Chapter 118: Battle of Ratanpur Fort

Chapter 118: Battle of Ratanpur Fort

Yogendra Singh finished the battle in just a day with minimal casualties. He quickly sent a letter to His Majesty about his progress and also requested reinforcements from Narasimha Nayak. Narasimha is the closest person to his destination, and although he has sufficient firepower to take down the Ratanpur fort, he lacks sufficient soldiers. Fortunately, Nagpur, being one of the most important transit cities of the Mughal Empire, had a very developed road network. Although most of its roads were ill-maintained, the foundation still remained.

In just one more day, Yogendra successfully reached Ratanpur fort. However, unlike Nagpur, he couldn't employ the same assassination tactics here. Ratanpur was a military base, and even though the security was relatively lax, training spies to overthrow the local rule proved to be a challenging task. Nevertheless, the silver lining lay in the fact that the information network hear wasn't as closed as that of Panhala fort. The commander here, while not as meticulous as Aamir Ali Khan, allowed for a more accessible flow of information. Due to this, Yogendra decided against ordering the assassination of crucial military personnel in this fort.

"Deploy 1 brigade of heavy and light infantry, along with a battalion of artillerymen, to besiege the city wall," Yogendra ordered, his directive causing a stir among the officers in his army group. Despite their technological advantage, skepticism lingered among them regarding the feasibility of besieging the city with such a limited number of personnel.

Addressing their lingering doubts, Yogendra explained, "I don't actually want you to besiege the city. I need you to serve as a distraction and disable their artillery for us. Alright?" he asked.

"Sir, everything you're saying makes sense, but still, with only a brigade, it's quite a challenge to handle the Mughals' firepower," one officer expressed.

With Yogendra at the forefront, it didn't take long to bring down the higher officials of the Mughal Empire.

Despite the loss of their leaders, the Mughal infantry, akin to headless chickens following previous orders, continued to flank the Vijayanagara army. Charging from both sides, they maintained the momentum of their assault. Nirmal, deputy general of Vijayanagara directly under General Yogendra Singh, stepped up to take control of the infantry positioned in front of the city. Sensing the impending clash with the Mughals, he swiftly directed the heavy infantry to form a tight defensive wall.

Executing the order with precision, the infantry moved in a well-coordinated manner, raising their large iron shields to establish an impenetrable iron barrier. Strategically placed spears in the gaps allowed the rear infantry to thrust at the oncoming enemies, maintaining a formidable defence against the charging Mughal forces.

Yogendra watched as his soldiers formed the defensive formation quickly and the Mughals attacked them. It was like a group of wild animals stampeding against a city wall. The Mughals aggressively collided with the iron wall of Vijayanagara, getting pierced in the stomach, chest, and head. It looked as though Vijayanagara had an advantage, but Yogendra had a worried expression on his face because he knew that this defensive formation couldn't be maintained for a long time.

"Ahhh," Yogendra grunted in frustration, quickening his pace as he stabbed a man in the head. Frustration lingered as he pushed through the chaotic battlefield. Finally, as anticipated, a breach appeared in the defensive formation, and a flood of assailants poured inside, launching indiscriminate attacks on his soldiers.

Acting swiftly, Yogendra regrouped with his forces within the city wall, leading a charge at the opening near the front gate. The Vijayanagara army, initially facing one-sided slaughter, now found themselves rallying behind Yogendra's charge. The balance rapidly shifted in favour of the Vijayanagara forces.

In the midst of the chaotic battle, no guns or grenades were utilized, as the environment was too unpredictable, and a small misfire could result in friendly casualties. After enduring thousands of casualties, Yogendra and his men finally gained control of Ratanpur fort.