Chapter 139: Full blown out Naval Battle Part -2
From the darkness of the horizon, the six Baghlah ships that had previously retreated emerged once more, now fully poised for battle. Their formidable presence was marked by their imposing cannons, which glinted ominously in the dim light.
The Baghlahs wasted no time targeting the larger of the two Portuguese carracks. Their cannons roared with a thunderous intensity as they entered effective range.
The carrack ship, already battered from previous skirmishes, was caught off guard by this new assault. It became evident that the sambuks had been mere decoys, and the true confrontation had only just begun.
Strategically positioned at a safe distance, the Baghlahs kept out of range of the second carrack ship, focusing their efforts on defeating the larger threat. The second carrack ship on the other hand was occupied with its anchor, couldn’t come to its aid. However, their overconfidence proved to be a miscalculation; no matter how many hyenas surround a lion, they cannot escape the lion’s wrath.
The Baghlahs’ cannonballs struck the carrack ship with devastating force. The vessel’s crew, already exhausted from the prolonged battle, scrambled to mount a defense. The ship shook violently under the barrage, its wooden armor splintering, and some cannons being destroyed. Despite the chaos, the discipline of the Portuguese crew held strong.
The carrack ship’s robust wooden construction, designed to withstand significant damage, demonstrated its resilience. Despite the odds, the crew managed to maneuver the ship to engage all six Baghlahs simultaneously.
Cannonballs hit the mast, tore through the deck, and struck the crew, hitting critical areas and impairing the ship’s mobility. It was astonishing that one carrack could take on six Baghlahs at once, but the damage was mutual. Unfortunately for the carrack, it couldn’t completely destroy the Baghlahs, and the relentless barrage began to wear down its resilience.
Adjusting their tactics, the Portuguese crew focused their firepower on the nearest Baghlah, which had been causing the most damage. Their only hope was to wait for their companion, but luck was not on their side as it was tied down by a sambuk, which harassed it from pulling the anchor.
As the larger carrack ship concentrated all its cannons on the single Baghlahship, the other five got a brief respite. However, this was poor comfort for the Baghlah ship under attack, which faced a fierce bombardment from the enraged carrack. The Baghlah ships’s crew was horrified as their vessel succumbed to the relentless fire and soon crumpled under the assault.
The remaining Baghlah ships quickly regrouped and launched a coordinated attack. Chaos erupted on the larger Portuguese carrack. The Baghlah ships fired in unison, their powerful cannons hitting the carrack’s hull with resounding impacts.