Hong long long, in that instant which the Tibetan cavalrymen charged into the opening torn through the shield bearers, everyone's faces paled.
The formation consisting of two hundred shield bearers at the frontline was their greatest protective amulet. Their role was to slow down the speed of the Tibetans so that the other troops could better engage them.
After all, with the incredible momentum the Tibetan cavalrymen wielded when charging at full speed, other than the shield bearers, nobody behind them could possibly withstand their might!
The endless bloody history of war had already shown that once an army's defense line was breached, it would be a calamity for the vulnerable troops hiding behind their cover.
"Everyone, calm down! Cavalry, prepare your charge!" Amidst the chaos, the commandant bellowed. However, it was already too late. With minimal space to start a charge, the cavalrymen couldn't possibly build up sufficient momentum to match the Tibetan soldiers.
Given the current circumstances, the cavalry were completely helpless.
The entire plan banked on the shield bearers successfully keeping the Tibetan cavalry at bay. From the instant that a hole was torn through the front line, everyone's fate was already sealed. What would be awaiting them was defeat and death.
The furiously charging three hundred Tibetan cavalrymen buffed by the Halo of White Yak and Halo of Fortress were a catastrophe to the Great Tang soldiers behind.
"Hahaha, kill those fools! This time, we shall wipe them out cleanly!" the Tibetan commander at the forefront roared in laughter as he led a group of cavalry through the breach.
By this point, he could already see the defeat of the Great Tang army. This time, no one would be able to escape from them, and there would be no more subsequent battles. After killing these men here and destroying the resting point, they would flee back to Ü-Tsang and await their next orders.
Weng!
Just as the eight hundred Great Tang soldiers were about to face their ultimate doom, at this crucial moment, the loud neighing of steeds suddenly intruded into the battle, messing up the tides of battle.
From the right end of the Tibetan army, another group of two hundred suddenly charged out, and from the moment of their appearance, they were already charging at maximum speed. The imposing momentum their charge harnessed was surprisingly on par with the Tibetan cavalrymen!
"How could there be another Great Tang army there?!" Seeing the sudden appearance of the cavalry formation, the Tibetan commander's face warped in astonishment. He had never anticipated this!
In the previous battles, such a scenario had never happened before.
What was even more unacceptable to him was that he was actually oblivious to the presence of this cavalry formation until they were already in proximity to him. This should have been impossible!
"Those cunning bastards!" Clenching his fists tightly, the Tibetan commander swiftly came to a realization. Without a doubt, those fellows had concealed their presence by using the commotion caused by the Tibetans own charge.
Considering how they were surrounded by the loud din generated by their own charge, how could they possibly hear any other noise?
Or rather, even if they had heard the commotion from the Great Tang cavalrymen, they would have just thought it came from one of their own.
That was indeed an intelligent move to make. Their opponent was truly cunning.
And what left him even more apprehensive was that the enemy had come from a faraway location, timing themselves to arrive at this crucial moment. Through this, not only would they be able to avoid detection, they would also be able to build up the momentum of their cavalry to the limit.
With their speed at the limit as well, the two hundred cavalrymen posed a fatal threat to their army, one that was even greater than the eight hundred men before them.
"Retreat! Turn to the left! Luosang, you shall lead your group to engage that army! You must intercept them at all cost!" Instinctively sensing the danger that lay within the charging cavalry formation, the Tibetan commander immediately roared a command anxiously.
The enemy was swiftly approaching their flank, their weakest point at the moment. If no countermeasures were made, they would certainly suffer heavy damages.
"Not bad, you reacted quite fast. However, it's a pity that you're too late!" Seeing the Tibetan cavalry before him making instantaneous adjustments to their formation to cope with the attack, Wang Chong sneered coldly in disdain.
The enemy commander was indeed formidable to be able to overcome the Big Dipper Army's formation of tower shields. However, it was a pity that that was all he could do. He was still far from a match for Wang Chong.
In fact, upon seeing Wang Chong, the enemy commander had made a fatal mistake similar to the one committed by the Big Dipper Army commandant.
The greatest mistake the Big Dipper Army commandant committed was to engage the Tibetans at the bottom of the mountain, whereas the mistake the Tibetan commander committed was changing their formation at the last moment in order to deal with him.
A cavalry formation charging at full speed mustn't change its direction easily, as doing so would result in significant deceleration.
The greater the change in the direction, the more severe the deceleration would be. Generally speaking, if the change in direction was be ninety degrees or more, the momentum that had been built up earlier would be dissipated into nothing.
If the enemy commander had chosen to persist with his strategy and charge straight ahead, he might have been able to deal fatal damage to the eight hundred Great Tang soldiers.
But now...
To put it simply, they were goners.
While the mistake the enemy commander had made did play a part in worsening the plight they were in, the moment that they had allowed Wang Chong's group to get so close to them had already sealed their fate.
Raising his right hand, Wang Chong commanded, "Arrow Formation, charge!"
The two hundred cavalrymen immediately moved from their original positions to form a large Arrow Formation.
Hong long!
In just an instant, Wang Chong, Zhao Yatong, Bai Siling, Xu Gan, Huang Yongtu, Fang Xuanying, and the others had already stabbed viciously into the formation of the Tibetan cavlarymen.
The Flying Wedge Charging Formation against the Arrow Formation!
Two entirely different cavalry formations clashed for the very first time by the border of Longxi's territory.
These two completely different cavalry formations were rarely seen even in modern day warfare.
Hong long!
As the two hundred men strong Arrow Formation stabbed deep into the Tibetan Army's formation, Wang Chong also activated his war halo simultaneously.
An intangible ripple swiftly diffused from Wang Chong to cover the entire battlefield. The Halo of Fortress formed by the three hundred Tibetan cavalrymen immediately flickered before shattering entirely, while the tier of the Halo of White Yak fell instantaneously.
Bane of the Battlefield!
For the first time in several months, Wang Chong activated his war halo. With this, he nullified the crucial advantages that the three hundred Tibetan soldiers wielded, thus putting the Great Tang army in a decisive advantage.
Sensing the changes, the faces of the three hundred Tibetan cavalrymen turned livid.
Without the Halo of Fortress, they were no different from ordinary cavalrymen.
Hong long!
With a resounding war cry, the two hundred men strong Arrow Formation tore the Tibetan cavalry apart from within, utterly destroying their formation...
Chapter 375: Victorious!
Chapter 375: Victorious!
【Congratulations to user for accomplishing a first kill of a Tibetan cavalryman. Additional reward: 1 Destiny Energy!】
【Congratulations to user for killing 2 Tibetan cavalryman!】
【Congratulations to user for killing 3 Tibetan cavalryman!】
【Congratul
ations to user for killing 4 Tibetan cavalryman!】
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【Congratulations to user for killing 7 Tibetan cavalryman!】
【Congratulations to user for killing 8 Tibetan cavalryman!】
【Congratulations to user for killing 9 Tibetan cavalryman!】...
A series of notifications popped up in Wang Chong's head. In just a few short moments after the Arrow Formation plunged deeply into the Tibetan cavalrymen's flank, aand huge number of casualties emerged in their ranks.
The Tibetan cavalrymen were too focused on the eight hundred Great Tang soldiers before them, Wang Chong and his group's appearance came as a complete surprise. Unprepared, they were unable to make any effective countermoves on the spot.
Besides, Wang Chong's charge was designed to not grant them any time to think. From the moment that the Tibetan army spotted Wang Chong's group until the moment the Arrow Formation pierced deep into their echelons, there was only an interval of six seconds.
Six seconds was completely insufficient for the three hundred Tibetan cavalrymen to make any effective maneuvers against them. On the contrary, any attempt to do so only resulted in further chaos.
Under the furious charge of the Great Tang cavalrymen, soldiers and steeds were knocked into the air.
Watching as the Tibetan cavalrymen fell one after another, Zhao Yatong couldn't help but feel that she was in a dream. After the previous few encounters, the Tibetan army had already engraved an infallible image deep in her mind. She never could have imagined that a day would come that they would topple like dominos.
She could hardly believe what that was happening before her would actually be true!
"Kill them!" With a furious roar, Zhao Yatong swiftly put her Scarlet Tassel Spear together, forming a two-meter long spear.
Hu! A surge of flames shot forth from the spear as the Zhao Clan's famed spear technique, Spear of Searing Flames, appeared once again. With just a flash, the heads of three Tibetan soldiers were severed from their heads.
The appearance of Wang Chong's Bane of the Battlefield had reduced the effect of all war halo by a tier. As such, the Halo of Yak formed by the Tibetan cavalrymen was nerfed by a tier. Even worse, the primary Halo of Fortress which they had formed with great difficulty became unstable, and was dissipated forcefully.
It was on this kind of battlefield that the war halo granted to him by the Stone of Destiny displayed its true prowess.
It wasn't born for the sake of dueling with others, but for the purpose of turning the tides of a battle.
This was also one of the main reasons why Wang Chong chose to participate in the third mission without any hesitation, as well as the true basis behind his confidence.
Under the effects of the level one Bane of the Battlefield, the three hundred Tibetan soldiers were no threat at all.
"The hell! What is going on?"
"Where's the halo?"
"Damn it! We still have three hundred men, so how in the world did our Fortress of Halo vanish?"
"Why did my cultivation suddenly fall so sharply?!"
"What is going on?"...
The sudden appearance of Wang Chong's cavalry had caused the Tibetan horsemen to descend into chaos, but what left them truly panicked and frightened was the sudden disappearance of the Halo of Fortress, as well as the sudden nerf of their strength.
The former was their strongest weapon, while the latter was their self-protection tool. It was based on those two that they were able to emerge triumphant on the many battlefields they had fought on.
Thus, having their cultivation abruptly falling was extremely fearsome to them. It felt like the work of black magic, as if they had been cursed!
But before they could contemplate what was happening, the matter which the Tibetans had been the most worried about occurred.
ROARRR!
A furious bellow echoed from the foot of the mountain. The arrival of Wang Chong's two hundred cavalrymen was like a sudden ray of hope to the eight hundred Great Tang soldiers who had already resigned themselves to fate.
What left them even more agitated was that the seemingly infallible Tibetan soldiers actually turned out to be no match for the two hundred Great Tang cavalry at all.
"Charge!"
Such a sight had roused their spirits, and making use of the Tibetan cavalry's moment of weakness, the army of eight hundred immediately charged forth to coordinate with Wang Chong's group.
"Shield bearers, axe soldiers, archers, and cavalrymen... Charge!"
The Big Dipper Army commandant was also stunned by the sudden turn of events. He could hardly believe his eyes. He didn't expect the "deserters" to appear at this crucial moment.
Nevertheless, he didn't hesitate in grasping this opportunity to crush the Tibetan cavalrymen altogether.
The matter regarding why the two hundred cavalrymen had disobeyed orders, disappeared, and appeared abruptly could come later.
The important matter at hand was to capitalize on the current opportunity to swiftly destroy the three hundred Tibetan cavalrymen. If they were allowed to get away, who knows whether they might venture even deeper into Great Tang and wreak havoc wherever they passed.
Hong long!
The two hundred shield bearers raised their tower shields up and charged at the Tibetan cavalrymen. Boom! The heavy tower shields collided forcefully against the highland steeds.
Neighhhh! Despite the physical resilience of these highland steeds, their bones and tendons still snapped under the incredible force behind the tower shields.
To be able to withstand a full charge of mounted soldiers, the strength of these shield bearers was prodigious. If one were to assume that the sole purpose of these tower shields was to fend off enemies, they couldn't be any more mistaken. They were a powerful tool of offense as well!
Amidst agonized neighings, highland steeds collapsed to the ground. At the same time, the several hundred Great Tang cavalry behind also began their charge.
In just an instant, the Tibetans were pincered both from the back and the front. Their formations flew into chaos, and their echelon formation finally collapsed.
After the innumerable battles Great Tang had with Ü-Tsang, the consequences of the Tibetan cavalry having their formation scattered was apparent.
Hong long long!
In just an instant, the three hundred Tibetan cavalrymen found themselves plunged into a dire state.
War steeds collided with war steeds, swords clashing with swords, halos wrestling against halos, Stellar Energy vied against Stellar Energy, roars of aggression, cries of agony... All of these converged together to form a chaotic scene.
【Congratulations to user for killing 23 Tibetan cavalryman】
【Congratulations to user for killing 24 Tibetan cavalryman】
【Congratulations to user for killing 25 Tibetan cavalryman】
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【Congratulations to user for killing 37 Tibetan cavalryman】
【Congratulations to user for killing 38 Tibetan cavalryman】
【Congratulations to user for killing 39 Tibetan cavalryman】
【Congratulations to user for killing 40 Tibetan cavalryman】...
As the Tibetan cavalrymen fell, notifications sounded ceaselessly in Wang Chong's head. Hong long, a seemingly endless source of energy gushed into Wang Chong's body.
At the same time, the Bane of the Battlefield halo also began expanding once more. Wang Chong could see the beautiful but imposing white ripples pushing their boundaries further...
"Incredible!" Wang Chong closed his eyes as he indulged himself in the marvellous sensation of having his strength growing rapidly. It was as if every single cell in his body was moaning in pleasure.
Since the three hundred Tibetan cavalrymen were goners, there was no need for him to interfere in the battle anymore.
In truth, it wasn't a necessity for a commander to step on the battlefield personally, either. From the moment that Wang Chong had succeeded in executi
ng his plan, he already knew that he had won.
As the saying went, "the one who analyzes deeper wins the battle". That is the true role that a commander should assume.
Compared to the strategies that Wang Chong grasped, the warfare in this era was still far too lacking.
They were still stuck with the notion that warfare was only about organizing an army in a formation and making use of everything at their disposal to win the battle.
When Wang Chong first arrived in this world in his previous life, he had already realized that despite the advanced martial arts existent in this world, warfare was still very underdeveloped.
Strategies used tended to be too simplistic. For example, the Tibetans relied too heavily on the advantages they acquired from charging from a higher position.
On the other hand, Great Tang was smart to utilize the tower shields to stop them, but they failed to prepare any follow-up plan should it fail.
Military strategies were divided into two main types, convention and novel. Through conventional strategies, one could organize their army to prepare an offense or defense, but it was through novel maneuvers that one would be able to outdo their opponent and claim victory!
The military in this world had done well on the "convention" aspect, but they lacked the "novel" maneuvers in their strategy. It was based on this that Wang Chong was able to outdo most generals, be it the Great Generals, Conferred Generals, or Protector-Generals, and win the support of the elders of the empire!
Of all the formidable generals in the world, he was the only one who rose to the very top and won himself the title of "War Saint"!
This war might be a life-and-death battle to the others, but it was nothing more than a walk in the park for Wang Chong.
Hong long long, horse after horse, the highlands steeds fell, and soldier after soldier of the Tibetan cavalry was killed.
【Congratulations to user for accumulating 1718 kills of foreign soldiers.】
【Congratulations to user for accumulating 1719 kills of foreign soldiers.】
【Congratulations to user for accumulating 1720 kills of foreign soldiers.】...
【Congratulations to user for accumulating 1834 kills of foreign soldiers.】
The Human Emperor c1-2382 Page 268
