La Chanson de la Victoire (The Song of Victory): La Petite Arpenteuse (Non, SV, you are a General of France in the Napoleonic War!)

[Plausbius]

The streets of Paris, after many weeks of struggle, public executions, and jubilation from one event or another, were silent for the first time in what feels like forever. Each neighbouring district was emptied, save for the brave few who wandered the streets to venture outside to gather food or converse with hushed whispers in places away from prying eyes and ears.

You were not fooled, however. Nowhere was safe in this city; not yet. At least, not while Robespierre still held his dictatorial powers and allowed hundreds to die every day, upending everything the revolution stood for.

You were stalking the streets with half a company of the most loyal men you had in the city. These were disgruntled and disillusioned soldiers who, at your pestering, had followed you here to preemptively protect lives-- yours and theirs.

Of course, it wasn't just these few lives you were saving, but they did not need to know that right now. The real mission was to capture the objective.

As you walked towards the Assembly, you had a nagging feeling that what you were doing wasn't right. There was a small voice whispering in your mind that what you were doing was not going to end in joy.

We're in the clutches of war. There never are happy endings.

But compared to everything that happened up to this point: the mass executions, the wars, the uncompromising dictatorial measures that were placed upon the nation. These allowed one man to be judge, jury, and executioner to silence opposition and expand his power to all matters of statecraft until all obeyed him or perished.

Any semblance, any chance of the order being restored, and a government of France assembled by the citizenry as intended… you would have taken that over… this in a heartbeat. Anything that would happen after this day, may or may not be known to be the arm of the military taking the reins of power.

I've read about militaries taking over, but this… is this how casual Caesar felt as he tightened his grip on Rome?

It made you sick, in a way. The sheer normalcy and serenity of moving under cover of the district buildings as you moved to storm a Committee meeting. You could hear birds chirping and see lazy clouds drift by while scanning the rooftops.

Far better than waiting to be executed knowing that… they are next...

Your family. Your friends. Everyone you cared about without you being able to protect them.

That was a far worse fate than whatever you could imagine.

<><><>

The Assembly is loud with debate: voices shouting, arguing, and filled with anger.

Robespierre cries the loudest. "You gentlemen are delaying the day's proceedings! Let us continue, s'il vous plaît!"

"May I remind the chairman, that the Army of the Rhine must be given fresh orders for an offensive? General Auclair and Jourdan are poised with 90,000 troops that are now waiting without clear orders!" Seiylas shouts, viewing the exclamation as a challenge. "We need to finish that decision before we may continue with any less urgent matters!"

It seems that even when she is not present, Thérèse is finding herself in trouble.

"This gentleman will have his moment when the chair concludes the business that is more urgent than babysitting the movements of an army!" Robespierre replies, aggravated. "There is a more pressing matter at stake."

"What matter can be more important than the security of the entirety of France!?" Seiylas throws back, face boiling redder by the second.

"A brewing conspiracy! To remove this legitimate government! We have traitors within our very ranks!" Robespierre gesticulates about himself, not aware of the real ears behind the walls and doors.

That was your cue to move in, so you nod to the rest of your company, who bash open the door with gusto. You walk in at the head of the armed procession, muskets pointed and swords drawn.

Robespierre, grinning in disdain as you walk into the room, shifts his shock into strange composure in the face of a few rows of steel ready to let loose. The entire assembly deafens to the sound of footsteps ringing out against the halls.

"Mon dieu…" Many assembly members lower their heads.

"General Auclair. Hah." The only one still standing upright cringes and sneers. "I was expecting someone more... qualified to interrupt a meeting of the Committee. Not you." He was clearly displeased that it was not the man he appears to have expected.

"General Bonaparte has already brought the Garde Nationale to a standstill, there is no one here to protect you, Robespierre." You state, resting your left hand on your sword's handle while pointing towards the offending character with your other hand. "There is no need for more pointless violence."

"I am protected by the law! You…! You are under arrest for treason, General Auclair!" You imagine that he'd have spat on you if you were any closer. "Seize him! Are you not soldiers of France? Arrest this traitor!" His face resembles a wrinkled tomato at this point, his hands a mess of vines thrashing at you. "ARREST. HIM!"

Your men do not move nor make a sound, except for the leveling of half the muskets towards Maximilien, to discourage him from running.

"The law is an interesting thing that prevents us from acting like little more than animals. It separates the beasts among us, and the civilized ones who wish only to live good, honest and decent lives." You state, matter-of-factly. "You were supposed to be an arbitrator of the law. An impartial or fair party that strove to see as much justice being done as possible, as justly as possible." You pause. "In that regard, you have utterly failed your duties, Maximilien."

"You dare call me a miscreant of justice?! I do what all of you feared to do, I admit it! All to root out the counter-revolutionaries who wish to destroy the republic! All to keep those who deserved peace safe! This is how I am repaid?" Robespierre blurts out, his eyes scowling with rage.

"Did tens of thousands of innocents need to die for that to happen?" You ask accusingly. "Did the moderates need to be beheaded by the razor for a consensus to be made? Did the men and women of the city need to be executed for questioning your policies on the matter of food? Water? Other essential goods? Surely, everyone in the interest of helping the French people would be willing to compromise with their countrymen, but you... have crossed the line."

There was no response, save for ragged breaths.

"Now come with us peacefully, we don't need to make this longer than it needs to be." You tell the figure visibly shaking on the speaker's stand.

You… had once respected this man. You had once seen him as an idol in the republic, for wanting to keep the republic together, but if keeping the republic together meant the death of its people, whom the Republic was supposed to protect… that was not a future you wished for anyone to live in.

Perhaps you're just a fool who believes far too much in ideals, not in the reality of the situation.

You had hoped that the republic would remain as it were elsewhere; in fact, you clamor for such a continuation, if only to not lose what is already so fragile and vulnerable at the top.

"You believe that what you are doing is right? You believe that removing me will fix the problems that have befallen this republic?" Robespierre states, as if the demon from earlier suddenly escaped. "That all of this--" He throws a hand around the room, leaning onto the stand with the other hand. "--will magically be fixed, because of a show of force from the military. All you do, is set a dangerous precedent for the military to decide what is good for the people of France instead of the people itself." He mutters under his breath.

"I am merely an instrument for the people, Maximilian." You state. "If there was another way to do this, I would have taken it." You nodded to your men on the right.

"Arrest this man." Your voice rings out once more before the sound of hurried movement and voices fill the air once more.

<>

Congratulations! You have acquired: 1x Maximilian Robespierre (arrested).

<> What do you do with Robespierre: (Each choice has a consequence or something, je ne sais quoi)
[] [Rob] Execution: This man has caused so much pain. So much death. So much heartbreak against both the laws of man and nature. He will die for his crimes.

[] [Rob] Exile: He will be a threat to France if he remains, and no other nation in the world would accept him for his role as a revolutionary. He will be banished onto a remote location to live the rest of his life in solitude.

[] [Rob] Imprisonment: Criminals are to be imprisoned, and Robespierre is no different. He shall be imprisoned by the state, to live and see the growth of the republic, without his influence. Keep your enemies close, as it were.

[] [Rob] Service in the army as a private: So he wishes to serve France. So be it. Give him a uniform and a rank of private. He shall serve France as you do. His fate is in his own hands.

[] [Rob] Let go, but be barred from holding any political office: He is a good man… somewhere inside. However, he will never return to political life. He will live, but never again taint France with his ideas.

<> What do you do with the rest of the Committee and his associates:
[] [Lackeys] Execution: They will die for treason. They are as guilty of the crimes that Robespierre committed. (Can only be chosen if [Rob] Execution is chosen!)

[] [Lackeys] Exile: They will not return to this country. If they wish, they may serve in Haiti or another colony, far away from this madness, where they might be of positive use.

[] [Lackeys] Imprisonment: France may still need them close to home... but they will not serve as free men. They will be imprisoned where we may keep an eye on them.

<> Do you confront Napoleon:
[] [Napoleon] Yes: He used you. He had better come up with a damn good reason for you not to kill him. You have some stern words for him. (Continuing the Life of Brian.)

[] [Napoleon] No: There is enough chaos and mistrust in the state as is. You will bide your time to meet him about this... unhappy dispute. (We return to Thérèse and the Army of the Rhine, and we see how the rest of the world is holding up.)

Gonna do voting for each decision separately, so choose the ones you want to see the most for each!
It's been a while, and we're finally getting the gang back together! Hopefully things are a bit more stable now, and thank you all for your patience and understanding!
I'll also be working on some other writing projects, so keep an eye out for those.

 

[Plausbius]

The Committee of Public Safety was removed from power. Their tribunals were quick, civilian ones. Their actions didn't involve the command of the military, and they were never part of the army itself in any way, though you think that they may have benefited from some reality checks on the front lines.

Most importantly, you did not want their trials to be tainted by the involvement of the army with the military weighing in on more matters of the state as it has. There'll be ramifications that you will need to tie up later, but you had plans to visit a certain man after the proceedings.

They were all sent to life in prison for their crimes, but the back of your mind echoed with the voices of the dead. You would have wished the razor upon them, an eye for an eye, to make them suffer the "glamorous" deaths just like their numberless victims of their reign of terror, where the city was ruled by chaos and hanged upon an edge. But you wouldn't stoop to their level. It would provide them greater suffering to live a longer time with the knowledge that their actions led to them being thrown in a stone hole for the remainder of their time on French soil.

Justice, you believe, was appropriately served.

That is, until you witnessed the trial of Maximilien Robespierre...

<><><><>

The trial was a civilian court, as was fair. You would not risk your victory being tainted by a potential political backlash from sending him to almost certain death in a military tribunal, where you would have held questionable authority over punishing him in such a fashion, in any case. You did not choose the judge as you believed the impartiality of courts, and of the prosecution. The jury however, was of your own, non-malicious, selection.

They consisted of regular citizens. Somewhat averagely educated, but not completely inept at politics. They were men who would not succumb to the demagoguery of such a powerful speaker as the persecuted. Whether they were aware of the wrongdoings of Robespierre was not much of your concern, as you were on a deadline, and holding the traitor any longer would be more trouble than it was worth.

You would make sure that man would be able to stand trial, and live through it until the verdict was given.

Taking your seat on a side bench. This was within the very building that held the Tribunal that took so many lives unfairly. Hopefully with justice on this day, the judicial system would make a turn back towards normalcy; or at the very least, an end to the bloodthirstiness.

"Monsieur, you are charged with over 23 counts of murder, 104 counts of conspiracy, and 2 counts of treason. Citoyen Robespierre, you... are defending yourself for these allegations?" The judge asked, eyes weary-looking and turned to said citizen of France.

"Yes." Robespierre replies. "I have that right." He looks calm compared to the outburst from the storming of the assembly, though that was understandable, given the extenuating circumstances. You couldn't help but feel an eerie stillness from the man, as if he knew something that the others did not… these were words that made your blood chill, knowing the lives he had unjustly taken, yet he still spoke of "rights".

Was he even looking forward to his own trial?

First came the accusations, which you have heard, each now being individually taken apart and presented to the judge, jury, defendant, and others present. What counts of the deaths that Robespierre was directly responsible for were told. However, the fact that there was barely a week to rifle through the evidence and "trials" that had gone on in the bloody months past made it hard to have a concrete enough argument that Robespierre had indeed been directly responsible. It was a list of much passion, but of little substance. What unnerved you further was the stoicism that Robespierre presented while sitting at the defendant's side. How could he be so silent, when he was so vehement in his accusations? Sure, you haven't seen him in person holding the fatal trials, but you had no doubt as to the missing figures in the census and notes in the administrative records.

And the days dragged on, with the testimonies of the men, and women who spoke. Their words were… quiet, scarred, hopefully enough to prove the harm Robespierre dealt to the innocents. Only piercing eyes paired with a callous expression stared back.

What's worse, there were so many words, with tears and emotion... but those powerful emotional displays struck up against cold logic. The rational minds of both the jury and the judge did not see them as proper.

Quite a few more witnesses were thrown out after their pleas turned into anger.

The rest of them were easily batted away by the masterful oratory of Robespierre. Each accusation of his personal involvement was pierced with a point of mob justice, with no written record of his presence nor his approval. Every possible associate's link was turned around into a reveal of his innocence and others' corruption. Any deaths unrecorded were met with premature dismissal, each case bringing more life into Robespierre's eyes as the prospect of his freedom inched closer.

For weeks, you watched and cringed as the man slowly but expertly took apart the witnesses and prosecution's arguments.

And it was without question…

Maximilian Robespierre was going to be a free man once more.

<><><><><><><><>

You take a deep breath as the office door closes behind you. A wave of stress and exhaustion crashes down upon you after the morning's events and the "coup" you had just committed. All in the name of the survival of France.

Napoleon stands over by the windows looming over the both of you, stoically peering upon the cobblestone streets of Paris. The outside is silent, the citizenry gone into hiding indoors as the events of the morning caused a wave of panic that rippled out into surrounding neighborhoods. The mob, which once reportedly stalked these avenues thirsting for blood and had ruled the streets, was now dispersed for the time being.

Your mind turned to different thoughts, of course. Such an event was shattering with everything that had gone absolutely wrong, many of which you still blame yourself, doubting the validity of your actions, and whether it was a mistake to even go forward with this plan in the first place. Was it a fool's errand to meddle in the governance of the nation when you had no experience prior?

No, you think to yourself, France is governed by its people, not by its rulers. For all the blood that revolution shed, you remind yourself to not forget the reason for which you fight.

"They are quiet." Napoleon almost whispers as he turns around, both with a hint of horror and quiet triumph in his voice, nevertheless radiating confidence where he stands, his voice enveloping his vacant office. He motions for you to take a seat as he does, too. "There is order. There are no more misgivings about the improper use of the guillotine, nor have there been any more mob violence in the streets. I would hesitate to say it will be fully quelled, but for the moment, we have to be grateful for the progress we have made."

You prefer to stand at the moment.

Ordre… Est-ce que ça vaut le coup? There may be order, and the Parisians have not torn themselves apart, but at what cost? You struggle to prevent your emotions from taking over.

The Republic, everything that you fought for, is perched at the precipice, it's very foundations shaken to its core. You knew little of the economy, but the nation may as well be balanced atop a platter of cheese and wine as much as it is protected by the army itself. Or, at the very least, the army's current role of protecting the government as the old one was taken down… again.

Your mind drifts to the great Caesar, and his march across the Rubicon, how it shaped the fate of France as the army does now, today.

What you say to Napoleon however, was something else entirely. After all, you knew Napoleon well enough that he did not welcome condescension (neither did you, for that matter), and it was best not to bring up comparisons of France with the Roman Republic, as apt as you may think it be. The future is not set in stone, after all.

"'The price of order? Treason!'..." You mockingly shake your fist, albeit in a dry tone. "I can hear the gossip now. We… We may have destroyed the Republic to save it."

You understood that you were used. You knew it. Napoleon knew it. All the conspirators knew it. You were a pawn, albeit an important one that this entire plot relied upon. After all, you think about it now. Brian Auclair, leading a coup? A nobody scholarly boy in the army with no political ties, just waltzing into Paris to depose a supposed tyrant that now walks the streets as a free man? You were in too far over your head. It's all so ridiculous, thinking upon it now. Who would even imagine such a thing would happen? Thérèse could have been involved, at least. You were greatly thankful that she did not.

It would break her heart to see you as the one who brought down the republic, just as it would break yours to have her see you now. It would be better, however, if Napoleon knew your stance on the deed that had been done. "I despise being used." You speak, facing said general amid the lessening chill of the outside, arms crossed over your chest.

Napoleon nods. "Vraiment. Though, I do not see it that way."

He didn't deny it, as expected. It nonetheless bothered you how straight-faced he could be about this.

You take a breath. "I wished to stop all the violence that was consuming this country. We already did so in the Vendée, so why not do it here? That's what I thought at the time." You throw your hands outwards. "I'm still wondering, why? Is this a lust for power? You did everything you could to remove the radical Jacobins, your allies, but then ensure that Maximilien was somehow spared from justice? I have no idea how that man got away like this, but there was no justice in that trial."

Napoleon stands, his grey eyes glimmering in the reflected sunlight for a brief moment. "I did it because I cannot stand the chaos and deaths that were being caused by my so-called allies. Robespierre understood this as well. He could not control them, nor could he prevent the violence. It was as tall an order as it is to ask a hound trainer to prevent rabid wolves from devouring others."

You raise an eyebrow. "The meeting? The itinerary, even the men you brought into our little conspiracy? What about them? So many pieces, and you're saying that..."

"Planned. We have been attempting to check the legislature's power for months now, especially for an honest government that may actually function. The entire plot involved a more secretive circle of members, which I do apologize for not letting you know sooner. It's not how I do things, but these political matters require secrecy, and the discipline to carry that out."

You scowl. "And what? Throw away everything the Republic stood for?"

"No, to save it." Napoleon states. "The Republic has allowed men of prowess and talent to rise to power, rather than only those born into those positions. If such a process were to be taken away, what would we be left with?" He pauses to smile, taking in the air around him. "You would still merely be a surveyor, never rising above a Lieutenant in the army. Maybe even a captain if a general liked you well enough. Your sister would not even be able to serve, as much of an outlier that she is. Think about it. Two generals, capable defenders of France, who have won great victories, prematurely stifled in their careers, because their birth and status do not allow them to rise in l'ancien régime."

You grit your teeth. His point was obvious, but he was trying to stroke your own ego, using your situation to his advantage. "Do not make this about me or her. What we have done, what we will do, will go beyond just today or this month. It will affect generations after us. The army should not have gotten involved in this… this debacle." You say. "The choice is ours to be like Caesar or Washington." You find yourself taking a breath. "We need to make the right decision. We need to step away from this, to step away from all of this. The Republic is to be ruled by the people, not an elite with guns pointed at them. The entire reason the Revolution happene--"

"--Is to replace the old powers." Napoleon interjects, his smile gone. "I don't like being patronizing, but dreams are dreams, and turning away from the governance of old requires more blood than you would imagine. The wolves are at our doors, and if we are to survive, France must be brought together. You and I, we both have known the army for long enough now to know that rule of law will return by our hands. Whether that means interfering is up to the stability of the nation itself. We need to be strong to weather through the times ahead of us and drive back our damnable enemies."

You start breathing heavier, holding in your frustrations at the possibilities for the future of France, ending with a shake of the head.

He sighs, pulling out a letter stamped with the old Committee's stamp torn. "There were orders to go to Italy, which is one decent decision they've made so far."

You raised an eyebrow at the note, anger subsiding for the moment.

"You shall be coming south with me, to Italy, to remove the Austrian threat from Italy, and begin an offensive there." He states. "Let's leave the machinations of governance to the others here for now. Our friends who are more well connected will be able to make the most of this situation and return a sense of normalcy to the capital, at least. Let us let bygones be bygones, yes?" He opens his arms, with a look of slight remorse.

"I'll go gather my items and meet you at the camp." You salute him, which he returns somewhat dejectedly.

You were close to tearing off your uniform and deserting yourself on the spot from your temper.

But, you had committed enough treason this year. Perhaps it was not the best route to make things even worse.

Time to serve again.

<Life of Brian end>

<><><>

Spoiler: Rolls for the trials

Brian's Influence (Law): 68 + 20 (Tjakari) - 4 = 84 (DC)
Rob's Lackeys: 37 (Fail)
Rob: 93 + 50 (SzechuanSauce) = 143 > 84 (Auto success)

We're ending this segment with Brian now, and returning to Thérèse and the world at large in the next updates, so be on a lookout for that! Also yeah, Rob got out cuz he's just that good at dice. I didn't even need to add his Law skill tbh
It's been a busy few months, but hopefully things will get on track. I trust that y'all have been doing okay?
Remember to take your part as a loyal citizen and cover your faces when outside, keep social distancing, and keep distance from social media! (Especially Twitter)

 

[Plausbius]

Mars 22, 1794​

Glorious General Jourdan came riding in with his column a few weeks after the frost started receding, his men prepared and expecting a well fortified position that would suit them. This magnificent column of white and blue were nothing short of a truly marvelous sight for your comparatively meager army. Though as limitless as they seemed when filing in, they were also completely unenthusiastic.

This so-called army was freshly raised, their standard-issue boots recently produced, though weeks of marching and basic routines laid marks of filth and dirt upon them. The uniforms were comparatively immaculate, from a disciplinarian sergeant and junior officers, to their own pride, and potentially, pay, on the line.

They were also, outside the core of regulars that were in the army before the revolution, green, practically scraped off the streets and neighborhoods.

While the main tent barracks site was a little cramped with the arduous task of housing over ninety thousand men, you had all made preparations beforehand. It was thankfully enough that the ancient fortifications could handle the great influx of men in that short period of time. The army itself was quite capable of keeping hygiene at a base level to prevent disease, and follow your orders.

"General." Jourdan says with a smile. "It seems that you've supplied me with such a disciplined force. I am thankful that the men are prepared for our arrival."

"I'm grateful that you have brought the new army here, General." You reply with a salute. "Though I truly wonder why it took so long for you to come. I have been left to my own devices for a long time, making preparations as you see."

Jourdan shakes his head. "Several units of my army were transferred to the Army of the North, and the chaos in the capital had brought me pause. I'll just say that the situation is under control."

Over the past few weeks, you had been getting conflicting reports from Paris, all of them pointing to the same thing: A coup had just occurred. One where your brother was involved.

"No unnecessary casualties, I hope?" You ask.

"No more than necessary. Justice has been brought to those involved through trials, last I heard, so you can be sure that the rule of law is still alive and strong." Jourdan replies, waving through another column of recruits. "Few news about what has transpired afterwards, but I'm sure we will pull through this, especially now that you have all these men to look after you!" He chuckles. "And you'd need to look after them, too. Most of these boys haven't seen real fighting, so it'll be a different kind of challenge, I'm sure."

Thinking back, you don't recall much of any details on the coup, other than that there was a new provisional government taking the reins until further notice. Their objectives and everything else were going to be brought into question as the days wore on, so there wasn't much use in worrying… Still, I can't help but worry.

"My brother, Brian. I heard he was fine, but I just want to check…?"

"He's doing well with that Corsican, Napoleon, still, under very capable command." He takes a look at you, up and down. "I understand your worries. I too, enlisted at a young age, aiding Americans in their revolution and taking a tour of the Caribbean before coming home. The road is fraught with dangers, and you know what I've learned? It's that nature and disease are much more dangerous than the arms of men, and your brother will be safe with the army, I'm sure."

The unorthodox way of looking at war made you feel conflicted as to how to feel, but it did somewhat calm you. You did not want to think about the possible other ways Brian could die, lest you lose your mind to worries.

"That makes sense, General. I can't keep you waiting any longer, as I am sure you are a busy man. We should go to my tent, and plan for our next moves, then you can be on your way." You respond with a smile.

Jourdan nods, and dismounts. "I take it this conversation will be private?" He asks, a hint of hesitation in his voice.

"For what reason?" You ask back, glancing around at your nearby officers. "Do you not trust my men? I can vouch for them."

Jourdan nods slowly. "No, I trusted them with your life after all." He waves his hand nonchalantly. The fact that he said those words made you narrow your eyes. They were good men and true to your cause, but that did not explain this doubt. Perhaps you were looking into it too much. Perhaps he was just eyeing some wine that was awaiting for the both of you in your own tent. Army men tend to have big appetites for alcohol, after all.

Your eyes narrow regardless, however unintentionally.

"But… you seem unconvinced. Well, if you must know, I would rather have as few ears as possible to hear this news, as these orders are for our eyes only." He replies quietly. A flicker out of his coat reveals a letter held in his hand, one that had the seal of the former Committee of Public Safety. You understand that this is something important, and somewhat reluctantly motion him into the tent, waving your men to stand outside.

Unraveling them inside the tent showed that these were final orders from the previous government. Another letter came out of Jourdan's coat, sealed with… yet another government seal quite similar yet different.

You assumed the "new" government, whatever it may be, but that was as good a guess as any.

Jourdan clears his throat as you go over the letters over some whiskey that he produced from his coat. "The orders are to plot an offensive into the German lands, and if possible, to set up a republican government in order to secure our borders. Now, I have drafted up multiple paths across the Rhine..."

Oh wait.

Were they mad?!

"Forgive my interruption, General, but, I'm sure you have my reports on the situation of the river?" You ask, impatience seeping into your voice.

"Yes, there are three Prussian armies across the Rhine, Metz has become a fortress so those Prussians couldn't cross without getting through those forces, and after massive casualties, Mayence is still rebuilding itself… after it was saved, which we have you to thank." He recites as if it was rehearsed on his way here.

"There are many things I've had to keep track of since I heard about this coup, and I've been keeping a track of conditions on the river since we pulled back and the river started not being frozen." You left the part about Brian telling you about his plans beforehand, sadly. "But, something tells me we have a certain situation?" You ask him back.

"Correct." He puts the letter down, hard. "It seems that some mad bastard in Paris decided it would be fruitful to… well, read it for yourself." Up into his mouth went the alcoholic nectar, as he tossed you another letter from his coat.

You open the letter, and almost laugh at the contents. "This is ridiculous!" You exclaim. "An invasion of Egypt? Is it because there's little British presence there?"

Another swig of inebriating liquid goes down the man's throat before he passes it to you. "Actually, it is a stepping stone, a stopping point, so to speak… They want us to go to India, to attack British possessions there."


That made your eyes bulge. "They have gone mad, haven't they? Maybe this got mixed up in some other orders in all the confusion in the capital. Do they not understand the hell that trying to get over a hundred thousand men across the Mediterranean is a foolish idea? After that, we'd need to get onto hostile soil, march a few hundred miles to the other tip of the Suez, commandeer ships and then evade the Royal Navy from the Red Sea all the way to what meager possessions we have in India to begin an offensive there?" You take the offering of alcoholic release, hoping that Jourdan breaks out in laughter at his humorous prank.

Jourdan smiles, but does not laugh. "Now you see the madness of our government's demands. Leave the Rhine for India, and leave Paris wide open for assault, or begin an ill advised offensive campaign into enemy territory against some of France's greatest rivals and their greatest generals."

"Forgive me for asking, but are we fucked, sir?" You ask. "Have they just left us out to dry to do the impossible?"

Jourdan empties the rest of the flask. "It's probable, General. All that's left is where you decide to go. You and your advisors should know best for your men. The fact that orders are to our army means that we have free reign, but I'll need to see to the coordination otherwise, with whatever potential plans you may come up with. Then, we'll come up with who gets what and how we go about this."

"You're asking me, sir?" You balk at his response. "I don't have an answer to all this at the moment, but I would be concerned about the status of the men…"

"I'd rather have a good second opinion. I've also mentioned your capable officers who have undoubtedly helped you immensely. The men are under capable hands such as yours, but yes, it is a strenuous proposition. The plans are not for immediate deployment, as we will have time to prepare. Other military resources will be available, but we'll need a solid strategy going forward. You are not required to make the decision right now, but do have an answer within the fortnight. Good day, General." He tucks his flask away and steps out into the somewhat chilly air outside.

Ah, merde.

<>

Welcome to a new season! It's spring, the season of change, and with change comes new challenges. Firstly, there will be a big choice of strategy-level decisions involving Thérèse's role in the next segment. The update after this will be the big one with the army-level decisions. I'll see how this type of voting works out, and hope it can give more structure to the quest!

Where will Thérèse go?
[] The Rhine. We still need to train these men into a capable army and give those Austrians a taste of what's coming. There's still unfinished business, as it were.
[] Egypt. It will be a rough ride, but a new adventure into foreign lands. Of course, there'll be time to train beforehand, and there will be joint efforts with various other military units.

What will the focus of training be on?
[] Boot camp (more infantry)
[] Horsemanship (more cavalry)
[] Calibrations (more artillery)

New units! (Pending training before integration) (Also unmotivated, low morale)
+95,000 infantry (recruits) *
+5000 infantry (regulars) **

12 hour moratorium! Plan voting!

<><><>

It's new update time of spring :3 Now, this will be an interesting bit of choices, as there's a possibility of an invasion into the far eastern areas (credits to @Magoose) of the British empire to disrupt their claims there and take focus off the mainland. Obviously, whichever one you choose, the other will be taken care of by Jourdan and his friends. Also yes, I have changed the numbering of the recent Life of Brian updates so that it's under 6.2. We're now around the beginning of Quarter 7 (Q2 of 1794), by my calculations.
It's also National Novel Writing Month, so if you're into that and want to get involved with other users, go check out Open_Sketch's writing thread here!
Hope everyone is doing well in these times, and staying well!

 

[Magoose]

May 15th, 1794​

You wanted one thing… a well-driven, and well-drilled army.

The army brought to you… was not that.

They were irregular forces, militia that was called up after Vendee quilted down from the utter chaos that was… as you had heard it called, The Royal Uprising.

Of course, many of the men who fought on the royalist's side were now back in military uniform, with other armies, separated from individuals, officers who took part in the uprising, or were serving as mercenaries, as there were some men who were forbidden from fighting in the French army… but still wished to fight for France.

Nationalists… more like mercenaries the whole lot of them… the most dangerous kind of soldier. They frightened you, fighting for a country with the fanaticism of a Zealot, and the compassion of nothing. They fought for only country… and cared not for what stood in their way. And with no control over them… they would ransack any and all places that were in front of them, with little regard for casualties.

You took a deep breath, and looked to the officers that were in your coups… along with the two former royal children who had taken to following you around, learning everything they could from you, and from the books you brought into the camp.

"Gentlemen… while Jourdan has brought us manpower… it needs to be whipped into shape." You stated as you took a deep breath. "And that means we will need to create entire regiments dedicated solely to training these men."

Murat raised his hand. You shot it down with a glare. "No, we do not have the resources, time, and equipment to outfit even a fourth of these men as dragoons. Or Lancers… or any other unit of calvary… that will not simply be possible."

That made the cavalry officer… seem deflated. The lack of calvary in your army was something that he made a point of complaining about every staff meeting you had with the gentleman. It was quite annoying, but you were well aware three thousand cavalrymen were not enough for an army this size, or for a campaign of this great magnitude.

A campaign across the Rhine would be nearly impossible without such a versatile cavalry corps.

"And I don't think there are enough canons in the entire nation to supply that kind of training either." De Lisle stated as he poured over the logistics of the supply situation of the surrounding area. "We only have fifteen batteries that we can spare for training purposes and crews. So that means our ability to train artillery crews will be limited as well. And the Army's funds are not able to keep up with the demand for such weapons, not with demand from other theaters of war… and Jourdan's mission will take president before our own."

That made you shake your head. "So we're going to be forced to fight with an infantry army?"

Sevrin nodded. "Yes… And that will be a very tough thing to do… Considering that will require quite a few sargents."

You nodded. "Gentlemen, we do not have time to waste for such dallying… This army needs to be ready." You gazed at the men. "This rabble needs to become an army… you have your orders… get it done."

The men saluted and left you alone.

When did things get so difficult?

Oh wait… it was when the revolution happened… Nevermind…

Good thing that it is so difficult… things are very rewarding when difficulty was applied. Then again, things are far more likely to fail…

But that was beyond the point. This army needed to be whipped into shape.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As it turned out, Sevrin was the man who got things done. Not because the lack of trying on the other members of your staff… but he was the best man for the job.

As it turned out, with De Liste trying to prevent the army from starving, Marat tried his best to train what little cavalrymen he could possibly train with the limited resources you could muster for such a feat… and Chames was busy making sure Jourdan didn't get in the way of everything.

And of course, get you all killed by… well you trusted Jourdan… about as much as you trusted Saint-Just, though that was because you had tied your life to his... in a way.

And what little cannons you were able to spare… well Chames was quite happy with the results.

Well at least… he's quite angry at one particular group of soldiers who got drunk and tried to use the canon as a toilet.

He made the flogging, long and painful, and while you did not enjoy the use of that sort of punishment to maintain good order and discipline… it had to be done.

But it truly was Sevrin who turned this rabble into an army.

You didn't know exactly what he did… mostly because you were busy trying to not lose everything in a mountain of paperwork that was now flooding your tent because Jourdan wished to focus more on his plans to invade Egypt…

Why he left you with all the paperwork, you did not know.

But Sevrin did it.

And by god, it was glorious.

In less than three months, he turned militia into regulars. And these men would follow you to the depths of hell.

Reward: 72 thousand of the 10000 thousand men in the army are now regular infantry.

2000 men are now regular artillery, +25 guns.

Another 1000 men become regular dragoons

Sevrin gains +2 to infantry skill.

Sevrin Gains the Trait: Drillmaster: This man was given an impossible task, train the army from the ground up and make them into a fighting force. He did just that. (All Training Rolls with this man in the Army are increased by 10. For infantry, it is +20. Infantry Morale will now begin at 100, regardless of the situation and terrain.)

Morale is set to 93 for all units in the army in camp, and will not go down for two turns
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Louis for his part was doing rather well. With the Army now nominally under Jourdan's command, and the man himself taking over many of the duties that were once your own problems… besides paperwork of course…

You were able to do many of the things that were lacking… and that was, education for both the young former royals.

Louis was far more receptive to the idea of learning from you, both in the ways of combat and of command and oratory… something you didn't expect to occur, however, was that you were very good at teaching it to the young lad.

From swordsmanship to dressing properly as a soldier, and even blossoming his newfound love for the classics… he seemed destined for a bright life, both as a scholar and a warrior… At least in your own mind. He was still a young boy, however…

And his wish to become a far greater warrior and strategist filled you with worry.

He was still angry, not just at the nation who betrayed his family, but at… the perceived burden that the war has taken a toll on him. He was a child that wished for nothing more than his family back…

He may not hate the republic… or the directory that was now giving you orders.

But he hated the world that was slowly taking away everything that he loved.

Charlotte was far more… well less. She was more focused on helping you, than expanding her own horizons in the study and education… acting more as your secretary and assistant than as your… ward and friend.

She was making herself useful yes… something you had wished she had not taken to so… greatly.

But she was a far more capable secretary than the men who came before… and you wished for a moment you could do more than just make her comfortable in the camp, and stop the men who saw her as the princess to run off with them.

It filled your heart with joy at least. That she was very capable of such work.

Reward: Louis gains a +2 to the following stats: Swordsmanship/combat, education, decorum, and intelligence.

Charlotte gains +1 to the following stats: Education and Administration.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Army Actions: Choose 4
NOTE: Recruiting may deplete manpower from the nearby areas, since you're recruiting children of the Republic.

[] Training (Infantry): You will need to turn this poor excuse of a unit into a fighting force. Costs 1 wealth. DC:20

[] Training (Calvary): You will need to turn this poor excuse of a unit into a fighting force. Costs 1 wealth. DC:5

[] Training (Artillery): You will need to turn this poor excuse of a unit into a fighting force. Costs 1 wealth. DC:30

[] Expand the Fortification (Metz): You need this fortress to be unassailable. (Fortify the current encampment, gain defense bonus against assaults) Costs 10 wealth. DC: 10

[] Request Supplies (Equipment): You are in dire need of equipment. (Gain Supply Surplus) Costs 3 Wealth. DC: 10

[] Recruit (Infantry): Recruit 1000 Infantry (Regulars) from the countryside. More capable men are always needed. Costs 6 Wealth. DC: 10

[] Recruit (Calvary): Recruit 1000 Cavalry (Regulars). You need more mobile forces to flank and strike quickly. Costs 8 Wealth. DC: 35

[] Recruit (Artillerymen): Recruit 1000 Artillerymen (Regulars), and commission the corresponding cannons. Costs 10 Wealth. DC: 50

[]Blackmarket Canon: There are rumors that the Blackmarket in a certain bordering nation that shall not be named, offers surplus canon for a reasonable price... you don't like circumventing the armies supply chain... but you need canon. Cost 6 Wealth DC: 40

[]Protest the Invasion of Egypt (Officially): You should know that the French Navy is not capable of striking out against the royal navy. You will protest this invasion, hopefully, someone in the Directorate sees sense. Cost 1 Wealth DC: ??? Note: While doing this, you may get reprimanded, and even reassigned.

Personal Actions: (Choose 4)
[]A Peace Offering: There is a diplomat from Prussia coming towards you, wishing for safe passage for Paris... He's talking about an armistice to the war. You have heard nothing of the sort? DC: ???

[] Care for The Children: The children while much more relaxed than they were before the new year are still children. DC: 5

[] A Small Gamble: God doesn't play dice, but you could. You're smart, so making money this way shouldn't be hard... right? (Gamble 1 wealth to potential to gain up to 5 wealth. If you fail, potentially lose 4) DC ???

[]Returning Family: Elisibeth Capet has been tried and has been found not guilty for whatever crimes the old republic tried her for. She's now free to return to the only estate recognized as the Capets owning, a small vineyard in Southern Aquitaine, the only place that was no officially confiscated from the family after Louis Capet Died. DC: ???

[]A Novel idea: You want to take up writing... perhaps its a good thing for you to do. DC:20

[] Correspond with Napoleon: Napoleon Bonaparte sent you a letter... this time with a letter of... far more tasteful discussion for a time of war. He's asking about certain Mountian maps he can use to navigate the Alps and to flank the Fleeing Austrian forces before they can regroup. DC: 5

[] Correspond with Brian: You hope he is alright, but you realized that you can't keep throwing worried letters to him... but you are his sister, so he'll understand. DC: 10

[]Speak with Jourdan: You want to speak to your commanding officer, to see what he really thinks of you. DC: 20

[]The Staff Question: You need to speak to your staff about commanding a force this large... you are going to need to promote one of them, for a temporary position as your chief of Staff. DC: 5

[]Propoganda for Dummies: You are going to churn out your own stories, and propoganda, making you look as the hero that France needs in her time of need... Hopefully without making you look stupid. DC 65

[] Petition for a Promotion: You wish to be a full division commander, able to command and prepare other Generals in your army and potentially expand your responsibilities. Surely, word of your arrival has swept the higher-ups, and they'd be glad to provide? DC: 60

[]Protest the Invasion of Egypt (Unofficially): You should know that the French Navy is not capable of striking out against the royal navy. You will protest this invasion, hopefully, someone in the Directorate sees sense. Though you will do so privately, to not gain any unnecessary attention. Cost 1 Wealth DC: ???

[] Study & Read: There are books to read and things to learn. DC: Depends on chosen stat level
-[] Write-in Stat to increase

[] Study & Practice: Practice makes perfect. DC: Depends on chosen skill level
-[] Write-in Skill to increase

[] Swordswomanship: You are not a great swordswoman; you are only decent and lucky. That needs to change. (+1 to 2 to combat, another possible new weapon?) DC: 40


AN: Alrighty Everyone, here is the lowdown on the Delay and the information going down, both on the Quest, and from US QM's.


@Plausitivity is stepping away from the project right now and is wishing to take a nice long break on the entire project for Health and personal reasons. Something I fully support and wish him well, and hope that, in the coming months, he may return, renewed and revitalized as the head of the project.

All Updates, Question answering, and Writing, Research and Planning duties have fallen onto me, and @Cyberphilosipher.

We will continue to update intermittently, probably at a slightly slower rate, but we will try to get long, very well-done updates at least once a month.

However, We have already become well aware, that the quality may dip just a little bit, as Plaus' French was invaluable inadding to the authenticity of the entire source.

We wish @Plausitivity the best... and for Therese to have victory.

 

[Magoose]

1794 Quarter 2 Rumor Mill

Napoleon: d100 = 72+25=97

Napoleon Bonaparte is perhaps… a genius, perhaps even more so... His first strike against the Austrian army has created a hole in the great defenses of the Austrian Hold in Italy.

A hole that his entire force is exploiting.

Marching with canon, horses and infantry, he marches to italy… to conquer it all.

Reward: Napoleon has utterly smashed the Austrian forces coming from the south, and has quite literally, opened the door to Italy for a Lightning Attack.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brian: d100 = 91

Brian Auclair is many things. A Soldier, an officer, a surveyor… an idealist who believed in something that not even most of his fellow countrymen believe in… The right to determination, in a free and independent society… Some would even call him a radical.

To many of the world, he is nothing special. He is nothing special to the world…

Yet now, he stands as a beacon of hope to both his fellow countrymen, and the ideals he has sworn to protect. While he is well aware of his failings, even to the point where many of his ideas would drastically change how France is, and how it operates… he still believes in the dream.

For all the politics that he has partaken in… for all the pragmatism he was forced to adopt to keep himself alive and in the good graces of his friends and allies…

No one questioned his ideals. No one questioned his courage…

And no one, even for all of his mistakes… would even question his convictions and love for his country.

But now in Italy, he faces an innumerable fact… One that he now remembers...

That his career, and his life are now bound to one man. One man he has grown first to love… than distrust… hate… and than somewhere in between.

Napoleon Bonaparte.

But Napoleon does not care about things as petty as politics on the battlefield... he cares only about victory.

And he believes Brian Auclair is better served as someone close to him, rather than being pushed away, to be relegated to a lower officer... For he is lacking in Compatent officers... men he can trust.

So he did something that most men in his position would never do.

He has made Brian Auclair, a Republican Zealot in some (more Radical) eyes... his chief of staff.

Reward: Brian's stats have been updated.

Brian is now Napoleon's Chief of Staff, wielding incredible influence in Napoleon's campaigns and future policies in the Region.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disaster Roll:d100 = 90 (This is a very good thing. France, for the first time in a few years... is a bit on the stable side. It only cost the first republic.)

With the Chaos in the Vendee, and the Capitol silent, the Directorate is able to commit to several new projects. With funds from the Army of the North being rebuilt, they can make use of rebuilding the Medditerannian Fleet, and establishing a new republic in the Netherlands…

And while the Directorate's power is near limitless… the convention that had been disbanded has been reformed, keeping a promise to one Brian Auclair, and his supporters, to prevent another civil war.. And while not nearly the power that he once had mere months ago, Maximilian Robespierre is a figure of renown… if he were not ridiculed by his fellows for… failure in preserving the republic in the Conventions forum.

But Robespierre is not clamoring for the immediate return to the republic… as would be expected of him.

No… he is quite quiet. Letting others work while he quietly gives his opinion on the matters. He makes his opinions known, and his distrust of the new government plain as day... but nothing more.

Commissioner Saint-Just has been recalled to Paris, to be reassigned.

Many fear he may be executed by the new government. He however is not afraid.

Reward: France is stable, for the first time in years. And there are some who wish for nothing more than peace.

Robespierre is quietly acting as the elder statesman to the convention, trying his best to preserve what little power they still have, to try and reform the REpublic again.

Saint-Just is being reassigned… to his death or to another army, no one knows.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Army of the North:d100 = 70 (Hey we might even get reinforcements from Kellerman and Dumouriez)

The Army of the North have secured their objectives in the Netherlands.

There is no resistance, save for a few scattered pockets in the cities, who know the war is over for them.

Reward: The Army of the North, once it is fully fortified in its positions… will be able to send a very large detachment to assist on other fronts.

New Action Available, as well as a few New Officers, can join your Staff and Army if you make requests.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Army of Italy:d100 = 74

The Army of Italy has in its objectives, secured victory.

Reward: THe Army of Italy continues forward into Italy.

The Actions of Napoleon has Granted the Army Supreme confidence. +5 to their rolls next turn

----------------------------------------
Prussia:d100 = 19

And with mounting pressures from the French Army on the Rhine and on their western Borders from The Netherlands… They are considering an armistice.

Fearing that there is an attack imminent on their borders, they prepare.

Reward: There is no movement... except the shuffling of the Prussian Diplomats sending anything to Paris.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Austria:d100 = 8

The Austrian Army in The Netherlands and in Italy have collapsed. Their entire fronts disintegrated without a grand defiant stand to stop the French.

The stories of the unstoppable forces in the North, scattering the dozens of divisions into the Italian countryside…

Some may choose to fight back… others may just run back to Austria.

But their defense in Italy is close to being destroyed.

Reward: The Austrian army in the Netherlands and Italy have partially collapsed, leaving many militia and Local Garrisons to fend for themselves.
--------------------------------------------------------
GB:d100 = 57

There is rumors that the British government is going to request an armistice to stop the war with France, to build its forces, and to... prevent the French from making more moves abroad.

But they are just rumors.

Reward: Peace at Last?
-------------------------------------------------------

Russia:d100 = 11

Catherine the Great arose to work one moring, saying she had rested better then she had in a long time.

Three hours after... she died.

Tsarina Falls...

Long like the Tsar.

Reward: Long Live Paul the First, Tsar of Russia...

Will chaos Grip Russia?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Haiti: d100 = 71

The Little colony that could... has been offered a seat at the convention, to sit as a representative of Haiti's interests. Despite the fact that they would not exactly make a dent in-country politics.

But the Haitians are quite thankful for the gesture of trust and faith.

Reward: Political representation for the win.
---------------------------------------------------------
America:d100 = 47

There has been violence in Georgia. Former slaves who had bought their freedom were arrested by men in the night, and then claimed to be slaves.

Riots from abolitionists in Georgia have rocked the state to its core.

And the institution of slavery, for the first time since its inception in the new colonys with Jamestown... has been called into question, both at the state and federal level.

And all it will lead to is a disunited states.

Reward: The Civil War may be coming early... but the matter has been brought to congress.

Will Slavery Destroy the American Experiment?

AN: Enjoy.

Also the reason the rolls are not blue and highlighting to the thing... I really just have a problem with that. Sorry.

 

[Magoose]

7.4 Life Will Change; La Vie Volonté évolution

Spoiler: Rolls Results.

-[X] Training (Infantry): You will need to turn this poor excuse of a unit into a fighting force. Costs 1 wealth. DC:20
Rolled: 74+20 (Sevrin's Drillmaster)=94 (Success!)

-[X] Training (Calvary): You will need to turn this poor excuse of a unit into a fighting force. Costs 1 wealth. DC:5
Rolled: 97+(Exploding Dice)+82=179 (Critical Success)

-[X] Training (Artillery): You will need to turn this poor excuse of a unit into a fighting force. Costs 1 wealth. DC:30
Rolled:15 (Failure)

-[X] Blackmarket Canon: There are rumors that the Blackmarket in a certain bordering nation that shall not be named, offers surplus canon for a reasonable price... you don't like circumventing the armies supply chain... but you need canon. Cost 6 Wealth DC: 40
Rolled: 55 (Success)

-[X] The Staff Question: You need to speak to your staff about commanding a force this large... you are going to need to promote one of them, for a temporary position as your chief of Staff. DC: 5

Rolled: 81 (Success)

-[X] Care for The Children: The children, while much more relaxed than they were before the new year, are still children. DC: 5
Rolled: 37 (Success)

[X]A Peace Offering: There is a diplomat from Prussia coming towards you, wishing for safe passage for Paris... He's talking about an armistice to the war. You have heard nothing of the sort? DC: ???

Rolled:58 (Bare Success)

-[X]Protest the Invasion of Egypt (Unofficially): You should know that the French Navy is not capable of striking out against the royal navy. You will protest this invasion, hopefully, someone in the Directorate sees sense. Though you will do so privately, to not gain any unnecessary attention. Cost 1 Wealth DC: ???

Rolled:46 (Failure)

Army Reaction Roll:98+87=185

(Ultra Critical Success!)


Wealth Cost: 10 Wealth. (6 Personal Wealth), (4 Army Wealth)

June, 1st, 1794​

Severin was quiet as you looked up from the paperwork. "Severin, what brings you to my tent?" The yawn you let out was unbecoming, but he didn't seem to mind.

You were exhausted from the work and it was starting to become a noticeable trend that you were falling asleep on your desk, and Charlotte was carrying you back to your bed to sleep. His empathy for you was comforting.

"I was just going to give my report on the training of the recruits and of our own men." He stated, sitting across the table, and pouring a cup of wine, the bottle opened and uncorked. His glance to you was evident that he wanted you to have it "Jourdan seems to be very eager to send every piece of paperwork to your desk?"

"Indeed he is." You sighed as you took the cup from his hands and drank it. "I find it reassuring that he has so much faith in me."

Severin gave a small chuckle. "With respect Generale, you are wasting your abilities being his over-glorified secretary. You are an officer in the Army, whom he decided to foist all paperwork onto you."

"If I must be a Secretary for him, I will do as he orders." You replied as you finished, putting your signature onto the page. "My thoughts on the matter are secondary."

Severin stood. "General Auclair, I've seen you lead men into battle, and plan great victories."

"With Advantageous positions that allowed us to exploit the enemy… and I am not invincible Severin, I have wounds to show for it." You replied. The pain was no longer there on your side anymore, but sometimes in the middle of the night, you felt tingling there.

The Captain nodded."Yes, but that should not detract from your personal leadership abilities."

Was he praising you for a reason? Or was he hiding something? There was nothing obvious you could see in his eyes to discern what he wanted to lie to you.

You raised an eyebrow. "Your report captain?"

Severin stood at attention. "The recruits have been fully trained and our units have passed many of my drills with flying colors. The Rifles that are in units are capable of hitting targets at 100 yards."

"Anything else?" You asked.

Severin nodded. "No Mademoiselle." He replied with a salute.

"Then you are dismissed." You replied.

Severin turned around and left.

You then looked back to the paperwork and slammed your head onto the desk. How did Chamans do it without wanting to shoot himself?

You poured another cup of wine. This was going to be a long day.

Reward: 6,000 Infantry are now Veterans. 2000 riflemen are now Veterans.

20,000 untrained soldiers in your army are now Regulars.

The entire 100,000 man force Jourdan brought are now Regulars.
----------------------------------------

June 13th, 1794​

Murat got his wish for a greater cavalry focus, with funds brought forth from the Army's coffers to make things better, to recruit men, buy horses and other equipment.

You just didn't expect…Whatever the hell he did.

Murat excelled at his training. After all, you expected nothing at all from the Man, other than how supremely talented at commanding Calvary.

As it turns out, he excelled at everything involving the cavalry. In Training, finding the perfect horses and stables to maintain the population in war time, and making sure the horses would not be frightened by gunfire and explosions.

All it cost was Chamans losing out on his cannons.

But the rewards were fantastic.

Murat claimed he had the finest unit of cavalry ever assembled in the French Army.

You believed him.

Reward: The Great Joachim Murat has created a unit of fantastic cavalry, the backbone of any future cavalry units in the Army of the Rhine..

+2000 Lancers (Old Guard)
+1000 Dragoons (Old Guard)
+3000 Lancers (Veterans)
+1000 Dragoon (Veterans)

Murat Gains Trait: The Finest Horseman of France: There are stories of the Great Knights of France who battled her enemies for centuries, atop the noblest of steed, with hearts of steel. You join the stories, as one of the greatest Cavalrymen of France. (+15 to all Calvary Rolls in combat.)

---------------------------------------------------------------

Juliet 1st, 1794​

The Noblemen smelled of perfume and powder. That was not a smell you particularly liked. Too much powder made you sneeze and the perfume just felt off-putting. Disarming even.

"Mademoiselle Générale, I am honored to be in the presence of one of Europe's foremost canonniers." He said with a smile that was unnerving. His teeth were white, too white like they were painted over, his breath reeking of booze.

The Gentleman had been escorted into the camp by the scouts, with his men staying close behind, with wagons of cargo, wishing to meet you. Beside you was Chamans, who was quietly examining the man with a steely gaze and a reddened face. He had just finished screaming at artillerymen failing during their training and wished to discuss their failures.

"I am going to be very honest sir, you have me at a disadvantage." You responded, looking board, but taking in every word, every action, every movement.

He was noticing it as well. "You have nothing to fear from me, Générale Auclair. I merely, though my agents have reported you are looking for a supply of cannon to supply you latest offensive."

Your eyes narrowed and Chamans nearly drew his pistol, only stopping when you raised a hand. "And where have you heard about such rumors that we are planning an offensive?"

"Do not play coy with me Générale, it's unbecoming of you to try and lie when you clearly have no skill in it." The man stated.

Chamans growled. "And who are you to go claiming such things?"

The man smiled. "A man who wishes for the war to continue a little while longer, for my employer's benefit."

That made your blood feel like ice. "And who do you work for?"

"No one in particular Mademoiselle, I am just an intermediary, someone who is by all accounts, disposable for them. I know not of their operations, or even their reasons for continuing such madness. But they pay me, and I am bound to serve them while the gold flows." The man stated.

"And you have no qualms helping me in my preparations?" you asked.

"I have no qualms in helping anyone who provides me with the gold for my wares." The man stated. "Good French canon is hard to come by, especially since many armories from the Vendee were ransacked by royalists. Finding their way into Switzerland was truly unlikely… but inevitable."

You felt your fingers moving in circles. "And you are returning stolen property?"

"For a fee of course." The man stated.

"And if I just arrest you, and try you for arms smuggling?" You questioned.

"You will find me walking free from the trial, a few days later, shaking the hands of the judges, lawyers, and prominent members of high society." The man replied. "I am very well prepared for such eventualities. And you would gain enemies far more powerful than just those you fight on the battlefield. Those that cannot be killed with guns and bullets."

The man stood. "I have 26 cannons for sale currently for your army, and another 500 as well for other units in the French Army. The remainder to be returned to other units within the army, and for the new units here, for 200,000 Franks. Gold is preferable, but we can work with silver."

"You're robbing us." You stated.

"Well, I did say French cannon was hard to come by my dear, and I'm very sure you would not wish to see your guns pointed at you… unless I should go back to Prussia?"

Chamans traded a look with you, and you gave a small nod. He nodded back. "Done."

You smiled. "And who do I have the pleasure of making such an arrangement with?" You asked.

The man smiled. "They call me 'The Merchant of Death' Générale. But that is just a title I like to tell people. They just call me Frank."
----------------------------------------

Chamans was quiet as you both mulled over what the hell just happened.

"I fear we have caught the attention of very powerful people." He stated.

You nodded and drank. "I believe you. But I can't shake the feeling we are in a web we cannot see."

"I don't know Générale. But what I do know is that we cannot ignore such men, especially if we are in the field, forgotten and without support." He drank. "I'll double the watch, and ask around. Find out if this man has agents in the city."

"Good… and tell no one about this. I would rather keep this between us." You ordered.

Reward: Gain 26 Cannon. You have met a mysterious Swiss Arms dealer named 'Frank'

You suspect something sinister is brewing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Juliet 4th, 1794,​

The next nobleman was far more open in his intentions. And instead of Chamans, you were joined by Générale Jourdan, and Charlotte, who acted as, your bait to get what you needed. After all, a Princess would be listened to, even one without a throne. "His Emissary, Karl August von Hardenberg, of the Kingdom of Prussia." A Herald spoke. The coat of arms was well… not like others you had seen, but one you think you recognized from… Valmy maybe? A regiment he must have served in, or was from?

Or maybe it was something else entirely and you were misremembering details again.

You and Jourdan looked to Charlotte, who was trying to hide from the man's gaze. "Is this some sort of joke?"

"What do you mean, Ambassadeur?" Jourdan asked, folding his arms, as he sat on the top of his desk. "I assume peace between our nations is no joking matter."

"Yet you parade around the Princesse like she is just some common secretary!" He stated as he stood.

Charlotte stood behind you. You narrowed your eyes. "Ambassador, the Princess is my ward, one who has never been ill-treated due to her status. Though she clearly has no desire to return to such titles."

You could feel her squeeze your hand, trying to remain calm. You allowed yourself to squeeze it back for a single moment, before letting go and placing a hand on your sword. "Charlotte Capet is a citoyenne of the French Republic, and while she may have once been a princess, under the eyes of the French Republic, those titles are void, with the monarchy being disbanded."

And her father was executed. And her family imprisoned, and her brother and herself suffering abuse from horrid people that would have rather killed them than to treat them with any decency.

It was only luck and lack of evidence that her Aunt was not executed as well, and allowed to the Carpet Chateau in Aquitaine. The only property that still held their name that the Convention hadn't stripped away from the Former Royal Family.

"This is not about the Princess, her brother, or the circumstances surrounding their treatment here. This is about bringing peace between our warring nations." Jourdan stated, taking control of the conversation. "We will assist you to Versailles, and you will be protected by my men while the peace treaty is created."

The Ambassador gave a nod. "Thank you Générale."

"Avec conditions." Générale Jourdan stated, stopping the ambassador in his tracks. The guards were blocked by your men. "I cannot make promises from my government Ambassador, not without assurances that Prussian soldiers will not cross the Rhine. I want them off the Rhine, back into the Prussian heartlands."

"What you are asking is beyond what I am capable of doing Générale." The Ambassador stated. "I do not control the Prussian Army."

"Then maybe you can explain that to your king when French Soldiers cross the Rhine and March to Brandenburg," Charlotte stated. "So send a rider, and send him quickly, before we decide that sitting and waiting would not achieve our objectives."

You could feel the temperature drop, as the Ambassador looked to one of his men. "I will need an afternoon."

"Get it done." Charlotte ordered.

And without another word, the man gave a small bow to Charlotte and left, back to his group, and the small escort that would take them to the old palace.

Reward: You have met Karl August von Hardenberg, leader of the Peace emissary to France.

His intentions, however, seem more locked on the former princess and her brother, than true peace with France.

But he is quickly reminded of the situation and is moving to Paris with haste.
--------------------------------------------------

Charlotte was standing at the edge of the camp, watching Louis batter away at a training dummy.

"Is something wrong?" You asked as you stood next to her.

For a moment, Charlotte was quiet, watching her brother. "Do you think that we will be allowed to live, without your protection?" She asked.

You raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"

"Men are willing to die for us… kill for us because we are descended from the King's of old, the Ancien Régime." She watched the continued fighting, the breaking of wood and steel. THe Sergeant who was training Louis was impressed that he held a modicum of talent, and when not praising the boy, was working him even harder. "Our very lives are reminders of the days of absolute power in the hands of a single man. People do not want to give up what they knew for something new, and untested. They believe it is best to stick to the old ways."

"And what do you think?" You asked.

The question caught her off guard. "What do I think?" she repeated the question.

"Yes," you stated. "You are entitled to opinions, just as much as I am."

She looked away. "Men are afraid of change. We all are… we retreat into the things we know because we cannot fathom that the new thing might be better." There were words on her lips, but nothing came.

"And?" You pressured quietly.

"That this great experiment would be proven wrong. That man cannot be idealistic enough to trust another to allow such a thing to exist. That man can be good enough to see the value in another person and place faith in them, rather than a king who rules them all." She looked away.

"I believe this experiment can succeed." You replied.

"Why?" She asked, clearly surprised by your statement.

"Because we fear it can fail. And that fear drives up to be better."

You walked away and felt the need to instruct Louis on the finer points of your limited swordsmanship.

Reward: Charlotte's relation increases by 1. She now views you as a Confidant.

Her Republican views increase by 3. Her monarchist sentiment has decreased by 2.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Juliet 12th, 1794​

Générale Jourdan was furious as he sat you down in his tent. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?

You raised an eyebrow. "No not particularly." You responded, facing a glare from your superior. "I'm just trying to prevent other men from getting killed from idiocy."

"You sent High command a letter, expressing your displeasure with the plans for our offensive in Egypt under a Pseudonym." He stated. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?"

"I realized that, and saw that blindly going to what amounts to a side theater that will only make us more enemies than allies." You replied. "The real danger is why our government still continues to plan and support such a mad venture?"

Jourdan shook his head. "Because our government, for better or for worse, seeks a new avenue of wealth, and that requires an Egyptian ally, a port in the Red sea, and the ability to get to India, unmolested by the Royal Navy. India is that avenue."

You snorted. "With respect sir. India is a fractured land, that we cannot possibly control, even with a hundred thousand men, whose profit is nothing that will justify the starting cost."

You were not an economist, but you were a soldier. The very ability to control India was… expensive in manpower and silver. It was not worth that cost.

Nothing that sending thousands of men across the Mediterranean was.

"Well, our government and High command do not see it this way," he stated, as he removed a letter. "For you, Générale. I hope we meet again someday."

Meet Again?

You looked at the letter, the seal of the Directorate was crisp and unbroken. And you opened it gently, fearful it was your dismissal.

It turned out to be far worse.

To Générale de Division Thérèse Auclair,





High Command has caught wind of your protests into the campaign to Egypt. We have recognized many of the arguments that you have made. But we cannot stop our movements that are already underway.





Your detachment of the Army of the Rhine, along with 40,000 troops will be transferred to Toulon, and you will be given an independent command, to secure our interests in Egypt and if you are successful, continued interests in India.





Additional Officers will be transferred to your army at our discretion before you leave for Egypt, but we leave the organization of your staff entirely under your control.





Do not fail us Générale, we are counting on you to succeed.





The Office of the Directorate, François-Antoine, Paris​

Oh.


This was worse. Far worse.

Reward: You have been promoted to Générale de Division. You have been given independent command of the Army of Egypt.

You will have new officers under your command, who will join your staff.

You may now promote men to General in the Army of Egypt without High Commands Approval. Once the Campaign begins.

It seems someone in Government wants you as far as possible from France.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You have a group of Talented subordinates, men who have proven, on the battlefield and off of it, that they are competent, quick thinking, and brilliant at their jobs.

You wish you could make all of them Chief of Staff. But you needed to choose one.

Who will be your chief of staff:

[]Captain Denis Martin Severin: Your most trusted infantry officer, a man who on more than one occasion has risked life and limb to ensure the men would keep fighting when the odds seemed stacked against them. His continued brilliance in whipping the army into shape is nothing but astounding. But he is well aware he is lacking in the other finer points of Army command. He possessed none of the genius of diplomacy of Chamans or the logistician that De Liste was. But he is reliable, he was strong, and you need that. (Will automatically promote Severin to Colonel.)

[]Captain Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle: When you looked for a man to keep the Army fed, the weapons working, and a place to sleep, you turned to de Lisle. He was a master Engineer, a man who could make a loaf of bread last a week among twenty men with his expert rationing. He is not a man who will question your orders and provide a second opinion, something you desperately need. It is quite a shame that he is also a composer in his spare time, with a horrific singing voice. (Will automatically promote de Lisle to Colonel.)

[]Colonel Antoine Marie Chamans: The Man had been arguably your second in command throughout your first battles. An expert administrator, a competent officer in all fields of fighting, though his strength lied in artillery, and a man who more often than not, quelled the more brash heads of de Lisle and Severin when they both proposed plans that would not accurately and effectively use what you had. He is also a man you know can keep secrets, and that was worth almost as much as cannon on a hill.

[]Colonel Joachim-Napoléon Murat: The latest officer to join you, and he is without question, the most talented cavalryman in France. But while his other command skills are nothing to sneeze at, you are looking for an administrator who can assist you in running an army. And he's not the best man for the job.


What do you do with the Children?:

[]Leave them with their Aunt: They deserve to be with their family after losing so much of it. (You will send them to Chateau Capet, in Aquitaine, and reunite them with their aunt.)

[]Send them to Brian: You think Brian is fully capable of raising children. He raised you well enough after all. (You will send them to Italy, to be cared for by Brian.)

[]Take Them With You: You will not allow them to be pawns within France. It would be safer to take them with you and keep them under your watch. (You will take them with you to Egypt.)

[]Allow them to Live by Themselves: You have enough money to purchase a small apartment in Paris, one that would be comfortable and spacious for them. They are old enough to not waste what has been given to them. (YOu will send them to live alone in Paris. Hopefully without causing trouble.)

[]Send them to the Academy: Louis has expressed a desire to become an officer, if not out loud, then in his actions learning from your men. Charlotte will follow him, care for him, and to learn from the Academies best. (This will send them to the Military School in Brienne, A School Napoleon recommended in a letter.)


AN: Enjoy.

There is a Moratorium for about 15 hours, so please vote in plan format and discuss.

Also, Thank @Plausitivity for some of the great ideas that came as rewards...

and that Army Roll.

 

[Magoose]

8.0: The Sunny Side of Sunny France; Le côté ensoleillé de la France ensoleillée

Juliet 29th, 1794, Port of Toulon, France​

The apartment that had become your office was far too spacious for your liking. The windows were far too large, the room stretching on forever. The marble is too good for a regular person to even see, much less afford. Yet here you sat, sitting in the lap of luxury, planning an offensive that may kill thousands. One you protested, now you had to lead.

But you had to deal with something far more important right now. A Chief of Staff that would keep you alive.

De Lisle stood at attention as you looked up from the desk, the paperwork you were working on, finished, and signed with your signature. "Captain. I'm sure you realize why you are here?"

"No Mademoiselle." He replied before he gave a wry smile. "But I assume it is not about my lovely singing voice?"

Jester as always… but his joke made you smile. "No sir. It is not, though my order still stands. You sing in front of me and the children, I'll make sure the Latrine is your duty for that day."

The running joke of the staff, you would give whoever sang the worse the overseeing of the Latrine duties. Something you did once a week to prevent disease in the camp and Chamans regularly inspected so that it would not pollute the water supply of the camp.

Possibly the most important task in the camp, besides regulating the supply consumption of the massive group of troops that he cared for.

"De Lisle… do you trust my judgment?" the question was now asked, and you had to hear his answer. Hopefully, he answered wisely.

De Lisle was quiet for a moment, looking away from your face. "You have never done anything that would warrant me to question your judgment."

"Would you question it?" you asked, crossing your fingers, interlocking them, and allowing yourself to lean forward. "If we were to say, tell you to charge a fortified position, that would kill thousands but end a war?"

De Lisle frowned. "Without question? No."

"What would you say?" You asked.

"I would ask you how the hell you got yourself into a position that would force you to make such a choice. I would not allow you to go there… I would force a retreat, to gather forces, to show strength, to negotiate with the garrison to a favorable surrender. Failing that, I would build a series of fortifications around that position, preventing their escape. Then continue on. Wasting men in battle when we can out-think them is something far more powerful than committing to battle where men will die needlessly. I do not want men to die without reason… not when I can dream of another way."

He turned towards you. "Does that answer your question?"

You smiled. "Yes, it does." You stood up and handed over the paper. "Your commission to the rank of Colonel and to become my chief of staff."

De Lisle raised an eyebrow. "I would have suspected Chamans-"

"Chamans is a good man, yes, and in any other world, for any other campaign, he would be my chief of staff. But this isn't a normal campaign. This is a campaign across the Mediterranean, in a foreign land with little in the way of supplies." You stated. "I need someone who can achieve that. Can you do that?"

De Lisle saluted. "I can, Mademoiselle."

"Good. Dismissed."

Reward: Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle is now a Colonel, and is now your Chief of Staff.

Gain Army Spirit: An Army and It's Stomach (Teir I): De Lisle is a man who has made it his mission to maintain an ample supply line in any territory, whether it be through forging off the land, maintaining a quick supply line that can keep pace with a quick army, or keeping a ship-based supply to sail up impossible rivers, he will keep an army fed, clothed and supplied. (When the campaign begins, your army will have an additional 1 quarter of supplies.)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The children were sitting in the chairs, reading the letter you had received earlier in the week. Correspondence from their aunt, demanding that they returned to her.

The usual angry, diplomatic bluster from a woman who had no power anymore. Yet you saw how angry they both were, reading those letters. How hurt that someone they knew and cared for, wished for them to be… what they once were.

Louis for his part refused to read anymore, or listen to his sister read anymore, and your arrival gave him a chance to voice his concern. "Are you going to send us back to our aunt?" He asked.

You had an answer, and it was one that you still felt a pang of guilt with every thought crossing your mind.

You were endangering these children with your choice. It was not like letting them live in a camp and staying in a city that was fortified, with only the smallest of risk that could get them hurt.

No, they would be on the front lines, in direct danger in raids, in battle and even if they stayed behind, they would be endangered from agents and saboteurs.

"Non." You stated firmly. "Unless you want to?"

They didn't. That much you knew from everything you learned from them. They had no want to return to their old lives that their aunt represented. But that was stability… family. Something you could not give them. Not with this work, not with this kind of campaign.

Their silence was all you needed to hear to know their answer.

But it was you set your swords down, and relaxed in a chair, Charlotte rose from her seat. "Thérèse, I have a request."

You raised an eyebrow. "Alright? What is it?" you asked, desperately hoping that she would want to send Louis to the Academy, where they would at least be safe from potential death or dismemberment that this campaign.

"I wish to be hired officially as your personal secretary." She stated.

You raised an eyebrow. This was not what you expected. "Why?"

"I want to be more useful, to feel more useful as well, than just the ward that a republican government thrust upon you because everyone else would not work." She stated. "And I want to no longer live off your kindness. I want to earn a salary that I can support myself and my brother with."

She… certainly had spirit. "A Secretary? What makes you think I won't just pick a junior officer to do that job for me?"

"Because you haven't yet. You've let me handle, edit and rewrite letters for you multiple times, even when your letters were passable because they would not help you." She stated. "And you know most junior officers were not trained by some of the best scholars in France for a majority of their lives."

You sighed. She was making a good sales pitch. But she would also not be as protected as you would like. But if she were captured by the enemy, and they used her as a figurehead...

You feared it would get her killed.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Do you Allow Charlotte To become your Personal Secretary?

[]You will allow it: You need all the help you can get.

[]Refuse: You are not going to rob her of the choice to become something else.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

High Command has given you a choice for several officers to serve as your Juniors for your campaign. But only a few.

(Choose 3)

[]Générale de brigade Jean-Baptiste Kléber: A Commander of the Army of the North, of the 6th division under Kellerman and Dumouriez. The man has proven himself competent in battle, and unlike other men that High Command has requested to join you as one of your Juniors. You have met him before when you served in the army of the North, but you did not know him personally. He did respect you and your brother during your time as Surveyors…. Or at the very least, respect your abilities, and competence to not say anything bad about you while you were there. Hopefully, he still has that respect for you, and it wasn't blunted by his pride.

[]Générale de Division Thomas-Alexandre Dumas: The Black Devil of Italy, one of Napoleon's Junior commanders and as it turns out, one of Brian's Friends from the Army of Italy, though he failed to mention him in some correspondence due to distance and a lack of communication. He was wounded a few months ago in an offensive in the Southern Alps, near the Swiss border, climbing up a mountain with Ice spikes and capturing a thousand German Mercenaries under the Employ of the Austrian empire, but has made a full recovery. His reassignment comes with a Letter from Brian. He tells you to be smart, and not to die from governmental incompetence and to remember that it is okay to bend the rules.

[]Générale de Brigade Louis-Alexandre Berthier: The man who could have been Napoleon's Chief of Staff. He has… been snubbed for the position by Brian, but that is not for a lack of incompetence. The man is the most brilliant administrator you have ever read about, and you were quite surprised that he was offered by high command for your army… instead of being made a minister of War or something like that. His grasp at command is brilliant, though when compared to others, it is lesser. With him and Chamans, you think there will never be any paperwork that would be on your desk again.

[]Générale de Brigade Charles Pierre François Augereau: A Veteran of the Vendee Campaign and a member of the Armée des Pyrénées Orientales that just defends the French Spanish border, not the most glamorous position, since Spain had not engaged in any hostilities with France at this point, and with the recent victories in the North and Italy, would not happen. His request for reassignment led to his name being placed on your desk as a choice for a junior Brigade General, instead of the divisional command he requested.

[]Colonel Louis Lazare Hoche: A recently released Colonel, who was arrested on false charges by the Committee of Public Safety, he rejoined the army with his commission. The Directorate is begging you to take him off their hands because they "Don't want to deal with the previous government's mistakes." His record of service is with the Army of the North, on their southern Flank, in the Netherlands Theatre, and won a commendation for capturing a few colonels during their final push into the Netherlands. He would have become a general if not for his imprisonment.

They have also given you the ability to choose a Naval Attache for your army, choosing the man who would be perfect for continued communication and success on the Naval Front
(Overall Naval command will be under François-Paul Brueys d'Aigalliers, who you will need to work with, and convince of any changes to the operations plans):

(Choose 1)

[]Étienne Eustache Bruix: A Recently unretired naval captain, who had written extensively on french naval self-sufficiency. He is a man of command, of ideas, and possibility. He was also, like you, a surveyor, having spent his early career on Saint-Domingue, where he surveyed the coastline for safe harbors. He has served all over the world, in America, Africa, and France itself. Traditional to a fault, he is competent, careful, and kin in a professional experience. His insight would be brilliant in planning your campaign if only he could get over some of the many superstitions about women on ships.

[]Adam Serre: A colorful man with a colorful past. A Freeman of Color, from Saint-Domingue, he joined the French Navy when he was twelve and slowly rose through the ranks over years of service, and became a captain of a Frigate. He is brash, bold, having risen through the ranks with daring plans, guile, and trickery. When the American Revolution broke out, he turned privateer and attacked British vessels on the behalf of American rebels. After the war ended, and he rejoined the navy, he became a captain, of ill repute by most British sailors, well-liked by the Admiralty for an iron-clad discipline on his vessels, and becoming a terror in the Mediterranean. Last you heard, he had an over 100,000 Pound Bounty on his head by the British for his capture, after he sank six frigates during Napoleon's rescue and Liberation of Toulon. Outspoken and political, you think his assignment to you is punishment from admiralty for requesting more effort to expand the ranks for more Freedmen of color from serving in the Navy as more senior officers, and for a continued push to annex the Spanish colonies on the remainder of Hispaniola.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How do you wish to Organize your Army?:

Current Forces:

15th Division (You can reorganize the Division and Transfer Soldiers):
6000 Infantry Veterans
32,500 Infantry (Regulars) **
2,000 Riflemen ( Veterans ) *
2,000 Lancers (Old Guard) ***
1,000 Dragoons (Old Guard) *
3000 Dragoons ( Veterans )
2000 Lancers Veterans
3,000 Artillerymen/70 cannons (Regulars) **
5,000 Infantry (Untrained)

Unsorted Men:
35,000 Infantry (Regulars)
3,000 Lancers (Regulars)
3000 Dragoons (Veterans)
4000 Artillerymen/60 guns (Regulars)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
[]Write in Division Make up here (Nicknames optional)

Example:
[]Plan Example
-5th Division, The First of France
-15,000 Infantry (Regulars)
-1000 Lancers (Regulars)
-1000 Artillerymen/ 30 guns (Regulars)
-Commanded by Colonel Chamans


AN: Hello Everyone, here is the update.

I thank you all for waiting so patiently for the next update, but before we start with the Training, you will need to organize the men into their units.

The vote will not open for a day or two, so all the discussion and planning can occur.

And it will be in Plan Format.

Edit: Yes, one of the Naval Attache's are a fictional character based off our Privateer Past starting choice.

 

[Magoose]

Pre Campaign Interlude 1: A Changing Fate/Un destin changeant

August 11th, 1794​

You sighed as the paperwork was finally completed. The day at least in your tired emotionally and physically drained eyes was over.

You had finally reorganized the Armée d'Orient, and you would be reaching the marching orders. De Lisle and Berthier were clashing egos' that found it impossible to work with each other… but somehow, their combined efforts made this… effort into something you could only dream of.

A reality.

The organization, and how it was mobilized, supplied, and maintained, that made sense, was easy to understand and even copy in the right circumstances.

That was not what finally brought you relief.

It was the possibility of taking a break. A break in the monotony that was working as a General.

But you had a slight problem.

What were you even going to do?

"Charlotte, what can I possibly do to keep my mind off of certain things like work?" You asked as Charlotte looked up from the book she was writing in.

She seemed rather shocked you even asked. "I left multiple letters on your desk, including one from Brian, Napoleon, Colonel Chamans, and… The University of Paris."

Wait, the University? You thought it was shut down when the Revolution started? It was opening up again?

You then looked at the letters.

"How old are these letters?" You asked.

"The oldest is two weeks ago from Brian. Something about a wedding."

How nice. You hope he enjoyed himself.

"Next." You rambled as you kicked your feet up.

"General Kleiber and Colonel De Lisle are going to invite the officers and their families for a feast, and have invited you to join them."

Oh, that might be fun.

"And that last one?" You asked.

"Well, there is a publisher who wishes to write a biography."

You would ignore that.

Now… Let's read those letters…

Oh my goodness-

Reward: Le Armée d'Orient has been established by you and your officers. Due to you creating a method of organization that has never been seen before, You gain +1 to Grand Strategy, Administration, and Logistics.

Other Generals of France will Take note.

What do you do?:

[]A Wedding from Italy: Brian is getting married?! Who is the… of. The name said it all… Bonaparte's Sister. What the hell kind of Blackmail did Napoleon have to make your brother marry his sister… or, worse… genuine infatuation on Brian's part that led to this.

[]The Dinner with Officers: You will go join the officers in their feast, and hopefully at least get them onto a few more good will lists.

[]The University of War: You are going to do the one thing you should have done a long time ago when Brian gave you the chance with his Officer's Paycheck. Finish your schooling. But now, you are going to study one science. The Science of War.

[]A Family of Choice: You are going to ignore the Letters, ignore all those potential futures and take a breath. Gather the family that you seemed to have created… and try to learn what Louis wants.

[]Finding a Hobby: You are going to sit down and try to find something you like to do for enjoyment, rather than… for your job or your trade. (Linetail what you want to try out.)


AN: Well now, that didn't take long. But Me and @Plausitivity decided that we would take a small break from the Action of Planning and Army Maintnece for a little bit (and so I could get the Army Sheets all sorted out and drafted for the Frontpage), We are starting an Interlude Session, but instead of taking part in a nation defining event, we're focusing on the personal dealings of our intrepid heroine.

And ask the most Anime question that we could think of. What does she do in her off time when not planning her next campaign?

 

[Magoose]

Learning Interlude: The Great Learning of Thérèse Auclair

Spoiler: Rolls Results.

Military:76+25+50=151 Skill increase:5
Command: 60+25+30=123 Skill Increase: 4
Cavalry:41+25+30=96 Skill increase: 3
Artillery:69+25=89 Skill increase:3
Infantry:10+25+20=55 Skill increase: 2
Logistics: 27+25=62 Skill increase:2

It was a very difficult choice to make. You wanted desperately to see Brian again, to see who had won his heart and his love enough to marry him… You also wanted to soothe the worries of Louis and the anger that was quietly bubbling beneath his calm, focused exterior.

You had seen that anger in too many men, too many soldiers who had ended up killing themselves.

You instead focused on the things that you could control.

You had time to mend those wounds, even though they may hate you for such a delay.

They were battles that could be fought again.

But for what is to come, In Egypt, in battle… there were no second chances. No do-overs. You could die, and nothing else would matter.

So you would survive… you would make sure that they would matter, to you.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Professors were mind-numbingly dumb.

Not uneducated, oh god no... just dumb. lacking in... many things that you found critical to success in learning.

In the Ancien Régime, the shock of the Seven Years War and the War of Spanish Succession caused a massive Army reform that was still carrying on to this day. One of those reforms was the professionalization of the Officers Corps, expanding the ranks of Junior and on occasion, senior officers to men of low birth. Or lower birth than the nobility were accustomed to.

Or woman, in your case. You were not going to possibly refuse such an honor.

However… it led to a growing… divide. A divide between the senior, more noble blooded holdovers of the Generals staff, which had primarily been a more aristocratic, and noble background, men who had wealth, and influence in the old regime… Which these professors were most assuredly a part of.

And people like you, Brian, Napoleon, Hoche, even Dumas.

People who were from the ranks as it were. Juniors who were not expected to be given command unless, in dire circumstances when battles were usually lost, generals dead, and the only option was a retreat in as orderly a fashion as possible.

These men were normally men who had little more than uniforms, swords, and maybe a medal or two to their name, Gentlemen in name only, who were more like the sergeants and the corporals, marching among them because they could not afford horses, or used their own horses to carry meager supplies.

The culture clash of more on the ground officers, instead of Aristocratic officers, led to men being elected officers, instead of being given commissioned.

You were no exception of course, though under a different circumstance.

However, what most aristocratic officers had in education, training, and even ability… the junior had in experience, the ability to see things that were not always possible… or even seen through lack of experience of their seniors.

And you found yourself learning not from them, as much as you thought you did.

But from the men under your command. Men who had experienced many of the things you wished to learn... and above all else, the willingness to share it.
----------------------------------------------------

Military:

When it came to strategy and tactics, you looked at the contemporaries and friends who were more than willing to share notes.

Your battles at Valmy hill, Mainz, and Amiens were perfect starting points for your continued military education.

You spend a few days going over every report and your own memory of the battle, to see what mistakes were made.

And you counted hundreds.

Each little detail you could have done better, to make your casualties even better than they were, by miracles, preparation and luck.

And you could not rely on any of those.

In Italy, you have received two types of advice. One from Napoleon, with some love letter in it that you ignored… and the other from Brian, wishing you well and giving what little he could to you that could not be intercepted.

Napoleon explained that sometimes a stable supply line was impossible to maintain and that there was only one sure-fire way to maintain supply. Looting, raiding, and destroying the enemy countryside, even if it meant weakening the hold of the countryside, and make occupation harder.

That the enemy would need to spend time, energy, and resources to rebuild, to protect the land from bandits or marauding soldiers.

An army in foreign territory could not win the hearts and minds of citizens that they are fighting against, so demoralizing and destroying their ability to fight, and to continue fighting yourself, was key to victory.

Brian offers an alternative. That winning the hearts and minds of the people, and making them allies would be a greater focus. You could gather men, material, and supplies from more willing people, rather than steal their livelihood.

He also mentioned that it is indeed possible to maintain a supply line, even one overstretched, because of how to organize rations, weapons, powder…

Enemy forces would try to focus on them, rather than attempting to do battle, sparing the countryside even more destruction.

Meaning you could play the propaganda against them, turn their people against them. And if their people were turned against them… they already lost.

But for all that, it was a valuable insight into the men now commanding successful armies.

Reward: you receive two different opinions on how to conduct a campaign.

+5 to military Stat.
-------------------------------------------------------

Command:

Commanding was easy if you did not care about the men below you. It was simple to see them as paper, or numbers, men who fought, shot and died, and men killed.

But it was not easy. It never was, because reality showed you that it was impossible.

You cared for the men because they were your responsibility, and they looked up to you as their commander to lead them to victory.

That was the entire point. A General leads to victory.

And the men would fight and possibly die to achieve it.

But every historical text you could get your hands on showed that even impossible odds were capable of being overcome with guile, cunning, and wits.

Hannibal came to mind, more than any other general that you looked to for wisdom. Crossing the frozen passes of the Alps with his elephants, with his greatest men…

And defeated the Romans at Cannae when being outnumbered.

Of course, Hannibal would eventually be defeated by Rome at Zama, but nothing could detract from his great tactical brilliance.

Chamans offered this nugget of wisdom. "Command like you knew you would become immortal, and you shall."

A bit narcissistic coming from him, but you suspected he wanted to grant you confidence.

So you decided to put it to the test.

Parade in Toulon. Commanding from the front, inspecting every regiment, every division.

It took three days, and you lost your voice twice...but you felt more confident.

Confident you could lead these men to victory… no matter the odds.

Reward: Your ability to command men relies to your confidence, and you have seen one thing.

Trust.

+4 to command
------------------------------------------------

Cavalry:

Dumas was the one who gave you the most important wisdom involving Cavalry.

"They are flexible, decisive, but vulnerable. They can turn the battle your way, or lose it."

You were unsure what he meant… but his advice led you to think.

How to use cavalry. The Hammer and Anvil were the oldest tactics in mounted history, the anvil being infantry, the Hammer being the Cavalry.

You think you could understand that.

Reward: Cavalry is hard, but you think you are starting to get it.

+3 to Cavalry.
----------------------------------------

Artillery:

When it came to guns, and big guns, you felt only one thing that came to mind. Height, sights, and weather.

Simple combinations, but devastatingly effective when used properly.

Valmy proved that having the high ground was vital in winning artillery duels.

Sightlines won the day at Mainz, with your guns outnumbering the Prussians.

Weather… well you were lucky it had rained and the mud had blunted the cavalry charges from the Prince of Orange.

But there was so much more to learn, and you would.


Reward: Cannoneering is a talent not for the faint of heart.

+3 to Artillery command.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Infantry:

Sevrin saw you working and said that the Infantry are the ones who storm hell and hold it.

That you saw the Truth in.

The infantry were the ones who died in droves, who blunted the charges, and fired the ranks.

That was true. But they had a more multifaceted role that you were not very… used to.

Garrison duty, holding positions to deny enemy advantages, river works, and engineers.

They did the dying. And they also won wars.

Reward: +2 to infantry.

Infantry is key to wars. And winning them.
-------------------------------------------------

Logistics:

For such a simple thing, a loaf of bread was the most necessary thing an army could have.

And it took a staggering amount of work

It required a farmer to grow the wheat, harvest it, and a teamster to deliver it… a baker to turn that wheat into bread.

Hundreds of people were needed to support a single soldier one day on campaign.

And that bread may not even last long enough to make it to the soldier.

So how could it last? Salting? Drying, turning it into something that would not rot away during transport.

Possible.

But.

There had to be a better way.

And something came into your mind.

Something that prevented the air from touching it, to cause it to rot away.

Another time perhaps.

Reward: An idea comes into mind… an idea that can change the world.

+2 to logistics.


----------------
The Choices:

The Maps were covered in tiny wooden figures, and you wondered if they were playing games with them before you had arrived.

"Gentlemen, we are here to discuss one thing. How do we plan this operation?"

This was going to be a long meeting. Good thing you had a lot of wine.

What is your main objective?:

[]Follow the government's orders: You are going to be invading Egypt, and secure your objectives there. No need to anger them any more than necessary.

[]Choose a new Objective: This entire plan is foolhardy, and you can come up with a better one. Sure the government wants you to go off to the ass-end of nowhere… but you want to do something else that would be worth the risk and manpower.

If you choose not to go to Egypt, where do you go?

[]A Sicilian Vacation: The Island of Sicily is key to the British hold on the central Mediterranean. To capture it, and Malta is to control the Mediterranean… and you have plenty of reason to attempt such a thing. The fact you can cut off Sicily from the rest of Europe, means this will be an easy campaign. Provided you live of course and napoleon decides to continue south.

[]To the Rock: Gibraltar...A place no sane individual can possibly take, it's the key to the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea, it's an objective even your Government couldn't refuse. The Only problem… the Royal Navy controls everything from Tulon to Gibraltar.

[]A Holiday in The Barbary Bay: Adam has made a request. With the Abolition of Slavery, he wishes to fight the source of the problem. And while American and British slavers are off-limits at the moment, with the Atlantic on the other side of Gibraltar… another opportunity presents itself. The Barbers… the pirates who have prowled the Mediterranean for centuries. A victory could make you internationally renowned, and win you, friends, across Europe.

[]Irish Insurrections (And Other Signs Of The Apocalypse): You want to start a rebellion. No not against your government, but against Britain… and Ireland is the perfect place to start one. With the help of the French Army, the Irish could seriously throw the British out, and you could gain a powerful ally in the

[]Write in
------------------------------

AN: So @Cyberphilosipher thank you for coming up with some of the more... wacky choices here. We've got time to kill, and I think there are things to be planned...

TBH, we just think that adding any more depth in this turn would kill me and make me follow in Plaus' Footsteps of taking a break.

So instead of that... Next turn

Edit: The Wrong rewards were on there, sorry bout that, and the Rolls are missing.

Also a Moratorumn for 12 hours for planning purposes.

 

[Magoose]

8.1: A New World Begins;Un nouveau monde commence

Septiembre 1st, 1794​

The door was half closed when Chamans knocked, standing at attention before the door. " Générale, can I speak to you?"

"Yes." You replied as you poured a glass of water. The Colonel entered his hat underneath his left arm. "I take it that studying with masters of the field has been a very enlightening experience."

"My expectations of such education, from tutors, professors, and my officers were rather quite muted because I had no real formal education to base it off of." You replied with a small shrug. "My father and Brian were the ones who taught me everything I know, so lacking that familiar element was a bit disorienting. It just turns out that, like him, I'm a quick study. Though I can assuredly say that my penmanship could use work, most of my letters and reports still contain many errors that will need to be improved."

Competent Colonel Chamans gave a small chuckle. "Indeed it does, but I'm not one to critique my Générale's penmanship, for there are more pressing and concerning matters to be brought forth to her attention."

He pulled out a letter. "Amiral d'Aigalliers has scraped together 60 ships, 15 of the line, 3 of the second rates however are in dire need of repair."

"Is it possible we can gather more ships for our expedition?" You asked. "And where is Captain Serre, why is he not bringing me this information?"

"The Captain and the Amiral are in a meeting like we are, though for many different reasons I suppose," Chamans replied wiping the sweat off his brow. "It seems Captain Serre has made another request that the Admiral found… very insulting."

Dear god. "Why the hell was I not informed of this sooner?" Stood up and grabbed your saber, remaining remarkably calm. Even though you wished to make some very… choice words known to the world.

But anger was not going to make things better.

"General, this is a navy matter, it would be best if you not get involved." Chamans stated, his words leaving his mouth, but the wisdom in it, hollow.

"If the Amiral wishes to remove someone I have chosen for a job then he can tell me in person." You replied. "Now, do you wish to join me, or would you like to make sure De Lisle and Berthier try not to kill each other."

The thought of once again stopping the two egos from trying to kill each other, made Chamans give a small sigh. He did not want to deal with them again, so he followed you.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amiral d'Aigalliers was a man of greying hair, a noble stance, and of course, a sailor's tongue, underneath all the posture and pomp that his former noble rank afforded him, especially to his subordinate, who had angered him so greatly.

"Captain." He was calm, but his great anger was hidden beneath the veneer of civility. "Once again, you have questioned the command of your superiors, and officers."

You walked up the gangplank and allowed yourself to be known. "Questioned your command for what reason?" You stated.

The admiral frowned as he saw you. " Générale, this is a navy matter, I will see this done swiftly, so we may continue such plans-"

You stepped forward. "Captain Adam Serre was chosen by myself for his ability to think more abstractly in the face of organized naval warfare, his record in the American War says all that I needed to see."

Amiral d'Aigalliers frowned, and Captain Serre spoke. " Générale, I only protested amassed fleet offensive for transportation of the Army." He then pointed to the map on the table. "May I?"

You nodded, following him to the map, and saw the Admiral's disapproval rise.

He showed the map to you and showed several lines of colored string that were connected by a few sewing needles.

Spoiler: The Map

"The route that the admiral proposed would take the entire fleet to Corsica for resupply, before passing through Sardinian and Sicilian waters, before sailing down the Italian coast and launching an invasion of Northern Sicily. A Route, that if we were fighting Sicily or the Italian states alone, I would commend using the advantages of our positions in Northern Italy, and of the Pope's Neutrality for our advantage. This is not the case."

Serre moved a small figure, before placing it by the Balearic Islands. "The Royal Navy has thirty-five ships at the Balearic right now. There are 40 more on patrol across the Mediterranean, and five on Sardinia currently, a scouting force for any moves on Corsica. Almost a hundred ships, not counting any deals with the Corsairs from Tunisia that may bolster their numbers."

He placed a tricolor flag piece at Toulon and Marseille. "We have 60 ships, though a few are still in repair, plus transports we've hired to ferry troops. We requested more ships from the Defense Fleet at Toulon, but the Directory wants continued patrols to prevent another invasion from the British, so they are not willing to spare any more ships for the convoy's defense."
Admiral d'Aigalliers nodded. "My reasoning for such low numbers of ships is time and speed, and security. We cannot allow ourselves to be caught in the Mediterranean on open water. With Corsica on our side, and Northern Italy in a week or two's time away, we have every advantage to fall back to the allied territory, until we have a new plan of action. Risking it all on other routes would be pointless."

"And what of that?" You asked, with the line going towards the Balearic Islands.

Serre sighed. "A diversion, with myself and ten other ships diverting attention away from Sardinia and Sicily."

"And stopping off in Sardinia?" You asked.

That led the Admiral to look down for a moment. "There is another objective that the Directory is preparing for… one they wished to keep out of your knowledge. But that might have compromised your… ability to continue the campaign."

"And?" You asked. "Why are we stopping in Sardinia?"

"We don't know," Serre stated. "All we know is that they want us there in case something happens."

You looked to the Admiral. "Why."

"Orders from a mutual friend of ours, Maximilian Robespierre. We are negotiating a ceasefire with the Sardinians and naval basing rights."

Oh. "They expect us to just… sail an army to Sardinia and just… wait there, not completing any sort of objective? Except what, a show of force for our diplomats?"

Wait a minute? "Who's leading this diplomatique expedition?"

"Minister Tallyrand, and Robspierre." The Admiral stated. "It seems that factions within our government want their best man in Sardinia, and another wants Robespierre to accompany him, presumably to avoid any more trouble in Paris."

This was madness. "Our objective is Sicily, not Sardinia."

"And we have looked at your proposals and that of General Dumas. They hold Merit, but put us in a dangerous position of being intercepted, by the Royal Navy." d'Aigalliers replied.

"Not if you allow me to strike the diversion that I had planned."

" Générale… what is your insight on this?" d'Aigalliers asked.

What route/orders do you attempt to take

[]Route A (Yellow): d'Aigalliers plan of hugging Corsica and the Italian coastline. It was simple, but it left you vulnerable to interception from the Royal Navy near Sicily. But it allowed you the most options in terms of support, landing zones, and even the element of surprise. It may also allow you to lay Siege to Naples immediately, and potentially, capture the King himself. Louis and Charlotte's relatives…Ferdinand the First, the King of Sicily.

[]Route B (Red): Serre's Plan to run the Gauntlet between Sardinia and Corsica, for the most disruptive for the Royal Navy. He plans to start false flag attacks, and raid all over Sardinia, firing cannon and generally making a mess with his marines… However, this is all planned to draw the British to Sardinia, allowing you to land on the Island of Sicily, giving you free reign to run wild on the island.

[]Route C (Purple): You don't like it, but the possibility of depriving the Royal Navy of a base in Sardinia and making allies in Sardinia, while also having a chance to resupply and meet several national leaders… perhaps you are looking at this far to Harshly.

Adam Serre wishes to start another diversionary Campaign in the Balearic Islands to hold the British there as well. (Green Route). Do you allow him to take his Raiders to disrupt Royal Navy Operations in the Mediterranean?
[]Yes: Go with your Blessing and the Admirals (much to his chagrin)
[]No: You think his plan involves too much risk for not enough rewards.


Army Actions: Choose 5
NOTE: Recruiting is disable for your Army, you have to get (Fully) supplied.

You have 20 Army Wealth, and 10 Personal Wealth.

You need to Leave in Three Turns.

[]Leave: You are ready to begin your campaign (You will leave on Campaign)

[]Two Ego's From Hell: Berthier… De Lisle. Those two men are more likely to kill each other than get along with each other. You will put an end to this. NOW! DC 50

[]Request Supplies: You are in need of supplies for this expedition. And by god, if they screw you over again, you will raise hell with letters and very strongly worded protests. Cost 5 Wealth DC: 25

[]True Sights, True Ships: Our Intelligence around the Royal Navies' numbers are... Skewed at best. You need concrete details on their operational capacity, and who is leading this force DC: 40

[]Request Writ of Justification: You are changing the plans of your orders to invade a belligerent power. You are in need of official support, if you do not want to get sent to prison for mutiny. DC: 40 (Note: You must write in your reasons for changing your orders. the longer and more detailed the better.)

[]Hide Your Movements: Your officers and Attache have agreed to hide your movements, now you need to forge many reports about your preparations towards Egypt, and make matters… difficult for your government to discover without certain… precautions taken. Cost 3 Wealth DC: ???

[]Create System of Cipher's: You have had an idea since the Battle at Mainez, and before, about finding a way to secure your communications, through code, ciphers and of hidden messages. Cost 1 Wealth DC: 35

[] Training (Infantry): You will need to turn this poor excuse of a unit into a fighting force. Costs 1 wealth. DC:30

[] Training (Calvary): You will need to turn this poor excuse of a unit into a fighting force. Costs 1 wealth. DC:???

[] Training (Artillery): You will need to turn this poor excuse of a unit into a fighting force. Costs 1 wealth. DC:30

[]To Fly: General Kellerman has released a report on the Use of Hot Air Balloons for scouting and surveying the Area before a battle. Now as a surveyor yourself, you would like to test this equipment and see how it operates in the field...You wonder if Brian actually read this report. Cost 2 Wealth DC: 55

------------------------------


Personal Actions: (Choose 5)

[]An Unthinkable Sight: Louis Capet never struck you as reckless. Yet he came to you with a piece of paper. Requesting to join the French Army. DC: 10

[]A Birthday Celebration: Your Birthday is coming up, and you want to celebrate with your impromptu family. Cost 1 Wealth, DC:10

[]To Unwind and Destress: You want to find out what you truly enjoy to do in your free time. DC??? Note: Linetail what type of Hobby you want to Try.

[] A Small Gamble: God doesn't play dice, but you could. You're smart, so making money this way shouldn't be hard... right? (Gamble 1 wealth to potential to gain up to 5 wealth. If you fail, potentially lose 4) DC ???

[]The Officers And the Gentlewoman: Your Officers are a group of men that you do not know as well as you wish. But now, with time on your side, you will learn of them DC: 25

[]A Novel idea: You want to take up writing... perhaps it's a good thing for you to do. DC:20

[] Correspond with Napoleon: Napoleon Bonaparte… Wait, he's your brother-in-law now!? DC: 5

[] Correspond with Brian: Brian is married to Napoleon's Sister… you need details… copious details. Like who the lucky girl is DC: 10

[]Propaganda for Dummies: You are going to churn out your own stories, and propaganda, making you look as the hero that France needs in her time of need... Hopefully without making yourself look stupid. DC 65

[] Study & Read: There are books to read and things to learn. DC: Depends on chosen stat level
-[] Write-in Stat to increase

[] Study & Practice: Practice makes perfect. DC: Depends on chosen skill level
-[] Write-in Skill to increase

[] Swordswomanship: You are not a great swordswoman; you are only decent and lucky. That needs to change. (+1 to 2 to combat, another possible new weapon?) DC: 40


AN: Hello Everyone...

I hope you all enjoy this next update.

Also, Enjoy my shitty attempt at mapping. I tried, I really did.


Edit: There is a Moratorium for 12 hours.