Following a series of shots from the Ming Army, the hot lead bullets quickly pierced into various parts of the Northern Barbarians' bodies or horses.
This was not something that the Ming Army soldiers could change. Only God knew where the bullets flew after a certain range.
However, this did not affect the current situation. Since they were surrounded by Northern Barbarians from all directions, as long as they opened fire, regardless of whether it was a person or a horse, they would be hit. More importantly, the accuracy rate had miraculously increased.
Who asked these fellows who had never experienced the power of the gun to surround the Ming Army's battle formation in a ring and continuously shoot in circles. Although the distance between them was not small, there were too many people and the encirclement was very thick. Wouldn't the lead bullets hit wherever they flew?
Under such a situation, there were Northern Barbarians who were shot and died. Those who did not die were shot in the arms, thighs and even buttocks. They would scream and fall off their horses.
Those at the front fell and those at the back could not stop in time. Those who were not dead were trampled to death. Those who were unlucky enough to trip and fall to the ground also had their necks broken and died a horrible death.
One tripped and another tripped and another tripped. The chain reaction caused the Northern Barbarians' losses to increase rapidly. Furthermore, the Ming Army's guns did not stop and continued to shoot. This did not include the flintlock soldiers. The flintlock soldiers did not receive the order to shoot because the musketeers were enough to deal with the current situation.
Very quickly, the Ming Army's battle formation was surrounded by a thick circle of corpses. At this moment, the Ming Army had lost less than a hundred people.
Under the huge number of casualties and chaos, the commander of the Northern Barbarians had no choice but to make adjustments.
The ancient and long and desolate sound of a horn sounded. The ring formation changed. The Northern Barbarians split up and spread out further to avoid the Ming Army's shooting range and changed tactics.
A large number of Northern Barbarians dismounted, threw down their bows, and picked up their steel blades.
The remaining Northern Barbarians hid outside the shooting range of the Ming Army's guns. They were not stupid. They realized the power of the Ming Army's guns and the huge damage they could bring to them. Under such a tortoise tactic, their crossbows were basically unable to bring much damage to the Ming Army.
It looked like they were planning to use the infantry to break the Ming Army's battle formation and then use the cavalry to slaughter.
It was a good tactic.
The bugle sounded, and the Northern Barbarians howled and rushed forward, closing in from all sides.
Xiao Ruxun roared: "Open fire!!"
The soldier immediately raised his gun and fired.
Without their horses, although they could still charge forward and engage in close combat, the death rate would also greatly increase. It was the people who died, not the horses. After the first round of shooting, the gunmen retreated. After the second round, they retreated again. After the third round, they retreated again. After the fourth round, it was finally the turn of the highly accurate flintlock gunmen.
Xiao Ruxun's requirement for them was to shoot wherever he pointed within a hundred steps. Shoot the leader! Shoot the one that looked like the commander! The further and more accurate they shot, the higher the reward. It all depended on whether you could get it!
The instructions that Xiao Ruxun gave to the flintlock gunmen were not ordinary.
I gave you this flintlock gun that cost twelve taels of silver not for you to play with as a fire stick! You have to treat it like a brother or sister! When you fight, you have to use it as a weapon to kill people!
One shot from you is equivalent to three shots from the flintlock gunmen. With such a high price, you have to achieve results that are worth the price!
The flintlock gunmen were trained with fixed targets, but the flintlock gunmen were trained with moving targets.
To become a flintlock gunman, one had to go through a strict examination. Only the most accurate and skilled gunmen could become a flintlock gunman. After becoming a flintlock gunman, the treatment would be greatly improved, but the examination would also be stricter.
A target had five concentric rings. The standard for a flintlock gunman was to hit the target, and the standard for a flintlock gunman was to hit the target within three rings. If they missed the target once, they would be penalized two silver points. If they missed the target twice, they would be penalized half a silver point. If they missed the target three times, they would be penalized one silver point. If they missed the target four times, they would be penalized ten times. If they missed the target five times, they would be kicked out!
Under such pressure, the accuracy of their shooting was directly related to their personal income and honor. Every one of them was comparable to a sniper. Within a hundred steps, they could basically shoot wherever they pointed.
Now, the situation was even more so. Three hundred people were divided into two groups. One group, 150 people, 300 shots. After shooting twice, they would retreat.
"Open fire!!!"
At the command, the Flintlock gunners found their targets and fired in unison. Many of the Northern invaders were horrified to find that many of their men had fallen to the ground. Most of them had died a horrible death, and none of them were injured.
Before they could recover from their shock, another round of gunfire was fired. This was not the end. Two more rounds followed.
Many of the Northern Barbarians felt that their sides were empty.
They began to fear the terrifying phalanx.
Every time a gunshot rang out, someone beside them was killed, or had their limbs broken, or had their heads blown off. Blood, brains, and broken limbs were everywhere. Such heavy casualties made them feel a lingering fear. They had charged all the way here, and along the way, blood flowed all over the ground.
The sounds of gunfire continued to ring out, and the number of casualties continued to increase. No one knew who was the first to react, but the surviving Northern Invaders quickly picked up their fallen comrades and held them in front of them, using them as shields, and roared as they charged forward.
The effect was surprisingly good. It was difficult for bullets to penetrate a person's body. The Northern Barbarians' casualties were greatly reduced, and they quickly approached the formation.
When they were a certain distance away, Xiao Ruxun ordered the gunmen to put down their muskets and pull out their machetes. They became close combat soldiers, and the firing of the muskets stopped.
When the Zhennan Army faced the enemy, even if there were no muskets, they still dared to fight hand to hand!
Hand to hand! Hand to hand! Hand to hand!
In 1840, the Qing Dynasty did not lose to firearms against the British army! At that time, the British army was still using muskets! In 1860, the Qing Dynasty did not lose to firearms either! At that time, the British and French army did not have machine guns or repeating pistols! Those were invented during the American Civil War. It would take more than ten years before they could be used!
The western equipment during the Eight-Nation Alliance was incomparable to the western equipment during the Opium War!
Even during the Eight-Nation Alliance, after 30 years of accumulation during the Westernization Movement, the Qing Army's equipment was even better than some of the Eight-Nation Alliance's troops. They bought advanced weapons that the British and French armies had not yet begun to equip. Compared to the Qing Army thirty years later, the Qing Army's equipment was much better.
But they almost collapsed at the first encounter.
The Qing Dynasty had a very high ratio of firearms. Their traditional firearms tactics were very mature. Although their weapons were a grade lower than the British and French armies, the British and French armies had not reached the stage where they could hang the Qing Army.
The Manchurian soldiers were able to use firearms against the British and French armies. The British and French armies did not have an absolute advantage in firearms, but when it came to the point where firearms were unable to settle the battle, and the British and French armies lined up and charged, the Manchurian soldiers very quickly collapsed and fled.
They were the same as the Ming Army's Imperial Guards during the last years of the Ming Dynasty. They did not dare to fight hand to hand. They did not have the ability to fight hand to hand. When they had firearms, they could persist in using them. But once the firearms lost their effectiveness and the enemy began to charge, they would quickly collapse.
They had no training, no fighting spirit, no organization and no ability to fight hand to hand. Their military equipment was neglected and they were not even comparable to a militia. The Qing Dynasty, who claimed to have established their country with bows and horses, was defeated by the British and French armies! Therefore, even in the modern era, the ability of a soldier to fight hand to hand was still very important!
An army was a whole. Organization, training and fighting spirit were important components of combat strength! This was not something that could be made up for with weapons!
The Zhennan Army had a large number of gunners. They took up a large proportion, including the cannoneers. Other than training in firearms, the most important thing was hand-to-hand combat training.
Xiao Ruxun placed great importance on hand-to-hand combat training. He told the soldiers that when all firearms were useless, when it rained, when the gunpowder was used up, when the firearms were damaged, the steel saber in your hand was your last chance of survival!
Every Zhennan Army soldier must become a soldier who dared to fight hand to hand. Everyone must have the courage to not fear any enemy! As well as the fighting spirit and belief to defeat any enemy!
Once they threw away their firearms, they could all fight hand to hand. They were first-class hand-to-hand combat experts. Even the gunners and the cannoneers had to go through hand-to-hand combat training every day. They also had training to build up their strength. They usually used sabers. When paired with the shield soldiers and gunners, their lethality increased exponentially.
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