The Cards Are Revealed

This post is about what the Schultze-Böhnstadt army had actually been doing while the Flossians prepared for war.

The army headquarters were never convinced of the hinted major advance on the Nordgrühne Kreis. This was not a wealthy area and in the previous war, disaster had struck the Flossians there, bottlenecking their army.

Thus, they rightly surmised that this would be a theater of secondary importance, the army's main goal there to contain any intermediate or large scale attack. For this Dietrich von Spülge's own command should suffice.

The Böhnstadter did not know of the other part of the invasion plan before making this decision. However, through one information channel or the other, they learned of the concentration of light troops around the Oberschwannseeberge, and the overall picture became much clearer. 

The next thing to do was moving troops without arising the Flossian spies' attention. A series of calculations ensued on where to place tactical reserves that could be directed quickly to the proper theater.

Depot battalions were filled and basic training was given to hundreds of new recruits across the country. There is nothing new with that, thought the Flossian spies, much of the army had just returned from the Rebel Lands and needed replenishing. 

Night convoys issued new uniforms and equipment to the depot battalions. These units soon reached their wartime strength and were marched over and back across the country, to confuse anyone noting troop movements. At times even the recruits themselves were very confused as they had to make multiple circuits around the countryside.

Dietrich von Spülge's reserve:

II/IR7 and II/IR10 (fusiliers), II/IR8 and III/GR1, with two reserve squadrons of HR2 are now in the Hochwaldsdorf vicinity. This is a small town, but most of the Grühne border territory could be reached in a day of forced march. They have four pieces of the northern fortress guns placed on field carriages. A raid by Grenzer and Hussars near Mathiasbad confirmed that the Flossians are building boats to cross the river, so pickets are watching that area too.

This brings the total active army under von Spülge to seven squadrons of horse, a well-equipped artillery train, one battalion of light troops and five battalions of regular infantry.

Karl von Honespitz's reserve:

General von Hohenspitz's main body is said to be practicing operational maneuvers on the Schwarzbachsfeld, halfway between Schultzdorf and Böhnstadt. However, units arrived there one by one not to arouse attention, and thus a considerable force was gathered.

He has four pieces of light horse artillery (these are easier to carry over the mountains), three battalions of IR1, two battalions of IR4, and three full heavy cavalry regiments at his disposal. With this force near Schwarzbach, he could reach the Störkburg Valley in about five day's march.

In von Hohenspitz's view the first line defences within the valley are still weak. The garrison battalions could not be brought up to operational crews, only II/IR2 reached such a level. So, to compensate this, von Paulitz received command of I/JR1 and II/GR1, two battalions of much valued light infantry, which were directed there immediately, ordered to avoid major roads and junctions, something light troops can easily do.

What the valley lacks in field battalions is compensated by reserves. Rosenheim was strengthened and multiple 24-pounder great guns positioned on the approaches. Its garrison was brought up to three battalions. A great amount of stock was stowed at Adlerburg so that an army on the march westward into the valley can be easily replenished. 

Further, a battalion of pioneers was directed to Alt-Störkburg, where they began constructing barricades and chevaux-de-frise against the supposed oncoming raid.