Action at Razpotje (Prelude)

A few miles outside of Slobbgrad lies the town of Razpotje. The town lies along a small rise on the crossroads of the main road from the border town of Gublatz to the capital, and a smaller road leading to the north and south. A forest is located to the southeast, and open farmland leads away to the northeast to the edge of a forest, where the main road leads out to Gublatz Prince Sergei ordered his field commander to occupy the position with a small force, comprised of an engineer battalion, line battalion Hurlbut, Major Wan’s rocket troop and a troop of field guns, with the Bibermilch Grenadiers held in reserve. The main force was placed to defend the line of the crossroad; a hastily thrown-together citizen militia force occupied a farmhouse northeast of town. Reenforcements were promised to arrive during the day as they were released from completing fortifications at Slobbgrad. The order of the day was simple; hold the crossroads, all day if possible, to buy time for the entrenchments to be completed. It was obvious what the Lagerburg column was planning; overrun the defenders and scatter them, advance to catch the Slobbs before the entrenchments were complete, and storm Slobbgrad by main force before sunset. In the early morning quiet, the defenders could faintly hear Herzog Albrecht’s column, with fifes and drums playing, tramping of boots and jingling of harnesses, approaching the edge of the forest.