Day Two: 9.25am

 Ziegler's Headquarters: Day Two 9.25am

'Well, that seemed like a long rest', says Ziegler. He stands with his jager, surveying the remains of Widenlau village. The Nabstrians have taken everything of use to them. This has left the villagers short of food, wine, jewellery, and ladies' undergarments; although it has left them with plenty of books (except those with pictures, or with especially absorbent pages), cutlery, soap, and anything that might speak to moral boundaries.

The colonel draws in a lungful of the smoky morning air. 'This is good', says Ziegler, turning to his men. 'But what is best in life?'
'The open steppes?' replies Sergeant Steiner tentatively.
'Wrong!' says Ziegler.
'A fleet horse, falcons at your wrist, the wind in your hair', says Gefreiter Schultz.
'Wrong! Gunther, what is best in life?'
'To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women'.
'Wrong! Stumpe, what is best in life?''
'Um, crumpets?' asks Captain Stumpe.
'Quite so!' replies Ziegler. 'Now, it's time to get the column organised again so that we can be in a position to consume some of them in the safety of Rotenburg'.

Stumpe salutes 'Right away sir!'

Ziegler's force sets off again at 8.45am, leaving the smoking ruin of Widenlau. The enemy force follows the colonel's troops. It seems to have grown, but his scouts have been unable to obtain more information.

At 9.25am, the colonel's troops enter Schmallenhardt. The village is about the same size as Widenlau; usefully, the villagers are themselves about the same size too, though most of the inhabitants have fled. From here, the Nabstrians and Bachscuttler can take the road northeast to Langenzofft, if they intend to exit Schrote; or, if the colonel has other ideas and perhaps wishes to conduct some clever flank manoeuvres, there are tracks to the northwest and southwest!