Terra Ferra

Captain Biancadi watched as the Flamboyant army formed up for its assault in the drizzling rain which had been falling since yesterday. Here he was along with the rest of his battalion in a godforsaken village out in the sticks awaiting relief from a whole regiment of the Frontiera. “Where were they? No where thats where.” Colonel Fabbri had told them that they would hold this village as the Frontiera fell back after the fight with the Flamboyant army two days ago but fresh troops would arrive to hold the village before the Flams arrived. Well the Flams were here and no reinforcement. The blokes who had passed through that night where some where in the woods behind the village.

Turning his attention to the movement of troops in front of him. It looked like a whole division. he could see guards both infantry and cavalry, they seem more interested in the opposite flank thank god, and another brigade of infantry which seemed pointed right at Captain Pietro Baicadi in person. The sound of drums and bugles sounded through the rain. Two regiments of infantry lead by a skirmish line of Chasseur a Pied. as they advanced the sound of musketry fire hitting the wall the captain was sheltering behind was suddenly punctuated by the crash of cannon fire. A brigade of infantry with artillery and skirmisher lines in support, and here in in the village is just a single battalion. Smoke billowed around the building Baicadi and his company occupied as they replied to the flamboyant skirmisher fire. The flamboyants kept advancing with the skirmish line firing as they lead the columns towards the village. Loses were mounting but all seemed well at the moment he thought, as the skirmish line slipped away to reveal for the first time a clear view of the assaulting regiments. “Fire! Pour it on lads” he yelled as the columns surged forward. At least the cannon fire had lifted.

A yelling blue clothed wave crashed against the walls of the village. Biancadi's world shrank to a whirl of opponents appearing and again vanishing as the tide of blue lapped around the battalion's position. He could smell smoke. Looking around and seeing only blue coats yelling “Fall back!” ran down an alleyway between two burning buildings as minie balls sang around him. The end of the building was abrupt and he could see a number of men in familiar grey running towards the woods, the village had fallen but the Flamboyant infantry had not had it their own way. Breathless as he reached the woods he heard the colonel rallying the remains of the battalion as the world exploded in sound a battery of Nordsbocco guns firing canister at the emerging column of Flamboyant infantry poured a withering fire. The column just vanished in the hail of shot. Could they return and retake the village? Looking around he counted too few of his men they could do little more today.

General Adolfo Bracciorobusto struck what he considered a suitable martial posse as he watched the retreat, before studying the map somebody had placed on the table in front of him. Just three short weeks ago he had been at Hoysee as part of the Nordsbocco trade delegation and now as one of the republics ruling council he commanded her army, a task too important to assign to a military man, such was the life of a scion of one of the republics elite families. He knew the task was viewed by some of his political rivals as a poison chalice, but the task before him did not seem to daunting. Gather the army at Roccioso and fight the advancing Flamybant army. If he won all well and good he would be a hero. If he lost, which was after all what everyone expected, fall back to the forts guarding the city itself and a wait developments. Provided he did not disgrace himself he should reap the political rewards of this sojourn into military life for years to come.

The task was fairly simple the ridge blocked the only route from the north as the mountains narrowed and the road north, the new railway, as yet unfinished, and the river Hoy all managed to squeeze past this last bastion of the republic. to the north of the ridge where two small villages Roccioso-Ovest and Roccioso-traghetto. Adolfo had managed to muster two-thirds of the republic's army to meet the invaders. “Well almost, half his cavalry and artillery alone with an infantry regiment had yet to arrive.” he admitted but still he held the line. A regiment of Frontiera in Roccioso-Ovest supported a further regiment from the Civica Brigada secured his left. the remaining two regiments of Civica held his center only on his right was he weak, at least until his missing troops turned up. Roccioso-traghetto was held by just the battalion of Citta Banda supported by artillery and a regiment of Frontiera which had been roughly handled two days ago on the border. Adolfo hoped they had recovered enough as now they would be tested. The Flamboyant column emerged from the village but they where now in canister range of the artillery and seemed to melt as the artillerymen redoubled their efforts. Finally the missing troops began to arrive behind his right flank. Flamboyant troops were now trying to out flank the village and therefore his line and ordered the Frontiera to drive them off.

There he had taken a decisive role in the battle. He felt a sense of satisfaction no body could suggest he had just been a spectator. “General, General, Look!” one of his aides pointed to the western village, while his attention had been on the attack on the eastern end of his line the Flamboyant Guards had launched an attack on the west at Roccioso-ovest. The village garrison was beginning to fall back. “Order the 1st Civica to retake the village” there he had taken another decision! To almost every ones surprise the group of conscripts crashed into the guards at just the wrong time for the guardsmen who were reforming after ejecting the village defenders. Losses and now the shock of a counter attack was temporally too much and the 2nd Regiment of Guards fell back to the support of their sister Regiment. The second attack was over, what to do now? The drive seemed to go out of the Flamboyants. They still held Roccioso-traghetto but were under increasing pressure as the newly arrived artillery joined the fray, and their centre was held by a single regiment of cavalry. Before Adolfo could make the mistake of ordering a general advance, the blue clad flamboyant troops began to withdraw.

The night eventually arrived as Baicdi and the much reduced Citta Banda battalion held the woods and watched as two Frontiera regiments one freshly arrived advanced and retook the burning village. Next morning he heard that a similar affair had taken place on the far left of the line with initial success but eventually the Flamboyant infantry withdrawing with heavy losses. Nordsbocco was saved what would happen now? A counter-invasion seemed unlikely but The Republican Army had most certainly discarded its Comic Opera label.

At the same time his general sat in his carriage as it returned to the city a few hours away. Following its stunning victory Nordsbocco had a peace offer to make with new demands, but what demand? Adolfo Bracciorobusto needed to be sure he was part of decision.

Interlude - Flamboyance