Ming Chinese cavalry tactics — Part 2

In my previous blog post, I briefly touched some of the tactics used by Ming cavalry against their nomadic enemies. In this one, I will delve deeper and discuss a formation used in Dao Chao (搗巢) operation, or more specifically, the formation used during the return trip of such an operation.

Jiao Lu Chao Chu Bing Zhen (剿虜巢出兵陣, lit. 'Barbarian nest suppression mobilisation formation')

Drawing of Jiao Lu Chu Bing Zhen Tu, from 'Wu Bei Zhi (《武備志》)'.

Read more

Patron only: A look into an interesting battle account

Read more

Ming Chinese infantry tactics — Part 2

In my previous blog post, I briefly discussed about large formation battle in the context of Chinese warfare. However, it only gives a very rough and incomplete idea on how a large scale battle was fought. In this blog post, I will delve deeper into the subject, using actual figures, pictures, as well as comparison with Western formation to give a clearer picture on Chinese battle formation.

Individual spacing and formation frontage

Generally speaking, four typical Chinese soldier would occupy a five chi (approx. 5.35 feet or 1.63 metre) by five chi square. In other word, space between two soldiers, measured from shoulder to shoulder, is roughly 2.1 feet. For example, an early Mandarin Duck squad employed by Qi Ji Guang (戚繼光) would occupy a rectangular space of five chi wide and one zhang five chi long (5.35 feet × 16.05 feet).

Typical Chinese formation was actually incredibly spacious by European standard, as European pikemen of the sixteenth and seventeenth century fought in very dense formation, with space between two soldiers as little as 18 inches.

Read more

Ming Chinese cavalry tactics — Part 1

Section of the Ming Dynasty scroll painting 'Ping Fan De Sheng Tu (《平番得勝圖》)', depicting Ming cavalry chasing rebel horsemen.

Read more

Ming Chinese arquebusier tactics

Even though matchlock gun did not completely replace the more primitive handgonne in China during Ming period, Chinese nevertheless held the weapon in high regard. They were also familiar enough with the weapon to be able to develop their own arquebusier tactics without outside reference.

The most common practise seems to be simply mix the arquebusiers together with artillerymen. Arquebusiers also fought behind the cover of fortifications or war wagons. Ming arquebusiers preferred to use countermarch and rotating ranks, whether they were mixed with artillerymen or fought in their own unit.

Fire discipline

Three rotating ranks

Ming arquebusiers firing in three ranks. This image is often misattributed to fourteenth century 'Huo Long Jing (《火龍經》)',  but in fact comes from seventeenth century 'Jun Qi Tu Shuo (《軍器圖說》)'.

Perhaps the most common tactic used by Ming arquebusiers, this tactic had seen use as early as Song period. It was originally used with crossbows, then adapted to handgonnes and rockets by Mu Ying (沐英) during the fourteenth century, before being finally adapted to arquebuses. 

Read more

Ming Chinese infantry tactics — Part 1

Large number of  Ming infantrymen, from  'Wakō-zukan (《倭寇図巻》)'.

Read more