Adopted Son A understood this clearly.
The weakness of their force was that they had infantry and artillery, but lacked cavalry—the most crucial strategic force.
In fact, any force that wanted to use infantry to counter cavalry needed some cavalry of its own as a countermeasure.
At the very least, they needed cavalry equal to one-fifth of the enemy's numbers.
That way, after defeating the enemy, they could use cavalry to finish them off and expand their gains.
Otherwise, they could only rout the enemy and kill a few at most. Most of the wounded could escape on horseback.
After recuperating for a while, the stronger ones would survive again.
Gunshot wounds and arrow wounds were different.
A bullet that entered the body was small and deep, difficult to dig out, and easily caused infection and fever, ending in death.
Arrows were easier to pull out. If necessary, they could simply be dug out.
To be safer, Adopted Son A once again ordered them to conduct their retreat in alternating hollow-square formations while maintaining a defensive posture.
This marching method required extremely high levels of training and organization.
Fortunately, their training and organization were still up to that standard.
Otherwise, if they had been Ming Army troops, they would have been destined to collapse.
Amin, who was pursuing them, soon spotted a strange sight in the distance.
The enemy was retreating in turns.
The rear-guard square withdrew first.
The vanguard square remained on defense.
Then the two sides switched duties.
The rear guard defended in place, their cannon muzzles aimed at the distant cavalry.
The vanguard then retreated.
They alternated in this fashion.
Amin observed carefully. If he charged headlong now, he should be able to break one or two of their squares.
But the other units would quickly close