Chapter 3643
War is More Than Just Casualties
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Yan Yan frowned as he looked in the direction Zhang Fei pointed and then at the army's deployment.
"General Zhang, if we proceed with the plan as it stands, our retreat could very well turn into a complete rout..." Out of caution, Yan Yan offered a brief reminder.
Although he is currently in the central army, the troops he commands are in the logistics unit. Even if he can use the Legion Talent as a backup, the very nature of the Legion Talent means that it is not a panacea.
Legion talents are a two-way response between generals and soldiers. The better the cooperation between generals and soldiers, the stronger the effect of the Legion talents.
Even if he uses his Legion Talent to cover for the army in a chaotic and defeated situation, the situation probably won't be much better.
On the one hand, since everyone was not under the same command system, it was unknown how many could respond. On the other hand, the soldiers in a state of collapse would inevitably have their fighting will and morale affected, and it was uncertain how much energy they would have to respond.
“The opponent is very strong. If it’s fake, we might not be able to fool them. Only if it’s real will they come down the ridge and reveal their strongest attack.” Zhang Fei pointed directly to the terrain where Kusroy was located and said seriously, “Only when they come down will we completely lose the possibility of retreating.”
"What if Kusroy is more cautious and doesn't pursue us when we retreat? Wouldn't our efforts have been in vain?" Yan Yan, thinking of another possibility, directly voiced this idea.
"There are never any absolutes in battlefield planning. At that time, we can only do our best and leave the rest to fate!" Zhang Fei didn't elaborate on the possibilities, but simply smiled.
Seeing the Han army retreat, and if it was a genuine retreat, or even close to a rout, Kusroy's decision to sound the retreat was truly remarkable.
But Kusroy, burdened by political pressure and class aspirations, only needed a victory to repel the Han army with minimal casualties on both sides.
For Kusroy, the opportunity to command a large army was extremely rare.
If you miss this opportunity, and don't make any significant contributions, there's basically no chance of a next one.
Similarly, for Zhang Fei, if he doesn't perform well this time, there will basically be no next time.
Zhang Fei, who was very aware of the political pressure behind him and understood the expectations of his elder brother, knew very well that Kusroy, like him, had pressure and expectations that were not on the battlefield.
"Report, General, the planks are gone!"
Zhang Fei didn't have to wait long before he received a message from the messenger of the central army. At the same time, Sun Guan's army, which was advancing forward on the front line, also noticed the archers providing cover behind them. The distance between them was getting farther and farther, and they were becoming increasingly powerless.
"Notify General Sun Guan to halt the advance and retreat slowly!" Upon receiving the notification, Zhang Fei changed his orders, ceasing the forward advance and instead ordering the army to begin a retreat.
Sun Guan was somewhat puzzled upon receiving the order, but he still chose to obey Zhang Fei's command.
For Sun Guan, his opponent was indeed not strong, and could even be described as very weak. However, the soft ground made it difficult to exert force, significantly weakening his attack. If he chose to retreat slowly, the situation would improve considerably after he had retreated several dozen steps.
Being able to stand on the wooden plank provides stronger support for the legs, allowing for more powerful footwork during movement, which significantly improves both defense and offense.
"The Han army did make the right choice, but unfortunately their preparations were not sufficient. Now it's our turn!" Seeing that the Han army had chosen to retreat slowly and calmly after attacking for a distance, Kusroy immediately realized that the Han army did not have enough planks and could not lay them at the front of the battlefield.
Without a valid foothold, the Han army, despite being heavily armored, had only slightly stronger defenses than the Kushan army; their offensive capabilities were not significantly different.
Continuing the fight wouldn't be a disadvantage for the Kushan army, especially since they were attacking from a higher position. Even if the slope wasn't steep, they could regain their advantage to some extent.
"Since the Han army has laid down wooden planks, let's make use of what they've laid. Order the troops to release the rolling stones!" Kusroy turned to the messenger beside him and immediately issued a new order!
As the order was given, carefully prepared stones were rolled directly from the heights towards the Han army. The sound of the rolling stones was extremely clear even in the midst of battle, and the longer they rolled, the more awe-inspiring they became.
With their own side launching an attack and aided by rolling stones, the Han army even chose to retreat, giving the impression that they had the upper hand and victory was within reach.
This scene directly ignited the fighting spirit and morale of the new recruits in the Kushan army.
Lacking battlefield experience, they could neither judge how far the Han army was from defeat nor how far they were from victory.
However, looking at the retreat of the Han army and their attack, it is clear who is stronger and who is weaker at present!
They were attacking, and the Han army was retreating, so they were strong. And when the strong attack the weak, they naturally have to press their advantage.
Setting aside their inner fears, they unleashed their fighting spirit and weapons, their imposing presence inspiring the surrounding soldiers to fight even harder. This, in turn, boosted the morale of the entire legion and army, sending waves of energy crashing down on the Han troops!
"Pave the way with clouds, charge!" Seeing the change in his own morale, Kusroy did not hesitate any longer and directly ordered his army to charge from the high ground to the Han troops below. At the same time, in order to ensure the speed and stability of the charge, he used clouds to pave the way to prevent the soldiers from slipping on the relatively soft ground and causing large areas of soldiers to roll and pile up.
The Han army did not suffer high damage, nor did they incur many casualties. Judging from the casualties alone, it was indeed not a good time to launch an attack.
But some wars are not just about casualties; sometimes war is all about morale!
By attacking from a high position and pressing forward with full force, the Han army was forced into a retreat when its troops were exhausted. This was achieved by utilizing the lightly armed nature of the Han forces and the availability of more rolling stones.
This served to train their own new recruits and demoralize the Han army, without incurring too many casualties. (End of Chapter)