Knyaz Makari smiled to himself - the latest despatches from his scouts confirmed his belief that Graf Martin may well be a brave fighter, but he was an idiot tactically.
He had heard rumours that a Steam Tank was coming from the capital, 'arranged' by Sigmarite pleadings and intervention, as no doubt the Grand Theogonist had come to the same conclusion as he had about Martin's tactical ability.
He was surprised Martin's advisors had not counselled him better - at least his Middenland Allies realised the 'limitations' of their nominal leader, and kept him well away from the strategy and planning tables.
The Grand Theogonist had obviously reacted to the first disaster to befall the Stirland advance when they were repelled at Fort Grigory, and subsequently crushed at the Uneasy Watchman and sent the Tank to help
the Graf retake the Watchman.
Martin's obvious excitement at the news of the imminent arrival of the Tank had obliterated the fact that the most pressing disaster facing his ambitions was the imminent loss of Udo's Fall.
The Talabeclanders had pressed hard there and were well on their way to taking control - a result that would suit the Kislev / Middenland alliance admirably - as once again Stirland troops would be denied a safe route to Bechafen for an even longer period.
So lost in their blind frenzy to retake the Watchman, he imagined the Talabeclanders were also smiling - nay probably laughing as they waited for the Stirland counter attack that had not materialized.
He knew that the Ottilia had risked moving troops to harass his fort at Kaltenbach, and he knew they might be hard pressed there, but he still smiled...................
He knew that the Tank was not exactly reliable, and some time soon Stirland would lose the bonus support they were receiving from the Theogonist.
Rumour was already circulating from the Middenland hierarchy that Kurt III had discreetly contacted the Ar Ulric to try to salvage something from Martin's incompetence.
He smiled also at the Talabecland attacks - Gernot was a very able general, probably his most dangerous foe, but he also knew that the Talabeclanders were stretched greatly to fight on two fronts, and although their assault on Kaltenbach had been predictable, he had been somewhat surprised at the timing.
Gernot was not usually a man to risk dividing his forces - he had expected the Marshall to make certain he utterly crushed the Stirlanders at Udo's Fall, and send them packing back to Hohleburg to lick their wounds.
Makari had, in truth, expected to see Udo's Fall won, and well defended and fortified, before Gernot then turned in strength to contest Bechafen.
He smiled again, and he was supposed to be the reckless one, - the Graf was a poor strategist who seemed to react to the whims of the moment, and had no decent counsel, and Gernot, the most ablest of tacticians, was probably finding his strategy and plans countermanded - and only the Ottilia had the power for that................
The Knyaz turned to look at the nubile maidens either side of him in his bed...............
- he smiled again.......
- silently thanking Dhaz, Ulric and Taal and any other gods out there for the actions of an attention seeking idiot, and the manic rantings of a conceited witch..............
