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16번
\n\nAlvinczi’s presence alone is enough to inspire his troops to fight on, or go forwards to almost-certain death. A general who has the respect and adoration of his troops is worth protecting, and its is sensible to keep this man out of combat. He should be used to inspire, rally, and command. It is not his place to spend a battle with a sword in his hand and blood in his eye!\n\nA famous pipe smoker and proponent of scientific investigation, Joseph Alvinczi’s military career was punctuated with acts of great personal bravery, something that made him incredibly popular with his men. He played a key role in gathering the Tyrolean militia who resisted Napoleon during his advance across Italy in 1796. He and his new recruits were sent to relieve Mantua and break Napoleon’s siege. At first successful, Alvinczi won a victories at Caldiero and Bassano. He was eventually defeated at Arcole, though he ignored his deteriorating personal health to regroup his men and launch a further attack at Rivoli.
17번
\n\nAn ironclad is an incredibly tough ship, able to withstand pounding by almost any comparable vessel. A thick outer skin of iron is riveted to a conventional wooden hull, and the two layers can defeat most solid shot except at very close range. Combined with a steamship’s ability to ignore the wind and go where the captain wills, this makes an ironclad a formidable opponent. This power is not without risk, though, as a boiler explosion will rip out the heart of any steamship.\n\nHistorically, ironclads first saw action during the American Civil War (1861-65). During the Battle of Hampton Road CSS Virginia made short work of the wooden ships in the river, but an encounter next day with USS Monitor ended inconclusively, as neither ship could knock out the other. These vessels were not, however, the first ironclad warships; they were heavy river gunboats or monitors, and almost incapable of going to sea. The first ocean-going ironclad warships were HMS Warrior and the French Navy’s La Gloire, launched during yet another arms race between Britain and France. Warrior was launched specifically to steal French thunder and make their ship obsolete, being commissioned and built while the French vessel was still on the slipway.
18번
\n\nArmed citizenry are a mob, given whatever guns are to hand, with brief training that the muzzle end is to be pointed towards the foe. Weapons do not make soldiers, and arming the people is an act of desperation. On the battlefield, the citizenry are unlikely to do much to damage an enemy, but the size of the mob can at least cause the foe problems. This can give real soldiers enough time to win the battle, or make the enemy pay heavily for their victory.\n\nHistorically, arming the people was something that really scared the authorities in every nation, particularly if the population hated the existing regime. It was not wise to supply an angry population with weapons, when these might be turned on the rulers, rather than foreigners. When Austria decided to create landwehr or militia forces, it was careful to exclude many regions from the decision as the loyalty of Austria’s many different ethnic groups could not always be guaranteed.
19번
\n\nArmed with a traditional straight sword, as opposed to the ever-popular sabre, these cavalrymen are a multipurpose unit. They are light enough to chase down a routing enemy, but heavy enough to charge effectively into enemy lines. However, their versatility comes at the cost of specialisation: should they be pitted against the likes of horse guards, their lack of specialist training will become apparent. \n\nSpain and the Peninsular War proved to be a major part in the downfall of Napoleon and this was thanks, in part, to his older brother Joseph. Joseph helped his brother to take control of France during the revolution and was rewarded with the throne of Naples in 1806. His time as king was brief, and he was soon sent elsewhere when Spain fell under Napoleon’s control. Napoleon needed someone he could trust on the Spanish throne and Joseph was the obvious choice. However, French occupation of Spain was unpopular to say the least and Joseph never really managed to gain a steady grip on the country. French control was eventually broken at the Battle of Vitoria and Joseph abdicated, fleeing back to France.
20번
\n\nArmed with rifles and an excellent knowledge of fieldcraft, Tiradores could shoot the cockade off a dragoon at 100 paces. “Tiradores” is Portuguese for sharpshooters and nothing describes these men better. They fight in loose formation and are ideal for harassing the enemy from a distance, using their ability to hide in all kinds of terrain. However, should these men be drawn into close combat they will suffer heavy losses. Any contact with cavalry could prove disastrous.\n\nIn 1808, as Napoleon continued to dominate Europe, Portugal found that it was totally without regular light infantry units. Those that had been raised with the all-arms light corps in 1796 had been drafted into the French army’s Portuguese Legion. New light infantry would need to be recruited, equipped and trained from nothing. These new light infantry were called “Caçadores”, the Portuguese for hunters, and within each battalion were four companies of ordinary Cazadores and one company of elite “Tiradores”.
21번
\n\nAs line infantry they are a relatively versatile force for their general, and can be relied on to stand and fire, or give a good account of themselves in close combat. They are, of course, vulnerable to artillery fire, and can suffer if left exposed to skirmishers. Against cavalry, they can quickly form square, and then withstand an attack.\n\nThe Swiss have a long tradition of serving in foreign armies, as long as the money was there. The saying “No money, no Swiss” dates back to at least the Renaissance, when Swiss mercenaries were regarded as among the best in Europe. When paid, there were no fiercer soldiers. By the Napoleonic era, Swiss units were exclusive to the French army and the Papal Swiss Guard of the Vatican. At the Battle of Berezina, the Swiss covered the French retreat under fire from the Russians, and this brave service was immortalised in the song “Beresinalied”.
22번
\n\nBecause all horse artillery gun crews ride into battle, they can quickly counter enemy threats wherever they appear, and be repositioned as the battle ebbs and flows. Guard artillerymen are experienced gunners and excellent horsemen. Their fire is devastating, and delivered with some urgency.\n\nHistorically, the Guard Horse Artillery was a regiment of Napoleon’s Imperial Guard, the cream of the French military. The Imperial Guard was virtually an army within the army, made up of the Old and Middle Guard, veterans from his previous campaigns, and the Young Guard, the cream of the new recruits. Admittance to the ranks was extremely tough and, because only the very best gained entry, it could also boast the very best gunners in Europe. These elite troops were a grade above the rest of the French army, and enjoyed certain privileges such as better uniforms, food and equipment. They were also carefully looked after by Napoleon, both on and off the battlefield.
23번
\n\nBecause they lack the status and training of other Ottoman units, Libyan Bedouins are not always as reliable in battle as they might be. They are effective against other militia units, and against rebellious civilians, but should not be expected to last for long against regular army units. On the battlefield, a cynical commander could employ them as a distraction, or to shield his more valuable soldiers.\n\nThe Bedouin were a desert people, toughened by life in the desert; a life on the move bred men who did not need much to survive. Yet they were also known to avoid bloodshed if they could, at least among themselves. Feuding was costly, in both time and blood, and a wise man knew that it was better to talk than to reach for the knife. This same attitude was not always extended to outsiders: raiding and theft from non-Bedouin were honourable ways to support a family.
24번
\n\nBy fitting a steam engine and all its machinery into an existing hull, naval architects created a small ship-of-the-line not entirely tied to the wind and tide. The results are moderately successful, as a steamship can sail independently of the wind, but still spend a good deal of time under sail to save fuel. Tactically, however, the steamship has another advantage: manoeuvrability. The 38 guns aboard can be brought to bear with ease.\n\nHistorically, steam shipbuilding owes a great debt to the British engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a man who built ships, bridges and railways. His first ship, the SS Great Western, made 74 Atlantic crossings during its life. Not content with this, Brunel designed and built an iron, screw-driven “liner”, the SS Great Britain. The first screw-driven ship to cross the Atlantic, she is now splendidly restored and preserved at Bristol Docks in England.
25번
\n\nBy having a good weight of broadside that can be brought to bear regardless of wind conditions, this 80-gun ship is a significant force in any fleet. The ability to sail directly into the wind is something that no sail-powered vessel can ever match.\n\nThe idea of going into battle with a fire raging in his ship’s belly was not one that appeals to every captain. Fire was always a risk aboard a wooden vessel, and boiler explosions were not unknown. There was also the problem of coaling stations: while these ships carried sails, they did need regular supplies of coal. Steam was a tactical advantage, not a strategic one.\n\nHistorically, the first British ship to be designed and built from scratch to use steam was HMS Agamemnon, laid down in 1852; previous steam warships were conversions from sailing ships-of-the-line. Agamemnon was fitted with sails and carried 91 guns. She also had a short career as the Navy’s pride and joy, as she was paid off in 1862. She did, however, help lay the first Transatlantic telegraph cable in 1857-8.
26번
\n\nCarrying powerful 32-pounder cannon, this frigate is a valuable asset to any admiral. At close range, her guns fire a powerful broadside, but this does not make her invulnerable. No frigate has a hull that can withstand a broadside from a ship-of-the-line, and in this case the paddle wheels are vulnerable too. While a paddle-wheel powered frigate is not entirely at the mercy of the wind, it is not possible to carry enough fuel to cruise over long distances; steam is a tactical advantage, not a strategic one.\n\nPaddle wheels were a logical reversal of the idea of a waterwheel, simply reversing the idea of the water flowing past the wheel and providing energy. They were originally used in river-going craft, and it was not until 1819 that the first seafaring paddle-wheel ship, SS Savannah, made the first steam-powered crossing of the Atlantic, from Savannah, Georgia, to Liverpool in England. Savannah did run out of fuel off Ireland, but eventually made landfall and then, after refitting, pressed on to St. Petersburg in Russia, where the Tsar's government was so impressed that it made a cash offer for the ship. The valuation wasn’t good enough.
27번
\n\nCossacks are cavalrymen without peer, as might be expected of steppe folk. There are few soldiers that can withstand their terrifying charge, making them excellent shock troops. As is often the case, their courage and eagerness to enter battle betrays a certain wildness; their undisciplined nature can find them plunging blindly into trouble, making them particularly vulnerable in melee.\n\nHistorically, Russians and other Eastern Europeans had an ambiguous relationship with the Cossacks. There was admiration for their warrior culture and freewheeling ways, yet a certain wariness of their wild nature. They lacked the discipline of other troops and had a certain fondness for drink, but it was their constant harassment that helped destroy Napoleon’s Grand Armée. Their reputation inspired fear in their enemies and won many a fight even before the Cossacks voiced their deafening war cries.
28번
\n\nCynics might describe the Landesschutzen as cannon fodder: they lack prestige, and suffer from low morale as a result. They are denied equipment that other, higher status regular units take for granted. Such a view is wrong. As militia, the Landesschutzen are rather skilful in combat, with good marksmanship skills; they can certainly hold their own against other militia forces, and give careless regular infantry a nasty surprise. As they lack bayonets, they use their rifles as clubs in close combat.\n\nIn 1805 Austria lost the Tyrol to Bavaria, thanks to defeat at the hands of the French and their allies. In 1809 Andreas Hofer, an Austrian nationalist, organised a rebellion against his new masters, took the Tyrol back, and succeeded in capturing Innsbruck not once, but twice. Hofer had been a militia captain in the war against the French, and was a sharpshooter of some skill. A thorn in the side of the French generals, he was tricked, captured, tried and executed by firing squad in 1810, ensuring his place as a hero.
29번
\n\nD’Erlon is a competent leader, able to inspire battle-weary troops, even in the bleakest of situations. A general who carries the respect of his soldiers is a valuable asset and should be treasured. It is advisable to keep him out of the thick of battle, not just for his protection but also so he can be sent to where he can inspire and rally men for maximum effect.\n\nFormer corporal of the French royalist army Jean-Baptiste Drouet, Comte d'Erlon, was one of Napoleon’s ablest generals, and given command of I Corps during the 100 Days. Having risen from the ranks during the revolution, he proved to be a very able man and fought on virtually every front during the Napoleonic Wars, including in Spain. Unlike the Emperor, he therefore had direct experience of what the British could do in battle. This, however, did not help him during the attack on La Haye Sainte, one of the key moments of Waterloo.\n\nD’Erlon survived the final fall of Napoleon, and was eventually rehabilitated and employed by the Bourbon monarchy as Governor of Algeria. Recalled, he was made a Marshal of France and retired before he died, in bed.
30번
\n\nDespite the name, foot artillery batteries are towed by horses. The artillerymen, however, march alongside their pieces rather than ride. Because the guns can be loaded with round or canister shot they are effective at long and short range: canister shot turns cannons into gigantic fowling pieces. Artillery is slower than the rest of the army and, if left behind and undefended, will be vulnerable to cavalry attacks. Disabling the enemy’s guns should always be a high priority for a general, and artillerymen only have the most rudimentary sword skills for their defence.\n\nBy the late eighteenth century, improvements in artillery design had drastically reduced the weight of cannons and their field carriages. Design improvements had reduced the time to get into action from the march. By carefully positioning the barrel in the centre of the gun carriage, the balance, and manoeuvrability of guns was significantly improved. Napoleon was an artilleryman, and his use of guns in concentration against small parts of the enemy battle line persuaded many nations to increase the size of their own artillery corps.
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