BATTLE OF BLUTIGER HÜGEL (BLOODY HILL)

        HARZBERG GAZETTE   30 OCTOBER

Elements of our army met the rebellious Schwabians in battle and once again proved the superiority of our cause.  von Stribling was tasked with the task of securing the ford for the supply trains use.  von Stribling amassed the majority of his forces upon the main ford and prepared to smash the Schwabian defense.

von Stribling commanded 3 battalions of foot and a 6lb gun while von Fitz commanded 2 converged Grenadier battalions and the Artillery Regiment, made up of a 12lb battery and Fusilier detachment.


The Schwabians opposed the crossing with 3 reinforced battalions with 3lb battalion guns.  Their defense consisted of their infantry in a line using the hill as the focus of their defense.

Upon reaching the optimal range the Harzburgers delivered devastating fire from a Grenadier battalion, Fusiliers, and 12lb Battery.  The Furstins battalion suffered 170 casualties before they returned  feeble return fire. 




von Stribling ponders the next phase of the attack as fire is exchanged with the other Flatsburg and Muhlehause defenders. After a moments thought, he boldly ordered his troops to closely engage the Schwabians.




Oberst-leutenant Hamilton directed the diversionary attack upon the minor ford on the Harzburg right .  Hampered by chest high water any troops crossing would be disordered.  Oberst-leutenant Fitz, commanding the Alderzillinge battalion, 3lb battalion gun, and Fuchs Jaegers opposed our brave troops. 


The Alderzillingers enters a firefight with Fenstermacher's Foot after they had driven Fuchs Jaegers  away from the ford.  Hamilton managed to draw the 2 Schwabian squadrons from the main attack.  Harzburgs Dragoon squadrons prepared to cross the ford as Schwabian squadrons closed upon them.   

Back at the main ford, Furstins battalion moved closer to the hill and their 3lb gun.  von Striblings Grenadiers would charge them and crush their will to resist causing them to flee in terror.

The Flatsburg and Muhlehause battalions engaged our brave lads in a firefight for the hill. The rout of the Furstins battalion allowed our troops the option to flank the Schwabians.  Our remaining Grenadier battalion crossed the ford to join in the attack. von Striblings battalion moved around the hill while Lowes, Brandts, and Thalberts attacked the hill in the                                                        face of Schwabian defensive fire.

The Flatsburg battalion broke and joined the Furstins battalion. Thalberts and Brandts occupy the hill while lowes charged the Muhlehause battalion.

The outcome of Lowes and Muhlehause engagement was a tense moment for the Harzburg commanders.  Victory on their left front hinged on the outcome.

Muhlehause would break and join their compatriates in flight.  No Schwabians would stand in our troops path to victory.


von Stribling and von Fitz shared smiles of releif as the last Schwabian fled from the defense of the ford and hill.

Meanwhile at the minor ford the Harzburg Dragoons crossed the ford and sought to engage the Alderzillingers.  Fenstermacher's had been reduced to below half streangth and unable to attack.  To reduce the preassure on their foot,  Aubachs went in at the charge with Kleinbergs in support.  The Furstins Horse rode behind their foot and took position on the left flank.  The Flatsburg Dragoons countercharged Aubachs Dragoons meeting them before they could close with Alderzillingers foot.  After a sharp and heated melee Aubachs withdrew back over the ford. With Aubachs withdrawl Kleinbergs
                                                     also withdrew back over the ford.






The final act of the engagement was the limbering of the 12lb guns and having them cross the ford.  The Schwabians from the minor ford covered the retreat with our troops closely following up.

Battle of Geuberbach [ Harzburg Gazette Report ] Part 2

The Artillary Regimentdeployed to cover the Harzburg left flank while new troops march onto the battlefierld.The left flank was wide open due to I Bn Lowes rout.

  

While I Bn Brandts continued to fight the Furstins Bn, Harzbach Converged Grenadiers and I Bn Thalbers deployed to engage the Muhlehaus Bn on the hill. The new troops prevented the Muhlehaus Bn from flanking I Bn Brandts.

Due to a confusion over orders, Klineburg Dragoons moved out alone to delay the advance of the Flatsburg Bn.  The Artillary Fussiliers stayed near the 12lb Battery instead of going out to support.  The brave Dragoons withstood the volley from Flatsburg and refused to break.

I Bn Brandts finaly drove Furstins to break and flee.

I Bn Talbers and the Grenadiers withstood Muhlehaus volleys and returned the favor. The I Brigade gun was eliminated leaving the gun on the hill.

As the battle for the hill intensifies, II Brigade gun moves to help gain an advantage on the right flank.

Flatsburg Bn awaited their fate as the Harzburg revenge advanced with determination.

I Bn Fenstermacher and the Artillery Fusiliers on their left advanced to engage the Flatsburg BN.

As they marched forward the Harzburg infantry shrugged of the Flatsburg volley.  Cooly they stopped and delivered a temendous first volley shredding the Flatsburg line. When the smoke cleared, the Flatsburg Bn will was broken and they routed from the field.

Having drove the Furstins Bn away Brandts now was assaulted by I Bn Adlerzwillinge. These fresh troops managed to get first fire and delivered a devastaing first fire. 

 

Driven to one third streangth, Brandts finaly broke under the strain of battle and withdrew from the field.

The Harzburgers begin to force the Muhlehaus infantry back along the hill.

Our artist paints a view of the battle at the point when the Schwabians began to slink away from our brave victorious troops. 

Battle of Geuberbach [ Harzburg Gazette Report ] Part 1

Harzburg troops patrolling the boarder between Schwab-Flusshafen and Muhlehaus engaged invading hordes.  The hordes fell upon our brave troops as they crossed the pontoon bridge near Greuberbach over the Freshet river.  Our troops numbered 4-300 man Musketeer Bns, 2-300 man Grenadier Bn brs, 2-150 trooper Dragoons, 2-6lb Brigade guns, and an Artillery Regiment 2-12lb guns and 300 Artillery Fusiliers.

After spending the night completing the pontoon bridge, our troops moved out to search for the enemy.  The Dragoons moved out ahead of the infantry to block any interference in their deployment. The Dragoons each engaged a separate enemy Dragoon unit in combat. Separate combats lasted till the lead infantry battalions began to deploy then ended. The Flatsburg Dragoons bested the Aubach Dragoons who routed from the melee but managed to hold onto their flag.

The Schwabian Dragoons, in their first action, engaged the Klineburg Dragoons and were routed but kept their flag. At this point the victorious Dragoons withdrew to regroup while their routing comrades would leave the field not to return.

The Flatsburg Musketeers Bn deployed to oppose I Bn Lowes Musketeers while the Furstins Own Musketeers opposed von Striblings Converged Grenadiers and I Bn Brants Musketeers. Deploying to the left as they crossed the pontoon bridge I Bn Lowes Musketeers they would oppose the Flatsburg Bn. von Striblings Converged Grenadiers and I Bn Brants Musketeers deployed with their 6lb Brigade gun deployed right toward and on the hill opposing the Furstins Bn.

I Bn Lowes delivered a devastating volley before recieving an equaly devastating volley from the Flatsburg Bn. To their right, Striblings Grenadiers are blasted by ball and cannister driving them below 50% effectives.  This was to much for the Grenadiers and they broke and left the feild of battle.

The smoke form the devastating volley can be seen in this ilistration by our battlefield atrist.

I Bn Brandts moved to occupy the position vacated by the Grenadiers.  They would recieve fire from ball and cannister before they could respond in kind. 

The Second Brigade arrived behind the Artillary Regiment.

Items from the Harzburg Times

MARCH
The Herzog of Harzburg has taken over control of the former Free City of Schwab-Flusshafen and it’s territory in response to the city’s cooperation with the Rebellious states. The Herzog further declares that as Harzburg has an ancient claim on Schwab-Flusshafen, the territory will be governed by a Governor General who will report directly to the Herzog. The Freiherr of Stummesdorf has been installed as Governor-General of Schwab-Flusshafen.


APRIL
Schwab-Flusshafen has been turned into a supply depot to serve as the foreword base for future operations. Governor-General Freiherr of Stummesdorf has ordered the conscription of military males to form new battalions for defensive operations, 4 line battalion and a Brigade gun crew. The Herzog has ordered his recruiters to scour the new territory for recruits to the regular field force.
Military sources state that the only response from the rebellious states has been to send the criminal Fuch and his band of thieves to plunder the outer regions of Harzburg's new lands. The heroic Jaeger Corps has began the hunting down of these criminals.

New Map

After many hours of worry I decided to change the look of the towns on my map.  I am using modified images from David Linienblatt's site available at http://nba-sywtemplates.blogspot.com/

I wanted a more old school look and feel better about these.  The map is not to any scale and meant to show the general location of the warring states. 

SCHWABIAN MAP

I have finaly completed enough of the map of Schwabia to post it.

It is just the basics and I am slowly going to make additions.

I have modified David Linienblatt's city templates for this map.

http://nba-sywtemplates.blogspot.com/

Winter plans

Ministers von Reinhard, and von Kortig meet in Minister Gerissenheit's office for an informal coordination meeting.  The Ministers meeting was to confirm plans for winter reshuffling of troops and planning for he spring offensive.

"Gentlemen take a seat and we shall get started." Minister Gerissenheit directed his guest to a table with three chairs and coffee decanter and cups on the table. "Please get your coffee and take a seat.  We have much to accomplish before we meet the Herzog tomorrow at the Baerschloss."  Minister Gerissenheit joined his guest and took a seat with his cup of coffee.

"If you please I will begin," Minister Gerissenheit  paused and received nods of approval.  "My latest information shows that the Schwabial League has gone into winter quarters and a quiet winter is expected."

"Except from that dam Fuchs.  I receive daily reports of their probing our forward base. I swear that man is on a mission to drive us all mad." stated Minister of War von Reinhard.

"His name does appear in my sources reports.  According to their reports he is increasing the size of his command. The reports state that his training exercises will keep our forward base under constant alert. Minister von Reinhard, I would advise you to keep pressure on those officers at our forward base to keep alert for raids from Fuchs Jaegers." Minister Gerissenheit paused to sip his coffee.

Minister of State von Kortig added, "The diplomatic front has stabilized.  The Bishopric of Uber-Gruntshuffen has gone quiet and I feel that troops needed to protect that front can be transferred to reserve units.  Frankszonia is tied to internal problems and we can protect our border there with reservist as well."

"If the information can be trusted, our manpower problems are greatly reduced. Can you confirm any of these diplomatic inquires?" Minister von Reinhard asked Minister Gerissenheit.

"My sources have been sending me the same information.  How does it affect the springs opperations?" asked Minister Gerissenheit.

"Reservist formations can patrol our boarders with Frankszonia and Uber-Gruntshuffen allowing regulars to take to the field. Though we are significantly larger than any state in Schwabia, the League can field as strong a force as we. Zwilling-Hügel showed that a direct assault on steady troops is a risky enterprise. We must have room to manuver to expoit our superior flexibility. My recruiting parties are even now scouring Schwabia for recruits and reports give hope that our forces will be near full strength by spring." said Minister von Reinhard.