The four generals also agreed that Su Dingfang would provide backup for Li Chengyi.
Cheng Chuliang provided support to Chang Sunze.
The two generals understood Li Xiang's arrangement, which was purely for training newcomers. Li Chengyi and Chang Sunze were both young men and still needed training on the battlefield. As for Cheng Chuliang and Su Dingfang, their training time had passed and they had grown quite well. So now you have all become old generals and have to back up these two young generals.
According to what they discussed, the four armies were all dispersed, with the two vanguard troops advancing first, and the remaining troops wandering around in an area of about two hundred miles behind, specifically responsible for filling the gaps and preventing the enemy cavalry from infiltrating.
They have also studied the combat methods of the Arab cavalry, which is long-distance penetration and rapid charge. If they are given the opportunity, they may be able to rush into our camp overnight.
Li Chengyi was originally in charge of the artillery, but suddenly he was leading 20,000 elite troops alone. Although there were still artillery, they had become a small part. He also knew that if he made a contribution this time, he would definitely have a significant place in the history of the Tang Dynasty in the future.
After leaving the military camp, this guy did not advance quickly as before. Instead, he first got to know his troops, and then slowly released sounding balloons. Under the reconnaissance of the sounding balloons, he only advanced forty miles a day.
When Li Xiang got the news, he immediately shook his head with a wry smile. Even the brave men in our army have become so cautious. It seems that because he is on the front line, the generals dare not deploy their forces.
"Your Highness, it's not entirely your fault. Given the Arab Empire's fighting style, we have no choice but to do this. If we also rush in quickly, what if we miss them? Wouldn't that mean we lose an opportunity to spy? They're using speed to defeat slow, so we should respond calmly. Generals, your response strategy is sound."
Zhang Jiuli also learned a lot about military tactics, so after a complex analysis, he believed that the generals' responses were correct, especially in the current situation. If both sides were to infiltrate each other, it would be easy for me to hit your rear and you to hit my rear, or for both sides to penetrate each other, making our weapons useless.
Take our various artillery pieces, for example. They are best suited for large-scale bombardment. If the armies of both sides become entangled, how will our weapons be used? In the end, we can only watch helplessly, throwing away our original advantages and engaging in close combat with them. This is not what we want.
During the last war, Zhang Jiuli also read some war records. If it was a duel of cold weapons, our side would have no advantage at all.
When we had the advantage, they used the speed of light cavalry to quickly leave the battle group. The light cavalry gathered together and overwhelmed us with their superior numbers. But we couldn't keep up with their speed. Although we were also cavalry, it would take us twice as long as them to gather together.
On the battlefield, let alone twice the time, even a 10% reduction could determine the outcome of the battle. So what we have to do is to proceed steadily, step by step, and advance slowly. As long as we find the enemy, we must launch an attack on them from a long distance and kill at least a quarter of them in one round.
"You're right. They've all learned their skills, so it's time for us to move out. These people are advancing forty miles a day, so we'll advance forty miles every two days. Once we've gained a certain distance from them, we can then match their pace."
Li Xiang still had tens of thousands of troops under his command, but 90,000 of them were troops from various ethnic groups, not the real Tang army. Li Xiang used the Gaochang army to watch over these people in order to let them maintain order after occupying new lands in the future. He did not really want to rely on them on the battlefield. What he relied on on the battlefield was still the elite troops under the four generals.
In addition to the troops participating in the war, there were an equal number of civilians busy in the rear. Of course, due to the popularity of four-wheeled carriages, our logistical pressure was greatly alleviated, but it still cost a lot to feed, drink, defecate and urinate so many troops every day.
On the other hand, the Arab army's logistics were much simpler. Everyone had to carry their own rations, which lasted only about seven to fourteen days. If they could not win, they would have to rob on the spot, whether it was the enemy or their own people.
When fighting in Europe, the Arab Empire's army was like a swarm of locusts wherever it passed through, which caused the most intense resistance from the locals. However, due to the bloody policies of the Arab Empire, all the local resistance was suppressed. Now they want to replicate all this in the Tang Dynasty, but unfortunately Li Xiang is the Mount Tai standing in their way.
General Sukhguman kept urging the marching army. If they continued to advance at the current speed, they would probably run out of food before they met the Tang army.
Therefore, we must find the Tang army before the food runs out and fight them to the death. If we win, the logistics of the Tang army will become theirs, and the food in the barracks will be enough for them to get through the difficulties.
If they failed, there would be no need for logistics. Without an army, what was the point of logistics? Either they would be captured by the Tang army, or their heads would be buried in the desert, becoming nothing more than bones after many years.
Western countries could not find a way to crack the Arab Empire's way of fighting. Under the influence of hunger and other factors, the Arab Empire's army was like a group of hungry wolves, defeating the armies of Western countries. If it were not for the heavy cavalry of the Frankish Kingdom, the whole of Europe would probably have been swept across.
Even so, the Frankish Kingdom paid a huge price, which put them under the threat of Arab cavalry at all times. They only felt relieved when they learned that there was an army in the East also fighting against the Arab Empire.
In their legends, that was the Celestial Empire. All Europeans hoped that the Celestial Empire would deal with this army and kill it completely, so that they would no longer be in danger. After all, in the legends, the people of the Celestial Empire loved peace and would not come to attack us...
