The most strange unit in game: Grenedier

[angrysockpuppet]

Actually, In the American Civil War cavalry wasn't used as the sward swinging shock troop. It was more like mounted infantry. They would ride to where they needed to be, dismount, tether the horses and then fight on foot. With the development of the Minne ball, old fashioned cavalry tactics were usesless, but both sides made huge improvements in tactics.

In WWII, the germans came up with the concept of using motorcycles in the same way cavalry had been used in the ACW. American obeservers saw that, and copied it to great effect. 3rd army had a huge number of guys running around on harleys "puttin the skeer" into the germans.

A fun article on the last great cavalry charge.
http://www.polishnews.com/fulltext/history/2001/history4.shtml

I think it would be cool to have a motorcycle unit take over for the cavalry before going over to things line the BFV.

 

[YNCS]

I do not know about the French, but the British certainly were not ready for modern warfare as they had reduced the armed services after WW1. A stupid mistake the British politicians make even today.

But as Milesgregarius stated the French had enough troops and combined with the smaller British expeditionary force - they may have been able to overwhelm the Germans. Particulary as the Germans did not expect Britain/France to declare war.

But ASillyGoose is correct - as far as numerical values etc. is concerned, it is all hindsight - somethink the people involved did not have.

At the end of WWI, the British were broke. They couldn't afford a large military. By the time the Germans were rearming, in the 1930s, the Great Depression was going on, which forced the government into social spending rather than spending on the military. Also, much of the military budget went to the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force. There wasn't much left for the British Army.

 

[MilesGregarius]

A fun article on the last great cavalry charge.
http://www.polishnews.com/fulltext/history/2001/history4.shtml

That's the last great Polish cavalry charge. The last great charge was made by the Italian 8th Army's Savoia Regiment at Izbushensky, Ukraine on August 23, 1942.

I know, the Poles are romantic losers whereas the Italians are just losers, but credit where credit is due.

 

[mike p]

I know, the Poles are romantic losers whereas the Italians are just losers, but credit where credit is due.

Well, the Italians did finish both world wars on the winning the side!

That reminds me of an anecdote I read in a Churchill biography. At the start of World War II, there was some hope that the Italians wouldn't ally with the Germans. Most of the British command was understandbly upset when they allied with Hitler. Churchill took it in stride and said basically that it was only sporting since England got saddled with Italy as an ally in the previous World War.

 

[MilesGregarius]

Well, the Italians did finish both world wars on the winning the side!

Should have written "the Poles are SEEN AS romantic losers whereas the Italians are just SEEN AS losers".

The Italians had a certain flair for outdated, yet romantic, (cavalry charges, the last great biplane) or unorthodox (frogmen on manned torpedoes) military techniques but their hearts were never in either world war. With great food and romance, I guess the need for conquest loses some of its urgency.

 

[ndtim]

Cavalry survived till a lot later than ww1. Poland's "elite" in ww2 were still cavalry. China used cavalry with swords and NBC suits on their first nuclear test. (yes, NBC suits for horses).

I think the footage might be in trinity and beyond. The nuke blows up.... then the NBC cavalry charges right into it, waving their swords over their heads. Amazing stuff.

What does NBC mean? Would it kill people to just try and spell out words entirely? This board can be really informative...but it's pretty hard to learn when things are written in ways that only the people that already know can understand what is being said.

 

[mike p]

What does NBC mean?

Probably Nuclear/Biological/Chemical, also expressed in places as Atomic/Biological/Chemical.

 

[ndtim]

Thanks Mike!

 

[DeltaV]

Actually, In the American Civil War cavalry wasn't used as the sward swinging shock troop. It was more like mounted infantry. They would ride to where they needed to be, dismount, tether the horses and then fight on foot. With the development of the Minne ball, old fashioned cavalry tactics were usesless, but both sides made huge improvements in tactics.

Cavalry was never particularly useful in direct frontal charge, except in the heyday of the Knight before pikemen were in widespread use. But in the American Civil War (aka The War of Northern Aggression), they could be devestating in a flanking charge. They were used as such on many occasions.

On the other hand, Buford's dismounted cavalrymen at Gettysburg most likely saved the Army of the Potomac from a humiliating defeat (and Washington from capture).

 

[Selous]

cavalry with gunns was never very common (apart from western america if we are to believe films...) The reason being that it isn't easy to ride and shoot, and you loose the almighty power of a cavalry charge. Thats why cavalry with guns was usualy used as scounts, lances versus infantry, and sword versus other cavalry.

well there was the whole boar war thing ... u know way over there where america wasnt involved

rifles and cav have gone hand in hand since both were invented

 

[Older than Dirt]

Every once in a while a Grenadier should have the grenade go off in his hand and blow him all over in little pieces - or at least get frazzled like Wily Coyote.

 

[Antoninus]

Every once in a while a Grenadier should have the grenade go off in his hand and blow him all over in little pieces - or at least get frazzled like Wily Coyote.

I just think the Grenadier is cute.

 

[Older than Dirt]

The Grenadier is politically incorrect! He wears a Beaver Hat! After seeing the cute Beaver Family in Narnia how could anyone wear a had made from murdering them! I predict a decline in the sale of beaver hats sales in the year 2006 A.D.

 

[DeltaV]

well there was the whole boar war thing ... u know way over there where america wasnt involved

rifles and cav have gone hand in hand since both were invented

Lord Olleus is correct. The British and Australian Cavalry in the Boer war were called Lancers for a reason. They still primarily used lance and saber when fighting mounted (Mostly because of their horrid accuracy with their carbines when riding), unlike US and CS cavalry, most of which quickly dispensed with their lances at the start of the war. Cavalry in the Boer war wasn't particularly useful in the charge against dug-in Boer defenders, except in the case of Elandslaagte, where they were used in a flanking attack. When dismounted, they used their carbines, but then were in the role of Mounted Infantry, rather than true cavalry.