title: Forged in the Furnace of Battle: The War History of 26 Cavalry Chhamb Operations 1971
author: Major General Syed Ali Hamid
description: Forged In The Furnace Of Battle-26 Cavalry (t) by Major General (r) Ali Hamd
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  [Contents](0671578723_toc.htm)
  
  # **Chapter 19**
  
  Two and a half hours later, the enemy began taking positions for the assault
  on the villa. The Malwa forces lined up on the open ground east of the royal
  compound, at a distance of half a mile. The front lines were composed of
  cavalry regulars, backed by Ye-tai. The rocket wagons, guarded by the Kushans,
  were brought to a halt fifty yards behind the front ranks. The kshatriya,
  overseen by Mahaveda priests, removed the tarpaulins covering the wagons and
  began unloading rockets and firing troughs. Within a few minutes, they had the
  artillery devices set up. There were eighteen of the rocket troughs, erected
  in a single line, spaced thirty feet apart.
  
  From a room on the second floor of the villa, Belisarius studied the Malwa
  formation with his telescope. Standing just behind him were the top officers
  of the Syrian and Constantinople troops forted up in the imperial
  compoundBouzes 