The thunder of ten thousand horses!
The Great Qian Heavy Cavalry did not wait idly but continuously reinforced their charge from the rear, gradually increasing their speed.
By the time the two sides were ten zhang apart, the Great Qian Heavy Cavalry had already urged their steeds forward, lowered their lances, and charged with renewed vigor.
The first ranks of heavy cavalry from both sides clashed in the most brutal yet intense confrontation. Lances thrust forward, and even if they didn't kill the enemy directly, the full-speed charge of man and horse was a devastating impact!
"Break!"
With the roars of the Great Qian Heavy Cavalry, lances were thrust out with all their might, aimed directly at the enemy.
"Not good!"
The moment the two sides engaged, the pupils of the Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry constricted, their gazes fixed on the nearby lance tips.
An inch longer, an inch stronger!
Their lances were meticulously crafted weapons, exceeding two zhang and four chi. The Great Qian Heavy Cavalry's lances were undoubtedly over two zhang and seven chi, at least three chi longer than theirs!
Hundreds of Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry, with terror in their eyes, watched as the lances pierced their armor first, passing clean through their bodies!
Some Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry who still had the strength to wield shields attempted to block the lances, but their shields and mail were still penetrated!
At least three hundred Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry were rendered incapable of resistance and perished on the spot. Their lances lost their trajectory, failing to strike the Great Qian Heavy Cavalry accurately.
"Crack!"
The destructive impact caused some of the Great Qian Heavy Cavalry's lances to break on the spot.
This was not due to poor craftsmanship of the Great Qian lances. It was a design choice to reduce recoil when charging and thrusting at heavily armored soldiers, thereby protecting the warriors. If the enemy was not armored, the lances would not break so easily and would pierce them through and through.
Even so, over a thousand Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry endured the piercing of the Great Qian lances and thrust their own lances towards the Great Qian warriors.
The lance tips struck the smooth surface of the plate armor. Less than one-twentieth left a hole, while most simply slid off the armor's surface. Only about thirty-odd Great Qian Heavy Cavalry were struck and their plate armor knocked askew.
However, the terrifying recoil also broke the tips of the Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry's lances.
With longer lances and more resilient plate armor, the Great Qian Heavy Cavalry achieved a 30:300 casualty ratio in the first exchange of weapons. However, the fierce battle was far from over; it had just begun!
Due to the full-speed charge, neither the Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry soldiers nor their horses had slowed down drastically. Even those impaled by lances, propelled by inertia, continued to crash into the Great Qian Heavy Cavalry!
"Boom!"
The dull thuds of metal colliding echoed across the battlefield as some cavalrymen finally crashed into each other.
The immense weight of man and horse colliding simultaneously sent both sides flying. Hundreds of Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry even had their mail and helmets dented on the spot!
Unexpectedly, only about a hundred Great Qian warriors died after being thrown back. The Heavenly Sun cavalry, however, suffered over three hundred more casualties from the collision!
"How is this possible?!"
Countless Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry, thrown back by the impact, stared in disbelief.
The length of the weapons had put them at a disadvantage in the first exchange, but this had not completely halted their momentum. They had even made preparations for this.
Dodging the lances, they continued their savage charge.
The weight of man and horse should have been roughly the same, yet they suffered more severe injuries and even fatalities from the collision than the Great Qian forces by a ratio of more than three to one. It was unbelievable!
As the front ranks of heavy cavalry from both sides completed their first charge, the heavy cavalry from the rear thrust their lances, a flurry of stabs, pressing each other back before preparing for a second charge.
The Divine Archery Corps began their second volleys.
A sky-covering hail of arrows pierced through some of the Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry and light cavalry rushing from the rear.
The surviving half of the Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry hastily retreated to their main formation, gazing with apprehension at the Great Qian Swift Cavalry advancing menacingly in the distance.
Soon, they discovered the problem.
The charge speeds of both sides were now comparable, with the Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry only slightly faster.
However, the Great Qian Swift Cavalry, despite having only half the number of heavy cavalry, had sent out an equal number for the initial charge.
After killing over three hundred, the Great Qian Heavy Cavalry had gained a decisive numerical advantage!
What truly astonished them was the armor of the Great Qian Heavy Cavalry and their horses.
It seemed to be stronger than their iron mail, not shattering under the force of this terrifying impact.
In contrast, the fallen Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry were either killed by lances or had their armor crushed, their deaths gruesome.
With over a hundred casualties and broken lances, the Great Qian Heavy Cavalry also retreated to their formation. The second wave of cavalry urged their horses forward, their faces contorted with rage.
The first weapon exchange resulted in a casualty ratio of 1:10, and with the Great Qian Heavy Cavalry holding a numerical advantage in the charge, the collision casualties were still a ratio of 1:3. This was still not satisfactory to them.
Even though they understood that such a terrifying impact was beyond what plate armor could fully protect against, considering that over a hundred warhorses had also been killed.
Liang Xiao, observing from his vantage point several miles away, could roughly discern the casualty situation on both sides, his heart heavy.
The lives of Great Qian soldiers were far more precious than these ogre-like creatures. A casualty ratio of 1:10 and exceeding 1:3 still pained him.
Now, his military objective was not merely to achieve victory.
Countless Great Qian soldiers saw him as a symbol of their spirit. How to annihilate the enemy with minimal losses and ultimately win the war was what he should be considering.
These Great Qian soldiers, knowing this engagement was a life-or-death struggle, had not retreated an inch from start to finish. Instead, they had accelerated to meet the enemy.
The men of Yan Prefecture were truly heroes. Though their population was less than one-twentieth of the total land, they accounted for one-fifth of the heavy cavalry, with most belonging to the first wave of the charge.
"The heavy cavalry of the Great Qian Swift Cavalry possess the strongest defense, yet they also face the most perilous battlefield environment. Are you all certain you still wish to sign up?" This was the question Liang Xiao had posed to the Great Qian Heavy Cavalry soldiers during the initial selection process in the barracks.
"Marshal! Our spirit is the Great Qian military soul of protecting our homeland. Yan Prefecture was once ravaged by barbarians through burning, killing, and looting, and we have suffered. The enemies of today are wolves and tigers. The Heavenly Sun tribe and the Kingdom of Izumo even eat people. The tragedy of Yan Prefecture must not be repeated on this land. Great Qian must never fall! Therefore, even if I die, I will drive all enemies from this land!!"
The soldiers' resounding replies moved Liang Xiao.
Now, the men of Great Qian were fulfilling their conviction, defending this land with their lives and striking down the enemy.
This kind of brutal heavy cavalry engagement was no longer a situation that a single person's bravery could sway.
"Mobilize five thousand longbowmen to reinforce the Great Qian Swift Cavalry on horseback. Have the Central Prefecture Cavalry provide auxiliary fire support with Great Qian bows!"
Heavy military equipment was cumbersome. This was the only way Liang Xiao could reduce the casualties of the Great Qian Swift Cavalry.
Five thousand longbowmen mounted the reserve warhorses and galloped towards the cavalry battlefield.
The Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry had not retreated despite their initial heavy losses. Instead, with resentment, they organized a second charge.
"The enemy's lances are an inch longer than ours, and their shields cannot block them. Pay attention and avoid them!"
After hearing the reports from the first wave of Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry, the Heavenly Sun Cavalry generals were enraged and immediately formulated a new charging plan.
The second wave of Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry launched their charge. All soldiers leaned forward, almost parallel to their horses' backs, in an attempt to avoid being pierced through the chest by the Great Qian warriors' lances.
Even if the Great Qian Swift Cavalry's lances struck their targets, they would first pierce the horse's head, which was protected by armor!
"Lean forward! Attack!"
The Great Qian Swift Cavalry did not flinch. The next wave stepped forward, charging swiftly, all of them hunched over in unison, just like the Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry.
However, this was a tactic they had trained for a long time.
These thousand men hailed from Yi Prefecture and had undergone rigorous selection and training, donning this heavy armor!
Simultaneously, over three thousand Great Qian Heavy Cavalry from the front and middle ranks drew their Great Qian bows while on horseback, launching their second volley.
Arrows, accompanied by the Great Qian Heavy Cavalry's charge, whistled through the air, piercing the armor of some Great Qian Swift Cavalry and killing dozens of charging targets.
The Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry were both shocked and enraged. Their longbows, firing from a distance, could not pierce the plate armor. As the attackers, their longbowmen, to ensure their own safety, could not keep up and penetrate plate armor at close range.
"Break!" The Great Qian, with their longer lances, still gained the advantage in the first thrust.
This time, because the Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry were hunched over, their targets were the warhorses!
Another earth-shattering collision ensued, flesh and blood splattered across the battlefield, men and horses toppled.
The few who struck most accurately were crushed to death, their dying regrets echoing.
The Great Qian had already developed firearms, but this battlefield was still witnessing the fiercest, most climactic cavalry engagement of the cold weapon era.
Both sides aimed to annihilate the other, thereby crushing the morale and even the faith of the enemy's entire army!
"What??"
The Heavenly Sun Cavalry generals, watching the battle unfold from their elevated position, were even more incredulous.
The two sides charged at each other in similar postures. This time, the Great Qian soldiers, covered by their Great Qian bows and prioritizing attacks on the warhorses, achieved even better results!
When the warhorses were killed, the Heavenly Sun cavalrymen on their backs were thrown to the ground, disoriented. The charge of these soldiers instantly became futile. Instead, they suffered further haphazard thrusts from the Great Qian Heavy Cavalry, with another dozen killed.
This time, the losses were reduced, but over four hundred Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry still perished in this full-speed charge!
In contrast, the Great Qian Heavy Cavalry, also hunched over, and the enemy's inability to aim accurately due to their posture, meant that most Great Qian warriors effectively avoided fatal blows, suffering only thirty to forty casualties, even fewer than before.
The enemy first dodged their lances, then used their shorter lances to thrust fiercely. Without clear aim, they could only strike the Great Qian warhorses.
The steel horse armor, with its strong resilience, effectively withstood the Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry's thrusts, protecting the riders!
The Heavenly Sun Cavalry generals quickly realized the problem, trembling with rage, their fury leading only to helplessness.
"The enemy is cunning. Should we temporarily abandon frontal assaults!"
The third wave of Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry, who had been eager to engage, now hesitated in the face of the Great Qian's meticulous tactical coordination and superior equipment.
The generals' order brought them immense relief.
It seemed they had narrowly escaped disaster?
The second wave lost over half of its strength, and the second charge also saw nearly half lost...
"The land of the East is an agricultural civilization, isn't it? Why has such terrifying cavalry emerged from it?"
Finally, a few Heavenly Sun soldiers muttered subconsciously, their voices clearly trembling, awakening their comrades.
At this moment, the entire Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry force was deeply shaken.
So, they were not invincible. It was purely because their previous enemies were too weak?
The Great Qian Heavy Cavalry, with their most iron-blooded and ferocious spirit, had inflicted unprecedented humiliation upon them!
Their combat effectiveness was inferior to the Great Qian Swift Cavalry, and their coordination with light cavalry was far worse than the enemy's. This was a stark reality.
"The enemy only has four to five thousand heavy cavalry. While their reinforcements have not yet arrived, strike them down immediately! Third wave, charge! The Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry absolutely cannot be defeated here! Absolutely not!!"
The Heavenly Sun Cavalry generals, discovering the situation of the Great Qian Swift Cavalry, roared in anger.
The third wave of Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry could only charge with gritted teeth, praying for good luck and hoping not to be penetrated by the Great Qian bows.
Another unit of Great Qian Heavy Cavalry emerged from the rear, orderly and in a single line, charging towards the enemy.
Unexpectedly, this time, the Divine Archery Corps and five thousand Great Qian Heavy Cavalry simultaneously fired volleys. Over a hundred men fell from their horses, struck by arrows.
The third wave of Great Qian soldiers held their lances in their right hands and small iron shields, less than a foot in diameter, in their left hands to protect their faces.
This was the second tactical adjustment.
"Thump, thump!"
This wave of savage impact saw the Great Qian Heavy Cavalry with tighter defenses, while their offensive capabilities were hardly diminished.
Hundreds of Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry had their faces and necks pierced by lances that grazed their horse armor, dying on the spot.
The collision between the two sides once again brought about extreme impact!
"Bang!"
More than twenty Great Qian Heavy Cavalry died on the spot. Over a dozen had their vital points protected by small iron shields, but their hand bones were still shattered by the impact...
At least their lives were saved!
The third exchange completely shattered the confidence of the Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry.
"We are no match for them. Their tactics are not inferior to ours; they are even more refined and advanced..."
The Heavenly Sun Cavalry generals wore troubled expressions.
Hannibal had issued a strict order that the Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry must not suffer a crushing defeat today.
After slowing down, the Great Qian Heavy Cavalry unleashed a flurry of stabs at the Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry. When the Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry retreated in disarray, they were not pursued. Instead, they escorted their comrades, whose hands were injured and disabled, back to their formation.
Nan Jiyun, also observing the battle from a high vantage point with binoculars, wore a worried expression.
The casualty situation on both sides was sufficient proof of the excellence of the Great Qian Heavy Cavalry and the coordinated effectiveness of the Great Qian Swift Cavalry at both close and long range.
This was an army that could not be broken and would not perish!
However, only half of the Great Qian Swift Cavalry were present here, and this best type of lance was only held by one person per soldier. Once broken, they had to fight with ordinary lances.
Most importantly, the approximately twenty thousand Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry would surely notice the limited number of Great Qian Swift Cavalry in the front ranks and attempt to win by sheer numbers.
The Great Qian Heavy Cavalry, after undergoing one charge, were not suitable for a second charge.
Even if the Great Qian Swift Cavalry defended their position, the enemy would charge regardless of the cost, seeking to turn the tide.
If reinforcements did not arrive soon, he would have to consider ordering a retreat.
As expected, the fourth unit of Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry, under the roar of their generals, broke formation and charged directly at the Great Qian Swift Cavalry!
The fourth unit of Great Qian Swift Cavalry immediately surged from their formation.
At this moment, a world-shattering battle cry and the neighing of warhorses finally echoed from the north. The ground rumbled as if a minor earthquake had occurred.
Everyone turned to look at the source of the sound, some with joy and some with sorrow.
The other half of the Great Qian Heavy Cavalry, along with the other half of the Central Prefecture Cavalry, were escorting five thousand longbowmen, who were not part of the Divine Archery Corps, to this location!
"There's still half left?!"
The Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry's faces were filled with horror. The soldiers of the fourth charging unit reined in their horses and returned to their formation, no longer daring to continue their charge.
Because the enemy was now attacking from both flanks, if they continued to charge, they would face a torrent of arrows and then an endless barrage of high-quality lances!
Nan Jiyun finally breathed a sigh of relief, his gaze then sharpening as he waved his flag.
"All troops, charge!"
With a single order, the Central Prefecture Cavalry, the Great Qian Swift Cavalry, and the five thousand longbowmen, over sixty thousand strong, surged forward in unison, like ferocious tigers descending from a mountain, eager to crush the enemy!
As night fell, the war cries and the thunder of hooves of the Great Qian cavalry shook the heavens and the earth. For this Heavenly Sun tribe unit, it was akin to the collapse of heaven and earth, a complete upheaval!
"Swish, swish, swish!"
With the threat of the heavy cavalry's charge gone, the Great Qian Heavy Cavalry led the vanguard to cover their comrades. The longbows and Great Qian bows, firing with confidence from the rear, unleashed a barrage.
The Heavenly Sun Swift Cavalry, already in a state of existential doubt, were thrown into disarray by the relentless volleys and retreated in droves.
This retreat also affected the troops behind them.
In cavalry engagements, the field of vision of ordinary soldiers was extremely limited, seeing only comrades and enemies. Commanders often had to observe from elevated positions to seize tactical opportunities for their troops.
Therefore, upon hearing the Great Qian soldiers' roar of "Pursue the victory," the Heavenly Sun soldiers waiting for news in the rear looked at each other in confusion.
"The front line has been defeated?"