As the saying goes: the rich rely on technology, the poor rely on mutation.
Well, that's not quite accurate. Even though the Ming Dynasty wasn't considered wealthy, compared to the Later Jin, it was still about the same size as a landlord versus a beggar.
Therefore, although firearms are powerful, they also consume huge amounts of energy. Even if the Later Jin wanted to use them, they did not have the technical strength and resources to invest.
Only with sharp firearms and strict battle formations can infantry defeat cavalry. There are quite a few examples of this in the history of world wars.
Of course, this also requires the infantry to have the experience and skills to fight bravely. If it were the Ming army in the late Ming Dynasty, which could not even eat, no matter how advanced the firearms were, it would be useless.
In fact, the development and use of firearms had already demonstrated their brilliance in the wars at the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, and made great contributions to the Han nationality's victory over foreign rule.
Hundreds of years later, the Ming army's firearms once again stood out in the world, and the army gradually acquired modern combat concepts. Relying on such advantages, it once again launched a fierce counterattack against foreign races.
The large hilly area chosen by the Jiannu army certainly posed a great obstacle to the advancement of the Ming army's chariots, but it also significantly weakened their cavalry advantage.
Of course, although the Jiannu were known for their formidable cavalry and archery skills, their primary method of combat was not to charge the Ming army with cavalry. Instead, they would first disrupt the Ming army's battle formation with heavily armored infantry, and then use the cavalry's speed advantage to pursue and kill them.
Perhaps this is also a common combat method used by cavalry in the world. Many great victories in battles were not achieved in fighting, but by chasing and killing defeated soldiers.
In this battle, the Ming army's elite troops successfully attracted the Jiannu to attack and tied down the siege of the Jiannu, which was several times larger than their own.
In order to block the reinforcements, the Jiannu had to give up some of their advantages and engage in a bloody face-to-face battle with the Ming army in the hilly area.
By neglecting their strengths and focusing on their weaknesses, the Jiannu army underestimated the combat effectiveness of the Ming army and the ferocity of its firearms, and overestimated their own strength.
The Ming army's combat effectiveness was greatly improved again, which was beyond the expectations of the Jiannu. This was mainly caused by the replacement of flintlock muskets and the large-scale deployment of artillery.
Faster reloading and denser formations made the power of musket fire more than double that of matchlock guns. Coupled with the rapid-firing falconets, the blocking Jiannu suffered unprecedented intensive firepower.
Chariots were difficult to advance in the open field, so the Ming army simply abandoned the chariots and charged forward with multiple small infantry formations. The artillery carried Ming heavy mortars and grenade launchers to follow the infantry, bombarding the Jiannu from time to time.
Kong Youde and Zhang Pan both personally commanded the battle at the front, and officers at all levels led by example. The "supervisory team," despite its unpleasant sound, still played a significant role.
From the establishment of Dongjiang to the present day, the Supervisory Team has always existed. The same is true for other Ming army units. Even Zhu Youxiao did not change this rule and even strengthened it through military judges.
Each battle was a training and baptism for the Ming army, and it also eliminated some cowards who were afraid of fighting. This was called elimination, but in fact it was military punishment and beheading as a public display.
They were either beheaded on the spot before the battle or publicly executed after the battle. Although cruel, without strict laws and harsh punishments, how could we build an army that dared to fight?
Even in later times, deserters were severely punished. If you are a soldier, don't be afraid of death. If you are afraid of death, don't be a soldier. Without this belief, you are definitely not a qualified soldier.
It was precisely because of the rigorous training, constant tempering in battle, and the repeated shock of harsh military laws that the mental outlook of the Ming army gradually underwent a complete transformation.
However, without experiencing large-scale field combat, not only did the Jiannu underestimate the combat effectiveness of the Ming army, but even the Ming army generals did not dare to overestimate their own army's strength.
When the face-to-face bloody battle really broke out, both the Jiannu and the Ming army generals were actually surprised.
The Ming army's firepower was too strong! The Jiannu were shocked, including Daishan, who was personally commanding the battle.
Shoot, step, shoot, forward, shoot...
In the rising white smoke, several small phalanxes of the Ming army spewed out deadly bullets and advanced forward tenaciously and firmly.
Rows of lead bullets shot down the Jianzhou warriors one by one, no matter if they were officers or soldiers. Even those wearing heavy armor could not withstand a few cheap lead bullets at close range.
Behind these Ming army phalanxes acting as the vanguard, there were several small phalanxes interlaced. The dense cross-fire power knocked the Later Jin soldiers who rushed into the gaps between the phalanxes to the ground, causing heavy casualties.
The Ming army phalanxes in the wild field had already surprised Daishan. The Ming army advancing along the official road, led by artillery carts and protected by infantry phalanxes in the wild field on both wings, became even more ferocious and unstoppable.
Boom, boom, boom! Three cannons were fired in quick succession, and countless shards of grain swept across the front like a whirlwind, indiscriminately sweeping the Later Jin soldiers into pieces.
These were no longer chariots meant to stop the cavalry, but rather artillery carts carrying Portuguese. Since the terrain was difficult to navigate, the Ming army concentrated the artillery carts and advanced along the official road, firing as they went.
Daishan's pupils contracted and he felt regretful.
It wasn't that I regretted launching this attack, but rather that I didn't destroy the official road. Even if I had dug a few trenches, the Ming army's artillery wouldn't have been able to unleash its might so recklessly and slaughter our own soldiers!
Also - the Ming army's musket fire was too fierce. This was not a scene he had seen before, nor was it the battle he had expected.
If Daishan knew about the Battle of Baliqiao hundreds of years later, he would have regretted it so much.
Thousands of modern troops equipped with bayonets, muzzle-loading flintlock rifles and smoothbore cannons crushed the repeated attacks of tens of thousands of brave cavalry and won the victory with an extremely disparate casualty ratio.
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