After the preliminaries, down to the bloody work of battle!

The armies of Austria and Prussia spent April like fencers maneuvering to find an advantage. Now, like a latterday Jarnac or Chevalier de St Georges, the Prussians strike, burying the tip of their rapier in the living body of their foe.

First, Frederick's inexorable march through the Erzgebirge brings his army (minus a few more stragglers) to the gates of Pilsen. There, by the banks of the Moldau, they meet the army of the Duke of Arenberg. A mighty battle will doubtless determine the fate of western Bohemia.

In the east of the province, the wily Koenigsegg circles around the Prussian armies to the west, marching through Niemes to Gabel. But while a force under Prinz Heinrich remains in Münchengrätz, a large force marched east through Gitschina and met the Imperial army of Browne near Koeniggraz. Here also a bloody affair will doubtless claim the lives of many brave soldiers.

Meanwhile, Prinz Karl in Prague and Prinz Moritz and his Prussians in Karbitz hold their ground, waiting and watching each other warily. As the sounds of battle begin to rage in the east and west of them, the soldiers of the two central armies sharpen their swords, polish their muskets, groom their steeds, and wait for orders to move towards action and glory.