. ▁A ▁case ▁in ▁point ▁here ▁is ▁that ▁the ▁Mar ath as ▁achieved ▁success ▁in ▁system atic ▁elim ination ▁of ▁all ▁for ts ▁which ▁came ▁their ▁way ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Sur at ▁circa ▁ 1 6 6 4 . ▁Reg ards ▁the ▁art illery , ▁Sh iv aj i ▁h ired ▁foreign ▁( main ly ▁Portuguese ) ▁mer cen aries ▁for ▁assistance ▁to ▁manufact ure ▁weapons . ▁The ▁h iring ▁of ▁foreign ▁mer cen aries ▁was ▁not ▁new ▁to ▁the ▁Mar ath a ▁military ▁culture . ▁Sh iv aj i ▁h ired ▁season ed ▁can non - cast ing ▁Portuguese ▁techn icians ▁from ▁Go a . ▁The ▁Mar ath as ▁attached ▁importance ▁to ▁h iring ▁of ▁exper ts , ▁which ▁can ▁be ▁cor ro bor ated ▁by ▁the ▁fact ▁that ▁important ▁posts ▁in ▁the ▁army ▁were ▁offered ▁to ▁the ▁officers ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁the ▁manufact ure ▁of ▁guns . ▁▁▁ ▁The ▁Army ▁deployed ▁mus k ete ers ▁as ▁well ▁- ▁both ▁regular ▁and ▁mer cen aries . ▁During ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 7 th ▁century , ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁mention ▁of ▁the ▁Mar ath as ▁using ▁well - ar med ▁mus k ete ers ▁during ▁their ▁attack ▁on ▁Go a ▁( d uring ▁the ▁reign ▁of ▁S amb h aj i ). ▁Further , ▁during ▁the ▁same ▁period ▁there ▁is ▁also ▁a ▁mention ▁of ▁Mar ath as ▁using ▁K arn ata ki ▁mus k ete ers ▁ren owned ▁for ▁mark sm ans hip ▁ ▁Str ucture ▁and ▁Rank ▁Below ▁was ▁the ▁structure