Chapter 102: The Giant Cannon
Finally, Vijay left the armoury after giving his instructions. However, on the way out of the building, something caught his eye. In a large workshop, a huge object was covered by a tarpaulin. By the outline of the object, Vijay was very sure that it was a cannon. But he was very shocked at the sheer size of the thing. Even in the rough gaze, it was almost his height.
This thing intrigued Vijay, and he had no choice but to call back HeyRam again to ask about this monstrous cannon. HeyRam, who was called back, was confused and did not know why Vijay called him back.
Seeing Vijay staring intently at the giant cannon, HeyRam finally had a guess. He quickly greeted his highness and asked, "HeyRam is at your service, your highness."
Vijay, still fixated on the cannon, didn't turn his head to greet him. When HeyRam, who was getting restless, was about to ask again, he finally heard Vijay's words.
"What is this thing? From the looks of it, it seems like a cannon. Who made it? Tell me everything about it."
Vijay asked multiple questions at once as he was fully engrossed in the monster in front of him.
HeyRam, who heard the questions, did not mind the king's behaviour of ignoring him as he happily answered, "Your Highness, this is indeed a cannon, as you have already guessed. It was made by that explosive enthusiast, Sai, who came up with the frag grenade. Once when he came to visit our factory, he was fascinated by our cannon and wanted to make a larger and more powerful one. So, he set out to make this. As for the specifications and how he managed to make it, I am not very sure...."
He said, looking around the workshop, "If my memory serves me right, Sai was still working on this cannon just yesterday, and I haven't been informed that he had left..."
HeyRam, looking around some more throughout the whole workshop, finally found Sai in a corner of a storeroom, huddled in between various supplies.
Seeing him like this, HeyRam felt guilty for waking him up, but considering that it was Vijay who was asking for him, he reluctantly woke him up.
"Ah, what... Who?"
Sai, who was sleeping soundly, woke up with a headache and was still disoriented by the sudden awakening.
But seeing that it was the factory director who woke him up, he didn't speak but just looked at HeyRam dumbly, as if his wide-opened eyes could ask the question, "Why wake me up? I sleep, I no sleep enough."
Hey Ram was the first one to give a reaction as his face blushed. He explained, "That would be my fault, Your Highness. This right here is not a factory-funded project. Sai, with his own money, started this project and worked on it in his free time. With the money you gave him for inventing the frag grenade, he was able to buy a lot of materials needed for this cannon. I did not know what he was working on, as it was his own resources being used, and I was very busy with my own affairs, so I did not look into it in detail. But as the project progressed, more and more people joined him and helped him out in their off-duty time. It was then that I got to know about this project. Seeing the design and the forging of this project, even I was somewhat impressed and wanted to send a report to you to get your permission to manufacture this in the factory.
"But by the time I could write a report, it has come to light."
Vijay, upon hearing the explanation, finally accepted it. It was true that Hey Ram was working tirelessly to fulfil his requests for both replicating the flintlock and producing the cannon. He realized he was putting a significant strain on Hey Ram, but given the critical time, he felt he had no other choice. So, he decided not to blame Hey Ram.
However, as he gazed at the cannon, he sighed, "Unfortunately, it's not very practical in battles. It can only be used as fort defence artillery."
Sai, who heard the king's comment, began to panic as he did not know where he went wrong. He quickly inquired with hesitation, "May I know where I went wrong, Your Highness?"
Vijay, looking at Sai again, couldn't help but lament the wastage of such a good cannon. Although the fact that this cannon could be used as a wall defence artillery is a plus point it is still a waste of resources nonetheless.
"Nothing is wrong with it. It's just that it is too heavy, and it is not possible for horses to pull it. It is not very practical in actual battle situations as it is too bulky to operate and maintain."
Listening to this, everyone in the room, including Sai, was stunned, as Sai himself did not consider this issue. He only focused on the firepower and overlooked the logistical challenges of the cannon. Now that he heard the king's comment, he suddenly realized that even with two strong horses, this cannon couldn't be moved, let alone the amount of ammunition it would require, which would take up another carriage entirely.
The room was frozen in silence, as not even a small sound could be heard. As Vijay was almost turning around to leave, the silence was broken by a small comment from his guard. "I may know how to solve this issue."
Just as that comment came up, everyone in the room, including Vijay, stared daggers at the person who made the comment. Seeing everyone staring at him like this, with the most eager eyes, he couldn't help but feel panic as he tried to make himself appear as meek as possible. Even though he had been to the battlefield and killed numerous people, he hadn't been as panicked as he is now.
But Vijay, ignoring his actions, quickly asked, eager in his voice as he very much wanted this cannon to be effective on the battlefield, "Don't be hesitant; tell clearly. It is alright."
The soldier who heard Vijay's question quickly calmed down and answered, "Your Highness, I was born in a small mountain village near Kedarnath. Our village is surrounded by forests on all four sides, and we have a culture of raising elephants to do some of our work. So, I think a grown elephant is perfectly capable of pulling this cannon single-handedly."
Vijay slapped his head, realizing he had momentarily forgotten about the crucial role of elephants in battle. In ancient Bharat, elephants were key players in military campaigns, proving to be formidable assets on the battlefield. They were valued for their strength, size, and imposing presence, earning the title of war elephants. These majestic creatures were outfitted with intricate armour and, at times, carried a howdah – a platform on their back from which archers or soldiers could engage in combat.
Recalling this historical data, Vijay reflected on the strategic advantages offered by war elephants. Their ability to charge through enemy lines, disrupt formations, and instil fear among opposing forces made them a vital component of military tactics. In Aravid warfare, elephants were particularly influential, using their size and strength to navigate challenging terrains and providing a significant advantage in river crossings. Their inclusion in the armies of ancient Bharat, such as those of the Mauryas and Gupta empires, added a potent dimension to military strategies, establishing them as a distinctive feature of ancient Bharatiya warfare.
Although, in the future, elephants were slated to be phased out like all other animals due to the advancement of science and technology, at present, they stood as a great asset to Vijayanagara during its transition. Moreover, India's substantial elephant population, the largest among all countries in Asia, made them readily available. In this time period, the absence of animal protection agencies meant there was no opposition to their utilization. While Vijay had no intentions of deploying them in war, considering them more as transportation machines.
"Good, very good, let's go with that," Vijay said happily. He found this approach feasible and appreciated that it didn't require any additional investment.