Nabstria Unleashed!

A report concerning developments in the Burggraviate of Nabstria, completed by Colonel Sir Mallileu Fitzbuttress, late of His Majesty’s Horse Guards.

'Pursuant to my purposes as His Britannic Majesty's observer concerning the developing affairs in Mittelheim, I forward the following woodcuts illustrating a recent event in the War of the Spanish Suck Session. Against normal practice, the Nabstrian forces have eschewed a return to winter quarters and have suddenly taken again the field of war. Rumours abound of Nabstrian stratagems: Colonel Zeigler is nowhere to be see; King Wilhelm, prisoner of the Burgrave, has disappeared, and so have some of the strongest wheelbarrows in the kingdom. Messages have arrived from Emperor George of Grand Fenwick. Peace, it would seem, is far from Burgrave Falco's mind, and it may be that, after its period of rigorous re-training and re-equipment, the Nabstrian army intends again to contest the field of battle with its adversaries.

I remain your most loyal and obedient servant,

     Colonel Malileu Fitzbuttress'

'A scene near the edge of Falkensteinburg….

Col Tannenbaum, Chief Engineer of the Nabstrian Army, surveys the proposed route of the army.'

'Tannenbaum is joined by the rest of the Nabstrian General Staff, who then argue about which direction to take…'

'The argument can only be settled when General von Rumpfler and Paul, Duke of Clarkshire arrive.  ‘It’s that way’, the Duke says imperiously.  A message is hurriedly despatched to the army with its marching orders.

'The column is led by two companies of jaegers and a squadron of von Gank's Horse. The rest of the army's light troops and horse are already scouting far ahead.'

'As the jaegers disperse to cover the column, the infantry begins to march past. "Keep in step you dogs!  The General is watching!"'

'Rank after rank of blue-uniformed Nabstrian musketeers tramp past. Never has such a splendid force been put into the field by the Burggravate.'

'In fact, not only General Rumpfler but also the Burggrave are both watching the column with a keen eye. Von Gank’s Horse, distinguished in many a combat, trot forwards….'

'The full array of Nabstria’s Musketeer Regiments pass under the admiring glance of the Burggrave and his staff.'

'"Huzzah!" shout the musketeers! "Long live Nabstria!"

'The contrasting red and green uniforms of Nabstria’s Foreign Regiment, the ‘Wild Geese’ of O’Leary’s Regiment.'

'From Falkensteinburg, the Nabstrian musketeers follow the cavalry and head eastwards, eager to bring the Wihelmites to battle.'

As the Grenadier Regiments bring up the rear of the column, the Burggrave spurs his horse forward: ‘Well, my lads, if you fight as well as you march, victory will be ours!’

Let slip the dogs of war! Or at least, take them out for a brisk walk! Nabstria has been unleashed! On to victory!

A second garden interlude!

Meanwhile, in a more secluded part of the garden, von Rumpfler meets with Nora Hindquarters…

'But what’s wrong, Rumpy, my dear?  You’ve been awfully quiet since you returned home…'

'Oh, it’s just been dreadful, Nora, dreadful!  Every stratagem I have attempted has come to grief – even the ones from von Bulow’s ‘The Compleat Strategist’.  I fear I may now be a figure of fun to my own officers – I am at a loss, my dear, and I simply do not how I will proceed on the coming campaign…'

'Oh, come here, my dearest Rumpy and let me embrace you…everything will be alright…'

A garden interlude

An interlude in the gardens of Falkensteinburg…

With the Nabstrian Army currently disengaged from the enemy and back to its barracks to be re-equipped, there is a brief period of rest for the Burggrave and his commanding general, von Rumpfler.

After an elegant lunch, the Burggrave strolls in the gardens with his Burggravina…

'Well, I do declare, sir, that you have played with your soldiers long enough recently.  I do hope that you will be staying at home and attending to the affairs of the Burggrave for a while.'

'Yes, dear.'

'And really, my dear, this mania you seem to have for imitating the dress and habits of the King of Prussia is really too much.'

'Yes, dear.'

'The fact that you have uniformed your soldiers in the Prussian style is bad enough – can’t you come up with anything original yourself, dear?'

'Well, I…'

'And really, the request of the Chancellor that I must reduce my household once again due to the expense of the wars is really beyond the pale – where does all the money go? It’s not as if I am overly extravagant – six pastry chefs is an absolute minimum and one must maintain the status and prestige of the Burggrave however the war might be going….Indeed I often think, dear, that you have grown stubborn – can you not just make peace and make friends again with our neighbours?  I know that Chlodwig is simply dreadful and that Rupprecht is infuriating but you know, we did all manage to get along before the war, didn’t we, dear?'  

'I suppose so, dear…'

'And now I hear that King Wilhelm is under our roof and you haven’t presented me to the King once – it’s really too much to bear!'

'Yes, dear…'