ire . ▁This ▁system ▁was ▁not ▁only ▁expensive , ▁but ▁also ▁made ▁the ▁army ▁somewhat ▁inf lex ible ▁as ▁the ▁assumption ▁was ▁always ▁the ▁enemy ▁would ▁retre at ▁into ▁a ▁for tr ess ▁to ▁be ▁bes ie ged ▁or ▁would ▁eng age ▁in ▁a ▁set - pie ce ▁decis ive ▁battle ▁of ▁anni h ilation ▁on ▁open ▁ground . ▁The ▁H indu ▁Mar ath as ▁were ▁expert ▁hors emen ▁who ▁refused ▁to ▁eng age ▁in ▁set - pie ce ▁batt les , ▁but ▁rather ▁engaged ▁in ▁campaign s ▁of ▁gu err illa ▁war fare , ▁a ▁war ▁of ▁ra ids , ▁amb ush es ▁and ▁attacks ▁upon ▁the ▁M ug hal ▁supply ▁lines . ▁The ▁Mar ath as ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁take ▁the ▁M ug hal ▁for tr esses ▁via ▁storm ▁or ▁formal ▁sie ge ▁as ▁they ▁lack ed ▁the ▁art illery , ▁but ▁by ▁constantly ▁intercept ing ▁supply ▁columns , ▁they ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁star ve ▁M ug hal ▁for tr esses ▁into ▁submission . ▁Success ive ▁M ug hal ▁command ers ▁refused ▁to ▁adjust ▁their ▁tact ics ▁and ▁develop ▁an ▁appropriate ▁counter - ins ur gency ▁strategy , ▁which ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁M ugh als ▁losing ▁more ▁and ▁more ▁ground ▁to ▁the ▁Mar ath a . ▁The ▁Indian ▁campaign ▁of ▁N ader ▁Shah ▁of ▁Pers ia ▁cul min ated ▁with ▁the ▁S ack ▁of ▁Del hi ▁and ▁sh atter ed ▁the ▁rem n ants ▁of ▁M ug hal ▁power ▁and ▁prest ige , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁dr ast ically ▁acceler ating