19th March 1816 somewhere in western Zarland.
After the clash of advance guards it was now the turn of the Zarland and VinAlban main bodies to seek to control the River Hase.
The Royal Zarland Army was commanded by General Kratzen an above average General whose chief of staff General Klettern was in fact an outstanding Officer.
The VinAlban army was commanded by General Geflugel (an average general) who had been delayed along the route of the march. General Modistin commanded the Davarian force sent to support Prince Otto’s latest attempt on his fathers crown. Modistin was a poor general and very much concerned with his own importance. General Geflugel had sent his Chief of Staff General Nelke (an above average commander) to meet Modistin and try to contain the unreliable General until he could arrive.
The VinAlban and Zarland commanders had broken up their main bodies so as to push on to support their advance guards.
General Klettern had arrived with
- 7th Cavalry
- 5th Artillery
He sent these north west beyond Kloster Arens as it appeared the enemy were massing to cross the river Hase. General Sumpf had also mentioned the defeated VinAlbans had retreated north the previous evening – no doubt back onto their main body?
General Nelke had likewise brought some troops to reinforce the advance guard of General Stute. He had
- 10th Infantry battalion
- 2nd and 3rd Artillery
- 4th Cavalry
- 11th Skirmishers
General Nelke dispatched General Stute north with part of this force as reports had been received of enemy movements from that direction.
He then pushed a force across the river Hase in readiness for the arrival of General Geflugel and the main body. Its orders were to secure the flat ground north of Kloster Arens.
The force comprised
- 4th Cavalry
- 12th Infantry
- 10th Infantry
- 3rd Artillery
He then rode to meet General Modistin who had already arrived from the south west with a substantial force of Davarian troops.
Earlier at 0400 am General Sumpf again sent patrols north to check on the VinAlbans whose advance guard had withdrawn in that direction the previous day. The 19th of March had dawned very cloudy but still dry. General Kratzen would soon arrive with the main Royal Zarland army.
General Klettern had in fact arrived earlier to take over from General Sumpf who took some rest in the Kloster Arens. General Klettern had been surprised to see not just VinAlbans across the Hase river valley but Davarians. He had immediately sent a courier to General Kratzen to hasten forward.
On the west side of the valley General Modistin had arrived at the Rittergut, meeting General Nelke and immediately demanded to know where General Geflugel was.
General Modistin was noted as a poor General yet he had sent his forces straight into attack showing an unexpected degree of boldness. General Nelke viewed the developing frontal attack with dismay.
The combined VinAlban and Davarian forces had descended the valley and made for the Kloster Arens and its ridge.
General Klettern spreads his weaker forces across the ridge to contain the advancing VinAlbans and Davarians, feeding in the main body troops as they arrive on the Kloster Arens road. General Kratzen is now at the Kloster Arens and discovers a General Sumpf slightly the worse for sampling some excellent Kloster wine. Even so General Kratzen is pleased with Sumpf’s work the previous day.
As the afternoon beckons the grey day turns darker under heavy rain clouds. The Zarland forces have crossed the river Hase north of the Kloster bridge while the 3rd artillery deployed at the bridge and luckily for them. Opposite the 2nd Zarland Artillery, an elite unit, are under orders not to fire on the bridge which must be taken intact!
Today the elite artillery are off colour anyway as they fail to get the range on the advancing VinAlban 10th Infantry.
The fordable river is no barrier to the advancing troops. But it is the persistent light rain that is now affecting events.
As the 14th Davarian Infantry seek the ridge line to the south of Kloster Arens they meet the 14th Zarland Cavalry and are driven back across the river Hase – with few casualties but suitably shaken.
Meanwhile north of Kloster Arens the VinAlbans turn the Zarland flank. Is this the moment the position becomes untenable?
At 1800 hrs the heavens open and a mighty deluge of rain slows movement and impacts firing. Although the Vinalbans are now making progress General Geflugel decides to withdraw across the river Hase as the weather shows every sign of getting even worse.
And so the battle ends with the Zarland Royal Army still holding Kloster Arens.
That evening General Geflugel held a review with his senior commanders including a frustrated General Modistin, the Davarian General. Everyone was informed that there would be no resumption of the attack as new orders from VinAlba required a withdrawl from Zarland.
An incredulous General Modistin stormed out of the tent into the torrential rain. He mounted his soaking wet horse and rode away cursing VinAlba and her useless Generals. At least he could say he had shed Davarian blood for Prince Otto in the so called battle of Kloster Arens.
The Wargaming Erratic 