Skip to main content

A Dispatch to von Wilkewiczeske, Personal Minister to Irwin-Amadeus II

Pelznikkel, The Grand Duchy of Stollen

31 July 1768

My Dear Herr von Wilkewiczeske,

As the closest minister to our troubled Grand Duke, I write to you asking that you might intercede on my behalf.

Currently, my small army is spread thinly around the town of Pelznikkel, just two days march from Krankenstadt. My forces consist of a regiment of musketeers, a battalion of jäger, the Leib (Grand Duchess Sonja’s Own) Grenadiers, a regiment of dragoons, and a battery of field guns. Most of these troops are good men but unseasoned and therefore of questionable value in a pitched battle.

Alas, I fear they are not enough by themselves to stem the tide of Zichenauers now reported to be advancing northward. I beseech you to act on my behalf and request that the Grand Duke and his war ministry dispatch a veteran regiment or two of line infantry along with a regiment of cavalry forthwith, so that the Army of Stollen might enjoy a numerical advantage over its enemy. My officers would then be better able to reverse the course of this protracted, albeit sleepy, campaign and eject the Zichenauers from our own Grand Duchy of Stollen, putting an end to their claim on the Duchy of Schleiz once and for all.

Please send a reply at your earliest possible convenience, but exercise the utmost caution as the territory between the capital and Pelznikkel is rumored to be riddled with enemy agents. Any courier you send stands a good chance of capture or delay due to enemy activity in the area.

Your Loyal and Most Obedient Servant,

General von Drosselmaier

Comments

Major Wittering said…
Hi Stokes

This correspondence sounds as if it'll end in a fight, mark my words.

So - great!

I just wanted to say, as you've posted some really helpful comments on my blogs, how much I've enjoyed "The Grand Duchy." I only came across it about a week ago, but I've read through the whole thing, beginning to end, and enjoyed every word. Your dedication and patience are remarkable, and you're building an enviable collection of figures. I check your blog at least once a day, usually more often. Keep it going, sir.

regards

Noel
4:28 PM
Martin said…
Hummmm....So the general may need some help pulling the chestnuts from the fire, eh? Does the Duke have a set of "battleclaws" for his lobster outfit? Now there would be a unique miniature to model!

Martin
7:25 PM
Bluebear Jeff said…
I suspect that the good general is getting desperate, don't you?

Noel -- good to see your Mendelstadt flag adorning your comments.


-- Jeff of Saxe-Bearstein
2:22 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Presenting the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere!!!

Here they are, with the rearmost nine figures still drying, three squadrons of the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere, now in the service of the Grand Duchy of Stollen. And now, it's onto that artillery!
14 comments
Read more

And It's the End of September!!!

  Saxony's Ploetz Cuirassiers, an illustration lifted from the Kronoskaf website, which has thus far guided my spectacularly glacial painting of 30 28mm Eureka Saxon cuirassiers purchased all the way back in October 2016. A gray, cool Saturday here in Mid-Michigan with rain in the forecast. The Grand Duchess is away at a conference, so it's just "The Boys" here at home. The Young Master (almost 15) has retreated to his room for something or other following breakfast while I have stolen back down here to Zum Stollenkeller (masquerading as my office) with a second mug of coffee and both cats comfortably ensconced nearby. Enjoying the late morning and still in my pajamas! Not much planned for today beyond designing a couple of promotional flyers for workshops my department is presenting (small parties we will throw?) in October and November.  With maybe a bit of on the next podcast script. More important,  I am toying with the idea of returning for an hour or...
4 comments
Read more

Happy September 2nd!!!

    T his weekend, the question of what, precisely, constitutes an "imagination" came up in an online forum of which I am a part.  To be fair, the issue originates from further afield in a Facebook group that I am not a member of, but I weighed in with my own view.  The following was in response to the question posed yesterday (Sunday) morning by an exasperated member of my own rather more gentlemanly town square, who had been met with a strident response to information he shared about his (admirable) hobby activities on said FB group.  Here is, more or less, what I wrote: To my mind, the concept of imagi-nation(s) is a broad one.  It can range from historical refights or what-if scenarios/battles/campaigns between armies of a particular era, to completely made up combatants operating in a quasi-historical setting, to the rather generic red and blue forces of the Prussian Kriegspiel that examine a particular tactical problem, task, or exercise.   ...
6 comments
Read more