Chapter 1242
Is this a village or a fortress
Chapter 1242 Is this a village or a fortress
The intensity of the firepower output in the village far exceeded the imagination of the coalition forces, destroying the defense system of this vanguard team almost in an instant, causing a lot of damage.Under such circumstances, it would be too crazy to attack forward against the opponent's hail of bullets. The leading officer could only let the troops retreat first, and regroup in a safe area to wait for the command of the rear commander.
After the coalition forces retreated, the gunfire from the village stopped abruptly.Roger immediately ordered a ceasefire after noticing the opponent's movements. He didn't want to wipe out the enemy troops who came to explore the way. Now that the opponent's main force has not yet been dispatched, he can't play his cards too fast, so as not to Startle the snake.And now the side that wants a quick battle is the coalition forces on the opposite side. Roger is now eager to prolong the battle time, so as to allow more time for the friendly forces to go around the Johor Strait to cut off the opponent's back.
Hogg, who was in the distance, was indeed taken aback when he saw the process of the battle. The two sides only had a very brief exchange of fire, and the troops on his side retreated.However, the shield protection method set up earlier did not seem to have received the desired effect, and the firepower of the Haihan people still caused a lot of damage.But the good news is that the gunshots fired in the village are obviously relatively sparse. Hogg believes that this may be because Haihan hastily deployed all the troops to the village before it was too late, and only sporadic armed personnel are resisting.
Hogg didn't blame the officer leading the team for giving the order to retreat. He didn't really expect a vanguard team to break through the opponent's village. He just sent it out to test the opponent's deployment situation. This tactic The goal has been basically achieved, and there is no need to increase casualties.Hogg immediately issued an order to send several teams to investigate in the east and west directions to see if they could find another marching route to bypass this trap-like rice field.
The battle information of the vanguard team arrived at Hogg very quickly. They lost seventeen people in the battle, but the enemy's casualties could not be confirmed because the observation line of sight was blocked.Along with the battle report, there was also a large shield riddled with bullets. After Hogg inspected it carefully, he understood the opponent's trick——the Haihan people had two kinds of muskets in their hands. It pierced through the thick wooden shield, but another type of bullet was obviously much more powerful, leaving clearly visible bullet holes on the shield.Judging from the diameter of the bullet hole, the caliber of this powerful firearm is also larger than that of ordinary firearms, which can be regarded as a sharp weapon for piercing armor.
Encountering such a targeted weapon, Hogg could only knock out his teeth and swallow it. Who made the coalition's intelligence collection work insufficient?If he had known that the opponent had such a weapon, he might have suggested adding a layer of iron sheets to the front and back of the shield to enhance its protection—of course, that would greatly increase the weight of the shield, and it is very likely that a single person would not be able to operate the shield. Long-distance transportation of such a heavy thing will also be a new problem. In addition, the formation and tactics of the troops also need to be re-drilled.
Fortunately, the number of such weapons in the hands of the enemy seems to be very small. After Hogg carefully questioned the leading officer, he learned that only a few shield players were injured by piercing shots, and most of the injured infantry in the formation were on the shields. The gap left after the hand fell.This means that the opponent's tactic is to rely on a small number of large-caliber muskets to break through the shield protection, and then other muskets aim at this breakthrough to shoot.
Hogg felt that this tactic was very targeted. It seemed that the opposing commander had long been prepared for the coalition's offensive methods, but where did they get this information?
"This should be just some kind of coincidence!" Hogg could only comfort himself in this way. He really couldn't bear the possibility of his own combat information leaking.If the Haihan people even knew the tactics of the coalition forces in advance, then this operation would not have the nature of a surprise attack.
"How far is the main force from us?" Hogg asked his adjutant.
"It's about four or five miles away." The adjutant replied cautiously: "But our artillery is slower, and we probably won't be able to reach it before dark today."
This news is indeed a bit frustrating, because there is no road from the north of the island, and the transportation of heavy equipment is extremely troublesome, and there is no way to follow the infantry to the battlefield at the same time.Hogg wanted to use artillery to break the situation. At least today, this idea is unlikely to be realized.
Hogg looked at the village in the distance, and there was still no sound at all, as if it was dead silent. If it wasn't for the battle that happened a moment ago, Hogg really doubted whether this village had been abandoned by the Haihan people.But the officer leading the team said that all the entrances to the village were blocked by roadblocks, and there were many wooden stakes around the perimeter surrounded by dense barbed wire. It was not so easy to break through to the village.Looking at the defensive measures that Haihan has arranged inside and outside the village, it seems that it is not a temporary idea, and the amount of work does not seem to be able to be arranged in half a day.
Could it be that the Haihan people really knew their intentions in advance, so they had already arranged preventive measures?This idea flashed through Hogg's mind, but he immediately denied it. If the Haihan people knew the coalition's plan in advance, they would definitely send their warships to patrol the Johor Strait to deter the coalition from crossing the sea.Obviously able to keep the enemy out of the territory, how could it be possible to put the coalition forces on the island so easily? Isn't this asking for trouble?
But after the vanguard team suffered a loss in exploring the road, Hogg didn't dare to launch a new round of offensive at will. This was not only because the opponent had mastered the killer weapon that could penetrate the large shield, but also the terrain here was indeed not suitable for large groups. Troops assembled in arrays could not exert their due combat effectiveness at all.If a large army is sent to step on the mud pit, Hogg thinks that their fate may not be much better than what happened to the vanguard just now. He now hopes to find a more reliable attack path as soon as possible, and then concentrate his forces to break through the defense of the village. one of the weak points.
Soon Hogg discovered that God's blessing did not seem to be far away from him. The scouts found a main road not far to the west that the army could pass through. Although the road between the Haihan villages is not wide, there are dry fields for growing vegetables on both sides, so there is no need to worry about getting stuck in the mud and unable to pull out your feet.
"Between the two villages..." Hogg quickly compared the general location on the map, and found that the end of this road seemed to be the location of Haihan's official organization.The Haihan people probably built these institutions between the two villages for the convenience of looking after the two villages, but in this way, the courtyards in the middle were lonely in the middle of a large open space, as if It became an easier target to attack.
If the middle area can be occupied first, then the two Haihan villages can be separated, and then the troops can be concentrated to attack one side, which will definitely be much more beneficial than the current situation.Moreover, there are not many buildings in this place, and the troops that the opponent can station should be extremely limited. Compared with villages with many houses and complex terrain, the former is obviously easier to capture.With an idea in mind, Hogg immediately ordered his troops to move westward, changing the attack target to the area between the two villages.
"They're moving!" Roger used the binoculars in the bunker to confirm the enemy's movement a mile away, and ordered the soldiers around him to immediately enter the combat position.
The bunker they were in was Tan Juren's official residence, with a brick and stone structure, which was much stronger than the adobe houses in the immigrant village in terms of sturdiness.However, in order to achieve the maximum firepower output, a lot of shooting holes were specially cut out on the north-facing wall, and shooting positions were even arranged on the roof.Although the place is not big, there are hundreds of people deployed in these few courtyards, and basically only need to defend one direction to the north, so the firepower points are densely packed.In the gap between the courtyards, two small-caliber cannons capable of firing grape bullets were also deployed to increase the intensity of the fire output.
Roger set up the headquarters here for the purpose of using it as a bait, but he didn't dare to push it too far, so he specially arranged these courtyards like military fortresses, and sandbags were used for all weak points Reinforced inside and out.On the outside, there is a 30-meter-wide area with a large number of barbed wire criss-crossing on the ground, so it is impossible to pass through easily.But only when you get close can you realize the murderous intent hidden in this place.
Hogg believed that the area between the two villages was the weak point of Haihan's defense line. He decided to concentrate his efforts to take this place first, then reorganized the team and sent out organized mercenaries, and the number of shieldmen covering in front also increased. double.I plan to rush into the courtyards in the middle in one fell swoop and occupy the place before we talk.
"Whoever can pull down the Haihan flag in the yard will be rewarded with a hundred silver coins!" Hogg pointed his sword forward and announced to his soldiers loudly: "The same reward will be given to capture Haihan officials alive. !"
The soldiers who were stimulated by the bounty immediately lifted their spirits. Their purpose of serving as soldiers was to make money. As for whether the opponent was a Haihan or someone else, they didn't care that much.Of course, after this battle, most of them will no longer think so. If you have money, you have to spend it with your life. Not any opponent can challenge with a bravery.
Two queues consisting of about [-] soldiers pushed forward along the north-south dirt road towards the open space between the two villages. In the eyes of some people, the few unremarkable houses in the distance have become Mountains of money.Although they don't know the fighting power of Haihan's army, they have heard of Haihan's rich reputation. If they can take down Haihan's stronghold this time, everyone will be able to make a small fortune.
But soon the coalition soldiers discovered that things were not that simple. The courtyards in the middle seemed to be advancing, but when they walked, they found that these buildings were actually further south than the villages on the east and west sides.If viewed from the air, these three buildings formed a large concave on the plain, and the direction of the coalition forces' invasion happened to be the depression in the north.
But the matter has come to this point, no one dares to defy the military order and turn around and run back, so they can only bite the bullet and continue to move forward.After the team marched closer, they found that the east and west villages also had various bunkers and shooting holes in the middle direction, and the walls of the courtyards in front were densely packed with shooting holes, and there were also very deep and wide holes on the periphery. A piece of land is covered with barbed wire as high as half a person, and it is impossible to rush straight across it.
It's all coming, and it's impossible to shrink back without firing a shot, so we can only fight according to the established battle plan.The officer leading the team stopped the team when they were about [-] meters away from the target, and prepared to launch a salvo.But the opponent seems to be very good at seizing this kind of opportunity. When the coalition shieldmen were still lining up, the buildings in front of them and the villages on the east and west sides fired almost simultaneously. In an instant, at least dozens of projectiles were fired from three directions at the same time. To the coalition forces in the middle.
Immediately, several people in the coalition army screamed and fell to the ground. The officer leading the team quickly adjusted the shield hand to protect the left and right wings, and at the same time let the frontal musketeer shoot back immediately.But it is hard to say whether this kind of counterattack has played its due role. The firepower from the front does not seem to be reduced at all, and after the shield is scattered to both sides, the frontal protection is not so strong, and there are still bullets from time to time. Go through and hit the coalition soldiers hiding behind it.
Although Hogg was far away, he could see the battle scene clearly, and he was so anxious that he almost jumped his feet—whether this place was an ordinary immigrant village, or was it a trap deliberately set by Haihan, who disguised the stronghold fortress as What does the village look like?
Under attack from three sides, the reaction that the coalition forces can make is extremely limited. Their level of musket operation can only be maintained in frontal counterattacks, while the two sides can only be passively attacked.Although covered by peripheral shields, casualties continued to increase.But they couldn't feel whether they had caused any damage to the enemy at all, so they could only bite the bullet and continue to hold on.
In the Haihan position on the other side, Roger did not leave the field in person, but silently observed his side's damage to the enemy and the opponent's countermeasures.Obviously, the coalition army has no good way to take the Haihan army hiding behind the bunker. They can only shoot blindly with their eyes closed. The chance of hitting someone is too low.The soldiers on Haihan's side are all behind the bunker, and they can take aim and shoot calmly, pursuing a safe hit rate.
The coalition forces took longer to support this time, but they did not advance to the barbed wire formation under Haihan. After losing a certain number of manpower, the leading officer realized that his troops could no longer advance forward. Can only also choose to retreat out of the range of the Haihan army.The sniper hiding in an unknown corner sent them off the battlefield with three consecutive headshots.
(End of this chapter)
The intensity of the firepower output in the village far exceeded the imagination of the coalition forces, destroying the defense system of this vanguard team almost in an instant, causing a lot of damage.Under such circumstances, it would be too crazy to attack forward against the opponent's hail of bullets. The leading officer could only let the troops retreat first, and regroup in a safe area to wait for the command of the rear commander.
After the coalition forces retreated, the gunfire from the village stopped abruptly.Roger immediately ordered a ceasefire after noticing the opponent's movements. He didn't want to wipe out the enemy troops who came to explore the way. Now that the opponent's main force has not yet been dispatched, he can't play his cards too fast, so as not to Startle the snake.And now the side that wants a quick battle is the coalition forces on the opposite side. Roger is now eager to prolong the battle time, so as to allow more time for the friendly forces to go around the Johor Strait to cut off the opponent's back.
Hogg, who was in the distance, was indeed taken aback when he saw the process of the battle. The two sides only had a very brief exchange of fire, and the troops on his side retreated.However, the shield protection method set up earlier did not seem to have received the desired effect, and the firepower of the Haihan people still caused a lot of damage.But the good news is that the gunshots fired in the village are obviously relatively sparse. Hogg believes that this may be because Haihan hastily deployed all the troops to the village before it was too late, and only sporadic armed personnel are resisting.
Hogg didn't blame the officer leading the team for giving the order to retreat. He didn't really expect a vanguard team to break through the opponent's village. He just sent it out to test the opponent's deployment situation. This tactic The goal has been basically achieved, and there is no need to increase casualties.Hogg immediately issued an order to send several teams to investigate in the east and west directions to see if they could find another marching route to bypass this trap-like rice field.
The battle information of the vanguard team arrived at Hogg very quickly. They lost seventeen people in the battle, but the enemy's casualties could not be confirmed because the observation line of sight was blocked.Along with the battle report, there was also a large shield riddled with bullets. After Hogg inspected it carefully, he understood the opponent's trick——the Haihan people had two kinds of muskets in their hands. It pierced through the thick wooden shield, but another type of bullet was obviously much more powerful, leaving clearly visible bullet holes on the shield.Judging from the diameter of the bullet hole, the caliber of this powerful firearm is also larger than that of ordinary firearms, which can be regarded as a sharp weapon for piercing armor.
Encountering such a targeted weapon, Hogg could only knock out his teeth and swallow it. Who made the coalition's intelligence collection work insufficient?If he had known that the opponent had such a weapon, he might have suggested adding a layer of iron sheets to the front and back of the shield to enhance its protection—of course, that would greatly increase the weight of the shield, and it is very likely that a single person would not be able to operate the shield. Long-distance transportation of such a heavy thing will also be a new problem. In addition, the formation and tactics of the troops also need to be re-drilled.
Fortunately, the number of such weapons in the hands of the enemy seems to be very small. After Hogg carefully questioned the leading officer, he learned that only a few shield players were injured by piercing shots, and most of the injured infantry in the formation were on the shields. The gap left after the hand fell.This means that the opponent's tactic is to rely on a small number of large-caliber muskets to break through the shield protection, and then other muskets aim at this breakthrough to shoot.
Hogg felt that this tactic was very targeted. It seemed that the opposing commander had long been prepared for the coalition's offensive methods, but where did they get this information?
"This should be just some kind of coincidence!" Hogg could only comfort himself in this way. He really couldn't bear the possibility of his own combat information leaking.If the Haihan people even knew the tactics of the coalition forces in advance, then this operation would not have the nature of a surprise attack.
"How far is the main force from us?" Hogg asked his adjutant.
"It's about four or five miles away." The adjutant replied cautiously: "But our artillery is slower, and we probably won't be able to reach it before dark today."
This news is indeed a bit frustrating, because there is no road from the north of the island, and the transportation of heavy equipment is extremely troublesome, and there is no way to follow the infantry to the battlefield at the same time.Hogg wanted to use artillery to break the situation. At least today, this idea is unlikely to be realized.
Hogg looked at the village in the distance, and there was still no sound at all, as if it was dead silent. If it wasn't for the battle that happened a moment ago, Hogg really doubted whether this village had been abandoned by the Haihan people.But the officer leading the team said that all the entrances to the village were blocked by roadblocks, and there were many wooden stakes around the perimeter surrounded by dense barbed wire. It was not so easy to break through to the village.Looking at the defensive measures that Haihan has arranged inside and outside the village, it seems that it is not a temporary idea, and the amount of work does not seem to be able to be arranged in half a day.
Could it be that the Haihan people really knew their intentions in advance, so they had already arranged preventive measures?This idea flashed through Hogg's mind, but he immediately denied it. If the Haihan people knew the coalition's plan in advance, they would definitely send their warships to patrol the Johor Strait to deter the coalition from crossing the sea.Obviously able to keep the enemy out of the territory, how could it be possible to put the coalition forces on the island so easily? Isn't this asking for trouble?
But after the vanguard team suffered a loss in exploring the road, Hogg didn't dare to launch a new round of offensive at will. This was not only because the opponent had mastered the killer weapon that could penetrate the large shield, but also the terrain here was indeed not suitable for large groups. Troops assembled in arrays could not exert their due combat effectiveness at all.If a large army is sent to step on the mud pit, Hogg thinks that their fate may not be much better than what happened to the vanguard just now. He now hopes to find a more reliable attack path as soon as possible, and then concentrate his forces to break through the defense of the village. one of the weak points.
Soon Hogg discovered that God's blessing did not seem to be far away from him. The scouts found a main road not far to the west that the army could pass through. Although the road between the Haihan villages is not wide, there are dry fields for growing vegetables on both sides, so there is no need to worry about getting stuck in the mud and unable to pull out your feet.
"Between the two villages..." Hogg quickly compared the general location on the map, and found that the end of this road seemed to be the location of Haihan's official organization.The Haihan people probably built these institutions between the two villages for the convenience of looking after the two villages, but in this way, the courtyards in the middle were lonely in the middle of a large open space, as if It became an easier target to attack.
If the middle area can be occupied first, then the two Haihan villages can be separated, and then the troops can be concentrated to attack one side, which will definitely be much more beneficial than the current situation.Moreover, there are not many buildings in this place, and the troops that the opponent can station should be extremely limited. Compared with villages with many houses and complex terrain, the former is obviously easier to capture.With an idea in mind, Hogg immediately ordered his troops to move westward, changing the attack target to the area between the two villages.
"They're moving!" Roger used the binoculars in the bunker to confirm the enemy's movement a mile away, and ordered the soldiers around him to immediately enter the combat position.
The bunker they were in was Tan Juren's official residence, with a brick and stone structure, which was much stronger than the adobe houses in the immigrant village in terms of sturdiness.However, in order to achieve the maximum firepower output, a lot of shooting holes were specially cut out on the north-facing wall, and shooting positions were even arranged on the roof.Although the place is not big, there are hundreds of people deployed in these few courtyards, and basically only need to defend one direction to the north, so the firepower points are densely packed.In the gap between the courtyards, two small-caliber cannons capable of firing grape bullets were also deployed to increase the intensity of the fire output.
Roger set up the headquarters here for the purpose of using it as a bait, but he didn't dare to push it too far, so he specially arranged these courtyards like military fortresses, and sandbags were used for all weak points Reinforced inside and out.On the outside, there is a 30-meter-wide area with a large number of barbed wire criss-crossing on the ground, so it is impossible to pass through easily.But only when you get close can you realize the murderous intent hidden in this place.
Hogg believed that the area between the two villages was the weak point of Haihan's defense line. He decided to concentrate his efforts to take this place first, then reorganized the team and sent out organized mercenaries, and the number of shieldmen covering in front also increased. double.I plan to rush into the courtyards in the middle in one fell swoop and occupy the place before we talk.
"Whoever can pull down the Haihan flag in the yard will be rewarded with a hundred silver coins!" Hogg pointed his sword forward and announced to his soldiers loudly: "The same reward will be given to capture Haihan officials alive. !"
The soldiers who were stimulated by the bounty immediately lifted their spirits. Their purpose of serving as soldiers was to make money. As for whether the opponent was a Haihan or someone else, they didn't care that much.Of course, after this battle, most of them will no longer think so. If you have money, you have to spend it with your life. Not any opponent can challenge with a bravery.
Two queues consisting of about [-] soldiers pushed forward along the north-south dirt road towards the open space between the two villages. In the eyes of some people, the few unremarkable houses in the distance have become Mountains of money.Although they don't know the fighting power of Haihan's army, they have heard of Haihan's rich reputation. If they can take down Haihan's stronghold this time, everyone will be able to make a small fortune.
But soon the coalition soldiers discovered that things were not that simple. The courtyards in the middle seemed to be advancing, but when they walked, they found that these buildings were actually further south than the villages on the east and west sides.If viewed from the air, these three buildings formed a large concave on the plain, and the direction of the coalition forces' invasion happened to be the depression in the north.
But the matter has come to this point, no one dares to defy the military order and turn around and run back, so they can only bite the bullet and continue to move forward.After the team marched closer, they found that the east and west villages also had various bunkers and shooting holes in the middle direction, and the walls of the courtyards in front were densely packed with shooting holes, and there were also very deep and wide holes on the periphery. A piece of land is covered with barbed wire as high as half a person, and it is impossible to rush straight across it.
It's all coming, and it's impossible to shrink back without firing a shot, so we can only fight according to the established battle plan.The officer leading the team stopped the team when they were about [-] meters away from the target, and prepared to launch a salvo.But the opponent seems to be very good at seizing this kind of opportunity. When the coalition shieldmen were still lining up, the buildings in front of them and the villages on the east and west sides fired almost simultaneously. In an instant, at least dozens of projectiles were fired from three directions at the same time. To the coalition forces in the middle.
Immediately, several people in the coalition army screamed and fell to the ground. The officer leading the team quickly adjusted the shield hand to protect the left and right wings, and at the same time let the frontal musketeer shoot back immediately.But it is hard to say whether this kind of counterattack has played its due role. The firepower from the front does not seem to be reduced at all, and after the shield is scattered to both sides, the frontal protection is not so strong, and there are still bullets from time to time. Go through and hit the coalition soldiers hiding behind it.
Although Hogg was far away, he could see the battle scene clearly, and he was so anxious that he almost jumped his feet—whether this place was an ordinary immigrant village, or was it a trap deliberately set by Haihan, who disguised the stronghold fortress as What does the village look like?
Under attack from three sides, the reaction that the coalition forces can make is extremely limited. Their level of musket operation can only be maintained in frontal counterattacks, while the two sides can only be passively attacked.Although covered by peripheral shields, casualties continued to increase.But they couldn't feel whether they had caused any damage to the enemy at all, so they could only bite the bullet and continue to hold on.
In the Haihan position on the other side, Roger did not leave the field in person, but silently observed his side's damage to the enemy and the opponent's countermeasures.Obviously, the coalition army has no good way to take the Haihan army hiding behind the bunker. They can only shoot blindly with their eyes closed. The chance of hitting someone is too low.The soldiers on Haihan's side are all behind the bunker, and they can take aim and shoot calmly, pursuing a safe hit rate.
The coalition forces took longer to support this time, but they did not advance to the barbed wire formation under Haihan. After losing a certain number of manpower, the leading officer realized that his troops could no longer advance forward. Can only also choose to retreat out of the range of the Haihan army.The sniper hiding in an unknown corner sent them off the battlefield with three consecutive headshots.
(End of this chapter)