two thousand cavalry were unable to dodge and were instantly knocked down by 40% of the arrows. The cavalry at the rear were so frightened that they all turned around. Then a second round of arrows came. Shatuo soldiers suffered heavy casualties. Those who were lucky enough to escape hit their horses and ran wildly. At this time, the city gate opened
Opening it, countless soldiers were killed from the city, killing all the Shatuo people who were injured but not dead, and brought back hundreds of war horses.
The main force that had just launched in the distance was stunned with shock. They stopped one after another and watched helplessly as only more than 400 people escaped back, with losses exceeding 1,500 people.
Zhu Xie Jinhai was so angry that his teeth were itching. He thought he was smart and tried to cooperate inside and outside, but the Tang army saw through the plan and used it, causing him heavy casualties.
But it was the middle of the night, and he had no choice but to order with regret: "Withdraw the camp!"
.........
Shatuo's army finally reached the gates of Dunhuang City. Shatuo's camp was deployed three miles south of Dunhuang City. Large tents appeared overnight, war drums rumbled, and horns reverberated on the ground. However, Shatuo's army
There was no attack. After a day's rest, the lights in Shatuo Camp were bright at night, and craftsmen and soldiers were installing nest carts and trebuchets overnight.
In the early morning of the third day, with a low sound of trumpets, ten thousand Shatuo troops began to line up in the wilderness.
The infantry team was densely packed, carrying long siege ladders, eager to try, while the cavalry was murderous. Above their heads, flags were flying, and spears were like a forest, making a huge noise.
This time the Shatuo army learned from the big disadvantage of not having a shield when they attacked Zhangye. They have also improved. However, it is limited to national strength. Each Shatuo soldier holds a leather shield. Although it cannot be compared with the shield of the Tang army, it can still
Resists arrow damage to a certain extent.
Zhu Xiejinhai looked at Dunhuang City with cold eyes. Shatuo once occupied Dunhuang City. He was very aware of Dunhuang City's weakness, that is, there was no moat, which brought great convenience to Shatuo's army in attacking the city.
They even brought a battering ram for this purpose, which could directly knock down the city wall.
"Qi Ye Hu, everything is ready!"
Zhu Xie waved his sword, pointed at the city wall and shouted: "Attack!"
'Woo--Woo--'
The horn of attack sounded, and the eight thousand Shatuo infantry troops formed two square formations and advanced towards the city wall. Twenty trebuchets were at the front. They creaked and stopped when they reached 250 steps.
This time the Shatuo army attacked Shazhou without the support of the Huihe people. Shatuo could not build a giant trebuchet. They only had ten large trebuchets in their warehouse. The range of this trebuchet was slightly shorter, although it could crush a stone weighing fifty kilograms.
The target was shot to 300 steps away, but the 50-kilogram stone was of little significance, so they replaced it with 70-80-kilogram stone, and the range was shortened to 250 steps.
The 10,000 troops behind also stopped moving forward. Twenty trebuchets were suddenly launched, and twenty large stones flew into the air and were shot at the city head. The soldiers on the city head were already on guard and leaned against the city wall. Important supplies were also
Close to the city wall, such as porcelain bottles of gunpowder, clay pots of kerosene, etc. This time the Tang army bet their victory or defeat on gunpowder and kerosene. This will be destined to be a war of blood and fire.
When the round of boulder strikes ended, a thousand heavy crossbow soldiers immediately raised their heavy crossbows to fight back. This time the heavy crossbows used gunpowder arrows. The paper gunpowder cartridges tied to the front of the arrow shafts were not firecrackers, but strong incendiary agents.
, can effectively cause damage to enemy trebuchets.
The soldiers lit the match with a fire stick. When the match burned to the red point, the heavy crossbow was launched. A thousand heavy crossbow arrows fired smoke at the enemy's trebuchet.
The trebuchets hit arrows one after another, and with a "boom!" sound, the rockets burned violently. The soldiers operating the trebuchets had never seen them before, and they turned around and ran away in fear. Three trebuchets began to smoke and catch fire. Although the other trebuchets did not catch fire,
However, the straps that bound it burned, causing the trebuchet to fall apart.
A few years ago in Zhangye City, a thousand heavy crossbow arrows destroyed three giant trebuchets, but this time with the blessing of gunpowder, a thousand gunpowder arrows actually damaged eight trebuchets at once.
Zhu Xie Jinhai, who was watching the battle from a distance, was also shocked. What kind of weapon did Tang Jun use?
At this time, a soldier picked up an unburned gunpowder arrow. When it hit the speculative stone, it shook violently, the match fell off, and the rocket did not ignite.
Zhu Xiejinhai took the gunpowder arrow and raised it up to take a closer look. There were many small black particles flowing out of the hole in the match rope, as big as sesame seeds. The generals looked at each other in confusion. No one knew what these were.
At this time, the second round of gunpowder arrows came again, and seven more trebuchets collapsed. Zhu Xie Jinhai slammed the gunpowder arrows to the ground and cursed, "Useless rags!"
He yelled, "Infantry attack!"
He no longer cared about gunpowder arrows, which could burn but were no more powerful than that. He ordered his army to attack the city directly.
Eight thousand Shatuo soldiers rushed towards the city wall like a tide...
Three nest vehicles marched at the front of the attacking team, with a large group of Shatuo Army soldiers following behind the nest vehicles, and dozens of healthy oxen dragging them in front.
The chariot is the most powerful siege weapon of the nomads. Especially since Dunhuang does not have a moat, it is more conducive to the performance of the chariot.
Amid high-pitched shouts, the chariot got closer and closer to the city wall.
At this time, the city began to deploy the nest vehicles. The three most experienced firearms battalion soldiers were ready. They were specially trained throwers, one in a million, tall and burly, with thick and powerful arms.
It can throw a twenty kilogram porcelain fire thunder several feet away with great accuracy.
At the same time, thirty trebuchets appeared on the top of the city. This kind of trebuchet was not large in size. The throwing rod was only one foot and five feet. There were wooden wheels underneath, which could be moved. They could only be regarded as small trebuchets. They threw
It's not a stone, but a fifty kilograms of porcelain fire thunder. It can be thrown a hundred steps away, and the range is not as good as that of a bow and arrow.
But this is the first time that the porcelain fire thunder has been put into the battlefield. It is very dangerous. If you are not careful, if the porcelain fire thunder explodes on the city top, all the soldiers of the Tang Army around will be spared. Therefore, the soldiers who light the fire and give the order are all from the firearms camp.
, if soldiers who have not undergone strict training are allowed to light the fire, it is very likely to explode at once.
Precisely because of the special nature of the porcelain fire thunder, there is no unified firing order, everything is ordered by the igniting soldiers.
Shatuo's army entered the 150-step line. Drums were beating loudly on the top of the city. The soldiers of the Tang army shot arrows at the same time. Ten thousand arrows were shot at the bottom of the city. The Shatuo soldiers running on the top of the city raised their shields to greet them. Ten thousand soldiers
The arrows came like locusts, and the arrows sank with such force that the leather shields could not stop them. Soldiers fell down one after another screaming.
But Zhu Xie Jinhai didn't frown at all. These casualties were completely within his expectation and in his plan. More importantly, these 10,000 soldiers were not from Zhu Xie's tribe, but from other tribes. The losses the night before yesterday were
The 1,500 cavalrymen were the elite of Zhu Xie's tribe, which made Zhu Xie's golden sea leap like thunder.
"Continue to urge the attack!" Zhu Xie Jinhai ordered.
‘Woo——’ The low sound of horns echoed above the heads of Shatuo soldiers outside the city, and the horn of attack sounded again.
Three nest vehicles, driven by hundreds of soldiers, arrived at the city wall first.