and at least the superiority of 10 times in infantry and 100 times in artillery. They also had the advantage of maneuverability in movement. In the early months of the war, the initial British invasion force was completely frustrated by Nepalese tactics. The British offensive ended in complete failure. Nepalese forces stationed within the shelter of the fortress were not only able to defend their position against an invading enemy many times superior in strength, but they even shocked them by their dreadful counteroffensive that used to be accompanied by big losses on the British side. After the initial defeats, the British changed their strategy to avoid their casualties. They started to deploy long-range guns to level Nepal's fortifications. This strategy paid off. The British were able to advance quickly into the territory under Nepal's control. They even used elephants to carry heavy guns across the mountains. So the ability of the Nepalese force to defend the territory under their control was steadily declining. They were forced to pull back. There was a breakdown in the command and control system. Towards the middle of 1815, Amar Singh Thapa, chief of the Nepalese forces fighting in the western front, was confined within a small area of the Malaun fort. The fate of Nepal was going to be in the hands of the Governor General Lord Hastings, who was determined to solidify Company rule in India. At that time he worked either to eliminate Nepal completely and bring it under Company rule or to transform it into a vassal state like so many other states under that category in Colonial India. He could be forced not to take any such decision detrimental to the honour of Nepal only if he perceived that such action could pose serious threat to the continuance of Company rule in India. The Deothal Battle could not be anything else but a clear message of threat on behalf of Nepalese people to the East India Company warning them not to take lightly the determination of Nepalese people to protect the honour of their country. Battle of Deuthal Towards sunset on April 16, 1815, Bhakti Thapa and the army units under him arrived at the Malaun fort from their station at Surajgarh, without being noticed by the East India Company units scattered around the Malaun fortress. The following day in the morning, Bhakti Thapa, at the age of 73,