The Deoyakhand Campaign(1)

Year 1564, January, Rudradev khurd company headquarters, 60 KM from capital city, Khurda County

As the prince sit in his company headquarters office and go through all the reports on changes that has taken place here which includes upgrade of the bloomery forge and workshop into full blown foundries to manufacture iron, steel, bronze and brass which includes both the blast furnace and crucible furnace he was very satisfied with the progress. The outer-walls and the building are also upgraded from wooden to that of bricks stone and cement and the revenue earned has also increased considerably which was even better news for him. As he was going through the details Bhimrao entered his office with a middle-aged man. The middle-aged man named Chandrasen is the supervisor of the foundries and is the man in-charge of operations in his company headquarters factory. As the prince greeted Chandrasen he said "Elder you have done a excellent job in handling operation here so as a reward I am promoting you to Senior Operation Officer and you will be completely be in-charge of all facets of the company headquarters operation.".Hearing this Chandrasen was quite surprised as he comes from lower caste background, he never thought that such a responsibility and honor will be given to him on top of that the prince himself addresses him as elder he never dreamed of such respect given to him by nobility. The rumors are true that the prince truly never discriminates based on birth but always reward those who are competent and has talents. Finally the prince handed him the design and notes of the flintlock musket to be produced alongside matchlock musket.After expressing his gratitude to the prince for his trusted in him he left the office.

A few moments later General Harish along with General Virendra entered his office and saluted him and as the prince signaled them to sit down, general Harish handed him a letter from his father. It seems Major General Harish and his close to 15000 troops of royal army consisting of 2 battlelion of crossbowmen(2500 men), 4 battlelion of matchlock musketeers(6000 men), 2 battalion of cavalry(3000 men) and 2 battlelion of pikemen(3000 men) and a company of missiles artillery(500 men) who has been trained in the new formations and battle tactics has been placed under his command for the Deoyakhand campaign by his father.

Soon he opened a map on table in-front of both the general's and said "General Harish you will circle around and take your army towards the northwest and then move directly towards west to the border of Mughals empire on double time. There is a huge forest near there, you are to conceal your troops within it and wait for the Mughal army which will be about 17000 men or more as per the reports received from the spies and is disguised as mercenary who will come as aid to the count. Remember when you spring the trap on the Mughals raise the banner of the count Shamsher so that the Mughals think that the count has betrayed them and report as much to their master in the Mughal court since they already think indu people as khafirs and untrustworthy so it is their prejudice and hatred toward the indu people will make them reach to that conclusion about the Count".With the order received general Harish set out to execute it.

A week later, Subapur Barony

It has been almost one day since the prince has arrived in the barony with his army of close to 15900 men which includes 3 battalion of Cavalry(3000 men), 1 battalion of his elite royal cavalry guard(900 men), 2 battalion of elite musketeers (veterans of prior battles of 3500 men), 5 battalion of musketeers(7000 men) and a company of artillery and missile troops(500 men) which includes the Vajrastra, Varshastra and the light 6-pounder cannons. The entire army is already equipped with flintlock musket with socket bayonet for line infantry and flintlock pistols for cavalry. Currently the prince is within his command tent discussing with General Virendra and his army officers. The map on the table shows figurine placed to represent the multiple enemy armies currently closing in from multiple directions. As per reports of the scouts From the west count Shamsher himself is leading his 20000 men consisting of cavalry, war elephant, infantry, archers amd heavy cannons. While on the east of his positon baron Himchandra is leading a army of 12000 men consisting of cavalry, infantry and archers to cutoff his escape route. It also seems the army baron Himchandra is leading also include banners of 3 more minor noble of barony Azampur, Belpur and Deogaon. Once again the prince opted for speed and offensive strategy instead of going for a defensive one. Prince Viraja ordered the general to start getting ready for the march as he is going to engage baron Himchandra's army first.

Few hours later, as the prince army faces the baron's army it seems the baron is reluctant to attack him fast and as the prince knows that if he delay this engagement any farther then he might be attacked by the counts army from the rear so he ordered general Virendra to go on the offensive this time.The line infantry musketeers is arrange in row formation interspersed with some of the cannons troops placed within gaps of their ranks. While the elite musketeers are hold back as reserves along with his royal guards and finally the cavalry has been divided into two section and placed at right and left flank to take advantage of any weakness within enemy ranks.On the enemy side the baron has placed the infantry as the vanguard behind which the archers is placed and finally on the flanks is the cavalry. As baron Himchandra surveyed the prince army he has a tensed expression on his face. It was a surprise for him how such a large army moved so fast towards his position as he was expecting to engage the prince army simultaneous or at least at a time when the count's main army was near.

As the prince army moved forward soon the baron army came within his Vajrastra and Varshastra missiles and 6-pounder cannons range. The general ordered an all out missile and cannon fire on the enemy as time was of the essence. The effect was disastrous. Even though the enemy archer also started firing at the prince infantry when it came into range, it was nothing compare to the devastation being caused by the prince artillery and rockets. While his line infantry was taking casualty from arrow fire they still held firm and moved forward in discipline manner. Finally the enemy vanguard entered into line infantries musket range and as the volley fire of muskets started along with canister shot from 6-pounder cannons the casualty on the enemy side started shooting up. Baron Himcandra seeing his army getting decimated by range weapons and few of his units routing he could not hold any longer and ordered his infantry to attack and engage in melee with enemy vanguard and ordered left flank cavalry to circle around and attack the artillery and rockets troops in the rear while ordered the cavalry on the right side to charge the flank of enemies vanguard infantry. To counter this general Virendra ordered his cavalry on the left and right to engage their equivalent on their own side while some of the Vajrastra where turned towards the enemy cavalry to shoot them down.

As the battle progressed Baron Himchandra was at his wits end, as he saw his infantry and archers getting pummeled and decimated by range weapon and his cavalry already depleted due to arrows fire from a strange artillery weapons and soon the rest of his cavalry being slaughtered by the prince cavalry which result in his army started wavering. Left with no choice he decided to signal the 5000 heavy cavalry shock troops hidden in the rear northwest of the prince location by firing a signal arrow in the sky to attack the prince directly to salvage the situation.

As the prince saw the signal arrow in the sky making a whistling sound a frown appeared on his face and he try to discern what tricks the baron was trying to pull. Soon he heard horse hooves from the distance in the rear to his position. Seeing this the general was about to rush to the prince side but he signaled him with the drums to continue handling the battle in the front as he decided to personally handle the baron shock troops with his elite musketeers and royal guards along with some of the 6-pounder cannons moved with the line infantry and were repurposed to fire canister shot at the approaching heavy cavalry.

As the the heavy cavalry in the rear closed the distance between the prince army soon the canister shot from the 6-pounder cannon started and then the musket volley fire started as the shock troops entered its range, it was disastrous for the cavalry, their heavy armor didn't even do anything to protect the horses and men alike against the musket balls which punched through it like the armor didn't even exists. By the time the heavy cavalry engage in melee with the square formation of the infantry their number was already whittled down. the prince was on a horse at the center of the square formation with its royal cavalry guard who also at first used their pistol to fire at the enemy shock troops and then exited the square formation and circle around and engage the enemy in melee.

In the front already number of units of baron infantry has routed along with cavalry on the left flank and right flank. Seeing the cavalry routed it started a chain reaction among the baron foot soldiers and soon the whole army in the front was routing. The prince cavalry on the left flank charged toward the heavy cavalry while the cavalry on the right flank gave chase to the routing enemy in the front along with the retreating baron and nobles. This was the last straw that resulted in the heavy cavalry turning around and running for the hills. Finally the routing enemy was chased and massacred and baron Himchandra was killed by a lucky shot from a flintlock pistol of a cavalryman and as for other three noble two surrendered and one's resistance ended in death.