All of the things are happening.
And, once again, Alexander is being Alexander the "name this new city after Me".
And, once again, Alexander is being Alexander the "name this new city after Me".
The Mandala Stands Strong: An Ancient Timeline.
- Status
Did the Mauryas just attack the Nepal Mandala?
Paldana comes from the British word platoon, so I doubt they'd use it.
No they attacked a secret ally of the Mandala.
Will edit. Thanks.
Heh, no matter how serious or mature that man becomes, I guarantee, this behavior of his would never be eradicated.
The graphics for the battle against the Qin look great! And it's good to see the Kasthamandap adoptinging Macedonian tactics like the phalanxes, though they will need to be modified to adapt for true mountainous and rugged warfare.
However there is no such thing as the Dhingyawati kingdom historically. Complex urban formation and development would not occur in Burma till the 2nd century BCE under the Pyu city states as the migration of the Mon people had only started about now. The complex network of organized realms wouldn't appear tille around the 4th century CE. The 'fleet' that mentioned in the update couldn't exist as Arakan wasn't really inhabited by anyone other than smaller tribes during this time period, the first proper states like Dhanyawadi would form when Indian princes from Kalinga, Anga and Vanga set up shop in the area.
However there is no such thing as the Dhingyawati kingdom historically. Complex urban formation and development would not occur in Burma till the 2nd century BCE under the Pyu city states as the migration of the Mon people had only started about now. The complex network of organized realms wouldn't appear tille around the 4th century CE. The 'fleet' that mentioned in the update couldn't exist as Arakan wasn't really inhabited by anyone other than smaller tribes during this time period, the first proper states like Dhanyawadi would form when Indian princes from Kalinga, Anga and Vanga set up shop in the area.
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It's not in Burma. It's in arakan. Scripts show there was a kingdom with the names speculative, however, the actual name, dynasty etc is not known to us. I just went ahead with the widely accepted one
It's not guaranteed, but with most things in this era, I just have to roll with the most accepted ones. Chanakya spoke about a small but powerful maritime power in the east and Dhana spoke of a small but independent trading power. It's not guaranteed of course, however I am just going by some accepted but not guaranteed versions of history.
From all historians its most probably in modern day sonargoan and Chittagong area.
I know it's in Arakan. However nearly all historical knowledge indicates that despite the fabricated and mythological kings lists made by the Pagan Empire, there were no complex states in Arakan until the 1st century AD. A few good sources are:
Noel F Singer's "Vaishali and the Indianization of Arakan ".
Yian, Goh Geok; Miksic, John; Aung-Thwin, Michael Bagan and the World: Early Myanmar and Its Global Connections.
I'm not sure of which part of Chanakya's works you're quoting here. Could you link it please? And while I agree if there is some reasonable doubt an author is free to do as they please, the fact that there's a lot of archaeological and textual proof that Arakan wasn't developed enough for kingdom based states for another 300+ years from the time we're discussing precludes the existence of such a state.
That would fall in the kingdom of Vanga would it not? Claudius Ptolemy mentioned Sounargoura as part of the kingdom of Samatatta, but that was a later breakaway which reconquered the area during Gupta times. It would make more sense for the TL to use Vanga as Kasthamandap's ally rathern than a non-existant Arakanese kingdom, easily posied to march on Tamralipti.
Also Sonargaon or Chittagong aren't exactly in the Rakhine. Most of Southeast Asia wouldn't complete the Indianization that kickstarted their complex state formations till the 4-5th centuries CE. Even Kedah, one of the earliest settlements to be mentioned by name in the Tamil texts while also having archaeological evidence to support it, only dtaes back to 93-110 AD.
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Hm, you are right about Vanga being more plausible. Right. Will change it!
The Siege of Pataliputra
Chapter 16 - The Siege of Pataliputra.
***
Chandragupta Maurya was currently sitting down in his war camp and looking at the map of the Kingdom of Vanga. Once a proud nation state stretching through history from the Mahajanapada ages, the maritime power had declined through the centuries, and the nation that once held the ganga delta now only held the periphery of the Ganges River and its delta. It was still a power that could probably hold its own, however, combined with the force of his new empire, Chandragupta doubted the Vanga kingdom would be able to stop him. Their fleet would be useless against the fleet of Kalinga which he had captured after the King of Kalinga had surrendered to him.
The Ganga River, the core of North India.
He was currently pursing his lips and drawing battle lines and logistical lines on his map when he heard frantic running outside of his camp. Irritated by the disruption, however, Chandragupta lifted a part of his war tent door up and looked outside at the commotion and asked “What is wrong?”
One of his captains looked at him and said “There are rumors sire.”
“Rumors of what?”
“That Vanga is allied with Nepala.”
Chandragupta frowned. Well, it was highly unlikely that the rumor was true, considering he knew Ekaveer personally, however……
“Send scouts to the Nepala border and tell them to report back to me. If an army is being massed, tell them to run back fast and to inform me post haste.” Chandragupta ordered. The captain bowed down and rushed to do his order.
Chandragupta frowned internally. Last he heard, Ekaveer was in the mountains in Tibet, fighting against a Chinese warlord threatening the trade routes. Chandragupta would certainly never underestimate the Chinese, and it was likely that the rumor was just that; a rumor.
He closed the war tent curtains and went back to his plans.
King Chandragupta Maurya
***
Ekaveer surveyed his troops as they marched down the hills into the Kingdom of Makwan, where King Ridayendra of Makwan was going to merge his forces with Ekaveer’s own army. The Mandala had answered the call fast and King Roruka’s army had already merged with Ekaveer’s own and they were close to Makwan. By the time he entered the North Indian Gangetic plains, he would have amassed an army 40,000 strong. 20,000 soldiers were kept in the Mandala as a last resort and the Kingdom of Kosala was also going to aid the Mandala by sending an army 15,000 strong in numbers. With that large a force, Ekaveer knew that numerically, he still fell behind the Mauryan armies.
However, Ekaveer had a trick up his sleeve.
Ekaveer sighed slightly and said “Give the order and relay it all the way to Kalinga.”
“Yes of course your majesty.”
“Has the cargo been made ready?”
“Yes sir. 7,000 long words, 5000 short swords, and 10,000 pieces of medium armor ready to be sent in small cargo groups to overrun suspicion.”
“Good. Send them to the rebels in Kalinga. Tell them to let loose in Kalinga. We need that distraction. We will fund their rebel activities for the duration of this war.” Ekaveer stated as the messenger scurried away.
Ekaveer looked at his map and grinned slightly. Chandragupta was in the east against the Vanga Kingdom. By the time Chandragupta could return back to the west, Pataliputra would have fallen to him, and he would force Chandragupta into a pitched battle on his terms. He knew the crafty cautious fellow. He would have to push that cautious bastard to the limits of his patience to make his plan work. And by the gods, would the plan work!
***
4 months later, the Siege of Vanga
“Maharajah!” One of his messengers cried out as Chandragupta was overseeing the construction of his siege towers. He turned towards the side and asked “What is it?”
“The rumors! They were true! Maharajah Ekaveer has crossed the border into our lands with a massive army according to eyewitnesses 40,000 strong, probably all veterans of his numerous wars. Kosala has started to send raids into our hinterlands as well. Not surprising, considering Kosala is the Mandala’s vassal state!”
Chandragupta’s joyous mood at thinking about the fall of Vanga immediately evaporated and he said “Tell the general to take care of the siege! I will go take the 2nd army to meet Ekaveer in battle and push him back!”
“Sire! There’s more bad news! Rebels in Kalinga have risen up in revolt and seized major cities!”
“HOW?!” Thundered Chandragupta. “They shouldn’t have the material to do so!”
“They seem to be well supplied in weapons sire!”
“Dammit, Ekaveer must have been preparing for this for a long time then.” Chandragupta muttered. “I cannot let the rebels cut my supply lines. I will deal with them, then march against Ekaveer. Till then, try to delay Ekaveer’s advance!”
“Yes sir!”
***
Ekaveer frowned slightly as he marched through the northern plains of the Mauryan Empire, with his army behind him, marching silently highlighting the Nepalese discipline in all forms of the word.
He had encountered small garrisons and not much else. The cities had given themselves up without a fight and he was around two weeks from Pataliputra itself.
He shrugged. Well if Chandragupta wished to make this easy, he would take it heartily.
***
Chandragupta sighed as he looked at the city of Pataliputra. He had easily driven the rebels back into the hills and mountains, however the weapons they used, were too complicatedly built to have been forged by commoner metallurgists. They were funded and given by someone. And Chandragupta had a sneaking suspicion that someone in the north was responsible for this.
However right now he was in Pataliputra, and Ekaveer’s army was a week away from all sources available. He doubted that ekaveer could penetrate the walls of the fortified city. After the fall of the Nanda Dynasty, he had made the city of Pataliputra a living fortress for occasions just like this; though a Hellene opponent was most primarily in his mind rather than a northern opponent. A siege at this time was inevitable, and Chandragupta was quickly managing his way into making all supplies and all needed substances and things required to withstand a siege were taken into account.
His forces had already been pitched into skirmishes from all reports and he had no need to have a battle on Ekaveer’s terms. He knew the moment he went into battle under Ekaveer’s terms, then, the battle was lost. Ekaveer’s core strategy was always revolved around this mindset, and Chandragupta was not having any of it.
The ruins of Pataliputra.
***
Ekaveer looked at the fortified heights of Pataliputra as Roruka looked at him questioningly.
“Surround the city. Blockade it. Use the artillery weapons of the Oxybeles, Lithobolos, and the siege towers to constantly bombard the city walls from a good distance. At night, the archers will fire lit arrows at the walls, and that’s my orders.” Ekaveer ordered.
Roruka looked at him and asked “No direct siege?”
“No. I know that Chandragupta will not initially at least, try to not fight on my terms. With this, hunger will be rife, casualties will be there, and finally he will have to fight on my terms.”
“Very well! Hyah! You heard the Maharajah! Ready the missile weapons now!” Roruka ordered as the officers started to relay the order and the huge artillery pieces that Ekaveer had bought from Alexander came into the field. Ekaveer had brought 100 Lithobolos and 200 Oxybeles with him, with foresight enough to know that a siege was likely in Pataliputra.
The next hour passed tensely as the first Lithobolos started to hurl boulders at the walls of the fortified city and Ekaveer looked on in silence. He didn’t like the idea of a blockade and starving the people, however once a wise man said, all was fair in love and war. And in war, unfortunately, civilians died.
Lithobolos Artillery used by Alexander and later Ekaveer, was capable of throwing large rocks and stones of medium scale size to slowly wear down enemy fortifications.
***
3 Months later
Chandragupta was furious. Ekaveer was currently sitting down leisurely and reading what seemed to be a scroll right outside his war tent as the massive artillery of his continued to rocket and damage the walls. The man had taken a passive step in his siege and currently it was working. Nearly a thousand citizens had all already died due to hunger and the food being directed to the army. If things didn’t change, then he would be forced to seek a battle.
Where the hell was his eastern army anyway? The siege at Vanga should have ended by this point!
***
Thiruyamandala sighed in exhaustion as he looked at the destroyed city in front of him. He looked at his generals and said “We fight in the forests now! Have hope in the land of the Lord Buddha! They have entered the fray in our favor, led by his descendant. The least we can do is tie up the Mauryan army here!”
“Aye!”
***
Ekaveer surveyed the broken portion of the high walls before sighing. Well, at least the walls, were slowly falling down, though Chandragupta’s new fortifications had been a tough nut to crack.
However it was now time for phase two.
***
Chandragupta was on the verge of tearing his hairs out in frustration. His plan for a prolonged siege to his advantage had been fizzled out and had backfired on him spectacularly. Now he heard news of the granaries being set on fire, meaning that a few spies had been able to sneak into the city itself. Worse of all, the granaries stored all the food. Now Chandragupta didn’t have enough food to last a week!
“Dammit!” He swore mentally and barked “Ready the armies. Tomorrow we break this siege of our beloved city!”
“Aye aye sir!”
The Fires of Pataliputra orchestrated by Ekaveer forced Chandragupta to seek a pitched battle.
***
As Ekaveer heard the loud shuffling and marches inside the city walls, he smirked.
Chandragupta was now going to be forced to fight on his terms, Ekaveer grinned as he looked at the field before him, where his troops had flattened for a battle, and plains were where the Phalanx reigned supreme in battle.
One way or another, this battle would decide the course of the war; and Ekaveer was loathe to miss out on it.
***
***
Chandragupta Maurya was currently sitting down in his war camp and looking at the map of the Kingdom of Vanga. Once a proud nation state stretching through history from the Mahajanapada ages, the maritime power had declined through the centuries, and the nation that once held the ganga delta now only held the periphery of the Ganges River and its delta. It was still a power that could probably hold its own, however, combined with the force of his new empire, Chandragupta doubted the Vanga kingdom would be able to stop him. Their fleet would be useless against the fleet of Kalinga which he had captured after the King of Kalinga had surrendered to him.
The Ganga River, the core of North India.
He was currently pursing his lips and drawing battle lines and logistical lines on his map when he heard frantic running outside of his camp. Irritated by the disruption, however, Chandragupta lifted a part of his war tent door up and looked outside at the commotion and asked “What is wrong?”
One of his captains looked at him and said “There are rumors sire.”
“Rumors of what?”
“That Vanga is allied with Nepala.”
Chandragupta frowned. Well, it was highly unlikely that the rumor was true, considering he knew Ekaveer personally, however……
“Send scouts to the Nepala border and tell them to report back to me. If an army is being massed, tell them to run back fast and to inform me post haste.” Chandragupta ordered. The captain bowed down and rushed to do his order.
Chandragupta frowned internally. Last he heard, Ekaveer was in the mountains in Tibet, fighting against a Chinese warlord threatening the trade routes. Chandragupta would certainly never underestimate the Chinese, and it was likely that the rumor was just that; a rumor.
He closed the war tent curtains and went back to his plans.
King Chandragupta Maurya
***
Ekaveer surveyed his troops as they marched down the hills into the Kingdom of Makwan, where King Ridayendra of Makwan was going to merge his forces with Ekaveer’s own army. The Mandala had answered the call fast and King Roruka’s army had already merged with Ekaveer’s own and they were close to Makwan. By the time he entered the North Indian Gangetic plains, he would have amassed an army 40,000 strong. 20,000 soldiers were kept in the Mandala as a last resort and the Kingdom of Kosala was also going to aid the Mandala by sending an army 15,000 strong in numbers. With that large a force, Ekaveer knew that numerically, he still fell behind the Mauryan armies.
However, Ekaveer had a trick up his sleeve.
Ekaveer sighed slightly and said “Give the order and relay it all the way to Kalinga.”
“Yes of course your majesty.”
“Has the cargo been made ready?”
“Yes sir. 7,000 long words, 5000 short swords, and 10,000 pieces of medium armor ready to be sent in small cargo groups to overrun suspicion.”
“Good. Send them to the rebels in Kalinga. Tell them to let loose in Kalinga. We need that distraction. We will fund their rebel activities for the duration of this war.” Ekaveer stated as the messenger scurried away.
Ekaveer looked at his map and grinned slightly. Chandragupta was in the east against the Vanga Kingdom. By the time Chandragupta could return back to the west, Pataliputra would have fallen to him, and he would force Chandragupta into a pitched battle on his terms. He knew the crafty cautious fellow. He would have to push that cautious bastard to the limits of his patience to make his plan work. And by the gods, would the plan work!
***
4 months later, the Siege of Vanga
“Maharajah!” One of his messengers cried out as Chandragupta was overseeing the construction of his siege towers. He turned towards the side and asked “What is it?”
“The rumors! They were true! Maharajah Ekaveer has crossed the border into our lands with a massive army according to eyewitnesses 40,000 strong, probably all veterans of his numerous wars. Kosala has started to send raids into our hinterlands as well. Not surprising, considering Kosala is the Mandala’s vassal state!”
Chandragupta’s joyous mood at thinking about the fall of Vanga immediately evaporated and he said “Tell the general to take care of the siege! I will go take the 2nd army to meet Ekaveer in battle and push him back!”
“Sire! There’s more bad news! Rebels in Kalinga have risen up in revolt and seized major cities!”
“HOW?!” Thundered Chandragupta. “They shouldn’t have the material to do so!”
“They seem to be well supplied in weapons sire!”
“Dammit, Ekaveer must have been preparing for this for a long time then.” Chandragupta muttered. “I cannot let the rebels cut my supply lines. I will deal with them, then march against Ekaveer. Till then, try to delay Ekaveer’s advance!”
“Yes sir!”
***
Ekaveer frowned slightly as he marched through the northern plains of the Mauryan Empire, with his army behind him, marching silently highlighting the Nepalese discipline in all forms of the word.
He had encountered small garrisons and not much else. The cities had given themselves up without a fight and he was around two weeks from Pataliputra itself.
He shrugged. Well if Chandragupta wished to make this easy, he would take it heartily.
***
Chandragupta sighed as he looked at the city of Pataliputra. He had easily driven the rebels back into the hills and mountains, however the weapons they used, were too complicatedly built to have been forged by commoner metallurgists. They were funded and given by someone. And Chandragupta had a sneaking suspicion that someone in the north was responsible for this.
However right now he was in Pataliputra, and Ekaveer’s army was a week away from all sources available. He doubted that ekaveer could penetrate the walls of the fortified city. After the fall of the Nanda Dynasty, he had made the city of Pataliputra a living fortress for occasions just like this; though a Hellene opponent was most primarily in his mind rather than a northern opponent. A siege at this time was inevitable, and Chandragupta was quickly managing his way into making all supplies and all needed substances and things required to withstand a siege were taken into account.
His forces had already been pitched into skirmishes from all reports and he had no need to have a battle on Ekaveer’s terms. He knew the moment he went into battle under Ekaveer’s terms, then, the battle was lost. Ekaveer’s core strategy was always revolved around this mindset, and Chandragupta was not having any of it.
The ruins of Pataliputra.
***
Ekaveer looked at the fortified heights of Pataliputra as Roruka looked at him questioningly.
“Surround the city. Blockade it. Use the artillery weapons of the Oxybeles, Lithobolos, and the siege towers to constantly bombard the city walls from a good distance. At night, the archers will fire lit arrows at the walls, and that’s my orders.” Ekaveer ordered.
Roruka looked at him and asked “No direct siege?”
“No. I know that Chandragupta will not initially at least, try to not fight on my terms. With this, hunger will be rife, casualties will be there, and finally he will have to fight on my terms.”
“Very well! Hyah! You heard the Maharajah! Ready the missile weapons now!” Roruka ordered as the officers started to relay the order and the huge artillery pieces that Ekaveer had bought from Alexander came into the field. Ekaveer had brought 100 Lithobolos and 200 Oxybeles with him, with foresight enough to know that a siege was likely in Pataliputra.
The next hour passed tensely as the first Lithobolos started to hurl boulders at the walls of the fortified city and Ekaveer looked on in silence. He didn’t like the idea of a blockade and starving the people, however once a wise man said, all was fair in love and war. And in war, unfortunately, civilians died.
Lithobolos Artillery used by Alexander and later Ekaveer, was capable of throwing large rocks and stones of medium scale size to slowly wear down enemy fortifications.
***
3 Months later
Chandragupta was furious. Ekaveer was currently sitting down leisurely and reading what seemed to be a scroll right outside his war tent as the massive artillery of his continued to rocket and damage the walls. The man had taken a passive step in his siege and currently it was working. Nearly a thousand citizens had all already died due to hunger and the food being directed to the army. If things didn’t change, then he would be forced to seek a battle.
Where the hell was his eastern army anyway? The siege at Vanga should have ended by this point!
***
Thiruyamandala sighed in exhaustion as he looked at the destroyed city in front of him. He looked at his generals and said “We fight in the forests now! Have hope in the land of the Lord Buddha! They have entered the fray in our favor, led by his descendant. The least we can do is tie up the Mauryan army here!”
“Aye!”
***
Ekaveer surveyed the broken portion of the high walls before sighing. Well, at least the walls, were slowly falling down, though Chandragupta’s new fortifications had been a tough nut to crack.
However it was now time for phase two.
***
Chandragupta was on the verge of tearing his hairs out in frustration. His plan for a prolonged siege to his advantage had been fizzled out and had backfired on him spectacularly. Now he heard news of the granaries being set on fire, meaning that a few spies had been able to sneak into the city itself. Worse of all, the granaries stored all the food. Now Chandragupta didn’t have enough food to last a week!
“Dammit!” He swore mentally and barked “Ready the armies. Tomorrow we break this siege of our beloved city!”
“Aye aye sir!”
The Fires of Pataliputra orchestrated by Ekaveer forced Chandragupta to seek a pitched battle.
***
As Ekaveer heard the loud shuffling and marches inside the city walls, he smirked.
Chandragupta was now going to be forced to fight on his terms, Ekaveer grinned as he looked at the field before him, where his troops had flattened for a battle, and plains were where the Phalanx reigned supreme in battle.
One way or another, this battle would decide the course of the war; and Ekaveer was loathe to miss out on it.
***
Well there are still the southern kingdoms of the Cholas and the Kish Kingdom to the south.
Victory.
Chapter 17: Victory
***
Ekaveer surveyed his troops as he looked at them and kept them in formation. The Phalanx was in the center with its flanks being kept safe by the Elite Infantry on their sides. The Heavy Cavalry were slightly ahead of them at their flanks with the Light Cavalry at the front. Then scattered in front were the light infantry and skirmishers scattered throughout the field.
The field was flat and the armies of his rested and full of bursting morale. He looked towards the other side of the field where Chandragupta was marshalling his own forces. Despite the hunger that Pataliputra had gone through, it seemed that Chandragupta’s own forces mar outnumbered his own. Ekaveer had around ~40,000 men under his command and Chandragupta had around ~65,000 men under his from all the scouts could see and bring back. It seemed that Chandragupta’s initial army of around 72,000 had been depleted by the hunger and the siege, and that was extremely good news. During the entire siege, Ekaveer had not ordered even a single assault, and only his artillery men were wary of the battle, his troops were as fresh as yesterday as the only real thing they had done was manipulate the fields around the city to make the upcoming battle favorable for the Phalanx which excelled in fighting in flat ground.
He looked at the commander of the Left Flank, Roruka and the commander of the Right Flank, Chigma Limbuwan, the King of Limbuwan. He nodded at both of them and unsheathed his sword and raised it into the air as his horse reared.
“HAR HAR NEPALA!”
“HAR HAR NEPALA!” The men repeated after him as they banged their weapons and swords into the ground and into their shields. These shouts were double moved. First and foremost they aided the morale of the troops, and second of all, they would instill some amount of foreboding onto any opposing army, no matter how good the opposing army’s situation was.
***
Chandragupta looked at the jeering and shouting Nepalese troops in the distance with some amount of trepidation. He could see the sullen look on his troop’s faces. They were hungry, they had been war wary from the siege, and now most of all, he needed a victory. If he won the battle, then this war weariness would evaporate from the army, and he could pursue his advantage in that order.
However he frowned. Where were the vaunted artillery of Ekaveer? He hadn’t noticed it when he had opened the gates and his army marched forward for positions.
Chandragupta’s gut clenched. This was a trap, and he knew it. However it was either this, or die through the blockade. Eliminating the army fast of Ekaveer fast, would make whatever he was scheming bite the dust, and now, it seemed a fast victory was what he needed. Half an hour to an hour was what Chandragupta was willing to commit.
He raised his hands and his cavalry from his flanks galloped across the field brandishing their swords and spears.
***
Ekaveer smiled as he saw both right and left light cavalry of Chandragupta roar down the plains. His light cavalry in the front and the skirmishers were becoming evidently impatient with his lack of orders, however he didn’t need to give any orders at all. Plunging his right handed fingers into a circle and then into his mouth and folding his tongue, he gave off a mighty whistle.
***
Chandragupta frowned as he heard the faint noise of a whistle, no doubt coming from Ekaveer’s side of the battlefield. He narrowed his eyes as he sought to know, what the Northern King had up his sleeve.
And then he saw it, in the skies.
Boulders, the size of big rolling stones were in the skies plunging into his light cavalry as they crashed down killing the cavalrymen and the horses immediately.
Chandragupta snarled internally. With that volley of boulders from the skies, presumably, the artillery were hiding behind the forest behind of Ekaveer, Ekaveer had made the battleground immensely unfavorable for any kind of cavalry action. Chandragupta, knew that he could use this to his advantage. He had nearly twice the number of troops in his center, and overwhelming Ekaveer’s center was now possible, as Ekaveer’s own cavalry would be unable to be used properly.
He ordered a general advance in the center with the Cavalry trailing behind slowly.
***
Ekaveer smiled again. All those hours sitting in the fire trading strategies with Alexander, Eumenes and even a friend of Alexander named Antigonus had been very successful. Having mixed their Hellenic and Persian strategies into his own Nepala ones, Ekaveer had become a menacing tactical genius on the field.
He saw the advance of Chandragupta’s center and ordered “Anika! (Light Cavalry) Forward!”
His cavalrymen looked at the boulder ridden middle part of the field in scrutiny before his officers shouted “Trishul!”
Having the message being received by his men properly, the cavalrymen kicked the rear of their horses as they galloped across the field with their weapons at the ready.
The light infantry and skirmishers ahead aided them as they heaved their javelins and slingers and started to pelt the coming Mauryan army.
***
Chandragupta took a very large double take he saw the light cavalry of Ekaveer charge towards the line of boulders which had been plunged into the ground. However his worry grew immensely when he saw what happened next. The Light cavalry split off from their formation forming five lines on both flanks, thinning their numbers out between five lines. And then as they reached the line of the boulders, they leaped over the line of boulders.
They managed to leap over and then the five lines merged as the last two lines merged to form one single line, and the three lines up ahead slowed down slightly and formed the formation of the……Trident. The Trishul.
He should have known……The Trishul had been the tactic used most especially by Maharajah Nanda Shakya in his war against Kosala. On both flanks, now his center was now threatened. The thinning of cavalry numbers had been able to be used by the enemy to successfully evade the line of boulders created by Ekaveer, and now they were smashing into his center’s flanks like well….a Trident.
He snarled and shouted “Cavalry forward! Destroy the flanking troops!”
***
Ekaveer smiled slightly again. Chandragupta was becoming desperate. The food situation must be particularly bad, if Chandragupta was starting to make moves which were so predictable as these.
He looked at Latanta Sahil Limbu, who led the Elite Infantry Troops and said “Move.”
Sahil unsheathed his sword and said “FORWARD MEN! PROTECT OUR TROOP’S FLANKS!”
The elite infantry, trained in the ways of fast warfare, with precision and deadly skills ran forward under the cover of the javelins and slings of the skirmishers up forward as they crossed the middle line and now started to crash into the flanks of the flanking force on the cavalry of Ekaveer.
Ekaveer smirked as he raised his own sword and looked at the center before shouting “PHALANX ADVANCE!”
***
Chandragupta was becoming increasingly worried now as he saw the pikemen of Ekaveer, what did they called them….Phala? Phalak? Something of that sort forward as they brandished their pikes and started to advance. Both his center and flanks were being flanked and being caught by the center by the attacking troops would be a deadly maneuver for him, especially when those artillery pieces of Ekaveer still were hiding in the undergrowth of the forests behind the enemy forces.
He sighed. He had better withdraw now. Better lose now and have a chance to win tomorrow than to fight stubbornly and lose everything at this moment.
He signaled a withdrawal. It seemed he would have to retreat to the interior of his empire now.
***
Ekaveer laughed in triumph. He hadn’t even had to use his center at all at this battle. He looked on at the retreating army fighting their way to safety and murmured “Well Well, Chandragupta, it did seem that you were a good commander in the Fall of the Nanda Empire, however it seems I overestimated you.”
He reared his horse and said “Pataliputra has fallen!”
And his men roared his triumph.
***
BATTLE OF PATALIPUTRA
LOSSES OF CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA (~65,000 troops): 8000 to 10,000
LOSSES OF EKAVEER SHAKYA (~40,000 troops): 2,000 to 4,000
***
Pataliputra fell without a fight as Ekaveer’s armies marched into triumphant, as the great city fell to the Nepalese once again. And now, Ekaveer looked on with self satisfaction, it was time to rest, and then fight Chandragupta another day and push the man deep into the forests of the south where he would be lost forever.
By now, the northern parts of the Mauryan Empire were lost. Thuriyamandala must be having a lot of fun, reclaiming his kingdom and his former territories.
And indeed he was.
***
Chandragupta looked at the demoralized troops as they walked towards the southern portions of his empire. Chandragupta idly wondered what his teacher, Chanakya was doing, as he was in the city of Pataliputra when it had presumably fallen a good few minutes after he had withdrawn.
***
Ekaveer clenched his mouth before giving off the order. “Execute him.”
“Yes sire.”
Ekaveer sighed. He didn’t personally have any harmful wish against the philosopher, however, the man was a threat to the Mandala. He had seen the trouble Chanakya had stirred up against the Nanda Empire, and Ekaveer seriously didn’t wish for the same to befall his own nation in a similar manner.
He looked on without any emotion on his face as philosopher ranted about a prophecy or something and swearing words from all over the subcontinent. He closed his eyes slightly as the axe came swooping down and the dull thud of a decapitated head fell onto the ground. Ekaveer turned away and ordered “Send scouts to find Chandragupta’s army. Then I shall make a plan to confront him for one last time.”
“Aye sir.”
The great philosopher Chanakya who was killed under the orders of Ekaveer.
***
Chandragupta is still there, and he still controls the southern Lands. Though the northern portion is lost to him after this battle. Any predictions after the war?
- Status