Battle of Geuberbach [ Schwabian Times Report ]

Yesterday our brave troops engaged the invading Harzburg hordes.  This reporter interviewed many of the participants and the available bystanders, their statements provide the facts for this report.

The League received reports that a flying column would try to plunder the countryside as they probed toward Muhlehause. The task of identifying their path was aided by the swollen nature of all the waterways.  The only good position for a pontoon bridge was near Greuberbach over the Freshet river. Scouts confirmed the Harzburgers construction of a pontoon bridge and the presence of troops ready to march.

The league sent their nearest troops to block the Harzburg advance. The League sent the Flatsburg Dragoons and the Schwabian Dragoons to screen the infantry. The infantry brigade was composed of the following battalions Furstins Own, Flatsburg, Muhlehause, and Adlerzwillinge.  Each infantry battalion was equipped with a 3lb battalion gun.

After spending the night near the pontoon bridge, the Leagues troops moved out to engage 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.

With the preliminaries out of the way, the infantry closed upon each other to engage in firefights. 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. 

The first rounds of fire by gun and musket saw the Converged grenadiers rout with more than 50% losses. Brants moved to cover the hole left by the grenadiers and engaged the Furstins Musketeers while I Bn Muhlehaus Musketeers advanced on the left flank of the Furstins Own to join the fight. 

Flatsburg Bn routed the I BN Lowes opening the way for their advance. 

The Klineburg Dragoons moved out to occupy the Flatsburh Musketeers on the Harzburg left flank. In an orders mix up they rode out alone with no support. They would sell their lives and buy the time needed then withdraw in good order. The Artillery Regiment deploys behind the front line next to the pontoon bridge.

 

The Muhlehaus Bn switched their attention from I Bn Brants to Harzbach Converged Grenadiers and I Bn Thalbers. The brigade gun would shield them from a full volley by the grenadiers. The firefight would last until the end of the battle.

Furstins Bn routs from their casualties and are replaced in the line by I Bn Adlerzwillinge

The firefight on the hill continues with neither side giving an inch.

Flatsburg Bn awaits the new onslaught

They watch I Bn Fenstermacher and the Artillery Fusiliers advance to engage them. The Flatsburg Bn has taken many casualties but they refused to withdraw.

The battle came to a end with both the Flatsburg Bn and Brandts routed from their firefights. Harzbachs Grenadiers and I Bn Thalbers engaged their firefight while I Bn Adlerzwillinge awaits the attack on their right from I Bn Fenstermachers and the Artillery Fusiliers. Our brave boys had blunted the Harzburg thrust and now pulled back to continue to screen Muhlehaus from Harzburg.

Heinrich Kohl writes home

Dear Mom and Dad,

It has been a busy month and I am now able to write you.  We have been scouting the Harzburg positions around the occupied Free city of Schwab-Flusshafen.  Their occupation and claim of ownership has everyone here up in arms.  I have been told that for the last 100 years Schwab-Flusshafen's neutrality has been respected by all sides.  Hauptman Fuchs lead us close and we were involved in a couple of skirmishes with the Harzburgs Jaeger Corps.  When we withdrew, we were all but encircled, Hauptman Fuchs slipped us past the Mounted Jaeger patrols and we returned to Muhlehaus with all our wounded.

Our time in camp is now spent training the replacements and scouting the boarder.  Hauptman Fuchs says that a battle is coming and we need to be ready.  Unterleutenant Reinhardt complimented me on my steadiness during our maneuvers, I feel that with the expansion of the Jaegers I will be promoted soon. I am sending more money to help with the spring planting.  Gefreiter Gruber has a young cousin in need of work as he is to young to join the Jaegers. He has been told that if he works for you that he is freeing a man for the Jaegers. This will let him help with the war effort and let him grow up away from the front. His name is Karl, he is 14 and eager for adventure.  Gefreiter Gruber hopes that being away from home will be enough of an adventure for him.  I told Gefreiter Gruber you could give him a room and work to keep him out of trouble, you did with me.

Camp is stirring and another day of training will commence.  It is mainly for the new guys and the rest of us look upon it as light duty.  Every day I feel more at home with the Jaegers and look forward to each new challenge. I look for the next letter from home with good news.

Your son

Heinrich

Map Change

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/

New League battle flag

The Council stood as Maria Athena entered flanked by her ministers.  "There is little time for formalities, lets get to work," Furstin Maria Athena began the meeting. "Today we finalize the formal addition of a League battle flag.  Our old standard showed the flags of our four states but represented no other entity. After negotiations I have concluded, we now need to modify our standard. I ask the Council to approve the addition of the ancient Schwabian emblem of unity. The red eagle on a white field added to our standard to represent the Schwabian states who actively support our endeavors.

The smaller Schwabian states have granted me the right to recruit in their territories in return for protection and no trade duties for trade within Schwabia. As the revenue that could be lost is negligible, the ability to raise additional troops is of greater value.  The trained recruits available will allow Flatsburg to add four regiments of infantry and two horse grand squadrons for this springs campaign.  I now call for the Council's approval."

Furst Ludwig von Greifdorf stated, "Furstin, I concur with your decision and I urge the Council to approve your request."

"I concur and ask for an imediate vote," Graf Gustav von Mühlehaus said.

Feeiherr Albrecht von Adlerzwillinge raised his voice and said, "Let us vote as a unanimous vote is assured."

Furstin Maria Athena began speaking again, "Well gentlemen, I call for a vote. All opposed to the measure let them speak." Dead silence till the Furstin resumed, "All for the measure." All members loudly affirmed their support. "Very well the new battle standard is approved and Seamstress es will begin the work of providing one for each regiment of infantry.  Now let us hear from the Finance Minister on the cost of supply transport."