Chapter 1543: Marine Corps, decided in one battle!
To the sound of war drums, the Spaniards followed the Burgundy Cross flag and began to accelerate along the gentle slope, braving the artillery fire from the ridge.
Although the Xuande cannon was small in power, it also had little recoil. The position was set up in front of a gentle ridge, so there was no need for a small earthen slope for reset.
After firing a shot, the gun carriage retreated only a little more than a meter and immediately returned to the gun position along the slope. After countless practice, the gunners immediately stabilized the gun carriage and then began to load in tacit cooperation.
After gunner No. 1 cleaned the barrel with a gun brush dipped in water, gunner No. 2 immediately loaded the fixed shells, and gunner No. 3 stuffed a ball of grease-covered linen into the barrel.
Then the No. 1 gunner used the pusher on the other end of the gun brush to push the shell into the bottom of the chamber to compact it. The grease linen cloth was used to plug the muzzle to prevent air leakage. This can increase the power. Grease can also be used for lubrication, making it easier to insert the shell.
Then the fourth gunner used a thick awl to drill a hole in the powder bag through the vent, and used the pointed powder pot on his waist to add some propellant into the vent to increase the success rate of the flintlock.
Finally, after the gunner made fine adjustments to the aim, he ordered gunner No. 1 to pull the gun rope and fire!
The whole set of movements is complicated to explain, but the well-trained gunners can complete it in just a dozen seconds! It's like caressing a racing car when it enters the pits in later generations.
Twenty Xuande cannons fired five-pound small shells one after another at the Spanish phalanx at a very high rate of fire.
Indeed, each shot could not cause much damage, and even if it hit, it could only penetrate three or four people. But it was fast, and the Xuande cannon could fire three or five shots when the Spaniards advanced a hundred meters.
Moreover, as the distance gets closer, the artillery's hit rate and lethality are increasing dramatically, and the accumulated damage is still considerable.
When the Spaniards advanced to 400 meters, the phalanx in front had obviously been weakened a lot.
But perhaps because of the pride of being the king of the world, or perhaps because they were in a desperate situation, the Spaniards seemed to know no fear and continued to advance to the sound of drums. People in the front kept falling, and those behind would silently take their place and then fall down themselves.
Three of the flag bearers who were the focus of special attention had died at this moment, and the fourth flag bearer held the flag and continued to lead the square forward.
When they advanced to within 300 meters, the marines protecting the artillery team set up launchers about a foot long and began to release 'Oda City Kaijo rockets'.
Although Oda City's modified rocket can be fired one or two kilometers away, it can only be guaranteed not to deviate too far within three hundred meters.
The difference between this field rocket and the home-burning type is that its warhead uses high-nitrogen gunpowder, which can achieve a stronger explosive effect!
Moreover, my nephew, who has been relying on his hands for entertainment until now, used a double-layer warhead in a cruel way - the outer layer was a bamboo tube for easy transportation, and the inner layer was a porcelain bottle filled with explosives, which would kill the enemy with fragments after the explosion!
Therefore, older single men are very scary. We should care for them and find partners for them, otherwise it is not surprising that they do something outrageous.
With a whistling sound, Oda Ichikaijo shells flew out one after another, shooting into the Spanish phalanx from various angles, and many Spanish officers and soldiers were shot down to the ground.
With the sound of fireworks, rockets exploded in the enemy camp. Fragments flew in the violent explosion, causing officers and soldiers to scream and throw away their weapons, covering their faces and rolling on the ground.
'Oda City Kaijo' is just like its name, beautiful and dangerous. Although it is not fatal, it can injure a large number of soldiers and make them lose their combat effectiveness...
"Ignore it, move forward, move forward!" Colonel Sardo's face was also covered in blood from the shrapnel. He waved his sword with a ferocious look and roared, "Retreat means death, only moving forward can give us a way to survive!"
"I see it! God is smiling at us at the top of the hill!" The military chaplain also tried his best to show his respect.
The Spanish soldiers were indeed in a desperate situation. At this time, their oxygen-deprived brains had only one thought in mind: fight to the death to carve out a bloody path so that they could go home! Go home! As for where home was and how to get back, they didn't even think about it.
This is the reason why military strategists always say don't pursue a desperate enemy. When people are in desperate situations, they will always burst out with incredible fighting power.
But Zhao Hao’s order was to annihilate everything!
"The Marines must fight today to decide the outcome!" This was Master Zhao's instruction to his subordinates before the battle!
"The Marine Corps, one battle decides!" This sentence also became the slogan of the Marine Corps in the future.
~~
The Spaniards risked great losses and almost lost half of their second phalanx, which was in the front line, and finally rushed within 200 meters.
The heavy musketeer crossed the phalanx and stepped forward, holding up his fork and mounting his gun, ready to kill the enemy's gunner!
"Replace the shotgun shells!" the Marine artillery commander shouted the order.
The gunners immediately stuffed the bags of shot into the barrels. As for grapeshot, the barrels were too narrow to fit in.
But shotgun is enough to kill infantry!
Bang, bang, bang! The musketeers fired, and more than a dozen gunners fell to the ground.
Boom, boom, boom, the Xuan De cannon also fired at the same time, and a barrage of shotgun shells sprayed out, instantly covering the front rows of musketeers!
The musketeers were instantly turned into sieves. Those who had finished firing and had no time to retreat, and those who were about to take over the shooting, all lost their human form...
No matter how light the Xuande cannon is, it is still a cannon. Each shotgun shell it fires is as powerful as a heavy matchlock bullet. Thousands of shotgun shells fired at the same time are as powerful as a heavy machine gun.
"Forward, forward! Keep advancing!" The phalanx commander Gonzalez, with red eyes, took advantage of the Ming army's artillerymen reloading, and personally held the battle flag and led the charge.
"We are the Spanish Philippine Corps! The undefeated record of the Imperial Army cannot be destroyed in our hands!"
The Spanish officers and soldiers had lost the ability to think and only knew to follow the officers. When they saw them start to charge, they charged desperately!
It doesn't matter whether we maintain a dense formation or not. Let's rush forward and seize the artillery position first!
The gunner fired two more rounds, and the two sides were now within a hundred meters of each other.
Amid the dense sound of gunfire, the Gatmu Thunder Gun began its performance.
There were only a hundred people left in the Spanish second team.
When they were within fifty meters, the Marines threw the Cha Cha grenade again!
Artillery fire, rockets, dense rain of bullets and grenades completely buried the Spanish Second Phalanx...
The phalanx leader Gonzalez was also hit by fragments of a grenade and fell in front of the Ming artillery position.
But the sacrifice of the second phalanx was not in vain. The officers and soldiers of the third phalanx followed them and followed the bloody path they opened and killed their way into the artillery position of the Ming people!
Under the cover of the Marines, each artillery group quickly withdrew from their positions, climbed over the ridge, and fled down the slope!
This boosted the morale of the already frantic Spanish, and the light musketeers raised their guns and fired, hitting some Marines.
Just as the Spaniards crossed the artillery position and were about to rush up the ridge in one breath to launch a pursuit, they suddenly heard an exciting military bugle call!
This inspiring sound sounded like the roar of a devil to the Spaniards. It startled them, and they all paused, slowing down their sprint.
No way? No way?!
Amid the sound of bugles, a long column of enemy troops formed a thin line and climbed up the ridge from the other side before them.
A look of despair appeared on the faces of all the Spaniards.
They never expected that there was a large group of enemy troops hiding behind the ridge!
This feeling of being ambushed after making such great sacrifices was like the last straw that broke the camel's back, breaking the string in the hearts of the Spanish soldiers...
~~
The soldiers were dressed similarly to those the Spanish had seen before, wearing beautiful blue battle robes, white trousers, and black leather boots.
The slight difference is that these soldiers who make up the thin blue line have pointed wrought iron helmets on their heads and half-body chain mail on their upper bodies, showing their identity as Marines!
The Marines stood shoulder to shoulder on the ridge and started shooting without saying a word!
The two sides were less than 20 meters apart at this time, so why bother aiming? Just shoot directly at the face, and you never miss a shot!
A hail of bullets knocked down the more than 200 Spanish soldiers who were rushing in the front like mowing the grass.
If they were to set up a battle array and fire muskets at each other, they wouldn't be able to cause such heavy casualties even if they fought for an entire afternoon.
This is the true meaning of the backslope tactic. Since the musket hits people, I will hide first and wait for you to come in front of me before shooting! If I put the muzzle of the gun in your mouth, it will not miss, right?
However, the Marines adopted this tactic mainly to overcome the weakness of their muskets' range. If I wait until I'm this close before showing up, it doesn't matter what gun I hold.
In fact, Wu Da's plan was to show up at 50 meters, but he didn't expect the Spanish to completely ignore the formation and charge. So the Marines were a little late to reach the ridge.
But on the battlefield, not everything can go as planned. Accidents are the norm.
~~
After the shots were fired, the Marines in the first row did not stop, but continued to march in a thin blue line toward the Spanish.
Behind them, another row of Marines came up and aimed their guns!
At the sharp whistle, the Marines in the front row squatted down together, and the Marines in the back row pulled the trigger. The bullets passed over the front row and poured down, and blood plum blossoms bloomed. Another row of Spanish soldiers was knocked down...
This time we eliminated 150...
Then there's the third row.
This time, the casualties were less than 100, because the Spaniards were so frightened that they hesitated to move forward. Most of the Spaniards within range had already fallen in the first two rounds.
After three rows, there was only one reserve team left for emergencies. Naturally, they couldn't fight at this moment.
But this is already a huge loss, right? Three rows of 1,800 Marines, ambushed behind the ridge!
What a wicked person must be to come up with such an idea!
A certain Mr. Zhao, who did not want to reveal his name, sneezed loudly in the camp...
This tactic was used for the first time and the effect was naturally excellent.
Seeing the blue army rushing out in rows all over the mountains and slaughtering their comrades crazily with volleys, the morale of the Spanish in the third phalanx suffered a fatal blow.
What's worse is that when they charged just now, they were in chaos and couldn't form a square formation at all...
ps. I have already written more than half of the next chapter, so I can post it earlier.
(End of this chapter)