"If you had a Time Machine how would you alter Waterloo" Topic

um no – i think much of the blame should lie with the poster (or postee?).

"tone" it is all in the "tone". Posts and/or email – all too frequently do not show a person's actual tone – so one must be very careful to show your intended tone in a post.

Some are obviously better at expression of their tone in a post than others. With some posters it is hard to tell their tone and their post is thus misinterpreted. Meanwhile others find it hard to understand tone and misinterpret other's post's – and so a vicious cycle begins. All too frequently one person can be guilty of both.

This fine thread in my opinion demonstrates some fine examples of both, strangely the majority of such posters all seem to be fanboys of Mr Bonaparte, is there possibly a correlation here?

Even IF I had a time machine, I wouldn't alter a thing. I'd be too busy taking notes.

Good. We could rely on you to settle this whole line v column thing. :o)
Oh and the correct frontage for batteries too thanks. And could other units pass through them.
And what difference did the French consider bettween the 8pndr and 6pndr because most rules count them as the same.

And what non specified distinctions did the various French infantery regts have.

Yes, I believe the French were pretty good at keeping those distinctions well concealed prior to a battle or a campaign.

But if I really had to guess, I'd guess d'Erlon's corps probably had quite a few green troops :)

From what I've read in Albert Nofi's book the Waterloo Campaign June 1815 Napoleon's Army was made up mostly of Veterans.

Whereas about half of Wellington's British troops were more of less untested.

The vast majority of the French troops were experienced, but I am not convinced that "veteran" would be an appropriate description of most of them.

Those who had served in 1814 would have some experience but probably not enough to qualify as veterans; the same might apply to those who had been in the eastern Garrisons in 1813-14 and the returned prisoners. Those who had survived the 1813 and 1814 campaigns would probably be considered veterans.

A good proportion of the British troops were, indeed, untested.

At least we've beaten that toy soldier thread!

Cool:).

"At least we've beaten that toy soldier thread!"

May that thread rest in peace. Please…

God bless,
John

Those who had served in 1814 would have some experience but probably not enough to qualify as veterans;

Well if I'd marched and fought through the battles of 1814 I would certainly be growing a mustache and calling myself a veteran!

(I call myself a veteran now on the basis of getting a cold sweat when our NBC overpressure failed for a couple of hours off the coast of Iraq in 1991!)

Lol!
Whoo hoo we win!
Thanks in no small part to fearless leadership! Yay

If you'd been in the French army in 1814 you wouldn't need a moustache, the grey hair would stop you looking 17 for ever.

Interesting! What actually defines a veteran? I fought in a war 30 years ago and seem to be regarded as a veteran because of that, on the other hand, it was a very short war so I am not convinced that it really makes me a veteran.

Mr Crane seemed to think that once you had seen the Elephant you were in a very different category.

I didn't see any elephants where I was:(.

Penguins?

Didn't see any of them either:(.

"Seeing the penguin" doesn't have quite the same ring to it:(.

I don't know, they can be quite froward, especially in Port Stanley….

Not quite as scary as a Mirage at 100 feet, I imagine….

I did have a close encounter with a penguin in Antarctica once:).

There were lots of scary flying things back then. My partner, being Chinese and too young (she was 3 at the time of the war), knew little of the Falklands until she watched some film footage recently; when I pointed out my ship, which I have to admit was not looking its best, she burst into tears.

"Seeing the penguin" doesn't have quite the same ring to it:(.

Ha ha ha! You know that is permanently imprinted in my brain now. Now whenever this subject comes up I'll think "seeing the penguin"
Max

ahha! but remember if you have seen a penguin you are worthy and allowed to comment on a Marmot.

The casulties were mounting, men fell, only to have the sergeants push other men into the gap, but the regiment did not flinch, its volleys were regular and constant for the men had SEEN THE PENGUIN.

Sorry folks, it doesnt do it for me.

"Marmot?" Do you mean the squirrel? Or are you talking about the Marmont thread? Are you saying "Seen the squirrel?" Sorry you've lost me Gustav.

sorry being obscure – but yes the marmont thread – bad pun I'm afraid ….

The battle scenes for the film version of Les Miserables (the musical) are being filmed outside my office at the moment.

Is this what is meant by seeing the elephant?

"Seeing the penguin"

Seeing the Penguin is perfctly correct form of useage for the Napoleonic Period:

YouTube link

Yes that qualifies as seeing the Elephant Collen. Where do you work? The MGM studios or somthing? :o)
Ha ha ha Nicely worked in Elliot!

No, not MGM studios, although it feels like it at times:). We are used as a film set or for other filming several times a year, including two years ago when we had Johnny Depp on site for a month filming Pirates of the Caribbean.

Very big lol at the Youtube link – brilliant!

Rally Penquins!
The Marmont thread is making a tilt for our position! :oP

but that's not humorous !!!

I should know as my sense of humour is unmatched – I am told so by all my friends.

Damn them (us)!

Marching behind our great leader, , we shall conquer the Napoleonic boards! En avant, mes braves!

Yes where is to redress our ranks and point us toward the humorous. (which, I think, he thinks is a bone in the upper arm)
Max

Its really the wrong question, by Waterloo the die was already largely cast…the real question is if you could go back to May, 1812, what you alter about the invasion of Russia…that's where the decline began…

db

Hi DB,
I wonder is anyone has ever looked at the idea of making St Petersburg the target instead of Moscow. One advantage being you can restock supplies there by ship and boat.

has such a wonderful way of communicating:).

you seem to come off as a little parinoid but after doing some thinking I came up with something.

I'll NEVER respond to anything you say from this moment forward, this also includes Colin and some others.

But in return you and the others don't respond to anything I say and this way you can keep doing your thing and I'll do my thing.

What say you?

What say you?

Awkward … if Max shouldn't answer anything from you from this moment forward, how can Max "say"?

;-)

He can say that .

Arteis I understand he'll answer but I did'nt say it right I am human and will make mistakes.

True, Captain Gideon. And nothing wrong with seeing the humour in unintentional mistakes, too ;-)

As Marmont is catching us up, I will share something hilarious with you all, shame that Colin can't have a laugh online, but I am sure he will giggle in the gulag.

I don't check my PMs often, I figure that most of what I want to read is going to be open for the public, but tonight I did some clicking.

Well, seems a few weeks ago was in a bit of a tizz. It's a bit hard to precis this one as it was a triumph of brevity of depth and reason, but here goes:

PM 1 – I am apparently not worth shooting, and has got better things than deal with a jerk like me – personally, I would rather not know about 's things;
PM 2 – same day, 23rd March, wanted to know if one of my posts was for him and asking for more details;
PM 3 – Telling me that if I can't get his name right not to use it.

Good thing really that I am not the sensitive type and that there is no complaint button on a PM.

And there we go, ca'nt use an apostrophe, but, for all of you with doubts – he is human.

Well now I'm confused! Am I supposed to answer or not?

Hi Captain.
Here's the deal!
Stop sending me PMs or I will stifle you.
Life is too short to have angry emails about nothing coming into it. (thats my ex wifes job)
I would much prefer not to but otherwise I'm going to end up permantly on report!
Max

personally, I would rather not know about 's things;

lol

Okay sounds good I'll cross out Max and never respond to him again from this time on.

Now I can continue with other things.

Ok.
No wait, does that count?

Stifling someone does not prevent them from PMing you.

A Napoleonic thread turning into a bleepshow. Never saw that coming….

This is getting towards Stars and Bars proportions!

Ive never before seen anything like the row of deleted posts on this page, and Ive been on here since 2005 or so.