Across the field from the Nabstrian army, Captain-General Taras Bulbous considers his options. As a Zentan, of course, this doesn't take long, and is somewhat similar to choosing which from a selection of large, blunt forks one should stick up one's nose. Bulbous had hoped to out-scout the enemy. Sadly, his scouts seem to have spent too much time searching for the enemy down the blouses of local milk maids and not enough looking for the Nabstrians somewhere in the direction of Nabstria. Bulbous has therefore been forced to go on the attack!
(Below) On the Zentan left, and facing the Nabstrian cavalry, Bulbous places the bulk of his own mounted force, including both regiments of household sipahis, and four of the five regiments of irregular horsemen. Behind the palace cavalry are both regiments of janissaries, placed here in the optimistic belief that they might, at some stage in the battle, manage to close with the enemy. Given the command and control difficulties that moving them will entail, such a circumstance is likely to happen only if the battle extends over a number of weeks.
On the other flank (below) the general places the remaining cavalry regiment, just to add some mobility, and two regiments of irregulars.
Otherwise, Bulbous spreads the rest of his irregular infantry across the battlefield in what might pass, with dutiful squinting, as a line. Both artillery batteries are placed on the hill. They are dug in, mainly to make it more difficult for the Giezza irregulars to steal them. The chances of them playing an important roll in battle are, like young Zentan scouts who have mistakenly smoked belly button fluff instead of opiates, not very high;
Both armies are now assembled. Bulbous is worried, though. Preparing for battle has taken both sides quite some time, and the morning is already rolling on ...
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