- Location
- Cambridge, UK
You would expect that Brian would at least correspond with his sister. I think it would be accurate to see updates through letters from Paris and input directly to the First Consul and Second Consul through letters to them.
La Chanson de la Victoire (The Song of Victory): La Petite Arpenteuse (Non, SV, you are a General of France in the Napoleonic War!)
- Thread starter Plausbius
- Start date
- Mature Alt. History
Magoose
SV's Questing Fanatic
- Location
- California USA
- Pronouns
- He
Indeed, but we just decided that in addition to that: you'll get to affect Policy as Brian.
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Again...as long as it's fun to read, it's good. And I have no doubt that it will be fun.Also I wrote over a thousand words of Therese and the kids Bitching about sea travel.
yes I am writing the highest quality of content.
I guess that Asterix in Corsica is the story that would be most changed... It's chock full of Napoleon references, so the Auclair siblings would not be amiss there
Magoose
SV's Questing Fanatic
- Location
- California USA
- Pronouns
- He
"There was a saying threat the sailors always claimed.
That women on ships were bad luck.
But you felt nothing sailing on the ship... in fact you felt invigorated by the fresh air of the open sea.
perhaps the claims of such horror were because of girls like Charlotte's poor constitution when swaying on the sea.
Or maybe it was because she out drank every sailor on the ship every night and spewed it all overboard in the morning."
Oh dear, that poor Girl...
Magoose
SV's Questing Fanatic
- Location
- California USA
- Pronouns
- He
Eh it's a draft, it will be much better when it's finished.
I imagine the chapter will be puked out at us at velocity. I for one have my umbrella and dodge skill check ready.Also I wrote over a thousand words of Therese and the kids Bitching about sea travel.
yes I am writing the highest quality of content.
Magoose
SV's Questing Fanatic
- Location
- California USA
- Pronouns
- He
9.3: Once A Sailor; Une fois un marin
Magoose
SV's Questing Fanatic
- Location
- California USA
- Pronouns
- He
9.3: Once A Sailor; Une fois un marin
You were thankful Tallyrand was dropped off a week ago, otherwise, you think he would have been unbearable seeing the princess in a state of... pity.
Sea Travel was not at all like you expected it from the stories from Adam, the Amril, or even some of the men who had served as sailors but joined the army. You had heard of great storms of winter, privateers or even British ships chasing them while they were trying to reach port. It was supposed to be an exciting adventure that would keep you on your toes, to keep you focused on so much more than just the invasion of Sicily, and later, Egypt.
Unfortunately, the Truth was far more… boring. Something that you could live with, even with a routine of messages, one would expect your time commanding your army at sea would have been filled with a mess of paperwork, and many… other problems, like drunkenness.
But none of that happened. The Army was well drilled and doing everything they could to both stay out of the way, help or avoid the wrath of God… or failing that, the Wrath of Severin.
Or worse, Berthier.
You remembered a Corporal who was illiterate and spilled ink on some quartermaster reports because he was drunk and singing some song from his homeland.
Berthier had taken it upon himself to train the man how to read… and write, and make him an assistant, and a junior staff officer. A Swede named Erik Magnusson.
With such officers maintaining discipline, nothing really reached your attention… and it was dreadfully dull.
And it led to you spending quite a bit of time with the two former royal children. And it was not a good time.
"Merde!" Charlotte swore as she finished throwing up off the side of the ship. "When are we going to make landfall?"
That was a question you yourself asked on multiple occasions to captain Serre. He had quite loudly laughed like what sounded like a dog and some beast from Africa you had heard a Haitian freedman had told you about during one of the few times you dinned with the crew. A great beast that was like a dog, but laughed like a man, and tears men limb from limb if they did not have a torch.
"Perhaps the winds will be favorable if you stop swearing." You shot back as you stood next to her, placing a hand on her back. "And you stop drinking so much."
The princess was… not happy about such prospects. She had been the butt of many jokes from the many of the young sailors had taken to calling her. Once she stayed silent for a long time… then she stopped. You had expected her to be regal, full of… Well frankly shit.
Well her entire attitude was not going to work for the rough and tumble seamen who had made their living being stronger, smarter, and drunker than she ever had to be. You had full confidence that she would embarrass herself, you would swoop in to save her, and everything would be fine… if a bit frosty.
That was before she challenged every midshipman to a drinking contest, to see if anyone could outlast her.
She had drunk everyone, to your shock, under the table. You thought she could handle her liquor.
You were wrong. Horribly wrong.
"I showed them all." She proclaimed as her face turned green.
"Yes, in a horribly stupid way." You replied. "Why can't you be like your brother?"
Charlotte frowned as she gulped. "You mean the same brother who wishes to die leading the Vanguard? Who thinks the only way he can show loyalty to France is by trying to die for it, when he's not even ten?"
When she put it that way, it almost made it sound like you abused the poor boy. But you were not. "Louis made his choice. You did as well." You replied as the green disappeared from her face, replaced by some red.
The conversation was switching topics. "I hate traveling by sea." She replied.
"And whose fault is that?" You shot back, helping her onto her feet.
"The swaying of the deck, the unsanitary men, the officers who drink, smoke and frankly make a mess of themselves when not preparing for combat, using their downtime to gamble and drink where there is so much more to do, to learn?" She stated.
"The romance of naval life not what you thought it would be now that the reality is crashing down on you like a hangover?" You joked.
"Are you taking my suffering as a joke?" She demanded, gripping the railing as she turned away, green again.
"No, not your suffering. The circumstances where you decided to try and prove yourself? Yes." You replied.
"You are worse than Louis." She complained as she puked again, this time vomiting more of the brown color of the beer and rum, the most of the recent booze that was now finally leaving her system.
"But I speak the truth, unlike your brother." You replied.
Charlotte sighed. "I'm going to sleep."
"You'll wake up in a few hours to reports that need to be made, so enjoy." You replied.
The Groan was enough to make you feel sorry for laughing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Captain's cabin was cramped with so many officers within it. You and Dumas had to bend down to enter, and stooping down was something that made you feel… far too large for such a small space.
The other officers, the Amril and Serre in particular, were trying to hide their discomfort that they were standing, while you sat in the chair, pouring over the great map that was on the table. The map of the Isle of Sicily.
You wondered if such a place would rise up for the revolution. But stole those thoughts away and quietly looked to the map. "Gentlemen, we are about to embark on an invasion of Sicily, one we have spent months planning." You were trying to check notes in your head.
The Corps will be:
[]Separated into three different invasion forces, with the Guard and the reserve force staying back: We will want to cause as much confusion for the enemy forces as possible. (When choosing an invasion site, you will line tail which of the three corps will go, but the Guard and the Reserve forces of Cav and Reserve Army will remain in reserve.)
[]Separated into multiple invasion forces, with the Guard, Reserve, and Cav being an additional 4th force: (When choosing an invasion site, you will line tail which of the forces will go)
[]Stay together: We will form a great hammer on the enemy forces, and destroy them. (Your entire force will descend down upon your target with the full might of your forces. You will also remain in direct command.)
That was when you pointed to several potential invasion sights for invasion.
"These are the targets of opportunity that may allow us to seize a foothold in the region, along with securing our operations… our supplies and possibly support for our continued success in Egypt."
Intel roll: 66 https://rolz.org/embed?jgyx2ov3nq:kohd1tut
Where do you attack, to secure the ports and supplies?:
[]Palermo: The Capital of the Kingdom, and the seat of Louis and Charlotte's dynastic member, Ferdinand the Fourth. He is perhaps the only man in the world who is arrogant, mad, or brazen enough to remain an enemy of France when the rest of the world is not. The city's defenses, despite being formidable on the surface, were not up to the modern standard that many other capitals of Europe were at. The Proto Palermo castle is an intimidating fortification, yes, but much of the city lies behind two rings of medieval fortifications. The Port itself is protected by only 20 defensive guns, many of which were short-ranged, but would be effective once landing parties came closer to shore. The fleet of the Sicilians are all docked in other ports at the moment, the patrols they should have vigorously sent out are not there. Most ships in Palermo are merchant ships, and any ships that may stand up to your fleet are in other ports. You also have a very strong chance of capturing Ferdinand here, as you have likely intel that he is here, in the city being close to his government and ministers. The forces defending it are over 10,000 strong, bolstered by militia. It will be hard to crack.
[]Gela: A Small Fishing village on the Southern Coast of the island. Nothing of note pertaining to defenses even if the garrison itself is likely militia. The port, if one could call it that, was merely a few fishing docks in a safe natural harbor. The Roads connecting it to other settlements are poor, dirt things that will have to be traveled on with sluggish slowness. But with its defensive positions, safe harbor, and access to the countryside, it is a perfect landing site… almost too perfect in your eyes.
[]Syracuse: The Navel Staging point. Adam had tracked the fleet for weeks, and they docked there, instead of the capital. You do not know the reasons why, but they chose to use the other side of the island as a staging ground. Presumably to counter-attack any naval advances by enemy forces. Most of the fleet are older ships, but serviceable ones that can cause problems if they are allowed to escape port. The defenses are old, some of them still maintaining a few portions of the ancient Greco fortifications from antiquity. But its port is packed with enemy warships and the garrison is prepared for a siege.
[]Tarapni: One of the Westernmost cities of the island. The city is a commerce hub, but less so than Palermo… however, what it lacked in population and importance, it made up for in strategic importance. It is a hub of the Sicilian army activity, with its main roads cutting to the North and southern parts of the island. Its fortifications are formidable but lack a fleet presence that the other cities had, save for small merchant vessels, and fishing boats and coastal batteries are… lacking. However the force there will fight well, and there will be casualties if there is an assault on the city.
[]Messina: Adam has little in the way of information from the Messina strait, but its strategic importance can not be understated. You can cut off the Northern part of the island and support from the mainland by taking that city. Unfortunately, he lacks anything that resembles intelligence from the city itself. It would be going in blind.
----------------------------------------
Do you take command of any of the Army Corps or units themselves?:
[]Yes (Linetail which one you would like to take over, with the commander of that unit serving as second in command)
[]No: The men do not need direct supervision.
If you do not take command of the forces, how would sort of stance would you like them to take:
[]Aggressive: The key to this entire operation is speed, surprise, and movement. You need all three to make sure to always catch the enemy off guard. However, it will cause your supply lines to be stretched, and vulnerable to militia fighters.
[]Cautious: You will have the men protect the supply lines, move in a way that will keep them together and prevent ambushes… but it will give more chance for the enemy to gather their forces.
[]At their Discretion: You will allow the men to operate independently from one another, and yourself. You will let them make the choices that will help the campaign.
AN: Alrighty Everyone, welcome to the Campaign. We are now in enemy territory.
Hopefully, we can do an entire campaign in 50 days as Nappy did to Prussia.
Also, if you do not take command of any forces, do not fret, you will still be able to direct tactical and strategic objectives, through other turns, and give orders.
Also, I'm trying to find a good map of Sicily of this time period, could someone help me with that?
There is a Moratorium for 4 hours for discussion and planning.
Thank you Cyber for the Help.
April 23rd, 1795
You were thankful Tallyrand was dropped off a week ago, otherwise, you think he would have been unbearable seeing the princess in a state of... pity.
Sea Travel was not at all like you expected it from the stories from Adam, the Amril, or even some of the men who had served as sailors but joined the army. You had heard of great storms of winter, privateers or even British ships chasing them while they were trying to reach port. It was supposed to be an exciting adventure that would keep you on your toes, to keep you focused on so much more than just the invasion of Sicily, and later, Egypt.
Unfortunately, the Truth was far more… boring. Something that you could live with, even with a routine of messages, one would expect your time commanding your army at sea would have been filled with a mess of paperwork, and many… other problems, like drunkenness.
But none of that happened. The Army was well drilled and doing everything they could to both stay out of the way, help or avoid the wrath of God… or failing that, the Wrath of Severin.
Or worse, Berthier.
You remembered a Corporal who was illiterate and spilled ink on some quartermaster reports because he was drunk and singing some song from his homeland.
Berthier had taken it upon himself to train the man how to read… and write, and make him an assistant, and a junior staff officer. A Swede named Erik Magnusson.
With such officers maintaining discipline, nothing really reached your attention… and it was dreadfully dull.
And it led to you spending quite a bit of time with the two former royal children. And it was not a good time.
"Merde!" Charlotte swore as she finished throwing up off the side of the ship. "When are we going to make landfall?"
That was a question you yourself asked on multiple occasions to captain Serre. He had quite loudly laughed like what sounded like a dog and some beast from Africa you had heard a Haitian freedman had told you about during one of the few times you dinned with the crew. A great beast that was like a dog, but laughed like a man, and tears men limb from limb if they did not have a torch.
"Perhaps the winds will be favorable if you stop swearing." You shot back as you stood next to her, placing a hand on her back. "And you stop drinking so much."
The princess was… not happy about such prospects. She had been the butt of many jokes from the many of the young sailors had taken to calling her. Once she stayed silent for a long time… then she stopped. You had expected her to be regal, full of… Well frankly shit.
Well her entire attitude was not going to work for the rough and tumble seamen who had made their living being stronger, smarter, and drunker than she ever had to be. You had full confidence that she would embarrass herself, you would swoop in to save her, and everything would be fine… if a bit frosty.
That was before she challenged every midshipman to a drinking contest, to see if anyone could outlast her.
She had drunk everyone, to your shock, under the table. You thought she could handle her liquor.
You were wrong. Horribly wrong.
"I showed them all." She proclaimed as her face turned green.
"Yes, in a horribly stupid way." You replied. "Why can't you be like your brother?"
Charlotte frowned as she gulped. "You mean the same brother who wishes to die leading the Vanguard? Who thinks the only way he can show loyalty to France is by trying to die for it, when he's not even ten?"
When she put it that way, it almost made it sound like you abused the poor boy. But you were not. "Louis made his choice. You did as well." You replied as the green disappeared from her face, replaced by some red.
The conversation was switching topics. "I hate traveling by sea." She replied.
"And whose fault is that?" You shot back, helping her onto her feet.
"The swaying of the deck, the unsanitary men, the officers who drink, smoke and frankly make a mess of themselves when not preparing for combat, using their downtime to gamble and drink where there is so much more to do, to learn?" She stated.
"The romance of naval life not what you thought it would be now that the reality is crashing down on you like a hangover?" You joked.
"Are you taking my suffering as a joke?" She demanded, gripping the railing as she turned away, green again.
"No, not your suffering. The circumstances where you decided to try and prove yourself? Yes." You replied.
"You are worse than Louis." She complained as she puked again, this time vomiting more of the brown color of the beer and rum, the most of the recent booze that was now finally leaving her system.
"But I speak the truth, unlike your brother." You replied.
Charlotte sighed. "I'm going to sleep."
"You'll wake up in a few hours to reports that need to be made, so enjoy." You replied.
The Groan was enough to make you feel sorry for laughing.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Captain's cabin was cramped with so many officers within it. You and Dumas had to bend down to enter, and stooping down was something that made you feel… far too large for such a small space.
The other officers, the Amril and Serre in particular, were trying to hide their discomfort that they were standing, while you sat in the chair, pouring over the great map that was on the table. The map of the Isle of Sicily.
You wondered if such a place would rise up for the revolution. But stole those thoughts away and quietly looked to the map. "Gentlemen, we are about to embark on an invasion of Sicily, one we have spent months planning." You were trying to check notes in your head.
The Corps will be:
[]Separated into three different invasion forces, with the Guard and the reserve force staying back: We will want to cause as much confusion for the enemy forces as possible. (When choosing an invasion site, you will line tail which of the three corps will go, but the Guard and the Reserve forces of Cav and Reserve Army will remain in reserve.)
[]Separated into multiple invasion forces, with the Guard, Reserve, and Cav being an additional 4th force: (When choosing an invasion site, you will line tail which of the forces will go)
[]Stay together: We will form a great hammer on the enemy forces, and destroy them. (Your entire force will descend down upon your target with the full might of your forces. You will also remain in direct command.)
That was when you pointed to several potential invasion sights for invasion.
"These are the targets of opportunity that may allow us to seize a foothold in the region, along with securing our operations… our supplies and possibly support for our continued success in Egypt."
Intel roll: 66 https://rolz.org/embed?jgyx2ov3nq:kohd1tut
Where do you attack, to secure the ports and supplies?:
[]Palermo: The Capital of the Kingdom, and the seat of Louis and Charlotte's dynastic member, Ferdinand the Fourth. He is perhaps the only man in the world who is arrogant, mad, or brazen enough to remain an enemy of France when the rest of the world is not. The city's defenses, despite being formidable on the surface, were not up to the modern standard that many other capitals of Europe were at. The Proto Palermo castle is an intimidating fortification, yes, but much of the city lies behind two rings of medieval fortifications. The Port itself is protected by only 20 defensive guns, many of which were short-ranged, but would be effective once landing parties came closer to shore. The fleet of the Sicilians are all docked in other ports at the moment, the patrols they should have vigorously sent out are not there. Most ships in Palermo are merchant ships, and any ships that may stand up to your fleet are in other ports. You also have a very strong chance of capturing Ferdinand here, as you have likely intel that he is here, in the city being close to his government and ministers. The forces defending it are over 10,000 strong, bolstered by militia. It will be hard to crack.
[]Gela: A Small Fishing village on the Southern Coast of the island. Nothing of note pertaining to defenses even if the garrison itself is likely militia. The port, if one could call it that, was merely a few fishing docks in a safe natural harbor. The Roads connecting it to other settlements are poor, dirt things that will have to be traveled on with sluggish slowness. But with its defensive positions, safe harbor, and access to the countryside, it is a perfect landing site… almost too perfect in your eyes.
[]Syracuse: The Navel Staging point. Adam had tracked the fleet for weeks, and they docked there, instead of the capital. You do not know the reasons why, but they chose to use the other side of the island as a staging ground. Presumably to counter-attack any naval advances by enemy forces. Most of the fleet are older ships, but serviceable ones that can cause problems if they are allowed to escape port. The defenses are old, some of them still maintaining a few portions of the ancient Greco fortifications from antiquity. But its port is packed with enemy warships and the garrison is prepared for a siege.
[]Tarapni: One of the Westernmost cities of the island. The city is a commerce hub, but less so than Palermo… however, what it lacked in population and importance, it made up for in strategic importance. It is a hub of the Sicilian army activity, with its main roads cutting to the North and southern parts of the island. Its fortifications are formidable but lack a fleet presence that the other cities had, save for small merchant vessels, and fishing boats and coastal batteries are… lacking. However the force there will fight well, and there will be casualties if there is an assault on the city.
[]Messina: Adam has little in the way of information from the Messina strait, but its strategic importance can not be understated. You can cut off the Northern part of the island and support from the mainland by taking that city. Unfortunately, he lacks anything that resembles intelligence from the city itself. It would be going in blind.
----------------------------------------
Do you take command of any of the Army Corps or units themselves?:
[]Yes (Linetail which one you would like to take over, with the commander of that unit serving as second in command)
[]No: The men do not need direct supervision.
If you do not take command of the forces, how would sort of stance would you like them to take:
[]Aggressive: The key to this entire operation is speed, surprise, and movement. You need all three to make sure to always catch the enemy off guard. However, it will cause your supply lines to be stretched, and vulnerable to militia fighters.
[]Cautious: You will have the men protect the supply lines, move in a way that will keep them together and prevent ambushes… but it will give more chance for the enemy to gather their forces.
[]At their Discretion: You will allow the men to operate independently from one another, and yourself. You will let them make the choices that will help the campaign.
AN: Alrighty Everyone, welcome to the Campaign. We are now in enemy territory.
Hopefully, we can do an entire campaign in 50 days as Nappy did to Prussia.
Also, if you do not take command of any forces, do not fret, you will still be able to direct tactical and strategic objectives, through other turns, and give orders.
Also, I'm trying to find a good map of Sicily of this time period, could someone help me with that?
There is a Moratorium for 4 hours for discussion and planning.
Thank you Cyber for the Help.
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Sir_Travelsalot
Never wakes up tired.
- Location
- At Home
Sentence cuts off here.
Berthier
naval life
NoxOfUmbra
Shadow of the night
- Location
- Colombia, South América
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Great, do we know with what maps are we working on? I don't remember an image in the last chapter. Also, where can we look at our current command? The one on the front page isn't updated.
Methinks we should take Palermo and Messina and Tarapni, with maybe a decoy attack on Syracuse, to make it so they do not come to help before we have a beachhead. Hands-off and leaving things at our commanders' discretion. Talking about that, @Magoose how do our stats and skills work in the hands-off approach?
I also think they should send us regular updates in their movements, encoded of course.
Methinks we should take Palermo and Messina and Tarapni, with maybe a decoy attack on Syracuse, to make it so they do not come to help before we have a beachhead. Hands-off and leaving things at our commanders' discretion. Talking about that, @Magoose how do our stats and skills work in the hands-off approach?
I also think they should send us regular updates in their movements, encoded of course.
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Magoose
SV's Questing Fanatic
- Location
- California USA
- Pronouns
- He
Trying to find one actually. One that doesn't hurt my eyes whenever I look at them.
Give me a few minutes to give that an update.
Night_stalker
Slava Ukraini!
- Pronouns
- He/Him
My advice is we land at Syracuse or Gela, then start making moves inland while digging in. Possibly detach some units for a feint towards Palmero or Tarapini.
Magoose
SV's Questing Fanatic
- Location
- California USA
- Pronouns
- He
THe Command has been updated, with the Corps being separated into their own units.
If an officer does not send a report... assume the worst.
That is the Reports turn that we get.
If an officer does not send a report... assume the worst.
We have an immense army at our disposal, so splitting up to hit multiple targets makes the most sense.
I think Palermo *has* to be one of the first objectives, a decapitating strike to take out Ferdinand, and people in the cities are generally more receptive to revolutionary ideas.
Besides that, Syracuse quickly comes to mind, as having our corps be stuck on land while we lose control of the sea would be disastrous. One of those 2 should certainly be where we personally attend.
Messina also seems to be a good target, to separate the island from the mainland.
I am not overly worried about their standing army, it shouldn't stand up to a single one of our cops, and we are bringing a full 100k men down upon their heads. What does worry me is turning the campaign into a Spanish style suppression of rebels across the hills and mountains of Sicily.
I am not sure how to prevent that honestly. My first though being that capturing the capital and the king could prevent them from having a chance to formulate some central strategy of resistance, or from pouring out propaganda. Ideally a mass surrender of their forces after a crippling first strike would be the plan, but I don't know enough about Sicilian moral and their Homefront situation to comment further on it.
Also I am rather worried about disease on this campaign, if that's still a mechanic, so that's one big reasons I want to split the army up.
My current thoughts are to split up into 4, with the guards, reserves, and cavalry being the 4th force. Take the strongest of these 4 ourselves to take over Palermo, then send 1 force to Messina, another to Syracuse, and the last to tarapni. Perhaps the one with the most artillery can take tarapni while the guard move on Palermo.
These are my thoughts at the moment, and I can easily be convinced in any other direction with good arguments.
I think Palermo *has* to be one of the first objectives, a decapitating strike to take out Ferdinand, and people in the cities are generally more receptive to revolutionary ideas.
Besides that, Syracuse quickly comes to mind, as having our corps be stuck on land while we lose control of the sea would be disastrous. One of those 2 should certainly be where we personally attend.
Messina also seems to be a good target, to separate the island from the mainland.
I am not overly worried about their standing army, it shouldn't stand up to a single one of our cops, and we are bringing a full 100k men down upon their heads. What does worry me is turning the campaign into a Spanish style suppression of rebels across the hills and mountains of Sicily.
I am not sure how to prevent that honestly. My first though being that capturing the capital and the king could prevent them from having a chance to formulate some central strategy of resistance, or from pouring out propaganda. Ideally a mass surrender of their forces after a crippling first strike would be the plan, but I don't know enough about Sicilian moral and their Homefront situation to comment further on it.
Also I am rather worried about disease on this campaign, if that's still a mechanic, so that's one big reasons I want to split the army up.
My current thoughts are to split up into 4, with the guards, reserves, and cavalry being the 4th force. Take the strongest of these 4 ourselves to take over Palermo, then send 1 force to Messina, another to Syracuse, and the last to tarapni. Perhaps the one with the most artillery can take tarapni while the guard move on Palermo.
These are my thoughts at the moment, and I can easily be convinced in any other direction with good arguments.
Sir_Travelsalot
Never wakes up tired.
- Location
- At Home
I'm thinking we could park a goodly amount of our artillery within range of Syracuse's port and sink any ship that tries to leave, and leave them there while we seize Palermo and possibly Messina. Perhaps use our cavalry reserve as escorts for messengers, to make sure our communications don't get intercepted, or to prevent the enemy's?
NoxOfUmbra
Shadow of the night
- Location
- Colombia, South América
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
The first objective of the campaign should be to establish communication between the corps, attacking Syracuse while I agree completely strategically, makes me fret, Palermo is one of our biggest opportunities that we cannot ignore, and Syracuse is on the other side of the island, the same problem goes to Gela. Communication will be very important to make the corps system succeed, and putting 2 armies on opposite sides of the island is something I don't want to do unless we get full sea dominance and the messages come via ship.
I agree with all this, and it's why I think Messina and Palermo are musts.
Do we have the ships to blockade Syracuse's port?
That would probably be the best way to go about it, as our artillery is also needed to take Palermo. That's where a large section of their army is, along with the administration of the land.
If we could take Palermo and capture the king, then perhaps a peace treaty can be made before any more fighting occurs. I want to prioritize this, as I rather the message to leave the city after our arrival not be "Palermo is under siege, fight to the last man" and instead be "Our nation has signed a treaty with the French after a brief incident in Palermo".
I am slightly hesitant to crush the armies of Sicily wholesale, as I rather not make a client kingdom with no teeth, which the British will easily reconquer upon us losing naval control of the Mediterranean (almost certain to happen at some point).
OTOH, the army might be made of the most reactionary members of society and we could be better off destroying them at once so that they can be replaced with a more revolutionary group.
Man, nation building is complex. If all we wanted was to take Sicily this would be easy as pie, but I assume we also want to create a revolutionary state while we are here, to secure our route to Egypt.
Edit: about horse communication, that seems like a very iffy idea. Siciliy is hilly and mountainous, not good horse country, and it will be a big ask to make our messengers move through hostile, mostly unknown terrain to deliver critical tactical information. Honestly sounds like a recipe for disaster.
Remember we are in hostile lands now, not France, so we can't operate the same way we did at Mayence and Amiens.
That would probably be the best way to go about it, as our artillery is also needed to take Palermo. That's where a large section of their army is, along with the administration of the land.
If we could take Palermo and capture the king, then perhaps a peace treaty can be made before any more fighting occurs. I want to prioritize this, as I rather the message to leave the city after our arrival not be "Palermo is under siege, fight to the last man" and instead be "Our nation has signed a treaty with the French after a brief incident in Palermo".
I am slightly hesitant to crush the armies of Sicily wholesale, as I rather not make a client kingdom with no teeth, which the British will easily reconquer upon us losing naval control of the Mediterranean (almost certain to happen at some point).
OTOH, the army might be made of the most reactionary members of society and we could be better off destroying them at once so that they can be replaced with a more revolutionary group.
Man, nation building is complex. If all we wanted was to take Sicily this would be easy as pie, but I assume we also want to create a revolutionary state while we are here, to secure our route to Egypt.
Edit: about horse communication, that seems like a very iffy idea. Siciliy is hilly and mountainous, not good horse country, and it will be a big ask to make our messengers move through hostile, mostly unknown terrain to deliver critical tactical information. Honestly sounds like a recipe for disaster.
Remember we are in hostile lands now, not France, so we can't operate the same way we did at Mayence and Amiens.
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Magoose
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You have 105 ships, but many of them are transporting your troops, and will be needed to drop the army off and reform. into a fleet
Adam and Amril dude, has 40 that he can use for whatever objective that they belive is feasible, since you do not command the fleet. So you are stuck hoping the Amril and his men make the right choice.
NoxOfUmbra
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Mhh, send Davout to Palermo, he's the highest combat stats and the one least likely to kill a king between our commanders (going by the monarchist sentiment of 0). Kleber to Tarapni, where combat will most likely be infantry-based. Dumas will take the north from Messina, where his job will be to go down towards Syracuse. And finally, the Guard and the reserve from Messina to be able to cut Sicily from Italy and bombard any ship that tries to pass.
Magoose
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Yeah reminds me of Napoleons 1807 campaign, where his trap to destroy the Russian army was foiled by a courier getting killed by Cossaks, which led to Friedland.
Now that wasn't a bad thing, but it made things very different.
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