The Five Princes of Russia

[Paddy]

This is the story of Five Princes of Russia. How these lads grew into men on the fields of Glory. No one of them greater than the others, no one of them able to have such success without the others.

Patrik the Brave, Lord Commander of the Knights of St Petersburg, Master of the Horn of Dannte, Commander of the 1st Guards Army.

Sammeule the Engineer and Inventor. Commander of the 3rd Guards Army, and leader of the great mulitutde of railmen.

Stephan the Cossack, Commander of the 5th Guards Army

Adrusk the Cannonier, Commander of the 6th Guards Army, including the Imperial Grand Batterie

David of the Isle of Mann, Commander of the 7th Guards Army

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January 1800, Palace of the Jallenko Family, in the north of the Capital, Saint Petersburg.

I sit by the window of the summer library, a new journal for a new time. The days that have just past have been quite interesting indeed.

Great Uncle Alexander called a group of his brothers, nephews and cousins together here in the capital for a fireside chat, a chat that has continued into its fifth week. There are people here with the most tenuous links to the family, yet they are family. There are others who carry the title of family, yet share no known common blood, having had an ancestor serve the family so well that they were granted status, favours and finally kinship.

Well I must say he certainly has the power and authority to make people move to his beat. There are some here that are known not to have left the comforts of their own Palaces for a number of years, literally controlling all that takes place from the inner sanctum of their choice.

And Grand Uncle has certainly taken the broom to some of his Ministries, literally rearranging people and missions throughout the vast world that is Russia.

Sammeule has a new task of building the road of rails from the Capital to the Black Sea. This will be known as the "Cossack Express." The maps and details that have been put together are quite fantastic. With spur lines to Vilnius on the Prussian Border, Kiev on the Austrian border, and Moscow, that jewel of a city where the parties and dance can be found. I digress. The Line will be completed in Odessa, on the shores of the Black sea, and bordering the Ottoman Empire. They predict that they could move my entire 5th Guards Army, from St Petersburg to Odessa in under month. Amazing!

Ahh the military, plenty of change here to, and more wonder. Each Corp, that has for so long consisted of four Regiments, will now be bolstered by a further two Regiments. Adding to this extra fire power, we will also be receiving upgraded cannon Regiments. Thus in all this change, my 5th Guards Army of two Corp of 8 Regiments, and a further 2 Regiments of attachments, has jumped to 12 Regiments, and now 5 Regiments of attachments. I like this indeed.

The 7 Guards Armies will now be mighty war machines in their own right. This in turn will require a draft and training. Well we have the population for a large draft, which can never be denied.

We certainly are living interesting times.

[Paddy]

November 1800 - The Konigsberg Meet

We came from all over the Baltic Nations, Swedes, French, Prussia and ourselves, Russia. The goal, to discuss the way of Europe, and the ever expanding Empire of Britian.

The discussions went on for several days.

The result - undetermined.

My report back to my Grand Uncle, he laughed and laughed and laughed again.

He then went on and told me of the aggressive settlement campaign he was running along the Austrian border. How we were gaining vaste tracks of Austrian land through placing new settlements right along the Austrian border. That got a good laugh out of me.

In other new, the "Cossack Express" has been completed to Odessa, and spur lines are being completed now. I will journey to Odessa in the coming week.

[Paddy]

September 1801 - War

Less then a year later ourt allies the Austrians are attacked by the Prussians, The Spanish and the French.

My 5th Guards Army has been ordered to march on Prussia. Only one hitch, my II Corp is well to the east quelling a civil disput. Well we did not march alone, 1st and 2nd Guards came along for the ride Adding to this we have quite a strong force of Grand Batteries.

Following along behind, the mighty rail teams of Prince Sammeule. Their goal, to lay down a successful rail supply line as we advance.

November 1801

Patrik and I met with our commanders and a full plan of attack was set in order. Sam, never to be left out of such events was in amongst the lot of the planning and operations. He certainly had done wonders with his railmen, there was no keeping him from this.

Thus it was that at the set of dawn 14 Grand batteries blasted all Prussian forces in Konigsberg. Then my 5th Guards Army - I Corp moved in with the first attack. This was closely supported by Patrik and his 1st Guards Army - I Corp coming in behind, while his Cossacks of 1st Guards - II Corp took to the flank of the field, enveloping the city and taking the city, along with two fine sets grand batteries. The Prussians were surely remiss in not spiking these weapons, as gun crews quickly took hold of them and turned them on Prussian units trying to stream in from Danzig.

The Rail crews then came through. The mass of workers was almost overwhelming,

Then:

The day was not finished here. The order was giving to unleash several independent Cossack Regiments that we had in reserve. These fierce fighting folk did our name proud, tearing trough the countryside to the nearby city of Danzig, taking it, and then holding it.

Prussia certainly have paid a massive price.

[Paddy]

The Path of II Corp

Orders were dispatched to move II Corp from the Eastern Moscow Military District to the Prussian Border. Good, great, just bloody fantastic. Dispatched they were. Did they go to II Corp, 5th Guards Army, Eastern Moscow Military District? No of course not, that would have been too easy. The supply wagons were sent to the corresponding camp areas for their route. The new troop train was waiting for them at the rail head. Even members of their families along the way had certain notification. But the actual Corp, no way.

January 1802

5th Guards Army is finally reunited. After a rest period and week of catchup and planning we all boarded for the "front". The battle of Stettin. The ride through Konnigsberg was uneventful, yet when we came into Danzig we were held up for 2 days. The city was a light with flames and mob warfare. Several times we almost dismounted the train to continue on in formation. Finally we were through and made the railhead.

Here Prince Adrusk and his mighty Grand Batteries were laying seige on Stettin. The sounds of the masses of gunns certainly put a shiver up my spine at times. One could wonder at the pain and punishment the garrison of Stettin was under.

At the appropriate time my II Corp were sent off to lead the fray, closely followed by 1st Guards Army II Corp, also made up of the fearsome Cossack Cavalry. These two Corp had the running legs of their horses to reach into Stettin, and follow through form the massive pounding of the massed guns. Following the two Cossack Corps we unleashed several independent cossack Regiments. The weight of such an onslaught was far to much, and the garrison was dimissed, and the city laid to ruin in short order.

No sooner had I moved I Corp forward to reinforce the Cossacks than the engineers and there rail crews were hard at work, digging, building and laying new track to the border. All very encouraging indeed. This allowed fresh cannon batteries to be brought right up and lay down fire on Prussian and French units in the vicinity.

[Paddy]

St Petersburg

An agent of Sire Frederick Wilhelm II of the Prussians was caught sabotaging production in the city of St Petersburg.

[Paddy]

Securing the Border

March 1802

The weeks following the fall of Stettin were very active indeed. I had assumed that the Prussians would put up quite a fight after loosing so much of their lands. My greatest surprise came from the fact that the French had so many more units in theatre.

It was a tussle to be sure. Yet our Cannon won the day time and again, literally crushing the advancing units into a shredding mess. As our Corp's took this time to rest and reorganize, we did not advance, we held the line. Jaeger Regiments were sent across the border to mop up units that did not have the sense to retreat.

In amongst all this I have been neglectful in reporting the actions of our allies the Austrians. Possibly because the few units we have seen of theirs have met very quick defeat. We certainly hope they are doing better elsewhere.

May 1802

The Prussian counter attack finally arrived. They punched 6 Curassier Regiments through our lines into the forests around Danzig. Also bringing up further Curassiers, and 11 Fusilier Regiments, and a troop of settlers in the hope of doing something with the ruins of Danzig. Adding to this further French units arrived as well.

The day began once again to the sounds of the Imperial Grand Batteries, firing off into most points of the compass from our encampment at the rail head. One could only feel pity for the poor fools who put themselves within range.

[Paddy]

July 1802

As I write here news of the Odessa has reached me. Our neighbours, the Ottomen, have moved several Regiments into our lands. At this time we have been at peace for some time, well I dare say not for much longer if they feel they can trash our borders as such.

This news would not normally have effected us here at the Prussian front, except that the 7th Guards Army has been diverted while making its way here. 7th Guards will now take train to Odessa and be available in case they be required.

Well to the Prussian Border. Yet again the Imperial Grand Batterie laid waste to several French and Prussian Regiments. Well if they want to through themselves against this wall of iron - then so be it.

Sept 1802

Again we are here at the ruins of Stettin along the Prussian Border. And again the French and Prussian forces hab\ve thrown themselves upon our Iron Wall.

Word if that we may be allowed to finally advance in the coming weeks. One can but imagine what the countryside looks like after all the these months of constant pounding by the Imperial Grand Batterie.

[Grandpa Troll]

Very Good Commrade

I shall also look at History and see if indeed it is as you have told it to be so!

I trust what our Mother Bear brings forth from the stream of Life.

Grand Czar Trollnika IV