France has only recently become a Republic. After a bloody revolution and manyt years of turmoil, Napoleon has led the armies of France ot victory in Italy and in Eqypt. Now he has been declared First Consul and has deposed the corrupt government. He has begun reforming the government nad made attempts to pull France out of bankruptcy. Only time will tell if he can save France.
[Not much time. More to come later.]
ATTN: France
Quasi-War with the US
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=466771
The French Army currently has 200,000 men under arms, organized into six corps. The standard unfirom is a dark blue, with trim designating positions, suhc as skirmishers, engineers, or line infantry.
The bulk of these troops are committed in Italy, fighting against the Russians and Austrians.
Commanders, Generals, etc.
Jean Baptiste Bernadotte
Louis Alexandre Berthier
Louis Nicolas Davout
François Christophe Kellermann
Jean Lannes
Auguste Marmont
André Masséna
Joachim Murat
Michel Ney
Nicolas Oudinot
Nicolas Soult
Claude Victor
Infantry of the Line
Fusiliers (Bulk of Infantry)
Grenadiers (Elites of the Line Infantry)
Voltigeurs (Light Infantry, skirmishers)
Light Infantry
Chasseurs
Carabiniers
Voltigeurs
Artillery
Massed in batteries. 4 to 10 pound field guns.
Cavalry
Cuirassiers (Heavy Cavalry)
Dragoons (Medium Cavalry; used for pretty much everything.)
Hussars (Light Cavalry; used as a screening and recon force)
Tactics/Formations
* Line (Ligne): The basic three rank line formation, best used for delivering volley fire and was also a decent melee formation for infantry or cavalry, but it was relatively slow moving and vulnerable on the flanks.
* March Column (Colonne de Marche): The best formation for rapid or sustained movement of troops and a good melee attacking formation, but it offered little firepower and was also vulnerable to flank attack, ambush, artillery and "funneling".
* Wedge (Colonne de Charge): An arrow or spearhead shaped cavalry formation, designed to close rapidly and break the enemy's line. Classic, and effective, mounted formation used throughout history, and still used by tanks today. But if the wedge is halted, or its attack loses momentum, then it is vulnerable to counter-pincer attack on its flanks.
* Attack Column (Colonne d'Attaque): A wide column of infantry, almost a hybrid of line and column, with light infantry scrimishers in front to disrupt the enemy and screen the column's advance. Once the column closed, the skimirshers would move off to its flanks, then the column would fire a massed musket salvo and charge with their bayonets. An excellent formation against a standard, thin line. The Attack Column was developed from the "Mob" or "Horde" tactics of the early French revolutionary armies. It's disadvantages were a lack of massed firepower and vulnerability to artillery fire.
* Mixed Order (Ordre Mixte): Was Napoleon's preferred infantry formation. Some units (usually regiments or battalions in size) would be placed in line formation, with other units in attack column behind and in between them. This combined the firepower of the line with the speed, melee and skirimishing advantages of the attack column. It also had some of the disadvatages of both, so support from artillery and cavalry were especially vital for this tactic to succeed.
* Open Order (Ordre Ouverte): Foot and/or horse would spread out by unit and/or individually. This formation was best for light troops and skirmishers. It allowed for rapid movement, especially over "broken" or rough terrain such as hills or forrests, and offered the best protection from enemy fire since the troops were spread out. Its disadvatages were it did not allow for massed or volley fire and was terrible for melee or close quarters fighting and thus, especially vulnerable to cavalry.
* Square (Carré): Classic infantry formation for defense against cavalry. Soldiers would form a hollow square at least three or four ranks deep on each side, with officers and artillery or cavalry in the middle. It offered infantry their best protection against charges, especially on good defensive terrain such as on the top or reverse slope of a hill. Squares were slow moving, almost stationary targets, however. This, along with their density, made Sqaures very vulnerable to artillery and to a lesser extent, infantry fire. Once broken, squares tended to completely collapse.
* Flying Battery (Batterie Volant): Designed to take advantage of French artillery's mobility and training. A battery would move to one area on the field, lay down a short, sharp barrage, then rapidly redeploy to another area and fire another barrage, then quickly redeploy again, etc. The combined, cummulative effect of numerous batteries doing this all along the enemy's lines could be devastating. Napoleon used it to great success in the Armée's early campaigns. Its flexability allowed him to quickly mass well-aimed fire anywhere it was needed. But it required superbly trained and conditioned artillerymen and horses as well as close command, coordination and control in order to work.
* Big Battery (Grande Batterie): An alternative artillery tactic, when circumstances prohibited the flying batteries. Artillery would mass its fire at a single, crucial point on the battlefield (usually against the enemy's center). It could be devastating if the enemy was caught by surprise or in the open. But massing large numbers of guns in a single area without the enemy's knowledge could be tricky. Once the batterire opened fire and its target became clear, measures could be taken to avoid it. It was also vulnerable to counter battery fire, from enemy artillery, and needed protection from cavalry attack. Although this has become the most well known French artillery tactic, Napoleon preferred the flying batteries and used it only when he had to or thought it posed a better chance of success. Often at the start of a battle, he would mass batteries into a Big Battery, then after a few salvos, break up it up into flying batteries.
* Boar's Head (Tête du Sanglier): Was another hybrid formation, somewhat like the mixed order but combining all three arms into a wedge-like square, which could be used for assault or defense. Infantry would form a short, but thick, line many ranks deep on the front, which would be the boar's "snout" (boutoir). Behind them would be two groups of artillery batteries or the "eyes" of the boar. On their flanks and behind them, in oblique order, would be other infantry in column, line or square to form the boar's "face". Protecting their flanks and rear would be two groups of cavalry, which would serve as the boar's "tusk". This was a highly complex formation, which could not be formed as easily or quickly as the others. Once formed, except for the tusks, it had slow mobility. It was, however, faster moving than the traditional square and less vulnerable to artillery or infantry fire. The "tusks" also gave it stronger offensive cabilities. It would later be employed to great effect during the French conquests in North Africa during the 1830's and 1840's, and would be used up until the 1920s.
With thanks to Wikipedia.
Ships of the Line
44
Cruisers
70+
Currently the officer corp of the French navy is in dire straits, as most were killed during the revolution. However, they are beginning to train back up to standards.
Americas
Martinique
Guadeloupe
Saint Lucia
Saint-Pierre
Miquelon
Saint-Barthélemy
Saint Martin
French Guiana
Africa
Togo
Senegal
East Africa/Indian Ocean
Mauritius
Réunion
Seychelles
French India
Pondichery
Karikal
Yanaon
Coromandel Coast
Mahe on the Malabar coast
Chandernagore
Canadstein
04-02-2006, 01:53
No longer the people want to be under the oppressive rule of Napoleon Bonaparte and a puppet regime. The new leader of the Batavian Republic is Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck. All men have been called to arms. Rutger and his cabinet are making a Constitution and have declare them selves free of France.
General Louis Nicolas Davout is ordered to crush this rebellion with all possible speed and is given two divisions of troops, 10,000 men, as well as twenty artillery pieces and three regiments of Dragoons. The Batavian militia will soon be getting a lesson in warfare.
Ottoman Khaif
04-02-2006, 01:59
No longer the people want to be under the oppressive rule of Napoleon Bonaparte and a puppet regime. The new leader of the Batavian Republic is Rutger Jan Schimmelpenninck. All men have been called to arms. Rutger and his cabinet are making a Constitution and have declare them selves free of France.
OOC: Are you really that sure to do it now...your better off waiting a few years then doing it now...wait for the Brits or Prussians to do it..please think for a moment...
Canadstein
04-02-2006, 02:19
OOC: Batavian's Revolution http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=466915
French privateers have begun operations against Spanish supply ships moving to Algeria.
France has just signed an accord with the Kingdom of Spain, stipulating the following:
Spain will pay France 2 million dollars a year for four years.
France will be buying 1/2 of their muskets and powder from Spain.
France will lower all tariffs on Spanish goods by two-thirds.
France will buy/sell Spainish grain at low prices.
France will send 1000 French advisors to Spain in order to improve Spain's army and navy.
The first of the advisors have departed for Spain. They will be conducting an ispection of the Spanish army and will begin training the men as soon as possible.