Chapter 146: Heavy clouds but no rain
He Xi said: "You don't need to show your loyalty to me. After so many years, I don't know what kind of person you are. I wipe your butt not once or twice. I'm used to it. Don't say it in vain. Say something real. Yes."
Ye Chen said, "What do you want to know, sir?"
He Xi said: "The general strategy has been decided. How do you plan to fight Fu Youde specifically?"
Ye Chen was stuck in the long examination. After seeing Fu Youde's ability, he did not dare to be careless. But after thinking about it, there is no good solution. Although He Xi didn't say anything, Ye Chen also knew that these millions of troops were all the confidence Beijing had.
It's really going to be completely ruined. Beijing wins today but loses the future.
How does Ye Chen want to come in and defeat Fu Youde while reducing casualties? I didn't think about it for a while.
Of course he has a way, as long as he has the confidence to push through. Even if the use of firearms is beneficial to the defender, there is still a way to do it at the expense of human life. Just like the Japanese attacking Port Arthur, tens of thousands or even more people died. It is also possible to win. But such a victory is not worth the gain.
He Xi said: "There is one thing I want to remind you."
Ye Chen said: "Sir, please speak."
He Xi said: "Do you think that with the current array of firecrackers, how many rows can fully exert their firepower?"
Ye Chen pondered for a while and said, "Three rows, or four rows."
He Xi said: "How many rows are there in the current array of firecrackers?"
Ye Chen raised his head and said, "Yes------"
Ye Chen's original accumulation was enough, but He Xi understood a lot of things in an instant. Nowadays, there are several rows of firecrackers, and there can be up to ten rows. even more. Why? Because the previous battle formation was prepared for hand-to-hand combat.
In hand-to-hand combat, the front team fights, and the back team takes turns as substitutes, or the front team opens a gap and the rear team rushes forward. etc. All require sufficient manpower. Or, the front army is spearmen, the rear is archers, etc. Read the book
When facing the cavalry, the heavy infantry formation is also difficult for the cavalry to conquer.
Although changed to a fire gunman. But Ye Chen didn't change this. Because it can also be used as a reserve team later.
However, when He Xi said this, he instantly caught something.
It turns out that three rows of foot formations seem to be enough. It is impossible to increase the firepower density even above. In other words, if the enemy cannot break through the thick fire cannon formation, they cannot break through the three rows of fire cannon formations.
As for facing the cavalry. After all, the cavalry is not a plane. Although it appears quickly, it still takes a certain amount of time from the time it is discovered to the time the cavalry rushes in front of it. Enough to change the formation. For example, turn it into a small square matrix. In other words, it is a hollow square array.
This kind of fire blunderbuss and bayonet can fight against most cavalry.
In other words, in this way, the same army can play different roles.
For a moment, Ye Chen thought a lot.
He Xi also breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Ye Chen figured it out.
The place he reminded Ye Chen was actually the formation of the Ming army. In some places, it was not mainly about the use of firepower, but the remnants of the previous cold weapon era formations. He Xi reminded him of the line infantry. This is a formation that fully utilizes the firepower of firecrackers.
Of course, what He Xi wanted to remind him of was the concept behind this, which was the force-to-space ratio.
Because of the increase in firepower, adding more people within a unit space cannot increase the firepower within the unit space. At this time, the military strength in this space is also in a saturated state. In other words, adding more people will only increase casualties. rather than increasing combat effectiveness.
This is also a concept promoted by Napoleon. Napoleon believed that war is an art of time and space.
In fact, this is the truth.
How to enhance the firepower per unit of space and time is a matter of principle that generals must consider.
This standard can be applied to modern warfare. This is the greatness of Napoleon.
Now, Ye Chen is very ignorant and understands,
In future wars, firepower will prevail over manpower. It is necessary to increase the firepower of the army, but how to increase it? Ye Chen doesn't understand, and neither does Fu Youde. In fact, just look at the Battle of Anlingbao. Both of them are just unable to defeat them, but in fact both sides have gathered enough firepower in front of the formation. It has even reached the point of excess. Not only is there a surplus of manpower, there is also a surplus of firepower.
It's not that adding firepower is bad. The troops and firepower invested by both sides in the unit space are in a saturated state. Apart from increasing casualties, there is actually no benefit.
He Xi hoped that Ye Shen would understand this so that he could truly understand what war in the age of firearms was like.
Ye Chen has some talent. It just lacked some accumulation. After He Xi said this, he pondered for a long time and said: "Sir, I understand what to do. I will make a plan for you to see. This is an unprecedented event. The decisive battle."
He Xi said: "Okay. Not only do you want to show it to me, but you also want to show it to Your Majesty."
------
When He Xi arrived in Cang County.
Geng Bingwen was arguing with the King of Jin. Geng Bingwen said: "Your Highness, the people in Beijing are panicking at the moment. This is not a good time to attack Zhending. In my opinion, the best way is to leave a large army under the city of Zhending and divide the troops into several groups. A Qingqi went straight to the gate of Beijing, shocking the city three times a day. There are rumors circulating around Zhending."
Geng Bingwen's plan, taken alone, is simply suicide in military terms. If you really put this big city on the back road and go deep into it alone, although Beijing will suffer a lot of losses, there are many soldiers and horses. If you are not careful, you will not be able to come back.
But Geng Bingwen’s plan is placed at this special moment. But it's a brilliant plan.
Because Geng Bingwen was fighting not a military war, but a political war. It's psychological warfare.
After leaving Jingxing, Geng Bingwen faced the Hebei Plain. Although Zhending City was there, Zhending City could not completely block the attack path of the army. Geng Bingwen’s approach is feasible. Not to mention that several counties had already surrendered without a fight.
For many people, they couldn't tell where the war was going. But if the Confederate cavalry reaches the outskirts of Beijing, the blow to Beijing will be huge. It can even cause a chain reaction.
Even if this is not possible.
Capital in Beijing is much thinner than in Nanjing.
Burning the war into the hinterland of Beijing. It is also a major benefit for Nanjing.
Geng Bingwen himself is in some danger. But for the overall situation, it's very good.
As for the risks Geng Bingwen himself took, Geng Bingwen didn't care at all. He has been fighting all his life anyway. What haven't you seen before, is it an adventure soon?
It's just that he is willing, but King Jin is not willing yet.
The King of Jin said: "What the Marquis said is absolutely true. However, we should be restrained by Duke Ying. Duke Ying's previous order was to attack Zhending. Now it is not good to change the target before the battle."
Geng Bingwen said: "The Duke's order was many months ago. How could he have expected it now. Reinforcements from Beijing must be on their way over now. If we don't act now, there will be no time in the future."
Geng Bingwen and Fu Youde are definitely not far apart. However, the distance between the two is controlled by Beijing. It is too unsafe to convey military information in a place like this. So between Fu Youde and Geng Bingwen, you fight yours and I fight mine.
Fu Youde did not give Geng Bingwen any death orders. It's just a strategic direction.
Geng Bingwen knew this, and so did King Jin.
The King of Jin knew that Geng Bingwen knew it. But I still used it as an excuse.
What the King of Jin did had only one purpose, and that was that the secret envoy from Beijing had arrived in the King of Jin's army and promised various benefits to the King of Jin. The King of Jin followed suit and agreed to delay sending troops. After all, the King of Jin's original intention was not to let Nanjing win.
Beijing has given me so many benefits. How can we not pay attention to it?
Geng Bingwen said: "Okay. Your Highness, don't blame me for being rude. This time I will act alone. Your Highness will wait for news below Zhending City."
"No." King Jin said, "You are gone. What will happen to Gu's safety? What will happen if Gu is gone?"
The thing must be your problem. "
Geng Bingwen gritted his teeth and said, "Prince Jin, this is a bit too much."
King Jin sighed, as if he was aggrieved, and said: "Master Hou, I know it's a bit excessive, but I am in a place of suspicion, and what I fear most is the word "expertise". You should also be considerate of me."
