Historical background
(see here for further detail)
After Bucquoy had made his failed attempt to invade Bohemia in 1618 he was forced by Mansfeld's troops to retreat to Budweis that remained loyal to the Emperor. Mansfeld left a blocking force there and continued towards Lower Austria and crossed the border on 25th November 1618, but due to lateness of the season and lack of supplies, he was forced to turn back.
The winter proceeds with unfruitful diplomatic negotiations, with no peace in sight. Frederick tries to obtain more support for his cause with little success.
Emperor Matthias II dies in 20th March 1619 in Vienna and this results in Upper Austria rebelling against Ferdinand, asserting that the rule had passed to Archduke Albrecht. The government was passed to a committee of protestant noblemen in April who promptly allied themselves with the Bohemians. Lower Austria remained loyal in name, but flooded the future emperor with numerous petitions and protests.
In mid-April 1619 the Bohemians sent a force of 10,000 soldiers under Thurn to invade Moravia as a revenge for Moravia allowing free passage for imperial troops last year. Upon the approach of the army the Moravian Estates removed its former leaders and joined the rebellion. Wallenstein reacted to this by taking all of the Moravian treasury and fleeing to Vienna with a few of his soldiers.
Strenghtened by the Moravians, Thurn then continued towards Lower Austria in May, taking first the town of Laa, crossing the Danube at Fischamend and was at the gates of Vienna on 14th June 1619.
Scenario background
I presumed that Thurn had taken the route to Fischamend by traveling through Mistelbach - a town that was present during the time. The route from Laa to Mistelbach is littered with fields and smaller villages, so a pitched battle in order to control (and pillage) a village en route seemed plausible.
A suitable stop mid-way would have been a village called Hörersdorf that had several vineyards that could provide sustenance for the hungry troops. Although no battle seems to have been documented here, it seems a nice place to host our second battle in the campaign.
The terrain would be simple. A road running from north to south with a couple of buildings in the middle representing Hörersdorf, and a batch of woods east and west of the village. The rest would be open countryside. Looking at images online, the village lies in a depression between various low hills surrounded by rapeseed fields (modeling rapeseed fields would be historically inaccurate, so if fields are represented, don't make them yellow).
The game is planned for tomorrow. I'll post more after we've fought the battle.
