«Тахиййат»: Сборник статей в честь Н. Н. Дьякова

Mongol Warfare and the Creation of the Mongol Empire m 129 n The Mongols’ hit-and-run archery technique emerges from several contem- porary texts. [W]hen [the Mongols] come in sight of the enemy they attack at once, each one shooting three or four arrows at their adversaries; if they see that they are not going to be able to defeat them, they retire, going back to their own line 1 . Chinggis Qan: If we are forced by the enemy to retreat, let us turn back to the point where we began the attack 2 . They retired after this shooting because: if they can avoid it, the [Mongols] do not like to fight hand to hand but they wound and kill men and horses with their arrows; they only come to close quarters when men and horses have been weakened by arrows 3 . Correct execution of the turn maintained unit cohesion. Chinggis praised his Uru’ud and Manqghud troops because: Each time they turn [Their] ranks are proper. Each time they turn, their order is proper 4 . Back at their own line, the Mongols, if pursued, formed up behind their armored cavalry: Whoever [of a European army] wishes to fight against the [Mongols] ought to have the following arms: [there follows a list including bows, crossbows, various weapons for hand-to-hand fighting, and armor for man and horse]... If there are any men not as well armed as we have described, 1 Plano Carpini, 36. 2 SH/I dR, § 153; statement attributed to Chinggis. 3 Plano Carpini, 37. 4 SH/ C, § 170.