Empire Ascension: The Rise of the Fated One-Chapter 208: Fall of Baloch Part-6

Few moments before , in Mughals side

As night fell over the battlefield, the tension was palpable. Before the western walls that guarded the pass, 2,700 Mughal soldiers stood in disciplined formation, their armor glinting faintly in the moonlight.

The forces were arranged in a square formation, consisting of three groups of 300 soldiers each, collectively forming triangular units with a total strength of 900. The frontmost group of 300, acting as the spearhead, extended slightly ahead of the two square formation units, creating a formation that resembled a massive triangle when viewed from above.

Each group was led by a faujdar, a seasoned commander. Tausif controlled the right flank, Farhan commanded the central group, and Amin led the left flank, summing up the Mughal defenses. Together, they formed the first line of defense, positioned just in front of the wall, ready to hold their ground against the approaching Balochi forces.

On the wall above, Zahid as supreme commander, paced around with his sharp gaze, assessing the scene below. The Baloch advanced in massive and organized waves moved intimidatingly.

He cursed his luck. ’Damn, I don’t have enough space to deploy the cannons. This would be perfect for firing shots from the fortifications. Let’s work through the rangers.. there isn’t much time left anyway.’

He stood at the center on the elevated height as he addressed the army one last time before the battle.

"Men!" Zahid’s voice echoed over the waiting soldiers as he paced around the walls, gazing his vision on soldiers poised below. "Remember who you are! Remember where we come from! Remember what is at stake!" His voice was like a spark in the dark , "We are Mughals, the soldiers of our Badshah. The army of lions! The enemy may outnumber us, but I swear, I will be damned if we lose to those bunch of sheep. Show me who you are!

"RAAAAAAHHHHHH!", the soldiers, armed with spears, shields, and crossbows, responded in unison.

’Thud!’

’Thud!’

’Thud!’

They stood determined, their eyes hungry to prove their zeal to their commander. The ground trembled with the march of 8,000 strong, but that had no effect on the soldiers, who were charged up by their commander’s words.

As the baloch came in range of 250 meters, the Balochi archers, nearly 1,000 strong, stepped forward with bows drawn, eyes trained on their targets. At the shout of their field commander, they loosed their arrows into the sky, aiming to rain death upon the Mughal ranks.

Cautious of the Mughal archers on the ground, they wisely stayed just beyond their range, firing from a safe distance.

The arrows soared high, but the Mughal soldiers, already alert and disciplined, swiftly shifted into a tight shield wall, forming a near-impenetrable tortoise formation.

’CLANK!’

’ClANK!’

The first barrage of arrows clattered harmlessly against their raised shields, failing to find any real purchase.

A second volley followed soon after. Though most arrows were deflected by the sturdy shields, a few found their way through gaps, striking down a handful of unlucky soldiers. Despite this, the damage was minimal, and the Mughal lines remained unshaken. The gaps formed in the formation was not significant enough to break the formation.

The Balochi archers, frustrated by the lack of impact, prepared for another round, but it was clear that their efforts were far from enough to break the Mughal defense. The battlefield remained tense, but the Mughal lines held firm.

As the arrow shower ended, movement from the right flank of the Baloch was observed.

"Once we shatter their right flank, the rest will crumble! Follow my lead!", With a thunderous roar, Prince Usman led his cavalry while his infantry followed behind.

Their target was the dense right flank of 900 Mughal soldiers under Faujdar Tausif, which they considered an easy target to ruin and maneuver left. The earth shook as the cavalry galloped forward, their sabers gleaming in the moonlight.

Faujdar Tausif commanded, "Hold the line! It’s just a bunch of sheep."

The Mughal infantry braced for impact. Spears were lowered, forming a wall of sharpened iron.

"Fire crossbows, target their horses!"

Crossbowmen behind them let loose bolts that sliced through the air, striking down several of the charging cavalry.

The Balochi cavalry crashed into the Mughal lines with brutal force. Horses screamed as they were impaled on the spears. Many of the riders, unable to break through, were thrown from their saddles, where they were swiftly cut down by the Mughal swordsmen.

To add more peril to their fate, from behind the walls, Mughal archers and musketeers retaliated with arrows and musket shots, finding their mark among the Balochi ranks. Though some Mughal soldiers fell, they were swiftly replaced by fellow soldiers from behind the line, causing no gap in formation.

"No one moves! Believe in your formation!" Faujdar Farhan bellowed as he scanned the approaching Baloch army.

Meanwhile, the Balochi cavalry attempted to encircle the right flank, but as minutes passed, dozens of their riders fell with little damage to the Mughal forces.

The charge faltered, and the Balochi cavalry was forced to retreat. The Mughal soldiers rejoiced but held their positions.

Tausif cheered, "Brave soldiers, this is the result of your training! No matter the cost, do not let them break the formation. Brace yourselves—more is coming."

The Mughal defenses stood strong, but everyone knew the true test was yet to come.

Undeterred, the Balochi regrouped. This time, their archers fanned out in a semi-circle around the Mughal formation, launching arrows from multiple directions in an attempt to overwhelm the defenders.

"Incoming arrows! Raise your shields!"

"Stay close together!"

The Mughals, however, adapted quickly. Shields were raised once more, deflecting most of the incoming fire.

"Target their archers! They are within range!!"

From behind the walls, Mughal archers and musketeers retaliated with their arrows and musket shots finding their mark among the Balochi ranks. Though some Mughal infantry fell but their losses were minimal.

On the walls, the Mughal archers and musketeers continued their deadly rain, targeting the scattered Balochi archers with precise accuracy. Bodies of Balochi soldiers fell by the dozens, and their formation began to break apart under the relentless fire from the fort. Once again, the Mughal discipline held strong.

Frustration was etched on Chief Malik’s face, but with Prince Usman now fully submitting to his command after the failed cavalry charge, he knew it was time to act as the true leader. He needed to break the Mughal lines, and fast. Malik ordered his 5,000 infantry to launch a massive frontal assault. The Balochi foot soldiers surged forward with deafening war cries, hoping their superior numbers would finally overwhelm the Mughal defenses.

The baloch leather armor and lack of standard made a huge difference when it came to range fights. As the Balochi charged, Mughal crossbowmen and archers fired over the heads of their comrades, impaling down scores of enemy soldiers before they even reached the line.

When the two forces collided, the clash was brutal. The Mughal infantry, still in square formations, stood their ground. Steel met steel as the Balochi tried to push through the Mughal defenses.

"Push through their lines! We cannot let them hold us back!" a Balochi infantry cried.

"Stay strong! The walls hold; we will not be defeated!" a Mughal soldiers pressed on with this shield as he stabbed taking the opportune.

Some of the Balochi infantry managed to break into the squares, but they were quickly surrounded and cut down by Mughal swordsmen. Despite the ferocity of the assault, the Mughal lines held firm.

In desperation, the Balochi archers reappeared, taking position behind their infantry and fired over their heads of infantry in an attempt to weaken the Mughal lines. Under this relentless pressure, the Mughal infantry began to tire.

Casualties mounted as more arrows found their mark. The Mughals adjusted their formation by holding up shields but the fatigue was beginning to show.

However, the archers and musketeers on the walls of Machh town never stopped firing. Their continued volleys knocked down more Balochi soldiers, relieving the pressure on the infantry standing ground.

Despite the Mughals suffering more casualties than in earlier phases, their defenses did not collapse.

"Change formation! Regroup as one!"

To close the gaps and withstand the mounting pressure, the Mughal formation shifted gradually in mid battle.

The spearhead formation merged with the other units, creating a compact rectangular block. Under the intense assault, the entire Mughal line transformed into a solid, straight column, reinforcing their defense against the relentless attack.

Chief Malik had one final card to play. He sent Prince Usman with half of the cavalry to attack the Mughals from the right once more, while he personally led the remaining Balochi cavalry to flank the Mughal forces from the left, aiming to catch them from behind and shatter their morale.

"Press the attack! We outnumber them; we cannot falter now!"

"Forward, Balochi warriors! Today, we reclaim our pride!"

With a thunderous roar, both cavalry groups charged, targeting the rear of the Mughal squares in a desperate bid to break their defenses.

"Charge! Let’s drive them back into the dust!"

But the Mughal commander was ready. He dispatched Faujdar Naseem with 600 reserve cavalry for right, while he led the remaining 700 cavalry for left side defense, from the camp.

The Mughals split into two wings, flanking the Balochi cavalry and confronting them head-on. The clash was brutal, sabers flashing under the moonlight as both sides fought fiercely for dominance.

The first clash occurred on the Mughal right flank. Faujdar Naseem hurled his spear at Prince Usman, who narrowly ducked, but his horse was impaled by a frontline Mughal foot soldier.

"The prince is down! Get him to safety!"

Usman was dragged away by his comrades as their forces slowly retreated from the right flank.

"Ha! HA! Ha! where are you running cowards. Meet your father."

It allowed Naseem to quickly capitalize on the momentum and wreak havoc on the Balochi infantry. He became a maniac as he chased them.

On the left side, Chief Malik managed to exploit gaps in the Mughal formation, breaking through and carving a bloody path into their ranks. However, the Mughals swiftly regrouped, crashing into the advancing Baloch forces, halting their progress.

Zahid’s cavalry swept in from behind, catching the Balochi cavalry off guard. The sound of thundering hooves filled the air as Mughal sabers slashed through the enemy lines. Horses and men were thrown into chaos, with Zahid’s forces relentlessly cutting down the disoriented Baloch riders.

"Retreat! Retreat! Foot soldiers cover!"

Panic spread through the Balochi ranks, forcing them into a chaotic retreat. But, it was at this moment that the Balochi foot soldiers moved in, encircling them.

"Don’t falter, we can win this!"

"Take this you sonouvabitch!"

Though outnumbered, the Mughal cavalry fought bravely, holding off the Balochi infantry. But slowly, the tide began to turn. The larger Balochi infantry force started to push back the Mughals due to exhaustion. The Balochi archers took advantage of every opportunity to strike down Mughal soldiers, causing the Mughal lines to begin to falter.

Just as hope seemed lost, a deep rumble echoed from southern side from direction of river.

’Boom!’

The Mughal cannons had been brought into position. With a thunderous boom, the cannons unleashed their deadly barrage into the rear side of Balochi army in tight formations.

The explosions tore through the Balochi ranks, sending bodies flying and throwing their formations into chaos.

At that very moment, Mughal reinforcements arrived. 3,000 fresh cavalry and 4,000 infantry surged onto the battlefield, their war cries striking fear into the hearts of the already battered Balochi forces.

"Enemy reinforcement has arrived. We need to retreat!"

"Arrgh! I don’t want to die. Get back! Get back! Let me get back!"

The sight of their comrades being torn apart by cannon fire and the arrival of fresh Mughal troops broke the morale of the Balochi army. Their lines faltered, and soon, a full-scale retreat began.

"Rally to me! We must not let fear take hold; fight for our freedom!"

Chief Malik, as Balochi commander, tried to rally his forces, but a stray cannonball struck him down, killing him instantly.

"Our chief is dead! Our leader is dead! Run for your lives!!"

Witnessing his death, the Balochi army collapsed and they routed.

Zahid felt a surge of relief as he watched the Baloch soldiers flee. With this battle, the fate of Balochistan was sealed, and the new dawn of the Pakistan Sultanate under the Mughals began.