Smoking Crow posted:Also, did the British actually do anything innovative, or did they just steal everything from the Dutch? (They did corporations, crop rotation, military tactics, and the British got rich off it.) I wouldn't call it stealing now, I'd calling it perfecting it to a different standard of  myself.
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Nov 14, 2013 00:22
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Ensign never stop talking tanks. Looking forward to the next big effort post!AATREK CURES KIDS posted:I have a book for you. This book got me really interested in history and I read War and Peace shortly afterwards. It's the memoirs of a French sergeant during the invasion of Russia. I'd second this. The retreat in Russia was a pretty big horrible event in war for both the French and Russian Armies as well as the people of Germany and Eastern Europe but it gets glossed over because the spectacle of the huge battles.
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Nov 14, 2013 17:24
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veekie posted:How did the shift between close engagement and ranged engagement change through the ages? Mainly curious on the following: I believe the final switch over was due to both the killing power of a musket and how easy it was to teach a man to use it. This began much earlier with the Crossbow of course. No matter how well trained your horse is and how shiny your fancy plate armour is a lead ball being shot at you with force is still going to gently caress your noble trained from birth rear end up. Ranges began to change when rifling was introduced and changed muskets from smoothbore slightly inaccurate shotguns to well rifles. When smokeless powder and machined parts were introduced the transition was completed. The Austrian Empire learned this lesson the hard way. Keep in mind though, I simplified this way too easily. Other things also helped like mentioned in the post below. SeanBeansShako fucked around with this message at 19:25 on Nov 14, 2013 |
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Nov 14, 2013 18:52
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I wouldn't say it was wrong, just massively simplified. veekie posted:How much effective range are we talking with each weapon? We'll be all day if I list the hundreds of guns from 1600 to the early 20th century. I'll just throw down a couple examples using my mother nations glorious Cromwell created army. Brown Bess (Smoothbore Musket) Early 19th century: 50-100 yards. If the musket ball didn't spin and hit the dirt in front of the target. 1853 Enfield (Rifled Musket) Mid 19th Century: 2,000 yards. Most of the time you are certain to hit something standing still now. Lee Enfield (Bolt Action) Late 19th Century: 3,000 yards.  especially with a scope in the trained hands of a marksman.
SeanBeansShako fucked around with this message at 19:26 on Nov 14, 2013 |
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Nov 14, 2013 19:24
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veekie posted:How about bows, crossbows and slings? Not sure about those really. Especially about the slings. And yeah, we really mastered the art of horribly slaughtering people from a distance in the 19th and 20th century.
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Nov 14, 2013 19:30
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Nenonen posted:Also I see veekie didn't mention infantry in particular. Field artillery changed the battlefield more than musket ball, I'd say - you would still desire a bayonet or a sword to go with the latter. For some reason I am now imagining somebody mounting a massive bayonet under the barrel of a 18th century artillery piece.
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Nov 14, 2013 20:31
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To add to the whole women at war examples, I believe there were female Japanese warrior nuns who were just a deadly as their male counter parts. Not sure the specifics or if this was just limited to Japan. Somebody who knows about it can and hopefully will go into more detail.
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Nov 14, 2013 20:38
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Maybe he wants the modern example?
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Nov 14, 2013 20:52
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I pick my fruit the Roman way. I sacrifice a few goats and soak myself in their warm innards before doing so.
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Nov 14, 2013 21:01
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Everyone but utter Nazi types love Sacred War. For the Russian Civil War, I quite like White Army Black Baron: http://youtu.be/zZqVOFSYRWI And the classic The Rambling Soldier: http://youtu.be/vPEzGeBcJuE EDIT: Oh, and the Dubliners cover of Gentleman soldier. I know the Pogues one is catchier but I can't stand comedy falsetto. http://youtu.be/e34fG1DJQnI SeanBeansShako fucked around with this message at 23:10 on Nov 14, 2013 |
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Nov 14, 2013 23:08
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I'm up for it too. I need something to back up my 'gently caress you' to these weird people showing up these days who seem to be upset enough with all kinds Soviet stuff they associate it all in the same place Nazi Germany.
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Nov 15, 2013 01:49
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Incoming enjoyable Hegel mega post. Also, reading about the Spanish Armada and apparently the Spanish crew of the fleet weren't really trained to operate the cannons on board the invasion fleets ship. That was the job for Spanish Soldiers. My question is this, was this a more common thing as European Navies were still getting it together or was just a Spanish thing? SeanBeansShako fucked around with this message at 21:08 on Nov 16, 2013 |
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Nov 16, 2013 20:41
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Rabhadh posted:The British artillery could've been a wee bit more accurate when firing on a certain motorcycle courier. To be fair, they shot at him. But the shells burst too early or late due to the design.
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Nov 18, 2013 17:16
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a travelling HEGEL posted:Well, it didn't help that Frederick the Great didn't just take one for the team, get really drunk, and screw a goddamned woman. Instead, his nephew succeeded him, and that dude was real dumb. But you don't understand! Pretty solders who can march perfectly will beat Napoleon!
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Nov 18, 2013 19:44
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Remember that warfare is universally pretty horrible? well, it is time to depress you with what I call 'The  Of War!'The fate of the French ship of the line Achille from the recollections of John Pollard from possibly British/French Sailors who were also there: quote:The Achille, in which was a detachment of the 67th regiment, was set on fire during the action, The English who were fighting it cleared off; and of eight hundred men, who formed the crew, not more than twenty found an opportunity of escaping. When all hopes of stopping the progress of the flames were gone, and death seemed inevitable, to avoid waiting for it several officers blew out their brains; others threw themselves into the flames that were consuming the forepart of the ship, several sailors went to the store-room, gorged themselves with brandy, and with most complete drunkenness endeavored to throw a veil over the disaster that was about to terminate their existence. Towards six o'clock in the evening the fire reached the gun room, the vessel blew up, and everything disappeared. EDIT: Fixed slightly. John Pollard you dead git! SeanBeansShako fucked around with this message at 06:46 on Nov 20, 2013 |
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Nov 20, 2013 06:26
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VanSandman posted:How does he know what happened on the ship? EDIT: Turns out with a bit of light search internet work he was a fictional French sailor written by British Midshipman John Pollard who did serve on HMS Victory. I'm not making this up. What. Always double check the sources. SeanBeansShako fucked around with this message at 06:46 on Nov 20, 2013 |
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Nov 20, 2013 06:37
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I think I'm going to treat myself to Shattered Sword as an early Christmas present.
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Nov 20, 2013 14:16
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I'm sure you'd get more bent little bits pushed horribly into the newly introduced gaping hole in your torso.
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Nov 20, 2013 23:16
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Didn't the hilarious War of 1812 stall for the British in the North because they lost two pretty decent Commanders to Rifle fire because they led from the front?
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Nov 21, 2013 19:37
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Just think of the history we wouldn't have lost if Nelson played it slightly more safe too. All the other limbs he could have lost, all the chances to treat his wife terribly and all the upper class cuckolding scandals lost too.
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Nov 21, 2013 19:45
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The Albanian boat tank destroyer doctrine is a good one, I don't care what anyone says. Even after the Polish war bears were discontinued.
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Nov 24, 2013 01:24
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I think it is more as a cultural thing. I don't think we British see them as Mercenaries. We just see them as soldiers. Personally I think they should have their own independent category of International Bad Asses. Any good online sources for Victorian era uniforms? like early era stuff? around 1840-50 is the period I'm curious about. SeanBeansShako fucked around with this message at 14:34 on Nov 25, 2013 |
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Nov 25, 2013 14:30
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a travelling HEGEL posted:If anyone is using my posts on the Something Awful forums as a resource instead of (where they disagree) books by people with decades of experience, they probably should not do that! Books are always the best source yes. I love History books.
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Nov 26, 2013 18:54
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a travelling HEGEL posted:Well, not just any books. You have to make sure the sources are good, the reasoning is good, and the reviewers liked them. Lots of books look fine but it turns out they're actually crap. Well yeah, obviously. Books suggested in this thread are always winners too. Rodrigo Diaz posted:The best books to read are Politically Incorrect Guides. I like to nerd out over old school strategy game manuals myself.
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Nov 26, 2013 19:00
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Not an expert but I think they were designed to basically overstretch and tire out an attacking force instead of protecting the defenders? I expect it also depends on the castle type and era said castle was built too.
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Nov 26, 2013 19:15
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Arquinsiel posted:^^^^ His weakness is being attacked at any upwards angle by a spear or pike. He'll never suspect it.
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Nov 26, 2013 19:46
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a travelling HEGEL posted:I thought his weakness was the Russian alphabet and going to bed on time. Technically don't most of us not sleep that well and only a handful of us know the latter too?
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Nov 26, 2013 19:51
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Arquinsiel posted:Just to be clear, we're worrying about Onfim, noted sage, scholar, chronicler of noted events and warrior without peer, reading the thread, not Lindybeige, Englishman who has opinions on the internet. My bad. We're getting a bit off track now too in general. So yeah, Japanese Castle Complexes look pretty awesome.
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Nov 26, 2013 19:53
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I imagine they'd have ordered some extremely expensive well custom made dueling pistols with a lot of silver filigree and only the finest darkened old oak. With their names and date inscribed too of course.
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Dec 3, 2013 17:01
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Shimrra Jamaane posted:Kicked down their front door and burned down the living room and most of the kitchen too. Hey now. They took half of the kitchen before burning the rest down and set it up back home.
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Dec 5, 2013 05:01
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Pretty a single M1 would take out over a hundred Sherman tanks with only minor surface damage and the cost of a huge rear end amount of shells. WW2 medium tank versus a late 20th century MBT ouch.
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Dec 6, 2013 19:27
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Ah wonderful plenty of space to maneuver. There is even old dudes there who are reenacting the duffers you keep mentioning.
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Dec 7, 2013 01:44
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Grand Prize Winner posted:Wait, that's WWI? The hats scream ACW to me. The Kepi is a general French Victorian era hat that went constantly in and out of style in most Western armies up and until after WW1. Military fashion sometimes like to copy the superior power of the time, the Kepi sort of fell our favor after the Franco Prussian War war but remained in some form at least with France and French Colonial Military and Civil service for quite a bit into the 20th century. Hilariously, after the Franco Prussian War quite a few European armies dropped the Kepi and adopted some suspiciously Prussian looking helmets. And I kind of like it compared to the squat oddly angled early Victorian shako. Shame that Photograph is in black and white because it'd even be more jarring seeing that the soldiers are wearing blue a mostly blue uniform with red pants. EDIT: Also, with the Scottish I believed they adopted a khaki or khaki cover for their kilts? SeanBeansShako fucked around with this message at 09:28 on Dec 10, 2013 |
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Dec 10, 2013 09:26
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Rabhadh posted:I've read that kilts are literally the worst thing you could wear while living in a trench. Considering the rats alone ugh.
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Dec 10, 2013 09:58
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cafel posted:As it was promised in legend, the ghost of Napolean and his men rose up to defend France in her hour of need. The first Napoleon of course, poor old Napoleon III was pretty much coming to the end of well everything when the Franco Prussian War hit. Napoleonic and Victorian style uniforms still exist today in ceremonial form for some European nations. Insert picture of the Papal Guard/Coldstream Guard here.
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Dec 10, 2013 18:40
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Raskolnikov38 posted:Oh yeah I'm not saying the British lost because they wore red. Just that between 1776 and 1914 the idea that red is probably not the best color to wear on the battlefield should have trickled up to french high command but welp. Well, not the best colour to wear on the battlefield after 1870 anyways. Though it kind of amuses me looking at European Victorian era uniform fashions and seeing most nations going towards darker blue, or drab grey or brown and my country refusing to change anything with the bulk of the British Army until around 1880.
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Dec 10, 2013 18:46
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Grand Prize Winner posted:Brits were still in red coats up till 1880? Crazy. Things were changing of course, slowly but surely. Khaki started coming in around the 1880's and by the 1890's was being used during the Colonial Conflicts in South Africa and the Sudan. I think Indian and Sikh Sepoy's starting using it much earlier. I'm not sure the exact date the 'modern' WW1 khaki era uniforms were introduced to the British soldiers stationed in the UK. SeanBeansShako fucked around with this message at 19:34 on Dec 10, 2013 |
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Dec 10, 2013 19:29
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It does look a lot like a Vickers.
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Dec 11, 2013 20:50
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Hogge Wild posted:Are all Osprey books filled with lies, propaganda and pretty pictures? What quality are their books about Ancient Mediterranean and Middle East? Some pretty strong words now, but the pictures from the Ancient era stuff are actually quite nice and stuff. Not sure if 100% accurate but very easy on the eye. Osprey is really just pretty 'filler' with a few things that are wrong or have long since changed (It has been around since the seventies now) but it does the job well. It makes me want to dig really deep into a proper detailed book about the subject matter. And if I ever really geek out and get into war gaming they are great guides for painting figurines. Met a pretty awesome dude on this training course for factory work, turns out a couple times of year he does English Civil War reenactment. History is a awesome ice breaker.
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Dec 12, 2013 17:53
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I do have to say using the term 'communist hordes' is a pretty dumb thing I must agree with you on that.
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Dec 12, 2013 18:41
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