Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Chapter 141 Crescent Moon Formation Completed

The aftershocks of the border skirmish at Gray Rock Spring spread rapidly, like ripples spreading across a pond after a pebble has been thrown in. On the Starfire Fortress side, envoys, carrying relics from the "Western Liang" and partial confessions from captured personnel, marched righteously to Rock Fortress to negotiate. Their words were stern, demanding severe punishment for the perpetrators, compensation for losses, and clear guarantees regarding border defense. Inside Rock Fortress, Shi Hu was filled with shock and anger. He angrily denounced Han Meng for his lax management and for stirring up trouble, while simultaneously suspecting that Han Meng or Shi Gan had deliberately created the incident to escalate tensions. Internal strife made it difficult to reach a unified and effective response; they could only temporarily adopt a defensive posture, strengthening border vigilance, but dared not provoke any further action.

The brief commotion at the border did not disrupt Starfire Fortress's established course. Chen Xing knew that Rock Fortress to the east, after this setback and internal strife, would be difficult to wield in the short term. The real, more threatening challenge always lay in the north—that vast and restless grassland.

"My lord, the White Sheep tribe to the north has sent envoys with two hundred autumn tribute horses and five hundred hides, their words increasingly deferential," Zhao Tiezhu reported in the study of the main fortress, his face showing little joy. "However, according to news from Li Shu's side on the grasslands, the White Sheep tribe has recently been in close contact with the 'Golden Horde' further north, their trade has expanded, and small groups of White Sheep cavalry have even been stationed at the Golden Horde camp under the guise of 'learning archery and horsemanship.' As for the Golden Horde... in the past six months, they have annexed three or four surrounding small and medium-sized tribes, their archers now number over eight thousand, and their new chieftain, 'Wuzhu,' is ambitious, calling himself a 'descendant of the Blue Wolf,' and has repeatedly declared his intention to march south to 'take the fertile lands of the Southern Dynasty and graze horses in the Central Plains.'"

"Eight thousand iron cavalry..." Chen Xing's gaze was fixed on the vast grassland region on the map of the northern border. Unlike the mixed infantry and cavalry armies of the Central Plains, the nomadic tribes of the grasslands were primarily cavalry, swift as the wind and quick as lightning in their raids. While not skilled in siege warfare, they posed a significant threat in open field battles and in harassing logistical lines. Although Xinghuo Fortress possessed a fortified city and well-trained infantry and crossbows, it lacked effective means to counter a large-scale nomadic cavalry charge on the open plains, making it highly vulnerable to being put on the defensive.

"We must find a tactic to contain, and even defeat, the Hu cavalry in open field battles." Chen Xing turned to Jia Wen, who was standing beside him. "Wenhe, the north is mostly plains, and the Hu cavalry are swift. Do you have any good strategies?"

Jia Wen pondered for a moment, a glint in his narrow eyes: "The strength of the Hu cavalry lies in their mobility and ability to charge. Their weakness lies in their lack of heavy siege weaponry, their inability to sustain prolonged battles, and their tendency for inter-tribal coordination to rely on the personal prestige of their chieftains, making them easily discouraged and demoralized. To subdue them, we must leverage our strengths and avoid their weaknesses. Our Xinghuo Fort infantry are well-armored, well-equipped, disciplined, and possess sharp crossbows. If we can form a defensive formation, using stillness to control movement, we can blunt their momentum and then seek an opportunity to counterattack, perhaps achieving victory."

He walked to the map and pointed to several river bends and passes on the edge of the grassland: "Especially in this kind of terrain, limiting the maneuvering space of the barbarian cavalry and forcing them to charge our pre-set positions head-on, the power of our infantry crossbow formation can be demonstrated. In the past, there was the 'Crescent Moon Formation,' which was formed with its back to the river, using chariots as fortifications, and firing powerful bows and crossbows in rapid succession, specifically designed to break cavalry charges. However, this formation is complex to set up, and it requires extremely high standards of soldier discipline, general command, and crossbow consumption, as well as specific terrain conditions."

"The Crescent Moon Formation..." Chen Xing's heart skipped a beat. After he conquered Black Mountain and became a force to be reckoned with in the North, the system shop had unlocked many new military knowledge graphs, including "Detailed Explanation of the Crescent Moon Formation"! This formation was first created by Liu Yu during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, a classic example of infantry defeating cavalry. Its core lies in using chariots, antlers, and shields to construct an arc-shaped defensive position. The two flanks of the position are near water or dangerous terrain to avoid being outflanked by cavalry. Powerful crossbows are concentrated at the front of the formation to inflict heavy casualties on the charging cavalry with a dense rain of arrows. Once the enemy's morale is exhausted and their formation is in disarray, elite infantry can then break out from the center of the formation and launch a counterattack.

"This formation suits my purposes perfectly!" A glint flashed in Chen Xing's eyes. "Our Starfire Fortress possesses steel-plated heavy armor, powerful crossbows, strict discipline, and a valiant general like Dian Xiong who can lead heavy infantry as a counterattack force! This formation is perfect for practicing against the Northern Hu!"

He immediately ordered the exchange of knowledge from "Detailed Explanation of the Crescent Moon Formation" and summoned Chen Wei and Dian Xiong.

Before long, Chen Wei and Dian Xiong, dressed in full armor and resembling a mobile fortress, entered the study. Chen Xing briefly explained the threat posed by the Golden Tent from the north and the concept of the Crescent Moon Formation.

Upon hearing that there was a battle to be fought, and against the fiercest Hu cavalry, Dian Xiong immediately became excited, rubbing his hands together eagerly: "My lord! Strategist! Leave this damn Crescent Moon Formation to me, old Dian! My brothers and I in the Trapped Camp are just missing a hard enough whetstone! Forget about golden tents and silver tents, if they dare to come, I'll pierce them through the heart with this new spear!"

Chen Wei, however, remained calm: "The key to this formation lies in its stability and the continuous supply of crossbow bolts. We need to select the most reliable veterans to form a chariot formation with shields. The Divine Arm Battalion needs a large reserve of arrows and must practice coordination with the infantry. Grasping the timing of the counterattack is of paramount importance."

Chen Xing nodded: "Chen Wei is absolutely right. You will be in overall charge of the drills, while Dian Xiong will be responsible for the specific training of the Trapped Camp's formation and counterattacks. The necessary chariots, large shields, antlers, and other equipment will be manufactured by the Craftsmen's Battalion within a specified timeframe. The Divine Arm Battalion will provide support and training. The drill location... will be 'Broken Moon Bay,' thirty miles north of the fortress. It is backed by a tributary of the Luo River, and its terrain, while open, is also somewhat restrictive, which is perfect for the Crescent Moon Formation."

"Your subordinates obey!" Chen Wei and Dian Xiong replied in unison.

In the days that followed, Starfire Fortress's war machine once again sprang into action, but this time, its spearhead was aimed directly north. The artisan battalions were brightly lit, rushing to produce specially made defensive chariots, extended shields, and a large number of chevaux-de-frise and deer antlers according to the blueprints provided by Chen Xing. The Military Affairs Department drew the most steady and capable soldiers from various battalions to strengthen shield-forming training; the Divine Arm Battalion began stockpiling crossbow bolts on a large scale and practicing rapid deployment and covering fire behind moving vehicle formations.

The shores of Broken Moon Bay were transformed into a massive training ground. Every day, Dian Xiong led from the front, his roar like thunder, guiding his 800 heavily armored elite soldiers in repeated drills of constructing an arc-shaped defensive line using chariot formations and shield walls. From the placement of chariots, the connection of shields, and the arrangement of antlers, to the positioning and rotation of archers, spearmen, and swordsmen within the formation, every detail was required to be executed flawlessly, as if by magic. The heavy, specially made chariots moved with incredible speed in their hands, and the massive shields, when raised, resembled a moving forest of steel.

Chen Wei oversaw the overall situation, coordinating the cooperation of various troop types, with particular emphasis on the firepower configuration and rhythm control of the Shenbi Battalion within the formation. Chen Xing and Jia Wen also personally inspected the site multiple times. Chen Xing, drawing on his knowledge from "Detailed Explanation of the Crescent Moon Formation," offered many key suggestions regarding formation adjustments, crossbow firing angles, and the setup of counterattack channels.

Initially, the drills were fraught with difficulties; the vehicle formations were assembled slowly, the shield walls had occasional gaps, and the coordination between different units was unfamiliar. However, under Dian Xiong's roars and the intimidation of the military stick, under Chen Wei's meticulous command, and under Chen Xing's repeated personal guidance and corrections, this newly formed heavy infantry group grew at an astonishing pace. They shed their initial impetuosity and, through the monotonous daily drills, gradually developed a silent yet solid sense of power, like refined steel being tempered.

On this day, the exercise reached a crucial stage—a simulated cavalry charge. Hundreds of light cavalrymen, playing the role of barbarian cavalry, launched a charge from a distance. The soldiers of the Vanguard Camp quickly formed a solid arc-shaped defensive line, relying on pre-arranged wagon formations, shield walls, and stag antlers. Inside the formation, the crossbowmen of the Divine Arm Camp calmly calculated the distance.

"Two hundred steps!"

"One hundred and fifty steps!"

"Fire!" As the command flag was waved, hundreds of crossbows roared like thunder at the same time. Heavy crossbow bolts swarmed towards the charging "enemy cavalry" like locusts. Although the arrowheads were covered with cloth, the power and accuracy still made the charging cavalrymen tremble with fear, and their momentum was halted.

Immediately following was a continuous barrage of arrows from ordinary crossbows, covering the area in front of the formation. The "enemy cavalry" braved the "rain of arrows" to approach with difficulty, but had to deal with the dense array of deer antlers and the spikes of the wagon formation, which greatly reduced their speed.

Just as the enemy cavalry were huddled together, trying to find a way out, the war drums in the formation suddenly changed!

"We are determined to fight to the death!" Dian Xiong's furious roar drowned out all the noise. Suddenly, a pre-prepared passage in the chariot formation opened, and Dian Xiong, clad in heavy armor weighing over a hundred pounds and wielding a giant spear and axe, charged forward like a tiger released from its cage! Behind him, three hundred equally armed elite soldiers, in tight formation, surged forward like an iron torrent, crashing into the chaotic ranks of the "enemy cavalry"! The clash of swords and spears, the simulated battle cries, shook the heavens and the earth.

The light cavalrymen playing the role of the Hu cavalry, despite knowing it was a drill, were still slaughtered by Dian Xiong's inhuman momentum and the overwhelming charge of the Trapped Camp heavy infantry, with "men and horses falling to the ground" and a large gap being torn in their defensive line in an instant.

"Stop!" On the high platform, Chen Wei waved the flag, signaling the end of the drill.

As the smoke and dust slowly dissipated, the immovable arc-shaped wagon formation on the shore of Broken Moon Bay was revealed, along with the "destroyed" cavalry column in front of it. Dian Xiong, leaning on his spear, his body steaming with heat, grinned widely and waved his fist towards the high platform, signifying the successful completion of the drill.

Chen Xing and Jia Wen stood side by side on the high platform, looking down at the iron army that was beginning to take on a ferocious appearance, and Chen Xing felt a little more at ease.

"The Crescent Moon Formation is taking shape," Chen Xing said slowly. "However, a drill is not the same as actual combat. The Hu cavalry are fierce, and Wuzhu is cunning. We will need to adapt to the situation when the time comes."

Jia Wen's gaze was deep and unfathomable: "The battle formation is ready, the crossbows are sharp, and the soldiers are brave. Now, we only await the north wind to rise and the barbarian horses to arrive. My lord, you should order more scouting along the border, especially regarding the movements of the White Sheep tribe. If they are truly colluding with the Golden Horde, there will surely be clues."

"Hmm." Chen Xing nodded, his gaze fixed on the depths of the northern grasslands, where dark clouds seemed to be gathering.