Rewari Kingdom , Cannon factory , morning of 6th March 1557.
Finally, the day of the most awaited weapon exhibition arrived. The delegates reached the cannon factory testing ground and were stationed in their scheduled tents with all the comforts that could be provided. Their escort armies were stationed outside the designated testing area, while the royal guards of Rewari managed the local security.
Amidst the bustling landscape inside the grand tent, Aditya was the center of attention. He wore custom-designed attire of silk kurta decorated with Persian-inspired embroidery paired with well-adorned trousers. The jeweled turban for head and intricately embroidered mojri for footwear, complented his look, earning him admiration and appreciation.
Upon arrival, every delegate sought to greet him with their finest gifts, aiming to persuade him into preferential deals. Unique gems, perfus, weapons like swords or daggers adorned with exquisite art, and religious items such as intricately carved idols and sacred texts were among the most common offerings.
Among the nurous gifts, three were the most notable to him. The Portuguese maps, detailing the South Indian coastline and the extent of their respective regional influence, were invaluable for his planned expedition against the Dutch. He was surprised by how detailed and well-inford they were.
The idol of Lord Jagannath made of pure sandalwood from the Gajapati kingdom, along with an open invitation from their ruler to visit their lands, promised future alliances and opportunities.
Lastly, twenty well-trained support elephants from Rewari, offered as a gesture for saving their kingdom, would greatly aid his logistics efforts.
Despite all the gifts and greetings, Aditya was in a sour mood. He struggled to manage, having hardly slept the previous night due to his discussions with Mathew, which left him ntally and physically tired. However, the presence of his butler, Hari Singh, ensured that everything was managed seamlessly, allowing him to maintain his composure.
As the formal proceedings concluded, the delegates and their entourages moved to the testing ground, with Aditya once again at the center. The ground itself was an impressive expanse, ticulously prepared for the event. Markings for dummy targets were clearly visible, each one set at varying distances to demonstrate the range and accuracy of the new weapons.
Along one side of the ground, well-arranged carts stood in orderly rows, each one laden with weapons wrapped in white cloth. The anticipation was palpable; everyone knew what lay beneath the wraps, but seeing the weapons in action was a different thrill altogether.
Amidst the thick murmur of excited conversations, all eyes fell upon Colonel Nilesh and his crew as they prepared for the demonstration. The colonel, clad in his distinctive military attire, exuded confidence as he moved among his n, who readied the weapons for the demonstrations.
First ca the repeating crossbows. After unveiling the cart, Colonel Nilesh presented an exact replica of the Chinese repeating crossbow. "Esteed, Ladies and Gentlen, behold the repeating crossbow," he announced. "It features a magazine capable of holding 9 bolts for rapid fire."
With precision, he loaded and fired nine bolts in rapid succession, each striking the target dummy at a distance of 50 ters. The guests watched in fascination as the crossbow executed flawless shots without pause.
But Colonel Nilesh wasn’t finished. Reloading the magazine, he declared, "Now, let’s test its range and effectiveness." Taking careful aim, he fired a bolt that hit dead center at 100 ters, followed by another strike at 150 ters, slightly off-center but still hitting the dummy. Finally, he aid for 200 ters; the bolt flew impressively through the air, narrowly missing the dummy but landing close enough to showcase the crossbow’s remarkable range.
He added, "Its ease of use allows even a commoner to be trained and proficient within a week."
The guests responded with quiet murmurs of admiration, clearly impressed by the crossbow’s capabilities and potential for easy adaptability.
Next, Colonel Nilesh unveiled the Lantern Shield. "This masterpiece is the Lantern Shield," he declared, as he demonstrated its unique feature: a built-in lantern that could pass light through small openings. "This shield not only protects but also serves as a formidable tool for maintaining order in the realm of darkness."
He elaborated on its features, showcasing how the lantern could illuminate dark areas, making it an effective tool for night patrols and operations. "Its recent success in quelling rebellions highlights its practical utility," he explained. "Paired with ranged crossbown, it becos an essential asset in regional law enforcent."
The guests, captivated by the shield’s remarkable significance and practical applications, exchanged murmurs of admiration and curiosity. However, the most shocked among them was the Portuguese envoy, who instantly recognized it as Italian technology but kept his doubts to himself.
Next, the cart bearing the rocket artillery was unveiled and positioned carefully. Colonel Nilesh stood beside it with pride, "This invention," he announced, "is the rocket artillery. It’s the very weapon that has changed the course of war. With this in your arsenal, the enemy won’t dare to assemble in formation."
He continued, his voice full of conviction, "However, if they co too close, within 300 ters, its use can beco hazardous. The rockets lack any guiding system and are prone to misdirection upon mislaunch, potentially causing friendly fire incidents."
The crew demonstrated the setup, showcasing the hollow pipe stands with adjustable axles for angle managent.
"Each rocket," Nilesh continued as he gestured to the iron casing, "asures 60 centiters in length, with a long bamboo tail and a fixed blade as its arrowhead, making it 5 ters in total. The bamboo tail provides stabilization and increased range, while the blade adds another lethal factor, causing chaos in enemy ranks upon impact."
He pointed to the launcher, explaining while the gunner of the crew lit it off, "As you can see here, it’s exposed on the rear side. The fuse is lit here, and off it goes!" The rocket shot skyward, exploding impressively at the 400-ter mark. The onlookers gasped in awe at the display of power.
Nilesh adjusted the angle, focusing on a target 700 ters away. "Now watch closely," he said, as another rocket streaked towards the target but narrowly missed the new mark. However, the target got impacted with a thunderous blast. "Even at extended ranges, the impact is formidable."
They adjusted once more to the maximum targeting the farthest flag with an estimate of 1.5 kiloters. "Let’s see if it can target that flag which is estimated at 1500 ters," Nilesh explained, tension palpable. The rocket soared but strayed from the intended direction, still crossing over the flag and dropping beyond, demonstrating its range and potential against dense enemy formations.
As the smoke cleared, excitent buzzed among the crowd. "Incredible!" soone exclaid.
"Imagine facing these in battle," another added, eyes fixed on the distant impact site.
Next, the cart carrying the Hwacha, known here as Pinaka, was unveiled and wheeled into position. The crew swiftly loaded the arrows, and Colonel Nilesh, brimming with pride, began his explanation.
"This miraculous weapon is called Pinaka," he announced. "It’s designed to unleash a barrage of 100 arrows upon the enemy, overwhelming them with sheer volu and precision. Now, I will show you its range and impact."
As the fuses were lit, Nilesh grabbed the safe handles of the cart, directing its barrage towards the dummies clustered in the designated area. Once ignited, the Pinaka launched a deadly rain of arrows.
The target dummies from 300 ters to 500 ters were skewered with the continuous barrage. Even at 800 ters, it was still able to reach its mark, though the formation beca less dense, turning into a line pattern of projection until the cart was empty.
"This is incredible!" Vishwa Gajapati murmured.
"Look at the range and precision!" Tejpal Singh of Amber exclaid.
"We must get this weapon, no matter the cost," Vishal Rai of Garhwal kingdom declared.
"This weapon is one of a kind," King of Rewari, Rao Todar Mal added.
Portuguese envoy Diego was shocked. He had been unconscious during the rocket blasts and had missed witnessing their devastating spectacle at the wall’s breach. Now, seeing it with his own eyes, he was beyond impressed. "The rocket was good, but this controlled wide-area range launcher is truly remarkable," he comnted. "With Pinaka at hand, enemies won’t even know what hit them."
The demonstration left the crowd in awe, and they continued to discuss the potential of such a powerful weapon.
Seeing the desired effect, Colonel Nilesh addressed the assembly again, "Esteed ladies and gentlen, as much as I would like to continue, this concludes our demonstration. For further discussion, I urge you to please proceed with the rest of the event. Our prince Aditya will take over from here." He ended with a light bow, clutching his fist to his heart.
Aditya nodded in acceptance as he stepped onto the stage, escaping the pestering requests from the crowd where he had gathered.
"Ladies and gentlen, before we continue with the proceedings, I have an important announcent to make."
Everyone turned serious as they focused their curious eyes on the prince addressing them.
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//A/N - For consistency, the term Pinaka will be used instead of Hwacha from here.
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