22/23 August Germany 1813 - heavy fighting in the north

As predicted, the war in Germany has started with a crash for the armies in the north.  The French push on Berlin was dealt a bloody nose on the 21st with Oudinot's cavalry corps retreating precipitously from the battlefield at Luckenwalde.  Fortunately for him, Field Marshal Blucher's men were too tired to pursue, and also reports of a Polish corps arriving in his rear (so to speak) prompted the normally impetuous Prussian to hold his ground.  However, the Polish threat proved to be illusory and the Poles seem to have retreated as fast as they advanced.  Blucher took the opportunity to retreat back towards Baruth, where is rumoured to have joined forces with the trusty General Yorck.

The closing stages of the Battle of Luckenwalde.  Note the Prussian infantry sitting idly on the left smoking their pipes and drinking schnapps.  They hardly fired a shot all battle. The Poles were rumoured to be arriving on the road behind the Prussian infantry but promptly turned around and left. 

Meantime at Baruth, Marshal Ney ordered an attack across the river on the depleted Prussian forces defending the position, but quickly counter- manded these orders on the approach of Blucher.

Can the Prussians hold on until their allies arrive from the south?

In the south and east, the Austrian and Russian armies continue to plod along, enjoying the German sunshine, schnapps and frauleins.  Prussian grumbling at their tardiness continues. 
A major Austrian push on Dresden, the French main supply centre, looks likely.  The city remains on high alert, and panicked requests for help from the commander of Dresden to the French Emperor appear to have gone unanswered.  The Austrians, however, seem to be dragging their heels.

Rumours have surfaced of major French activity at Wittenberg, where an entire French corps remains stationed.  Also, there is an unusual flow of wagons up the main road from Dresden to Wittenberg.  Clearly the full extent of the French plans is still to become apparent.