Whats in the bag ?

Count Hermann: What's in that red velvet bag you have there your majesty ?

King Leopold: The last of my fathers personal effects, this was found in a trunk in the west wing attic. In his later years he became mildly eccentric and took to creating all sorts of titles and chivalric orders, then bestowing them on various people; I expect the bag contains some he'd had made and not presented .

Count Hermann: Seems rather unusual, well best see what's in the bag.

The king undid the sealed fastening and layed out some scrolls and sundry items on the table.

King Leopold: What a strange mixture. Lets see, what do we have ..

The Randhivar of Kolecstan
The Bhaji of Bavindi
The Margravate of Mercury
The Potentate of Mars, and a crown to go with it.
The Order of the Elephant, but no insignia
The Order of St Wingwald and insignia.

Count Hermann: The crown is striking, looks like something from Persia. I think you better get that to the vault it looks rather valuable.

King Leopold: Yes you're right, better keep it safe till I get the court jeweller to value it. I'll get rid of the rest of it; I wonder who I can give the Order of St Wingwald to ?

Count Hermann: I'm sure Brother James would enjoy it ...

A little light music ?

I felt the palace should have some court musicians. I ordered the Willie servants pack, this includes 3 musicians and 4 servants. I converted one of the servants into a musician. To increase the size of the ensemble I decided on a harpsichord - scratcbuilt from cardboard and plasticard; the man at the keyboard is an Old Glory fig.

Next job is to paint them all up.

But first I have to finish a job that was supposed to have been done at Easter - clean my modelling desk - its getting too cruddy even for me - a late spring clean is in the offing.

At the palace ....

The King discusses the renovation of his father's old state coach ...

Meanwhile one of the guards has spotted Larry the llama in the palace gardens

before they make a move to try and catch him, he runs off down towards the lake.

Wittenberg Palace Guard

The Gardes Suisses who are assigned to guard the palace have been issued with a new uniform, instead of being in the austrian style it is now in the prussian style. The guard are briefed for the day's duties ...

Officer: Usual day's guard duty, no special visitors are expected. Keep an eye open for Larry the Llama, he is apparently back in the palace grounds somewhere, if you see him inform the officer of the watch; they are still trying to re-capture him and get him back into the King's menagerie.

[figs: Foundry prussian grenadiers]

1740 - Across The River Oudear (3rd Belgravian Wars) ...

further extracts from the History of Wittenberg by Brother James of Alt-Wittendorf ...

[previous installment at http://tidders-kingdomofwittenberg.blogspot.com/2009/03/1740-forces-in-motion-3rd-belgravian.html]

---oXo---

The Monvrovians ...

The Monrovian army had withdrawn towards Vanderhof to protect their river crossing. General Stricknein had placed the main body of his army at Kleinhaus (north-west of Oberstein); the General has called a conference, the staff have assemebled ...

Gentlemen, look at the map ...


General: We are here at Kleinhaus, we control the road from Hausdorf , ready to block any move by the Wittenberg forces to move on Vanderhof. Count Pottsendorf with our allies is at Rottenhausen, we have a small force at Vanderhof. What should our next move be ? Any comments ?

Stilltwitz: Get back over the river Oudear as soon a possible I say, let's get home in one piece.

General: It is an option, but our orders are to hold Vanderhof until told otherwise. I'm still awaiting a response for my last request to withdraw.

Von Rappnov: We have a report from Pottsendorf at Rottenhausen, the vanguard of the Wittenland division is probing his position.

General: Haufmann can you see anything down the road at Einhaus ?

Haufmann: Yes, some officer wearing a cuirass, some hussars in red uniforms and what looks like jagers in the wooded area.



General: It's that damnable Wittenberger - General Waldebeck. Red hussars you say - the only unit I know they have like that is from the Wittenberg Guard Corps. It could be a bluff. Von Rappnov get the army ready and form up assuming we are facing an attack coming down the road from Hausdorf. Haufmann send a message to Pottsendorf - tell him of our situation; he is to fall back to Oberstein. I wish I knew where the main body of the Wittenberg army was ??

---oXo---

The Wittenbergers ....

The Wittenberg army had been manouvering; the Guard Corps was slowly moving down the road from Hausdorf towards Vanderhof and the Wittenland corps was moving on Rottenhuasen. The Field Marshall's plan was in motion; pin the Monrovians down and cross the river into Saxe-Jarlsberg, get behind them and block their river crossing point at Vanderhof. The Boldovian Corps and Household Troops was moving to Ingelwitz - there they would cross the River Oudear.

Troops reach Ingelwitz, the water is low and cavalry can ford/swim the river, so the Uhlans cross, the engineers and pontooniers start their work. Some Jagers are ferried across the river with some engineers

The ramp at one side is completed, as more jagers are ferried across ..

The ramp on the far bank has been completed and the pontoon bridge is halfway across

The pontoon bridge is completed [pontoon wagon and bridge set from Reiver Castings]

Just in time too, the Wittenland fusiliers cross over ..

The vanguard of the Wittenberg army forms up on the other side of the river, it won't be long before the main body arrives.

To Be Continued ...

River Marine's column arrives at Fort Leopold

After a long march the River Marines have arrived at their base of operations. With them in the column are a company of engineers and some camp followers.

Some close-ups of the column...

The Engineers (figs: Foundry, scratchbuilt wagon and Front Rank horses)

River Marines (figs: Front Rank)

Camp Followers (figs: Blue Moon civilians; cart Irregular Miniatures)

Wharf near Fort Leopold

The Wittenberg engineer corp has complered the wharf near Fort Leopold and are just finishing off their work. An engineer watches as one of the river marine's boats gets ready to tie up at the wharf.

I made four 9" sections of wharf, they can be turned round and used for field works so they are doubly useful.