Battalions on Parade!

Full battalion with squadron of armoured support

King Raymond fidgeted, tugging at the high, stiff collar of his white dress tunic. Kony, his valet, brushed at his gold encrusted shoulder boards. "Goodness mein Herr! You fuss so! I haven't seen you like this since your wedding day." 

"This collar is very tight."

"That would be Frau Goldstein's strudel. Herr Doktor has advised you about your diet."

Three rifle companies, plus Support Company with Mortar, Anti-tank and MMG platoons. Squadron of Centurions and attached AVRE in the back.

"Doktor Thielmann is a thief of joy."

Kony set the bicorne on his head and carefully adjusted the fall of the magnificent horse hair plume. "Quite so, mein Herr. But your people love you and need you."

With one last look in the mirror and a final tug at the bottom of his tunic, King Raymond turned to the door. A guard dressed in the antique white tunic and bearskin of the Leibgard, but carrying a modern British supplied FN automatic rifle came to attention and opened the door for him.

In the hallway he met his daughter, Gretchen, resplendent in her dress uniform as the inhaber of the Queen's Leibgard Husaren regiment. "You look very dashing pappa!"

"As do you my dear."

Gretchen cocked her head. "Ready?"

"Would it matter if I wasn't? Our American and British benefactors are quite insistent on this show of readiness."

He began walking down the hallway. Uniformed guards taking position in front and behind. Servants opened the big doors and they stepped out onto the steps at the front of the castle. There was a throng of dignitaries, mostly foreign, and a large contingent of foreign press. He was acutely aware of non-descript men on the edges looking out at the crowds and the rooftops.

A voice bellowed "First Fusilier Regiment! Royal salute, preeee-sent ARMS!" Hundreds of feet crunched on the gravel, hands slapped new rifle stocks, swords swept up to the salute, flags unfurled, the band began playing the anthem. Camera flashes went off and film cameras began whirring, recording Mantovia's preparedness for the entire world. Perhaps a photo from the parade might make it into the back pages of Life or Time magazine.

82mm Mortar platoon

He took his time with the inspection, asking questions, looking down weapons tubes, inquiring about the landser's welfare. It was his only way to show he cared. Junior officers and senior NCOs had fretted and fussed for this moment, so the least he could do was to take notice of all their efforts.

The newly mobilized battalion was presented with colours, duly blessed by the bishop. Awards were given for exceptional training.  He had Gretchen help him pin some medals on veterans who had distinguished themselves in the earlier fighting.

Anti-tank platoon

After the parade there was beer and bratwurst for all ranks in the castle gardens. Early tomorrow they'd be heading to the front.

Centurion of Queen's Liebgard Kampfgruppe moves to the frontier

Tartarian Motor Rifles skirmishing

A few hundred kilometers to the east, a non-descript man watched a cobbled square from behind the dingy curtains in the fourth story window of a drab apartment.

Several hundred field grey clad soldiers, with new AK47 rifles across their chests goose stepped past a dais, followed by dozens of new round turreted T-54 tanks.

Battalion of T-54s, Battalion of Motor Rifles

BTR armoured personnel carriers rolled past as well. Some towing heavy mortars.

Three companies of Motor Rifles

"Hmmm... those are new." He focused the telephoto lens on some tanks rolling past sporting long barreled anti-aircraft guns.

120mm Mortar Company

He quickly changed film as another battalion crunched past on the cobbles. He photographed everything he could. Even the most innocent looking truck displayed a change in Tartarian capabilities. 

He would have to get these rolls of film to the dead letter drop this afternoon. A display of military might like this hadn't been seen outside of Red Square and western intelligence services would want to pour over the photos of the new gear. Thank God there weren't any rockets.

Brigade HQ including BTR-152 artillery command post

T-54 battalion and BTR transport behind

While waiting on more Quar I reached a milestone this week and have enough infantry stands completed for each side to field a battalion of three rifle companies, plus supports in O Group or Seven Days to the River Rhine. Or a full company in I Ain't Been Shot, Mum.

The Mantovian battalion is organized like a British or Canadian infantry battalion, with an organic 82mm mortar, anti-tank, and machine gun platoons. For now the AT Platoon is dedicated Carl Gustav teams with some Landrovers. I might get them some metal BAT L1 recoilless rifles after Christmas. But I kind of like trying to keep everything 3d printed too.

To celebrate, Scott ran a game of Seven Days for Patrick, Dan, Brett and myself. I was too busy having fun to take any pictures except these of the table before the boys arrived. Scott brough some allies for each side, so that we had enough for 4 players. My Mantovians ended up facing off against Scott's T-64s, while Patrick command the T-54s against Scott's Canadians with Leopard 1s. I lost 5 Centurions, but we chewed up the Tartarian and Soviet armoured thrusts enough that they lost on Command chits.