Rain in Muckenmire

Wouldn't you know it - after much delay in the real world, the exact thing happens in the 18th-Century world! Aschenbach's campaign of invasion into the province of Muckenmire has been hit by a most inconvenient spell of bad weather. The normally hot august weather has been ruined by some unexpectedly heavy rain, which has turned the entire theatre into a muddy, shapeless mess.

Fresh from his bloody nose at the Steenwijk, the stunned Von Krumper has taken stock and called for a re-concentration of his forces, with the aim of taking Veldhuizburg further up the River Schelve and obtaining a crossing to the southern bank. If the capital of Brederdam can't be taken by a direct approach, it can be cut off and encircled from the rear! Veldhuizburg is also an easy target on account of the only defenders being the Luftberg army under Von Bitzhelm, still recovering there from their earlier defeat at the hands of Von Grenwitz.

Only a small holding force under Tobias Ludwig stood in the way, with his small detachment of Luftberg infantry & cavalry dug in at the Katherijne Bruck bridge over the Langendijk canal. He should have been brushed aside by the main Aschenbach army, except - he wasn't. The Aschenbach troops never even made it there. Thanks to this foul weather and trying to haul a siege train through it, the attack slowed to a crawl and never even landed a blow. In fact, the closest thing to action all month was when Von Krumper ordered the depot for his aborted advance to be torched - the first time for weeks anybody in a blue uniform has felt warm!

Enough of this miserable trekking around. Time to go to your billets in a handy requisitioned farmhouse, hang up your gaiters by the fireside, then engage in some drinking, gambling and pipe-smoking for a few days until the rain lets up.