Ordinarius
Napoleon's Imperial Guard
One of the best, most respected and feared fighting forces in the history of the world?
I believe so...
Their shining moment?
"The Guard Dies, It does not surrender"
As exaggerated as it must be it makes for a heck of a battle story and wreaths them in glory forever.
Your answers to the above???
The Lacedaemonians Choose To Die
Saviors of the Japanese
Re: Napoleon's Imperial Guard
Bad idea...
Took the best soldiers out of his line regiments, and was too valuable to risk in battle most of the time.
“The nation that will insist upon drawing a broad line of demarcation between the fighting man and the thinking man is liable to find its fighting done by fools and its thinking by cowards.”
—Sir William Francis Butler
Campidoctor
Re: Napoleon's Imperial Guard
In the realities of Napoleonic war Farnan speaks the truth. There is a moral argument that suggests the Old Guard were insuperable. They were a moral force. Several thousand bearskins present on a Napoleonic battlefield meant only one thing to the enemy, defeat..... because Napoleon himself was present. The genius of Napoleon .............
Last edited by OG Grenadier; February 16, 2009 at 10:54 PM.
"My God, I wish we had the 9th Australian Division with us this morning."
- - Major-General Francis de Guingaund, Chief of Staff, Allied Land-Forces Headquarters Europe, D-Day, 1944
"Australian troops had, at Milne Bay, inflicted on the Japanese their first undoubted defeat on land. Some of us may forget that, of all the allies, it was the Australians who first broke the invincibility of the Japanese army."
— Field Marshal Sir William Slim.
Saviors of the Japanese
Re: Napoleon's Imperial Guard
They had a morale effect true, but a much smaller, battalion sized unit could have done as well, or even a unit the size of the original guard (3,000)...
Just for the same reason they don't make a US Army Ranger Division, as it would sap all the line units of their best soldiers.
Last edited by Farnan; February 16, 2009 at 10:55 PM.
“The nation that will insist upon drawing a broad line of demarcation between the fighting man and the thinking man is liable to find its fighting done by fools and its thinking by cowards.”
—Sir William Francis Butler
Campidoctor
Re: Napoleon's Imperial Guard
Farnan in the context of a Napoleonic engagement involving upwards of a quarter million men, a single Battalion of La Vieille Garde would not suffice as a sufficient deterrent to the enemy, to withdrawal to safer quarters Sir. No Sir, the Banners and Bearskins of La Garde en masse did more to sway an enemy on the field through intimidation than any clash of arms.
"My God, I wish we had the 9th Australian Division with us this morning."
- - Major-General Francis de Guingaund, Chief of Staff, Allied Land-Forces Headquarters Europe, D-Day, 1944
"Australian troops had, at Milne Bay, inflicted on the Japanese their first undoubted defeat on land. Some of us may forget that, of all the allies, it was the Australians who first broke the invincibility of the Japanese army."
— Field Marshal Sir William Slim.
Saviors of the Japanese
Re: Napoleon's Imperial Guard
But did he need 100,000 of them?Originally Posted by OG Grenadier
It got excessive. Perhaps even just keep the Old Guard and not the Young Guard and Middle Guard.
Basically he removed his best troops from the fight in a unit he couldn't deploy.
“The nation that will insist upon drawing a broad line of demarcation between the fighting man and the thinking man is liable to find its fighting done by fools and its thinking by cowards.”
—Sir William Francis Butler
Campidoctor
Re: Napoleon's Imperial Guard
Sir are you reading "Elting; swords around a throne" or "Anatomy of Glory; Napoleon and his Guard" (Henri Lachouque)? Both are most excellent reads. Anatomy of Glory is a masterwork I must say. Enjoy.
Last edited by OG Grenadier; February 16, 2009 at 11:16 PM.
"My God, I wish we had the 9th Australian Division with us this morning."
- - Major-General Francis de Guingaund, Chief of Staff, Allied Land-Forces Headquarters Europe, D-Day, 1944
"Australian troops had, at Milne Bay, inflicted on the Japanese their first undoubted defeat on land. Some of us may forget that, of all the allies, it was the Australians who first broke the invincibility of the Japanese army."
— Field Marshal Sir William Slim.
The Red Menace
Re: Napoleon's Imperial Guard
My buddy Napoleon would like this threadI think the Roman legions were quite a bit more famous though.
Civis
Re: Napoleon's Imperial Guard
VIVA LA NAPOLEONMy buddy Napoleon would like this thread
anyways i hope Empire Total war represents the royal guard of napoleon in some way...still we are gonna need modders to put a foucus on France in a mod they make in Empire total war in order to accuratly represent how awesome france was during the napoleonic era!
The Red Menace
Re: Napoleon's Imperial Guard
ah Napoleon is a load of bull. Its all about the Duke of Wellington
Civis
Re: Napoleon's Imperial Guard
Was the Duke of Wellington able to take on most of europe by himself like Napoleon was? nope hahaah Napoleon is a load of bull. Its all about the Duke of Wellington
Napole had allies ya..if you count the people france occupied and conquerd and forced them to help em as allies
The Red Menace
Re: Napoleon's Imperial Guard
The Duke Reconquered all of Europe
Civis
Re: Napoleon's Imperial Guard
There have been great generals in the past.The Duke Reconquered all of Europe
There will be great generals in the future.
And then, there is Napoleon-Quote by the Duke of Wellington.
Your great duke admiried Napoleon and obviously thought he was better than himself
Last edited by Napoleon1853; February 16, 2009 at 11:45 PM.
The Red Menace
Re: Napoleon's Imperial Guard
So? I like Napoleon as well as Wellington. But if you think about it who actually won the war?There have been great generals in the past.
There will be great generals in the future.
And then, there is Napoleon-Duke of Wellington.
Your great duke admiried Napoleon and obviously thought he was better than himself
Civis
Re: Napoleon's Imperial Guard
Wellington but he needed the help of nearly all of the rest of europe to accomplish that
amazing huh
The Red Menace
Re: Napoleon's Imperial Guard
He still kicked Napoleons butt at Waterloo.Wellington but he needed the help of nearly all of the rest of europe to accomplish that
amazing huh
Domesticus
Re: Napoleon's Imperial Guard
But only because the french forces were exhaust and in bad condition, after fighting over 20 years against nearly whole europe.
The Red Menace
Re: Napoleon's Imperial Guard
The main french advantage was that they will eat anything.
Semisalis
Re: Napoleon's Imperial Guard
Dont forget that Napoleon was an excelent statsmann and poletician, where Wellington failed. Creating many reforms such as Napoleonic code.
He was also good at diplomacy, forming alliance etc.
Making great speed and making logestic much easyer, although it became an disadvantege in Spain against Wellington.
Last edited by Lone rider; February 17, 2009 at 02:36 AM.
''I always made one prayer to God, a very short one: "O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous." God granted it. ''
-Voltaire
Praefectus
Re: Napoleon's Imperial Guard
A loss is a loss.But only because the french forces were exhaust and in bad condition, after fighting over 20 years against nearly whole europe.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
