Off-Topic > The Lounge
Napoleon Bonaparte
Ultimate Pheer:
--- Quote from: Indreams on November 20, 2014, 01:07:05 pm ---True true.
Can nobody hold on to Moscow but the Russians?
Anyways, to get back on topic, what do you guys think Napoleon's downfall was?
His invasion of Russia? His attempt to reign in Haiti? His wars and debts? His arrogance? Or the fact that he didn't use airships?
Cause I think it was the airships.
--- End quote ---
Well, naturally, aside from the airships I'm reasonably certain it was his firm desire to conquer all of Russia in one campaign that was going to go through winter no matter what.
You don't just INVADE RUSSIA in the winter. There's a reason the only strategy they needed for a very long time was "Run from the enemy and burn everything behind us until the winter murders all of them"
Jester Schulz:
I second Ultimate Pheer. The biggest mistake Napoleon did was to think that he could invade and take over Russia. What Russia does best is survive in the harsh condition. Napoleon's army was not ready and did not have the equipment to attack Russia. They lacked proper clothing and supplies to survive in the Russian winter. Not to mention the Russian's Scorched Earth tactic made it impossible for Napoleon to resupply along the way to Moscow. The Russians burned everything and killed their own people as they retreated. All of this just to impair their enemy and keep them from getting supplies. The Russians were very good at using this tactic and even used it during WWII against the Nazi's. This failed attempt crippled Napoleons army and left his army in pieces. Out of the original 615,000 soldiers who went on the campaign, only 110,000 made it back to Paris. Napoleon lost his strength because of his foolishness in invading Russia.
Schwalbe:
--- Quote from: Jester Schulz on November 24, 2014, 11:51:44 am ---All of this just to impair their enemy and keep them from getting supplies. The Russians were very good at using this tactic and even used it during WWII against the Nazi's.
--- End quote ---
The most funny about this statement is, that Nazis could have reach Moscow even before winter, which was Fuhrer's plan.
But guess what?
RUSSIAN ROADS. I mean - NO solid roads, or anything CLOSE to solid roads. Their machines were great, but were not meant to tolerate this amount of dust, therefore - they were malfunctioning a lot, slowing down the assault.
RedRoach:
Ah, Napleon's downfall, like everyone else has been saying, would be Mother Russia's capabilites to make one hell of a snowball to throw at anyone in the winter.
Indreams:
But did Napoleon have a choice in invading Russia?
After defeating several European monarchies, he had made enemies of nearly every existing "old blood" monarchies in the continent.
Russia, with its large population and decent industry, was an impending doom for Napoleon. If Russia organized and invaded France, it would be years fighting on central Europe that would cripple the French economy and Napoleon's standing.
So, Napoleon probably decided that 'best defense is a good offense' and attempted a rapid assault on Russia. He probably planned on conquering Moscow before the winter.
But no ground army can reach Moscow before winter (unless your entire army is OP archers on horseback). So, that's why I think, if Napoleon had airships, he would have been victorious.
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