Todd Schmidgall wrote:
Such honor and respect shown to one's foe speaks volumes to the gallantry the commanders of our various armies can have for one another.
Well spoken, Lt. Schmidgall. Should you fall upon this field today, the Hanoverians will raise a monument to your memory. Of course, we will bury you first.
Now, where were we.....oh, yes.
As the Hanoverian Colonel is discussing the finer points of diplomacy with the Russian gunner, a second, Russian battery springs to life with deafening thunder. Five more Saxon Hussars are knocked from their horses, never to rise again as the Winged Maidens of Odin swoop down upon the field to collect the dead and carry them aloft to their destiny in Valhalla. Boom! As the Saxons reply with round shot of their own, two Russian Hussars are thrown from their saddles. Boom! Boom!! Boom!!! Now five more Russians are collected by the Shield Maidens, for a count of twenty-seven of their Saxon enemies.
Ever the pragmatic warrior, the Hanoverian Colonel realizes that all chance of a negotiated settlement has passed. There is a time for soft words, but that moment is gone. Now is the time for decisive actions. Glancing behind, he sees that Ensign Peccolo has brought the Russian Grenadiers smartly forward to the sound of the guns.
Good, he thinks,
now let these Saxons come. The Emperor will have far fewer forces with which to spread his reign of terror when this day finally draws to a close. Too bad they could not be spared, but such are the fortunes of war.Taking his spyglass from his belt, he scans the ridge to his front and right. The Saxon Hussars are visible along the crestline, thier numbers steadily dwindling as the Russian artillerists find the range.
I wonder how many are masked by the slope, he thinks.
Snapping his spyglass shut with a click, he captures the attention of a Russian cavalry officer. "Podporuchik", calls the Hanoverian Commander.
"Da, Comrade Colonel", the officer says as he smartly snaps to attention.
"You see that high ground over there", nods the Colonel to a nearby hilltop. "Have your squadron fall in. We are going to take a good look at our enemy's dispositions."
"Da, Comrade Colonel", replies the young Russian officer with a toothy grin, "we follow you."