Denmark of 9 April 1940 ISOT to 1 February 1864.

Fieldmarshall Wrangel's HQ Dahmendorf 4 February 1864 8PM

The Fieldmarshall at the Commanders Conference didn't seem to understand what his Corps Commanders was relaying to him.
He hadn't seen any flying machines or armoured vehicles moving without horses and didn't fathom what was going on.
He wanted Prince Friedrich Karl to as soon as possible cross the Slie so as to surround the Danish Army and thus win the War.

Fieldmarshalllieutenant Gablenz was ordered to assumed the initiative the next day to keep the Danish Army fixen in place for the turning of its flank to work and the Guards Corps was ordered to cross the Trene River to turn the west flank of the Danish Army.

The Corps Commanders reports of the position of their Corps had the Fieldmarshall interrupt that ”then we don't even have to cross the Slie and Trene; we surround and crush them in the fields. Move out!”

As always the Corps Commanders shook their heads and left Dahmendorf; their warning that the Fieldmarshall move his HQ south of the Canal fell on a deaf ear.

Prince Friedrich Carl had decided to order his Corps to move out of the Svans Peninsular through Eckerförde. As he was about to move off he was relayed that the Danish had occupied Eckerförde and sent out patrols. Such was also the situation to the south of Flækkeby and Askfelt to the west; Danish patrols had been reported on the road leading to Kochendorf and not deemed safe to travel.
The Prince decided to remain at the HQ.

Austrian – Prussian Guards 4 February 1864 9PM

Fieldmarshallieutenant Gablenz and Generallieutenant v.d. Mühle on the ride back south discussed the situation. The two agreed that the Fieldmarshall was utterly out of reality. They also agreed that becoming invested at Rendsburg was to no advantage – the Danish would encircle them and the shell them into surrender. 1. Prussian Corps was in no position to act it was a matter of time before it would be annihalated by the Danish.
They were totally confused about how the Danish had gotten superweapons and flyingmachines as well as armoured selfmoving charts but they had.
Everything told them to pull back behind the Ostsee Canal and deploy for the Danish onslaught but they knew well that would be leaving all of Schleswig to the Danish and weaken the German position. They couldn't let themselves be shuffled around by the Danish and had to take the initiative.
The Austrian Cavalry Brigade's Artillery Battery was still operational as it had been limbered when the Danish opened their offensive yesterday and thus could still deliver support. All of the Foot Batteries had been destroyed by the Danish Artillery and the bombs of the flyingmachines.
It would be a narrow margin left them but they had to do it. Of course the Danish would unhinge the assault but it had to be done. Following it they would retreat behind the Ostsee Canal with honour.
Gablenz agreed to send half the Cavalry Battery to v.d. Mühle for supporting his part of the assault to commence early during dusk before the Danish flyingmachines were over them. Punch a hole in the Danish frontline and quick exploitation to roll up as much of the defences as possible. Foolish but needed.

On the other side of the hill General Essemann were drawing up plans for the operations of the day to come.
All of Jutland Division except two Battalions 1. Anti-Tank Engineers and 4. Battalion/6. Regiment and two Light Artillery Battalions were concentrating for having the final go at 1. Prussian Corps in Svans Peninsular. Hüttener Berge area had been sealed off.
However the defeated Austrian and Prussians Guards Corps' were still north of Ostsee Canal and his plan was to invest these within Rendburg Fortress leaving a crossing of the Canal to the politicians to decide. He wasn't the one to take the blame of the Confederation Corps in Holstein be activated on the side of the Austrians and Prussians.
To aid in this operation he ordered 7. Regiment sealing off the western part of Hüttener Berge actually now to the north of the Austrian Corps to move south during early morning following Stand-to to hit the Austrians in their right flank and push them south leaving no possibility of moving across the Canal east of Rendsburg.

Have gone over the issue of Russian Petroleum - also raised at AHcom - the last post and an earlier on Procurement have been edited. Don't know how that came into my head was sure I had it in the A Window of.. but no. Posts edited.

Also remind the emperor not to mess with Bismarck if that still matters with the beating the Prussians are receiving from 1940/1864 Denmark.

Slesvig, Dannevirke Position 5 February 1864 7.10AM
Weather: clear

General Essemann had spent most of the night getting an overwiev of the positions of his and the opposing troops to plan tomorrows operations.
The Prussian Guards Corps had been chased all the way back to the outskirts west of Rendsborg and the Austrian Corps being somewhat further north of Rendsborg at Alt and Neu Duvenstedt having actually passing the position of 7. Regiment at Ahlefelt north of Bistensee.
7. Regiment had been ordered on an early morning march from Ahlefelt east of Bistensee south to Bünsdorff on the western end of Wittensee to be able to march west at daylight to attack the Austrian east flank at Neu Duvenstedt.
The objective of todays operations to force the Prussian Guards and Austrian Corps into Rendsburg for investing them there.

Early morning saw another Danish landing at Eckernförde of Col. Bennike's reinforced 4. Regiment of 11., 17. Battalions, Regimental Gun Company, 15. Battalion, 1. Regiment and large Ammunition stock.
Following the landing the Regiment move around the south of Windeby Nor to take up position south of Kochendorf where the 3. Brigade of the 1864 1. Division with the 2. Battalion Anti-Tank Engineers are to the north of that village.
This force had been ferried across during the night to move on the town of Kosel to put more pressure on Prince Friedrich Carl's Corps that had been observed in the earlier projected Danish fortification at Kochendorf west of Windeby Nor, at least part of it.
The 5. Regiment at Eckernförde move the 19. Battalion, 5 Infantry Guns and 9. Artillery Battalion closer to Kockendorf still anchoring its left flank on Windeby Nor.
At the end of the day the Prussian 1. Corps had been surrounded at Kochendorf.

Further west north of Rendsburg the 2. Division supported by 9. Light Artillery Battalion, 4. Infantry Battalion and 1. Anti-Tank Engineers Battallion would be resuming the advance of the evening before which had stopped about 5.30PM due to darkness and 3. Division supported by 3. Light Artillery Battalion would open the day operations at daybreak 7.55 AM as the day before. This would be a rude awakening for the Prussian Guards and Austrian Corps.

The morning didn't develop that way as the Prussian Guards Corps and Austrian Corps jumped off their positions at 7.10 in the early dusk following a short sharp barrage of the Artillery.
At both Corps the assault was carried out as a Battalion column with skirmishers in a broad front to make the defenders unawares of the point of assault.
The Prussian Guards hit the joint of the 1. Anti-Tank Engineers Battalion and 4. Brigade; it was another massacre as the Anti-Tank Engineers of course had tripod Machineguns in the forward positions which held off the Prussians by moving down dozens untill reinforcement arrived some still carrying their breakfast in one hand.
The Austrians had their first lucky day hitting the 8. Brigade in a weak spot the join of 9. and 20. Regiments and creating a breakthrough.
As the Anti-Tank Engineers held off the Prussian Guards the 4. Battalion/6. Regiment on the outer right flank of 2. Division jumped on their Bicycles and moved ahead towards the Ostsee Canal to cut off retreat.

In the East 7. Regiment alarmed by the gunfire changed to quickmarch to get into the flank of the Austrian Corps and roll it up.
The 7. Regiment were at Bünsdorf turning west towards Neu Duvenstedt – a 20 minute march.
As 7. Regiment closed on Neu Duvenstedt the Austrian 4. Brigade had a full Regiment in Company Columns assaulting the 3. Division 20. Regiment in the center of its front and breaking through.
The Austrian eletion of breaking the Danish front was to be short lived. 3. Light Artillery Battalion behind the 8. Brigade of which 20. Regiment was part was quick – as it was already preparing for the barrage upon the Austrian frontline to change distance and fire on the advancing Austrians. The first few rounds fell on the Austrians and the next fire for effect had 36 75mm shells fall on the Austrian columns. A few fell close to Danish lines and caused Danish fatalities and wounded.
Following the next round of 36 75mm shells the Austrians took cover for the next round of shells.
Besides their Carbines the Artillery also had 2 Machineguns at each Battery which were brought into action now to take down any Austrian popping his head up.
After a quarter of an hour such hadn't taken place for several minutes and the Danish Infantry were sent in to take the Austrians prisoner.
At this moment the 7. Regiment following a barrage of its Gun Company's 9 Infantry Guns, the 12 81mm Mortars and Heavy Machinegun fire moved in on the Austrian right flank overrunning it.
An Aircraft could be heard and soon the Aerial Observer sent his code to the 3. Artillery Battalion. Having gotten an answer the AO began sending positions for shelling.

Another Aerial Observer Aircraft appeared over 2. Division contacting 9. Light Artillery Battalion. Asking if the Prussians were using flares for signalling and getting a negative answer he left 4. Battalion, 6. Regiment to itself behind the Prussian lines and directed the Artillery to hit the Prussian positions.
Later in the day however 4. Battalion, 6. Regiment was hit by a Barrage from one of the 1864 Artillery Batteries that had been called upon by advancing elements of 4. Brigade. Due to dispersion losses were low.

In the middle of Battle the 1. and 3. Army Airtroops Squadron bombers appeared dropping bombs on the Prussian and Austrian lines which ensured the morale of these dropped significantly making for some units to rout towards the Ostsee Canal and Rendsburg.

To the North the 3. Brigade along 2. Anti-Tank Engineers Battalion had been ferried across the Slie to Mysunde and made their way south to Kosel and continued to the crossroads with Eckernförde road.

As Prince Firedrich Carl had been at Dahmendorf during the night at Fielsmarshall Wrangels HQ he isn't able to rejoin his Corps.
The Danish Artillery 4. and 7. Artillery Battalions open a barrage at 7 AM on the Prussian Corps directed by Observers and Aircraft to take out the Prussian and Danish troops observed surrounding Kochendorf Generalleutnant v. Manstein took command of the Corps.
Prussian 1. Corps being worn down by harassment by Artillery and Aerial bombing and the Danish troops surrounding it had changed its position markedly. Cut off from communications with Fieldmarshal Wrangel and supply from the south.
Following the barrage shifting from the Prussian Artillery to the troops the Danish Infantry moved ahead with Machineguns taking a severe toll on the defenders.

9 AM General v. Manstein attempt a breakout to the south towards Østerby west of Windeby Nor.
With Danish Infantry mainly the 3. Brigade on his heels v. Manstein closes in on Østerby only to find it occupied by elements of Jutish Dragoons Regiment which opens Machinegun fire on the Prussians.
The Prussian units out of rifle range break up attempting to get past Østerby into the Hüttener Berge area. Those moving northwest have to pass the Osterbek a brook with swampy banks to wade through where the Danish Machineguns fire at them.
Those going south have to cross another brook to go on only to run into more Machinegun fire pushing them east towards Vindeby where a Company of 11. Battalion, 4. Regiment have been posted as a Picket for just such an occation.
Elements of Jutish Dragoons are able to shift troops east towards Vindeby to open a crossfire on the fleeing Prussians outside Vindeby.
As the Prussians flee south 5. Regiment and the 2. Anti-Tank Engineers Battalion moves into Kochendorf to capture the Train of Prussian 1. Corps and what troops still remain.
Col. Harrel Commander 5. Regiment send the Bicyclist's of 2. Anti-Tank Engineers south to Vindeby to partake in the final destruction of the Prussian Corps.
At noon Col. Bennike, 4. Regiment Commander accept the surrender of 1. Prussian Corps remains west of Vindeby.
A lot of the fleeing Prussians make it south in groups or individually but the bulk of troops surrender.

Things were developing somewhat faster than General Prior had expected.