"Masters of the Channel for Six Hours, Masters of the World."

[Faeelin]

A famous quote from Napoleon, along with the one about the shopkeepers who would later beat him.

How close did Napoleon ever come to actually gaining his six hours? Wasn't the entire RN massively outweighing the French and Spanish fleet?

What were British plans in the case of the Ogre's invasion.

 

[unmerged(4755)]

Originally posted by Faeelin
A famous quote from Napoleon, along with the one about the shopkeepers who would later beat him.

How close did Napoleon ever come to actually gaining his six hours? Wasn't the entire RN massively outweighing the French and Spanish fleet?

What were British plans in the case of the Ogre's invasion.

The plan was precisely to get the Navy out of the way, by diverting it to the Carribbean, which failed miserably.

 

[Sire Philippe]

We would add that not only this plan didn' t achieve, but couldn't. Bonaparte, as some german commanders in 1940, underknowing sea-problems, believed that Channel was only a big river, crossable with little boats.

6 hours to transport more than 100 000 men...

 

[Faeelin]

Originally posted by Sire Philippe
We would add that not only this plan didn' t achieve, but couldn't. Bonaparte, as some german commanders in 1940, underknowing sea-problems, believed that Channel was only a big river, crossable with little boats.

6 hours to transport more than 100 000 men...

Heh. No doubt the infamous plan would have worked better with the Chunnel. After all, the British only promised that he couldn't come by sea .

"believed that Channel was only a big river, crossable with little boats."

Actually, I'll hvae to dig up a source, but from what I understand he eventually changed his mind on this.

What was the British plan in the event of the occupation of London anyway? "Well, that's it. Let's offer them the provinces of Kent and Meath."

 

[unmerged(469)]

Originally posted by Faeelin
How close did Napoleon ever come to actually gaining his six hours? Wasn't the entire RN massively outweighing the French and Spanish fleet?

I thought there was approximate parity, or an advantage to the French/Spanish. At the very least, in all the sea battles I can think of the British operated at a disadvantage in numbers and weight of shot.

 

[stnylan]

Re: Re: "Masters of the Channel for Six Hours, Masters of the World."

The French and Spanish Fleets combined did outnumber the RN. The advantage the RN had was that the French and Spanish were blockaded for the most part, and could be kept bottled up with a smaller number.

That said they kept 2 main fleets. One off Brest, and one off Toulon (the main ports of the French Fleet) Then they had little squadrons dotted about the smaller ports where smaller numbers of ships were based.

The plan was that if the other elements of the French or Spanish fleets avoided these squadrons they would withdraw to the fleet at Brest, swelling it. This would guard the Channel as well, and would act like an anvil to Nelson's hammer in the form of the Toulon fleet. Or something like that.

In the event of a landing? Evacuate to the Midlands, cut off supplies, and wait. They also made a new and detailed map of the country about this time (what became the Ordnance Survey) to facilitate possible military operations.

 

[Faeelin]

"In 1805, the original plan called for a fleet built up in Toulon under Latouche-Treville to pretend to sail to Egypt. Nelson would follow,a nd he would sail towards Alexandria. The French would then sail into the Atlantic, making for Rochefort, whereby he would release five ffrench ships blockaded by five british. With the additional ship at Cadiz, he would not have 17, superior to the 15 of Cornwallis at Brest. The ships in Brst which cornwallis was blockading were 14 strong, so the French have a sizeable superiority, albeit temporary. "

Summing a quote from the Battles that Changed History, by Fletched Pratt. So, he gets his week of naval superiority. Did England possess enough men to beat him?

( I seem to be on an invasion of Britain kick).

 

[stnylan]

Originally posted by Faeelin
Summing a quote from the Battles that Changed History, by Fletched Pratt. So, he gets his week of naval superiority. Did England possess enough men to beat him?

( I seem to be on an invasion of Britain kick).

Assuming they get across, no, not immediately anyhow. #

But I imagine then he would get stranded and cut off from supply like he did in 1798-9, and 1812.

 

[Faeelin]

Originally posted by stnylan
Assuming they get across, no, not immediately anyhow. #

But I imagine then he would get stranded and cut off from supply like he did in 1798-9, and 1812.

Egypt, IMO, is not a valid comparison. French revolutinoary armies had a habit of leaving lines of supply and communication frequently. Regular answer was to loot and pillage, if they were in a rich territory.

The question, IMO, is if the King surrenders when the Ogre reaches York. If the ogre can reach york.

 

[unmerged(9531)]

the ogre?
no, the kind liberator of europe!

 

[Faeelin]

Originally posted by KriegHund
the ogre?
no, the kind liberator of europe!

Yes. Liberating from the old regime, into the new empire. Forgive me for not expecting the English to wave the tricolor as he marches through London.

 

[unmerged(9531)]

as Nappy said one day :
"the english will fight 'til the death of the last prussian"

 

[Faeelin]

Originally posted by KriegHund
as Nappy said one day :
"the english will fight 'til the death of the last prussian"

He also referred to the Channel as a ditch, and the English as shopkeepers.

Nice to know that even the mightiest dictator can be overthrown by shopkeepers in arms.

 

[unmerged(9531)]

Originally posted by Faeelin
He also referred to the Channel as a ditch, and the English as shopkeepers.

Nice to know that even the mightiest dictator can be overthrown by shopkeepers in arms.

true, just look at the prussian in 1792.

 

[Sire Philippe]

Originally posted by Faeelin
Yes. Liberating from the old regime, into the new empire. Forgive me for not expecting the English to wave the tricolor as he marches through London.

Don't worry, every Frenchman don't applause "exploits" of Buonaparte...

 

[stnylan]

Originally posted by Faeelin
Egypt, IMO, is not a valid comparison. French revolutinoary armies had a habit of leaving lines of supply and communication frequently. Regular answer was to loot and pillage, if they were in a rich territory.

The question, IMO, is if the King surrenders when the Ogre reaches York. If the ogre can reach york.

For food yes.

for military supplies more was what I was thinking.

 

[Faeelin]

Originally posted by stnylan
For food yes.

for military supplies more was what I was thinking.

Average soldier carried enough ammo for a few battles, since they carried over a hundred rounds, and fired very slowly. Also assumes they get no supplies in Britain. I'm more worried about hemorrhaging men.

 

[w_mullender]

Nobody mentioning Napoleons statement:
Antwerpen is the pistol at englands breast

 

[Faeelin]

Originally posted by w_mullender
Nobody mentioning Napoleons statement:
Antwerpen is the pistol at englands breast

Fortunately, he lacked ammo to load it with.

 

[Damocles]

"the english will fight 'til the death of the last prussian"

This has always been one of my favorite quotes. I've often thought about it when playing in the MGC or Tsunami games as France. (Ulver!)