Clive Clink, Sniper

Clive Clink has been provisionally transferred from the grenadiers to the First Rifle Battalion, has received his green uniform coat, police style helmet and new sniper rifle, all in time for the invasion of Crussia.
His new battalion has not arrived at the frontier so he remains attached to the grenadiers.

Von Ryan, commander of the Herman forces is confident and has placed his trust in his guns and his infantry. His army advances to the Olga River and forms firing lines. The Third infantry occupies a grave yard and awaits the arrival of a machinegun crew. The First Infantry forms column to cross the bridge on his left flank.

Army Dark Green is still inspired by the priests to fight a crusade for Holy Crussia. It rushes to meet the invaders. The Balkan lancers of Snookum Ookum gallop to the river to a secret crossing and cross to threaten the Herman's right flank. The Herman Third Infantry turn some companies to meet any charge. However, the lancers must first dismount and walk their horses through the forest.

In the meantime Crussian farmers have fled their farm and taken refuge in the forest.  The Crussian Rifle regimen takes position on a hill and trades volleys with the Third Herman Infantry. The Officers Regiment and an militia move up in support. In the centre the First Crussian Infantry moves up the road, following a wagon of Crussian sappers sent to blow up the middle bridge over the Olga.

The Herman light artillery found their range and begin cutting great swathes of death through the typically massed Crussian ranks.
At this point General Von Ryan orders his driver, Hans Goethe, to execute a very strange manouevre which requires a steady nerve and service beyond the call of duty; he must drive the general's staff car on to the central bridge and block it! Actually it is unnecessary as a wagon with Crussian sappers is on the way to blow it up!

The driver then fires his pistol at the sappers, missing all his shots. The Herman infantry are more accurate and one of their shots ignites the gunpowder in the wagon causing an explosion which virtually wipes out the sappers, the wagon, half a battalion of Crussian infantry, Hans and the car but the bridge is still intact!
The First Herman infantry march on to the Hermans' left flank bridge and turn to add their fire to the much diminished Crussians in the centre. Crussian auxiliary Balkan irregulars move into the forest and return fire on the Crussians.

The Herman lancers are ordered to charge the Crussian infantry next to the centre bridge and they wipe them out. In a familiar pattern the Crussian 15th Hussar guard then charge the disorganised lancers and destroy them. The other Herman lancer unit is finished off by the Balkan irregulars firing from the forest.               

Clive Clink had used his game keeper skills to penetrate deeply behind enemy lines. His mission is to assassinate General Westernsky or any other members of Army Dark Green's high command.

Finally he has, from his forest lair, line of sight  on the general, who has emerged at the top of the Tolstoy Citadel. Just at that moment the cossacks charge past him to attack the First Herman Infantry on the bridge. Clive's aim is spoilt but at least the cossacks have not detected him. Once more he takes aim and is about to pull the trigger when a passing pigeon drops its own bomb right on Clive's nose. 'You swine!' he curses as he pulls the trigger and alters his aim by a fraction.

Major (previously General Shortskinsky before his demotion by the tzar), has also emerged at the battlements when he receives a shock. One of the double heads on his helmet eagle is sudddenly removed from his helmet by a sniper's bullet. He thanks God that he is not any taller.

The cossack charge, although spirited, lacks in numbers and enough Crussians turn to defend the narrow bridge to cripple the charge. The greater infantry numbers crush the cossacks.

General Von Ryan nervously notices the enemy lancers pass in to the forest. He sends orders for his sappers to ignite the forest. This they finally manage to do but the lancers have already emerged in an area up wind of the fire and emerge unscathed, but still out of sight.

Alex Drasnov has been biding his time in the windmill and finally takes a chance. He fires at the Hermans in the graveyard and hits one, in the foot as it turns out, but he will not be fighting for a while.

The Crussians had suffered terrible casualties. The Hermans' infantry casualties were small but their cavalry had been badly mauled. The Crussians and Hermans had fought to a standstill and the Crussian headquarters at Tolstoy was safe. Yet the crussians were on the back foot. The Hermans were consolidating their hold on the land up to the Olga River.

One thing the Crussians did have in their favour was that they were fighting on their own land and they had some troops behind enemy lines. It was time to call out the regional militia and encourage partisan activity. Some of these forces could emerge just about anywhere to threaten Herman supply lines. A new artillery piece and machinegun crew would arrive at Tolstoy soon. Westernsky would prepare to defend Tolstoy, but also to pursue a scorched earth plan if necessary.  

General Von Ryan gazed at the distant forest and could hardly hide his nervous twitch. The old dueling scar always did that when he was impatient, impatient for conquest. He had sent messages for fresh troops and supplies. He would have to capture that farm on the other side of the river, and then, Tolstoy and next? The road would be clear to Coscow..