POV Smith
I cursed softly as I reviewed the reports. Damn you Golmor. This caution is unbecoming of you. I grimaced as I lowered my spyglass. "That's at least three regiments."
"Yes sir, it should be Golmor's advance guard." Isser replied steadily.
I stood atop the heights southeast of Lodi looking at the road snaking out of the forest to the east. To my back was Lodi, and behind that the Lobau river. "Isser bring your brigade up, have them occupy the woods to the north of the heights, send word to Tullio to have her brigade occupy these heights."
She nodded and dispatched her messengers. I grumbled and watched the enemy deploy. This wasn't great. Over the past few days Ponatoski had engaged the 57th regiment in several running skirmishes north of Lodi, a decisive engagement was proving elusive.
I looked north at the distant hill Ponatoski used to orchestrate her battle. It was overexposed to Golmor's deploying army. I grumbled and sent a messenger to have Ponatoski pull back a battalion and maintain a secure line of retreat.
Perhaps Golmor had wished for me to chase after the 57th with my full strength and fall whatever small garrison I'd left behind before falling upon my army. It was proving prudent that I'd waited as long as I had for the army to cross the Lobau, though I hated ceding the initiative.
I raised my glass once again and started observing the enemy deployments. The three regiments formed a long line before the escarpment below the forest. I scanned the forest road again and saw several hundred cavalry break from the forest. From amid their ranks a small party detached itself and stood upon the escarpment, likely Golmor and her retinue of nobles. Are you naive Golmor? What are you thinking?
Slowly over the course of the morning the two armies began to deploy. My 1st and 3rd brigades formed a half circle as they occupied the heights and woods east of Lodi. 1st brigade had its right flank anchored by the 4th battalion on the bank of the Lobau, its left supported by the 3rd battalion and the left of the brigade was held by 1st battalion. 3rd brigade held the forest north of the heights, its 2nd battalion was sheltered behind the forest, its 3rd battalion was forward and held the center while its 1st battalion was slightly back and angled north northeast.
It was unlike Ponatoski to deliberately endanger the army. It was far more likely she was finally being pressed by the 57th regiment. She was dangerously overextended and she likely knew it as well as I did. If Golmor was no fool she'd deploy her vaunted mercenary cavalry to fall upon Ponatonski's rear or flank. The wide plain 2nd brigade would likely be forced to retreat over would be excellent for the cavalry operations to easily crush the unsupported brigade… if I let it…
My frown turned into a grin that had my staff mutter to themselves worryingly. Two of Golmor's vaunted cavalry companies began a leisurely stroll across the field towards Ponatoski's 2nd brigade, so you still have some of that vaunted aggression... Granted this terrain can mask some of my own deployments, but none of hers.
"Detach a few companies to harass the enemy, send a company of pike along with the skirmishers… just in case." I nodded towards the main enemy line.
Colonel Isser seemed baffled by the command but dutifully followed her orders and dispatched three companies to move foward. Hopefully the bluff would buy Pontonski the time she needs to disengage. I turned my spyglass back to the road, yet more regiments streamed onto the field. By the banners alone perhaps another two had taken the field? Four? Perhaps I should have studied the different standards more…
No, those were the mercenary companies! No wonder I hadn't been able to make heads or tails of their standards. I ground my teeth as several of the companies headed south, probably to prove my right. Meanwhile my skirmishers began harassing the enemy, their large shields aiding in protecting them from the hail of arrows the enemy threw back at them.
Golmor obliged my distraction by sending forward yet another company of her cavalry. That spare pike company made a wall to the northern edge of the skirmishers, and the cavalry fell back several hundred yards short of the skirmishers. I cursed silently, the damn company commander didn't have the nerve to wait to spring the trap… soon the whole northern end of the line was in motion, extending eastward as the cavalry moved north again. They advanced a good hundred yards before stopping. Now their line has a slant on its northern end, but that wasn't anything I couldn't deal with. And with darkness beginning to fall. I turned my attention north.
Ponatoski, you magnificent bastard! I couldn't have asked for a better gift. I stared at the hill she'd been occupying for days now. The banners of the 57th regiment were streaming over it and the roaring campfires the regiment made as they set up camp. I had to look through the darkening gloom but I found the standards of 2nd brigade near the Lobau. The enemy cavalry must have retired since I didn't see it anywhere on the field.
"Pass the word to Tullio, set up camp for the whole army, make a ruckus."
Tonight… it would be difficult and dangerous. But ohhh… it will be fun.