When, in May 1733, a Lorraine army under the stern eye of Marechal Le Marquis Philippe De St.Hubert set out eastwards to join forces with Elector Rudolf of Ravensburg (Lorraine's closest ally) the news was greeted with tight-lipped apprehension at the Imperial court in Lindhof (the Istryan capital). The Ravensburg claim upon the crown of Kronstadt certainly could not be ignored, being seconded by Grand Duke Charles of Lorraine, the most powerful monarch on the continent, and it was with some trepidation that a second Imperial army was mobilised (under the command of Feldmarshall Christoph Zeyer) to meet this approaching menace.
The fighting began in earnest in late June. Bridges over the River Idar (part of the Ravensburg - Istryan border in the south) were destroyed by Imperialist engineers (ordered by the SWA ADC playing the character of Zeyer). Then on 12th July 1733, a sharp divisional action was fought by both advance guards near the strategically important Istryan town of Berlich. (Note - For the encounter at Berlich, 2 ADC's were recruited to determine the orders of battle & tactical plans for both sides. The defending ADC was also given a choice of 4 maps to pick the actual position to defend. All I did was fight the resulting battle).
Here the allied (Lorraine & Ravensburg) advance guard sustained a most violent & decisive reverse and were forced to retreat in some confusion. Compelled to retire, they fell back upon a prepared defensive position near the village of Egmude just 32 miles east of Prahnitz, the Ravensburg capital.
There Follows a Selected Extract from My Wargames Diary:
Using ADCs in Campaigns With Fife & Drum
- Introduction
A Summary of the Campaign
Events to Date: "The War of the Kronstadt Succession"
Summer Campaign in Ravensburg (June to August 1733)
Battle of Egmude (22nd July 1733)
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