Engagement At Manoli ....

A Begovian cavalry column has crossed the border and is heading towards Barzoli; General Waldebck has set out with two regiments of Wittenberg cavalry to intercept them.

---oXo---

The Wittenberg column passes near the small castle at Manoli...

 The Begovian cavalry column...

 The Begovians nave been sighted, the Wittenberg Uhlans and Dragoons form up ...

 Once formed up the charge is sounded ......

 Battle is joined ......

 The Uhlans push back their opposition who start to fall back .....the dragoons struggle to hold back the Begovians...

The Uhlans pursue the Begovians; Count Borizty manages to hold back a squadron of Uhlans and attacks the flank of the remaining Begovians, coming to the aid of the Dragoons ...

 the Begovians break under the pressure ....

the Begovian cavalry column has been dispersed...

At the palace - Merry Xmas .....

Affairs of state intrude, a quick briefing for the King - the Begovian army has set up a winter camp about 30miles from the border of the Zinzendorf province...

The entrance hall is busy....

in one of the salons, a card game is in progress....

the King, his family and friends in the royal apartments....

A Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year to All

Arriving at the palace ....

As Xmas approaches the nobles of the court start to arrive, a few today but as the festive season nears there will be more coaches each day and the servants will be busy moving all the luggage.

Baron Hofler and family have arrived, including their son Colonel Hofler (on leave from the army in the Zinzendorf province). The palace cats watch a small group of guards on their way to the main gate; meanwhile the window cleaner finishes off the last of the front windows.

Chateau or Schloss....

Found at a nearby emporium in the garden section ..... suitable for use as a Chateau or Schloss....

 out of the box, but the solar panel for the lighting (which cycles through 3 colours) is inset in the rear  of the roof so the hole needs filling in and a new roof section adding.

 I opted to cover over the hole in the rear part of the roof and put on some 4Ground tiles

 and a new front entrance made up from card ....

 roof repainted, and the new entrance painted to match; a suitable country residence .....

it will serve as a fortress, when used in conjunction with my small fort wall sections

Fenwick - converged grenadier battalion ....

Fenwick Army is on manoeuvres...

The converged grenadier battalion marches up to take position next to the guard battalion ...

 formed up and in position .....

[ New items - converged grenadier battalion: rank and file my own home-cast figures plus a mix of command figs from various makers]

Trouble with wolves ....

A detachment of the Kings jagers have been sent to the edges of the Sackwald forest to assist the locals dealing with a pack of wolves who have started hunting into the farmland areas.

The jagers have tracked them down .......

[new items: pack of 5 wolves, from 40mm Sash & Sabre napoleonic 'Retreat from Moscow' range]

Galleys for the River Oudear ...

For actions between Wittenberg and Begovians on the lower reaches of the River Oudear, involving river galleys, I have decide to go with 1/600 scale. This will give me enough space on the table to show the wider river and allow for sufficient galleys for a reasonable game.

Initially I bought a couple of 1/600 metal galleys from Skytrex; these are rather nice. I thought I should have a go at making my own out of cardboard and other bits. First attempt at 1/600 scratch-built galley done (need to do the sail yet), shown here with the Skytrex ones

looks ok, now need to decide how many to build for the opposing fleets.