We might want to divert our invasion there, they should be easy enough targets no one will miss much. Will probably increase revenues from trade and remove a thorn to many people's sides.
Washington himself has yet to choose a side, having been taking a recess to his quarters, at Mt. Vernon. Leaving the Government for a month to rest before the next session of congress.
George Washington will side with the Federalists and Anti-Slavery Forces. There is no doubt in my mind. George Washington was a slaveholder, but he was changing his mind about slavery especially in his later life. He was especially influenced by Lafayette who was essentially like a son to him. In their correspondences, Lafayette would criticize Washington for owning slaves and how owning other human beings was against the principles of universal rights and human liberty expressed in the American Revolution.
George Washington will side with the Federalists and Anti-Slavery Forces. There is no doubt in my mind. George Washington was a slaveholder, but he was changing his mind about slavery especially in his later life. He was especially influenced by Lafayette who was essentially like a son to him. In their correspondences, Lafayette would criticize Washington for owning slaves and how owning other human beings was against the principles of universal rights and human liberty.
Another world does not mean that the people changed 180 degrees. Having George Washington and Thomas Jefferson turn against "Thee" or more likely "The" United States of America is unbelievable.
Another world does not mean that the people changed 180 degrees. Having George Washington and Thomas Jefferson turn against "Thee" or more likely "The" United States of America is unbelievable.
I am soo looking forward to "the life of Brian"! I bet he will have to beat back a bunch of admirers and wannabes from now on, following his marriage and decisive victory worthy of the books. Talk about a meteoric rise!
I am soo looking forward to "the life of Brian"! I bet he will have to beat back a bunch of admirers and wannabes from now on, following his marriage and decisive victory worthy of the books. Talk about a meteoric rise!
The first election in US history was basically a combined effort to pressure him into it. Still didn't stop him from resigning after two terms, a policy that future presidents would follow until FDR came along.
I am soo looking forward to "the life of Brian"! I bet he will have to beat back a bunch of admirers and wannabes from now on, following his marriage and decisive victory worthy of the books. Talk about a meteoric rise!
Brian is already married to Nappy B's Sister... so there's that.
But here is the thing:
Brian is pretty much public enemy number one for the Republicans in government for a variety of reasons... mostly because he overthrew the last republican government, but also because of his... well
Let's just say that by not being the ruthless dictator-like figure that most people thought he would become, being the Antony to Nappy's Ceaser.
And thought it was all an act, that Brian was trying to sway public opinion against the republic so it could be replaced.
Except he let Rob (while he did not like the verdict) a trial.
Brian is pretty much public enemy number one for the Republicans in government for a variety of reasons... mostly because he overthrew the last republican government, but also because of his... well
Yes, I don't imagine he is very popular amongst the government, but his victory in Italy is sure to gain him a lot of admirers! Nappy's sister will probably have to beat some of them with a stick btw, since Brian is taken.
Out of curiosity, has anyone made any Star Wars meme on this quest?
Emperor Napoleon's speech to the French Assembly:
The remaining Traitors will be hunted down and defeated! (applause)
[…]
The attempt on my life has left me shaken and injured. But, I assure you, my resolve has never been stronger! (applause).
[…]
In order to ensure security and continuing stability, the French Republic will be reorganized into the first French Empire! (applause) For a safe and secure society. (thunderous applause)
Senator Lafayette: So this is how liberty dies...with thunderous applause.
We should. He would be an excellent influence on George Washington and the perfect middle man between France and the USA. Also, his children will have great potential when they join the future French Army as they would have risen high in the Grande Armee in RL if not for Napoleon's distrust and dislike of Lafayette.
We should. He would be an excellent influence on George Washington and the perfect middle man between France and the USA. Also, his children will have great potential when they join the future French Army as they would have risen high in the Grande Armee in RL if not for Napoleon's distrust and dislike of Lafayette.
Severin escaped the sweltering August heat of Toulon, slipping into the hotel that had been commandeered as II Corps Headquarters. The lounge and bar were occupied by a horde of now-officers, most of whom were former sergeants and corporals of the infantry. Smaller knots of cavalry and artillery officers were sprinkled about the corners, edged out by the mass of battalion- and regiment-grade commanders. Severin really ought to get around to actually promoting some of the sergeants leading companies to actual officer commissions, but first he had to round up his division commanders.
Since Therese had created the Corps system, a multitude of smaller and more manageable divisions were formed out of the teeming mass of soldiery that made up the new Army of the Orient. I Corps under Kleber hosted 17e, 18e, 19e, 20e, 21e Divisions, with an artillery detachment. Severin's own II Corps consisted of 22e, 23e, 24e, 25e, and 26e Divisions with attached artillery. Dumas led 27e, 28e, 29e, 30e, and 31e Divisions with his own artillery detachment. Chamans commanded the Reserve Corps, though with some of the most experienced troops in the army, it was more like a Royal? Imperial? Perhaps Republican Guard Corps, consisting of the 32e, 33e, and 34e Divisions. Murat commanded the 35e Division, though it was much over-strength compared to a normal cavalry division below the corps level.
Severin was well-acquainted with his infantry division commanders, seeing as they had been under his command since Mayence, and were all fellow sergeants before the revolution had started. His cavalry and artillery commanders were unfamiliar to him, given his lack of experience with horsemen and cannoneers. He had asked de Lisle, to recommend an artillery officer for him, and the man delivered. Severin had also scraped together every ounce of decorum he possessed and asked that dandy Murat to recommend a good cavalry officer. While he wouldn't get too cozy with the dandy man- he was too posh and cultured for Severin's taste- but the man knew cavalry, and he wouldn't give a bad cavalry officer to a commander that hardly knew more than the basics of employing Murat's favored arm.
"Capt- no, Colonel Severin! Over here! We've seized this strategic position at the bar and are holding it against all comers!"
Ah, Lieutenant Colonel Maxime Mathieu, Commander of 23e Division. Strange to see him so chummy with an artilleryman, since most of the officers were congregated by service branch.
"Colonel Severin! Good to meet you, I'm Captain Eugene Estienne, Colonel de Lisle assigned me to command II Corps' artillery. I must say, when your guest arrived at Metz with that most fascinating repeating cannon, I could not help but desire one, nearly as much as I desire a woman! I would love to have one with us, though I wouldn't mind four, or even six! Hahahaha!"
"Have a drink Colonel, Eugene couldn't shut up about that fantastic repeater gun, and I've heard it all before. Ah, and if you could keep that sanctimonious prick Joly off our backs, Eugene and I were going to try and drag that greenhorn Clement off to the brothel to get him to loosen up. He's over with Perrot right now, so we ought to get while the going's good. And I want to lead the vanguard, so don't just give it to that zealot Joly!"
"It's good to meet you Estienne, though your file said you name was Reynaud?"
"My given name Colonel, I prefer to go by my middle name. Maxime knows those paragons of virtue better than I, so if he says we must help liberate Major Abel's virginity, then we must away!"
"Very well Estienne, far be it from me to impose on a soldier's liberty. And Mathieu, whoever performs better in marching and firing drills will lead the vanguard, and right now that's Perrot. One of your companies might have the fastest drill time in all of II Corps, but Perrot consistently has the best drill times across his entire division."
As Mathieu and Estienne lead a weakly protesting Abel out of the hotel, Severin is approached by a lone cavalry officer.
"Colonel Severin, greetings. I see the two idiots have left with poor Major Abel in tow. I'm Major Lucien Leclerc. Commander of Cavalry Division 'Strasbourg,' or 26e Division if you must be official."
"It's good to meet you Leclerc, you came highly recommended by Colonel Murat, and Chamans had good things to say about you as well. And Division 'Strasbourg?' Are most of your men from there, or is it an affectation like Joly's Division name?"
"It's a bit of both. Most of the cadre was drawn from Strasbourg, and we spent much of our time with the Army of the North fighting the Austrians and Prussians in the Netherlands. Strasbourg was a bulwark against the Germans since the time of the Romans, though under a different name."
"A fellow enthusiast of military history, I see! Let me get to the point, then. I'm a dyed in the wool infantry man, and I have little practical knowledge of how to best employ cavalry. I'll give you a great deal of autonomy to run things as you see fit, so long as you perform scouting and screening duties while on the march. I'll see about getting a detachment of chasseurs or tirailleurs to help with the screening duties, but it'll have to be on you for now."
"Thank you for the trust Colonel. I'll do my best to not let you down. I'll be the Seydlitz to your Fredrick."
"I'll take the sentiment as it was intended, but never compare me to a Prussian ever again. My family has carried a grudge against them that has been passed down through the generations."
"Understood Colonel, it was my mistake. I had been warned about your dislike of Prussians."
Seeing the thunderous expression on Severin's face, Leclerc took the dismissal as it was and left the colonel to continue his rounds.
"Colonel, what's with the look? Have you finally come to see the light of the Church and repent from your Protestant ways?"
"I'm not in the mood, Joly. Leclerc compared me to a Prussian, even if it was Frederick the Great."
Joly and Perrot both winced. Severin's distaste for Prussians was legendary among the men, and the newcomer had stabbed it with a saber. Leclerc would not be under threat of awful assignments, since Severin was a fair sergeant, and that continued as an officer. He was merely equally merciless to all his subordinates, he just didn't allow his personal feelings to get in the way of doing his job. The ever stalwart and reliable Perrot drew the attention of the fuming Severin, getting the colonel back on topic.
"Severin, I have the latest drill times for 22e Division, sorted by regiment and battalion. I managed to shave an average of five minutes off their route march, and the average fire rate is one shot every twenty-eight seconds. With the most experienced soldats reorganized into 32e and 33e Divisions, it's going to be a long while before anyone in my division is able to hit the record twenty-three seconds again."
"Good work, Florentin. We'll just have to keep running them through drills until they can run them blindfolded. With all the support for the expedition, we're flush with supplies for the moment, and we'll be amassing stores for the campaign. Did Clement leave his times with you, or will I have to get them from him once he's free of Mathieu's clutches?"
"I have them, sir. He was comparing the times for his 24e Division and asking for advice on how to improve his times. Clement hadn't been a sergeant for long before the officers of the high nobility fled, so he hadn't much time as an instructor."
"I should have expected that wastrel Mathieu to have absconded with young Abel! And Estienne, the only thing on that man's mind is women and cannons, cannons and women! If he weren't so good at his job, and France in such dire straits, he would have been cashiered from the army! I suspect if La Generale had to deal with him, she would be shot of him as well."
"Thibaud, Mathieu is friendly with Abel because Abel always backs him up when goes on the attack single-mindedly. And Estienne is by all accounts a skilled artilleryman. A soldier is granted leave to work off stress and gird himself for battle. Whether that involves the actual girding of his loins is no concern of mine."
"Severin, those degenerates need to be brought back to Catholic morality. They need to be disciplined! For someone named 'Severin,' you're too lenient on the men, likely a product of your Protestant upbringing. If they cannot be convinced of at least attending mass and confession, then we may have to resort to corporal punishment, distasteful as it is."
"Well, Thibaud, I try to avoid messing with a man's religion and taxes, as forcing either of those is bound to enrage them. And for one named 'Joly,' you can be quite a sourpuss. Regardless, how is 25e Division? From what I heard, you got the lion's share of the Vendee deserters that had their units mauled in Italy."
"The men are all devout Catholics, repentant and seeking absolution for fighting against France for the royalists and as unwitting dupes for le Bretagne. They were determined to prove their loyalty, and stayed in the thick of fighting even after taking heavy casualties. I shall drill them and instill discipline. I will show them that the Lord is with us, and with our rightful and just cause! For in our darkest hours, as Europe descended upon the Republic, did He not send France another saint in the making? La Petit Arpenteuse, a humble surveyor, found divine inspiration and led a crumbling army to victory over the Lutheran Prussians. She halted them again at Mayence, for is the Rhine not France's sacred natural border? And at Amiens, she was wounded, but rallied to lead the men like the Maid of Orleans? That is why 25e Division bears the name 'Lorraine.' In honor of La Generale and La Pucelle d'Lorraine."
"I don't know what to say, Joly. Have you turned 25e Division into a cult, or just most of it?"
A large man in a rumpled officer's uniform rushes into the room, addressing Joly.
"Major Joly, sir! I was tasked with delivering this report to you by your adjutant, a record of drill times ordered by regiment- Denis Martin?! Little brother, is that you?"
"Louis Marceau?"
Dun, dun, duuuun! Family drama!
Here's some notes on the various divisions and officers for anyone who cares:
II Corps: Colonel Denis Martin Severin
-22e Division: Lt Colonel Florentin Theodore Perrot
--Former sergeant, (a captain under Severin at Mainz). Tough and reliable, good at holding the battle line. Straightlaced, slight friction with Mathieu, but can work around him and take advantage of openings he creates. Something of a mentor to Abel, good working relationship with Leclerc.
-23e Division: Lt Colonel Maxime Herve Mathieu
--Former sergeant, (a captain under Severin at Mainz). Prefers going on the attack, somewhat single-minded, needs to be supported. "Glorious melee!" Fights hard, parties harder. Doesn't get along with Joly due to clashing personalities, and both desire to lead the advance. Friends with shared interests with Estienne, appreciates Abel always moving to support him.
24e Division: Major Clement Lucien Abel
--Former sergeant, (a lieutenant under Severin at Mainz). Conscientious, usually moves up to support Mathieu and protect his flanks. Less experienced than the others, but is willing to work hard, learn and coordinate. Protege of Perrot, Mathieu likes him for support.
-25e Division: Major Ignace Thibaud Joly
--Former sergeant, (a lieutenant under Severin at Mainz). Intensely Catholic, more religious than Severin, kind of started a cult among his men about Therese being the next Joan of Arc. Eager to get stuck in, always volunteers to lead the vanguard or a forlorn hope. Deems Severin as "a good man and commander, in spite of being a Protestant." Gets along decently with Perrot.
-26e Division 'Strasbourg': Lucien Philippe Leclerc
--Expy of Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque of WWII Fame (made his men swear an oath to fight on until they had liberated Strasbourg). Brutally honest, calls people on their stupidity, but readily admits to his own. Aggressive cavalry major recommended to Severin by Murat. Granted significant autonomy by Severin, he nonetheless knows the limitations of cavalry operating without support. Believes respect must be earned, rather than granted. Gets along well with Perrot and Abel.
Artillery Detachment: Reynaud Eugene Estienne
--Expy of Jean Baptiste Eugene Estienne of WWI ('father of the tank' in France; tanks were part of the Artillerie Speciale until 1920) of Artillery commander recommended by de Lisle. Granted significant autonomy by Severin, he operates his cannon as one large battery. Experienced at supporting infantry and his friend Mathieu, good at field artillery, not as good at siege artillery. Wants a Puckle Gun. Or four. Or six. The only thing on his mind is women and cannons, cannons and women (said of Estienne by British fascist tank enthusiast JFC Fuller). Dislikes his given name, prefers to go by his middle name. I am somewhat amused that his initials ended up as REE.
Leclerc and Estienne are their names but slightly tweaked. All the infantry commanders' names were randomly generated, and I tried to craft their personalities based on their names. Joly was a coincidence, and I realized the irony that rather than a harsh and sever personality as his name suggests, Severin is gregarious and rather lenient, so I had Joly be the opposite. Also with so many people in the thread joking about Therese being the next Joan of Arc; here, have a Joan of Arc cult in the army.
Fixed the borked division numbering in author's note. Changed the last bit of dialogue to clarify the Louis in question is Severin's older brother (via RNG), first mentioned by Papa Severin in Mail Call. Who knew Louis was such a common French given name? Also added links to relevant prior omakes.
-23e Division: Lt Colonel Maxime Herve Mathieu
--Former sergeant, (a captain under Severin at Mainz). Prefers going on the attack, somewhat single-minded, needs to be supported. "Glorious melee!" Fights hard, parties harder. Doesn't get along with Joly due to clashing personalities, and both desire to lead the advance. Friends with shared interests with Estienne, appreciates Abel always moving to support him.
23e Division: Major Clement Lucien Abel
--Former sergeant, (a lieutenant under Severin at Mainz). Conscientious, usually moves up to support Mathieu and protect his flanks. Less experienced than the others, but is willing to work hard, learn and coordinate. Protege of Perrot, Mathieu likes him for support.
-24e Division: Major Ignace Thibaud Joly
--Former sergeant, (a lieutenant under Severin at Mainz). Intensely Catholic, more religious than Severin, kind of started a cult among his men about Therese being the next Joan of Arc. Eager to get stuck in, always volunteers to lead the vanguard or a forlorn hope. Deems Severin as "a good man and commander, in spite of being a Protestant." Gets along decently with Perrot.
Severin escaped the sweltering August heat of Toulon, slipping into the hotel that had been commandeered as II Corps Headquarters. The lounge and bar were occupied by a horde of now-officers, most of whom were former sergeants and corporals of the infantry. Smaller knots of cavalry and artillery officers were sprinkled about the corners, edged out by the mass of battalion- and regiment-grade commanders. Severin really ought to get around to actually promoting some of the sergeants leading companies to actual officer commissions, but first he had to round up his division commanders.
Since Therese had created the Corps system, a multitude of smaller and more manageable divisions were formed out of the teeming mass of soldiery that made up the new Army of the Orient. I Corps under Kleber hosted 17e, 18e, 19e, 20e, 21e Divisions, with an artillery detachment. Severin's own II Corps consisted of 22e, 23e, 24e, 25e, and 26e Divisions with attached artillery. Dumas led 27e, 28e, 29e, 30e, and 31e Divisions with his own artillery detachment. Chamans commanded the Reserve Corps, though with some of the most experienced troops in the army, it was more like a Royal? Imperial? Perhaps Republican Guard Corps, consisting of the 32e, 33e, and 34e Divisions. Murat commanded the 35e Division, though it was much over-strength compared to a normal cavalry division below the corps level.
Severin was well-acquainted with his infantry division commanders, seeing as they had been under his command since Mayence, and were all fellow sergeants before the revolution had started. His cavalry and artillery commanders were unfamiliar to him, given his lack of experience with horsemen and cannoneers. He had asked de Lisle, to recommend an artillery officer for him, and the man delivered. Severin had also scraped together every ounce of decorum he possessed and asked that dandy Murat to recommend a good cavalry officer. While he wouldn't get too cozy with the dandy man- he was too posh and cultured for Severin's taste- but the man knew cavalry, and he wouldn't give a bad cavalry officer to a commander that hardly knew more than the basics of employing Murat's favored arm.
"Capt- no, Colonel Severin! Over here! We've seized this strategic position at the bar and are holding it against all comers!"
Ah, Lieutenant Colonel Maxime Mathieu, Commander of 23e Division. Strange to see him so chummy with an artilleryman, since most of the officers were congregated by service branch.
"Colonel Severin! Good to meet you, I'm Captain Eugene Estienne, Colonel de Lisle assigned me to command II Corps' artillery. I must say, when your guest arrived at Metz with that most fascinating repeating cannon, I could not help but desire one, nearly as much as I desire a woman! I would love to have one with us, though I wouldn't mind four, or even six! Hahahaha!"
"Have a drink Colonel, Eugene couldn't shut up about that fantastic repeater gun, and I've heard it all before. Ah, and if you could keep that sanctimonious prick Joly off our backs, Eugene and I were going to try and drag that greenhorn Clement off to the brothel to get him to loosen up. He's over with Perrot right now, so we ought to get while the going's good. And I want to lead the vanguard, so don't just give it to that zealot Joly!"
"It's good to meet you Estienne, though your file said you name was Reynaud?"
"My given name Colonel, I prefer to go by my middle name. Maxime knows those paragons of virtue better than I, so if he says we must help liberate Major Abel's virginity, then we must away!"
"Very well Estienne, far be it from me to impose on a soldier's liberty. And Mathieu, whoever performs better in marching and firing drills will lead the vanguard, and right now that's Perrot. One of your companies might have the fastest drill time in all of II Corps, but Perrot consistently has the best drill times across his entire division."
As Mathieu and Estienne lead a weakly protesting Abel out of the hotel, Severin is approached by a lone cavalry officer.
"Colonel Severin, greetings. I see the two idiots have left with poor Major Abel in tow. I'm Major Lucien Leclerc. Commander of Cavalry Division 'Strasbourg,' or 26e Division if you must be official."
"It's good to meet you Leclerc, you came highly recommended by Colonel Murat, and Chamans had good things to say about you as well. And Division 'Strasbourg?' Are most of your men from there, or is it an affectation like Joly's Division name?"
"It's a bit of both. Most of the cadre was drawn from Strasbourg, and we spent much of our time with the Army of the North fighting the Austrians and Prussians in the Netherlands. Strasbourg was a bulwark against the Germans since the time of the Romans, though under a different name."
"A fellow enthusiast of military history, I see! Let me get to the point, then. I'm a dyed in the wool infantry man, and I have little practical knowledge of how to best employ cavalry. I'll give you a great deal of autonomy to run things as you see fit, so long as you perform scouting and screening duties while on the march. I'll see about getting a detachment of chasseurs or tirailleurs to help with the screening duties, but it'll have to be on you for now."
"Thank you for the trust Colonel. I'll do my best to not let you down. I'll be the Seydlitz to your Fredrick."
"I'll take the sentiment as it was intended, but never compare me to a Prussian ever again. My family has carried a grudge against them that has been passed down through the generations."
"Understood Colonel, it was my mistake. I had been warned about your dislike of Prussians."
Seeing the thunderous expression on Severin's face, Leclerc took the dismissal as it was and left the colonel to continue his rounds.
"Colonel, what's with the look? Have you finally come to see the light of the Church and repent from your Protestant ways?"
"I'm not in the mood, Joly. Leclerc compared me to a Prussian, even if it was Frederick the Great."
Joly and Perrot both winced. Severin's distaste for Prussians was legendary among the men, and the newcomer had stabbed it with a saber. Leclerc would not be under threat of awful assignments, since Severin was a fair sergeant, and that continued as an officer. He was merely equally merciless to all his subordinates, he just didn't allow his personal feelings to get in the way of doing his job. The ever stalwart and reliable Perrot drew the attention of the fuming Severin, getting the colonel back on topic.
"Severin, I have the latest drill times for 22e Division, sorted by regiment and battalion. I managed to shave an average of five minutes off their route march, and the average fire rate is one shot every twenty-eight seconds. With the most experienced soldats reorganized into 32e and 33e Divisions, it's going to be a long while before anyone in my division is able to hit the record twenty-three seconds again."
"Good work, Florentin. We'll just have to keep running them through drills until they can run them blindfolded. With all the support for the expedition, we're flush with supplies for the moment, and we'll be amassing stores for the campaign. Did Clement leave his times with you, or will I have to get them from him once he's free of Mathieu's clutches?"
"I have them, sir. He was comparing the times for his 24e Division and asking for advice on how to improve his times. Clement hadn't been a sergeant for long before the officers of the high nobility fled, so he hadn't much time as an instructor."
"I should have expected that wastrel Mathieu to have absconded with young Abel! And Estienne, the only thing on that man's mind is women and cannons, cannons and women! If he weren't so good at his job, and France in such dire straits, he would have been cashiered from the army! I suspect if La Generale had to deal with him, she would be shot of him as well."
"Thibaud, Mathieu is friendly with Abel because Abel always backs him up when goes on the attack single-mindedly. And Estienne is by all accounts a skilled artilleryman. A soldier is granted leave to work off stress and gird himself for battle. Whether that involves the actual girding of his loins is no concern of mine."
"Severin, those degenerates need to be brought back to Catholic morality. They need to be disciplined! For someone named 'Severin,' you're too lenient on the men, likely a product of your Protestant upbringing. If they cannot be convinced of at least attending mass and confession, then we may have to resort to corporal punishment, distasteful as it is."
"Well, Thibaud, I try to avoid messing with a man's religion and taxes, as forcing either of those is bound to enrage them. And for one named 'Joly,' you can be quite a sourpuss. Regardless, how is 25e Division? From what I heard, you got the lion's share of the Vendee deserters that had their units mauled in Italy."
"The men are all devout Catholics, repentant and seeking absolution for fighting against France for the royalists and as unwitting dupes for le Bretagne. They were determined to prove their loyalty, and stayed in the thick of fighting even after taking heavy casualties. I shall drill them and instill discipline. I will show them that the Lord is with us, and with our rightful and just cause! For in our darkest hours, as Europe descended upon the Republic, did He not send France another saint in the making? La Petit Arpenteuse, a humble surveyor, found divine inspiration and led a crumbling army to victory over the Lutheran Prussians. She halted them again at Mayence, for is the Rhine not France's sacred natural border? And at Amiens, she was wounded, but rallied to lead the men like the Maid of Orleans? That is why 25e Division bears the name 'Lorraine.' In honor of La Generale and La Pucelle d'Lorraine."
"I don't know what to say, Joly. Have you turned 25e Division into a cult, or just most of it?"
"Major Joly, sir! I was tasked with delivering this report to you by you adjutant, a record of drill times ordered by regiment- Denis?! Is that you?"
"Louis?"
Dun, dun, duuuun! Family drama!
Here's some notes on the various divisions and officers for anyone who cares:
II Corps: Colonel Denis Martin Severin
-22e Division: Lt Colonel Florentin Theodore Perrot
--Former sergeant, (a captain under Severin at Mainz). Tough and reliable, good at holding the battle line. Straightlaced, slight friction with Mathieu, but can work around him and take advantage of openings he creates. Something of a mentor to Abel, good working relationship with Leclerc.
-23e Division: Lt Colonel Maxime Herve Mathieu
--Former sergeant, (a captain under Severin at Mainz). Prefers going on the attack, somewhat single-minded, needs to be supported. "Glorious melee!" Fights hard, parties harder. Doesn't get along with Joly due to clashing personalities, and both desire to lead the advance. Friends with shared interests with Estienne, appreciates Abel always moving to support him.
24e Division: Major Clement Lucien Abel
--Former sergeant, (a lieutenant under Severin at Mainz). Conscientious, usually moves up to support Mathieu and protect his flanks. Less experienced than the others, but is willing to work hard, learn and coordinate. Protege of Perrot, Mathieu likes him for support.
-25e Division: Major Ignace Thibaud Joly
--Former sergeant, (a lieutenant under Severin at Mainz). Intensely Catholic, more religious than Severin, kind of started a cult among his men about Therese being the next Joan of Arc. Eager to get stuck in, always volunteers to lead the vanguard or a forlorn hope. Deems Severin as "a good man and commander, in spite of being a Protestant." Gets along decently with Perrot.
-26e Division 'Strasbourg': Lucien Philippe Leclerc
--Expy of Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque of WWII Fame (made his men swear an oath to fight on until they had liberated Strasbourg). Brutally honest, calls people on their stupidity, but readily admits to his own. Aggressive cavalry major recommended to Severin by Murat. Granted significant autonomy by Severin, he nonetheless knows the limitations of cavalry operating without support. Believes respect must be earned, rather than granted. Gets along well with Perrot and Abel.
Artillery Detachment: Reynaud Eugene Estienne
--Expy of Jean Baptiste Eugene Estienne of WWI ('father of the tank' in France; tanks were part of the Artillerie Speciale until 1920) of Artillery commander recommended by de Lisle. Granted significant autonomy by Severin, he operates his cannon as one large battery. Experienced at supporting infantry and his friend Mathieu, good at field artillery, not as good at siege artillery. Wants a Puckle Gun. Or four. Or six. The only thing on his mind is women and cannons, cannons and women (said of Estienne by British fascist tank enthusiast JFC Fuller). Dislikes his given name, prefers to go by his middle name. I am somewhat amused that his initials ended up as REE.
Leclerc and Estienne are their names but slightly tweaked. All the infantry commanders' names were randomly generated, and I tried to craft their personalities based on their names. Joly was a coincidence, and I realized the irony that rather than a harsh and sever personality as his name suggests, Severin is gregarious and rather lenient, so I had Joly be the opposite. Also with so many people in the thread joking about Therese being the next Joan of Arc; here, have a Joan of Arc cult in the army.
