Arrival at Hofheim ...

continued from the previous post ...

Hofler and his pandour regiment, after a couple of days march have reached the outskirts of Hofheim...

 Count Boritzy hearing of their arrival, rides down to meet them..

Count Boritzy instructs Hofler where to quarter his regiment and asks him to dine with him that evening.

---oXo----

 Meanwhile the Saxe-Jarlsberg army is on the move, heading north-west towards Hofheim. Hussars and jagers at the front of the column ...

 Count Pottensdorf with his staff near the head of the column ...

 The rest of the column ...

they have a few days march to go before they reach Hofheim ....

Ready to march ...

continued from the previous post ...

 Hofler had moved the camp to a nearby farm, getting it properly laid out in a field with some open ground nearby which could be used to exercise the troops..

 The men were drilled in platoons,

 and were given plenty of firing practice too

 General Waldebeck dropped by for an informal inspection ...

Waldebeck: Fine looking fellows, you've got them in good shape

Hofler: thank you Sir

Waldebeck: Well I think they are ready for action, get them up to Hofheim and join the Freikorps 

Hofler: Yes sir, we will leave as soon as possible ....

---oXo---

Meanwhile in Saxe-Jarlsberg events are unfolding. The Herzog is in discussion with Count Pottsendorf...

Herzog: I want Hofheim re-taken, then we will hold all the main routes into the Hoflandt.

Pottsendorf: The army is still weak but I believe is it is feasible

Herzog: Make the preparations

Pottsendorf: Yes Sire, I will march when all is ready ....

To Vanderhof and beyond ....

continued from the previous post ... ( figures used change from 28mm to 40mm, part way through)

Steffen Hofler had left Ottenheim a couple of days ago and had stayed overnight in Oberstein, setting out the next day on the last leg of his journey to Vanderhof.

 After a couple of hours he reached the top of a small hill and could see Vanderhof in the distance; he took out his spy-glass for a closer look ...

 Arriving late in the afternoon at Vanderhof he found some accomodation for the night.. The next morning he went up to the army HQ to report for duty.

 The adjutant to General Waldebeck welcomed him and checked his papers ...

 The adjutant showed him a map of the Hoflandt and apprised him in outline of the military situation and gave him his initial orders....

 The Hoflandt is surounded by a range of hills, there are three principle routes through, Saxe-Jarlsberg holds the two southerly ones at Karlebach and Dashagen, while we hold the other in the north-east at Hofheim.  General Waldebeck and the regular troops are based at Montberg, Count Boritzy's freikorps is at Hofheim. You will join your regiment at Marianstadt and have it ready for inspection in two weeks, after which you will march to join the Count's freikorp.

The next day he set off, wearing his new Colonel's uniform,  joining a small convoy of supplies on its way east to Montberg...

Two days later, late in the afternoon he arrived at Marianstadt and located the camp of his regiment ..

At Ottenheim ...

continued from the previous post ...

They had made good time and arrived safely at Ottenheim in the early afternoon; early in the evening Steffen Hofler decided to stretch his legs - so he went for a walk.  Having seen what there was of the small burgh town he started on his way back the inn where he was staying....

 As he entered a small square a woman's voice shouted "Watch Out" and he was pulled rather roughly behind a pile of crates...

 just in time too, as the sound of of pistol and musket in fire in the square broke the quiet of the evening.....

 Not knowing what he had got into, assuming the lady was in trouble, Steven drew his sword and bravely took on one of the men in the square ...

 He had the better of him and the other fellow was looking worried .... other men were running from the square under fire from a group of women ...

 Steffen parried and then made to lunge, but slipped and fell to the floor ....

He picked himself up and found his opponent was gone. The woman who pulled him out of the way introduced herself as Mademoiselle Givenchy along with her lady Irregulars in the service of the crown.  She explained he had walked in on an ambush laid for Sennari's Marauders...

She thanked him for his help and he made his way back to the inn,  deciding to have a drink of before he went to bed. He had something eventful to write in his journal and a tale to tell .....

On to Bleistadt ...

continued from the previous post ....

After a couple of days, a small incident disrupted their progress. They were now deep in the province of Boldovia and late one morning they were approached by a group of Feldjagers; some of the Boldovian army corps were on manouvres and they were advised to wait a short while.  A few minutes later a brigade of cavalry crossed the road ....

 After the road was clear they travelled on and in the mid-afternoon they reached Bleistadt ...

after passing through the main gate they found some lodgings for the night.

They would resume their journey the next day, heading south-east via Erlangen in order to cross into Upper Belgravia to get to Offenheim and then onto their final destination at Vanderhof.

Stopover at Wornitz ....

continue from the previous post......

It had been a good couple of days ride through Wittenland province. He decided to break his journey at Wornitz. Crossing the bridge over the Kusten canal, he entered the town ...

Following a good nights rest at a local inn,  he went for a walk in the afternoon and made the acquaintance of a young lady and her aunt who were also travelling to Vanderhof ...

The next day, back in the saddle, he continued his journey on the road south accompanying the ladies in their coach...

 He still had a fair way to go - the province of Boldovia to cross, then into to Upper Belgravia and down to Vanderhof on the river Oudear.

Departure....

continue from the previous post...... Steffen Hofler, Marquess of Kronstadt starts his journey .....

---oXo---

The young Marquess meets up with his close friends at the Kurfurstin Inn in Wittenberg for a celebratory drinking evening ....

Following his evening out he stayed a couple of days with his parents at their estate near Alt-Wittenberg. After saying his goodbyes he rode off on his long journey south to Vanderhof ...