Vahringblancks, the Sixth!

Rumpfler reorders his cavalry, forming a line to protect the otherwise exposed flank of his infantry (below). To be fair, the 'reordering' mainly involves one unit moving, and the other, his elite regiment, continuing to experience the rising damp that comes from squatting in a marsh.

(Above) The Kurlandian cavalry wheel, clearly preparing themselves for another assault. One thing that you couldn't accuse them of is being reluctant to fight. Although one thing that you could accuse them of is being reluctant to bathe. 

Rumpfler has other ideas, however. At his order, his two rightmost infantry regiments wheel into march column (below). In other armies, this would no doubt signal an attempt to manoeuvre in support of their cavalry. This being Mitteleheim, however, this option is only one of a range of choices that includes routing, deserting; changing sides, going on holiday, or marrying one another.

Thankfully for the Nabstrians' chances in this battle, the infantry seems to have chosen Option A. They manoeuvre to their right and form lines (below).

With enemy infantry moving up, Catherine recognises that she needs to effect a quick breakthrough. With the vigorous clashing of coconuts, her cavalry dash once again into the fray (below). In true Mittleheim fashion, they target the weakest adversary, and then gang up on them, making unkind comments about their parentage, weight, and musical choices.

The stern line of Nabstrian cavalry refuses to be ridden down, however. The Grand Duchess' cavalry fail to break the enemy, and their ardour for the fight, like soft tissue in a Mittelheim plague, drops off. The Kurlandians are forced to fall back (below).

For Rumpfler, the situation on his right flank now looks much more promising. The enemy cavalry have retired right into the sights of his musketeers who, if they can only remember what their muskets are for, should be able to inflict perhaps decisive damage upon their enemies! 

Vahringblancks, the Fifth!

As the Nabstrians advance, however, there is suddenly a strange sloshing sound, and the rasping croak of frogs. A marsh! And one that doesn't seem to be on Rumpfler's maps! (Below) Our distance from the general makes it impossible to hear what he is saying. However, by the expression on his face, his hand gestures, and the way in which he is gnawing his hat, it is possible to deduce that he has found this new state of affairs to be sub-optimal.

Possibly as a result of his slight frustration at the geographic japery that has just been inflicted upon him, Rumpfler issues an order not generally found in military manuals even in Mittelheim. His direction "Sod it! Who cares - let's charge anyway" nevertheless is enacted immediately by his cavalry! (Below)

Despite the presence of more frogs and bog water than is usually good for cavalry actions, Rumpler's elite ride down their adversaries! With conscript-level strangled cries, the Kropotkin Dragoons are driven from the battlefield. (Below) Grand Duchess Catherine can only look on in dismay as the Nabstrians are left positioned for another flank attack - this time, the target is the Berndt-Lippe Carabiniers

Determined not to cede the initiative, Catherine orders the Carabiniers to drop back, and then charges again with the two remaining units: mercenary hussars and the Nicolayevsk Horse Grenadiers. The charge succeeds in riding down one of the Nabstrian regiments (below).

Much to the Duchess' chagrin, however, a sudden bout of confusion overtakes the horse grenadiers. In Kurlandian, the phrases "Advance forwards, march!" and "Tit about a bit, for a while" are dangerously similar in promunication. The horse grenadiers wheel themselves through their comrades and then set off forward into what is known in military circles as "The Wide Blue Yonder" (below).

Why they have done this will no doubt be straightened out after the battle - a straightening porcess that will also be enacted, no doubt, to their colonel's face and knees.

Rumpfler assesses the swirling cavalry melee - the situation remains in the balance: what can be done to gain him an advantage? He could, of course, set off a fire alarm and then steal some of the enemy units in the confusion, but no one would believe that this was an accident - again. Sternly taking the measure of the situation, he issues new orders ...

Vahringblancks, the Fourth!

With the deployment completed, the battle begins! There is a mutual exchange of artillery fire. In this, the substitute Nabstrian gunners demonstrate their utter lack of a grasp of Mittelheim artillery doctrine, by hitting the enemy and causing them casualties.

The Kurlandian artillery replies, firing upon the Nabstrian cavalry. Being regular Mittelheim gunners, they miss, exactly in accordance with their training.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the Kurlandian deployment, on the Nabstrian right wing the battle develops into a clash of cavalry. With the addition of  a unit of mercenary regulars, the Duchy's horse outnumber their Burgravial adversaries four regiments to three. 

(Above) However, Catherine has deployed her regiments in mass formation, whereas Rumpfler has deployed his in line. This means that the latter are extended along a wider frontage. (Above, left) Secure in the knowledge that they are being fired at by three batteries of enemy artillery, and so are safe from any serious harm, the Nabstrian elite cavalry edge forwards little.

(Above) The two bodies of horse close with one another. The two forces pause in front of one another, exchanging insults and probably also some fleas. (Above, top) Grand Duchess Catherine can see the looming threat from the Nabstrian elites. Rumpfler no doubt intends to use this unit to try to engage in something that rhymes with "spanking", but that this time won't get him expelled from the Burgravial Christmas celebrations.

(Above) Charge! Trusting to numbers and throwing their stirrups right into the action, the Kurlandians thunder towards their enemies. Alas, there is the sort of brief flurry of exertion and then disappointed withdrawal not seen since Prince Rupprecht of Bachscuttel's wedding night. The Nabstrians, it turns out, also have their own set of stirrups to throw into the fray. The defending Nabstrians succeeed in repelling the attack.

(Above) The Duchy's cavalry falls back to regroup. Now, like ex-King Wilhelm of Gelderland in his underpants, their flank is hanging out so badly that a heavy spanking does indeed seem to be in the offing. The Nabstrian elites rub their hands, amongst other things, and prepare to attack!