The opening battle of this year's Pike and Shot Tournament saw forces of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth under the command of Hetman Wlodzislow Nowak collide with Ottoman Turks under the command of Kazazian Beg, as both endeavored to occupy and secure Bratworst Village as a base for their future operations.
Blessed by his superiority in light cavalry, and some successful espionage, Kazazian Beg had learned that a Polish force was on its way to secure the village, and was aware of the possibility that he might have a fight on his hands. Hetman Nowak had no such knowledge, which showed in the lack of urgency in his progress.
Kazazian Beg proceeded northwards towards the village at the head of his main column, dispatching a sizable force of light cavalry - his akinji - as an outflanking force to the west, with instructions to circle north of the village, and potentially catch any approaching enemy in the flank. Somewhat to his surprise, Kazazian Beg was able to enter the village unopposed (see the photos above), and with no enemy yet in sight, led his bodyguard, screened by Tartar scouts, across the narrow stream on the northern outskirts of the village, with the intention of providing a blocking force, protecting his janissaries as they put the village on lock down.
So far so good for the Turks - one-way traffic in fact!
Where were the Poles? (To be continued........)
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