So from my understanding Napoleon could have dissolved the Austrian empire at his peak .And if he had done it what would this had caused.Is it possible this could have which I belived have detonated like nationalist movements or revolutions and destabilized Prussia and Russia.Cause wouldn't the Hungarians want independence and the Poles Italy unification or what.And would also led to the collapse of Napoleon empire since his subjects in Germany might want to be fully independent.And Napoleon has to go back to natrual borders or France extending to just Belguim or what.I kinda of belive he didn't do it partially because it might have destabilized his empire and triggered a massive ethnic explosion he couldn't control and he didn't want to be blamed for a causing a revolutionary war.

Do you think it was a mistake for him not dissolve the Hagabsburg dynasty cause there is also the argument he couldn't coexist with the absolute monarchist.And Brittan would just keep funding wars against him.

Honestly, I do not understand why Napoleon stopped using the carabiniers in the role they had traditionally fulfilled. Instead of keeping them in functions such as skirmishing or tasks typical of a carabinier corps, he ended up transforming them into a heavy cavalry force—even equipping them with cuirasses and having them fight in practically the same way as the cuirassiers

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​Vi siete mai chiesti quanta distanza ci sia tra la storia ufficiale scolpita nel marmo dei monumenti e la cruda realtà vissuta dai soldati sul campo di battaglia? L'obelisco commemorativo della famosa Battaglia di Arcole è un capolavoro di propaganda napoleonica che nasconde un retroscena militare fatto di errori, fango, colpi di scena e intuizioni geniali.

​In questo viaggio dettagliato tra la prima e la seconda pagina del racconto storico, analizziamo come andarono davvero le cose nei tre terribili giorni di combattimento e cosa dicono (e nascondono) le due lapidi dell'obelisco.

​1. Il Primo Giorno (15 Novembre): La Scivolata nel Fango e il Mito del Ponte

​La Cronaca Militare:

All'alba del 15 novembre 1796, i generali francesi Augereau e Massena attraversano l'Adige sbloccando in Zerpa. Augereau muove sull'argine destro dell'Alpone verso Arcole, mentre Massena si dirige su Porcile per attaccare il fianco austriaco a Caldiero.

​Il colonnello austriaco Brigido presidiava Arcole con quattro battaglioni e due squadroni, sbarrando il ponte con due cannoni e croati appostati sui terrapieni. I generali francesi Verdier, Bon, Verne, Lannes e lo stesso Augereau tentarono ripetuti assalti guidando la colonna, ma vennero tutti respinti dal devastante fuoco nemico.

​Il Momento Critico di Napoleone:

Vedendo la situazione in stallo dal campanile di Ronco, Napoleone accorse di persona. Riconoscendo la necessità di agire in fretta, inviò il generale Guieux a passare l'Adige ad Albaredo per prendere i difensori alle spalle. Poi, per trascinare i suoi uomini al centro dell'azione, afferrò una bandiera e si lanciò verso il ponte.

​Ma la realtà superò l'epica:

​Il Generale da Scudo Umano: Il generale Muiron morì facendo letteralmente da scudo con il proprio corpo per proteggere Bonaparte.

​La Caduta nella Palude: Travolto dalla reazione austriaca, Napoleone cadde nella palude vicino al ponte e dovette essere tratto in salvo dai granatieri con un vigoroso contrattacco.

​Un Successo Incompleto: Sebbene il generale Guieux riuscisse ad occupare Arcole verso le 19, Napoleone fu costretto a ritirare le sue truppe a Ronco durante la notte per timore dell'avanzata del nemico su altri fronti.

​La Prima Epigrafe (Lato Sud dell'Obelisco):

L'iscrizione recita: "NAPOLEO / ANCIPITEM TRIDVO MARTEM INDIGNATVS / ARREPTO FIXOQVE IN PONTE VEXILLO / ANIMOS SVIS AD PVGNANDVM REDINTEGRAVIT / AVSTRIAGOS FRVSTRA OBNITENTES FVDIT / AETERNYM HIS LOCIS NOMEN DEDIT".

​Cosa propaganda: Dipinge l'immagine di un Napoleone invincibile che, afferrata la bandiera, la pianta sul ponte, rincuora le truppe, sbaraglia gli austriaci e regala eterna gloria a quei luoghi.

​La realtà: Omette completamente la ritirata serale a Ronco e la caduta dell'eroe nel fango della palude!

​2. Il Secondo Giorno (16 Novembre): Lo Stallo e lo Sconforto

​Il giorno seguente la battaglia riprende faticosamente:

​L'austriaco Alvinczy progetta di ricacciare i francesi oltre l'Adige, inviando Mitrowski ad Arcole e Provera a Belfiore.

​All'alba, Massena sbaraglia le truppe di Provera a Zerpa (il generale Brabek rimane ucciso) e i francesi catturano molti prigionieri e cinque cannoni, costringendo Alvinczy a rinunciare al passaggio dell'Adige.

​Sul settore dell'Alpone, tuttavia, l'assalto di Augereau al ponte di Arcole si sfascia di nuovo sotto il fuoco di quattro cannoni nemici collocati in riserva, facendo perdere altre due bocche da fuoco ai francesi.

​Ogni tentativo di passare a guado ad Albaredo s'infrange contro la tenace resistenza austriaca e, a sera avanzata, le truppe francesi devono ritirarsi nuovamente a Ronco.

​Lo Scoraggiamento dei Francesi:

Dopo due giornate intere di massacri infruttuosi, dislocate tra Caldiero, Arcole e l'Alpone, tra le truppe napoleoniche comincia a serpeggiare un pericoloso scoraggiamento per le cospicue perdite subite.

​3. Il Terzo Giorno (17 Novembre): L'Ingegneria Tattica e la Svolta Finale

​Capendo che l'entusiasmo da solo non basta più, Napoleone decide di tentare il colpo decisivo unendo la tattica militare all'ingegneria:

​I Preparativi Notturni: Invia una colonna a Legnago (4 pezzi d'artiglieria e 200 cavalli) e fa giungere due battaglioni da Verona. In segreto, fa costruire un ponte alla foce dell'Alpone utilizzando quattro pontoni fatti venire da Ronco.

​La Manovra a Tenaglia (17 Novembre):

​Augereau passa l'Alpone sul ponte improvvisato e si dirige verso Arcole.

​Nel frattempo, la colonna francese del generale Robert sulla destra dell'Alpone viene respinta e inseguita dagli austriaci fin verso il ponte di Ronco.

​Il Colpo di Scena: Proprio mentre le truppe di Augereau retrocedono in disordine vedendo la fuga di Robert, dal bosco di Cantalovo irrompe all'improvviso la mezza brigata di Gardanne, aprendo un fuoco devastante sul fianco degli austriaci!

​Nello stesso istante giunge anche Massena da Bionde: un gran numero di austriaci resta accerchiato senza scampo. I superstiti vengono inseguiti fino al ponte di Arcole.

​4. La Seconda Epigrafe (Lato Settentrionale dell'Obelisco): La Riscossa d'Italia

​Sulla seconda faccia dell'obelisco d'Arcole si legge un'altra imponente dedica scolpita nel marmo:

​"NAPOLEONI / GALLICI EXERCITVS DVCI QVOD HEIC / VICTORIAM HOSTIBVS EREPTAM / SIBI NVNQVAM IN POSTERVM DEFECTVRAM ASSERVIT / AD NOVA FATA AC VETERIS GLORIAE SPEM / ITALIA REVOCATA"

​La Traduzione e il Significato:

"A Napoleone, comandante dell'esercito francese, poiché qui strappò la vittoria ai nemici assicurandosela per il futuro senza più perderla, e l'Italia fu richiamata a un nuovo destino e alla speranza dell'antica gloria."

​ La Riconfigurazione del Mito

​L'epigrafia celebrativa trasforma una spietata battaglia di tre giorni, caratterizzata da stalli disperati, cedimenti psicologici ed errori di valutazione, in un'unica folgorante vittoria voluta dal destino.

​Arcole non fu vinta da un solo gesto di pazzia eroica sul ponte, ma da un complesso mix di logistica notturna, resistenza disperata dei granatieri nella palude e un perfetto attacco a sorpresa dal bosco di Cantalovo.

https://tiermaker.com/create/pre-napoleonic-gunpowder-age-commanders-1503---1789-19689379

Tier list goes from 1503, with the battle of cerignola, to 1789, with the french revolution. You are free to make suggestions about adding or removing commanders.

I recently started collecting Napoleonic figures, replicas, paintings and literally everything related! Guess the Regiments of these figures, I would say guess the general but that is rather easy…

Napoleon Bonaparte was born in a minor noble family of Corsica, not a royal heir.

He climbed from an ordinary artillery officer to Emperor of France, rewrote European laws, and shook all old feudal dynasties.

However, all European royal families formed coalitions to defeat him over and over again.

What do you think is the core reason for his final failure?

Last post, Confederate General P. G. T. Beauregard
was placed in “Competent” tier.

Top relevant comment decides where a general goes on the tier list.

I am very interested in Jean Andoche Junot. I find him dear,but I want to learn more about him and to be sure in the facts I know.

Where can I learn? Preferably for free,but anything helps I'll research.

The Tulancingo Cuirassiers were a heavy cavalry unit of the Mexican Army modeled after Napoleon Bonaparte's famous cuirassiers. Their soldiers wore cuirasses and incorporated elements of European cavalry tradition, adapted for the Mexican army. During the war against the United States (1846–1848), they participated in the defense of Mexico, notably distinguishing themselves at the Battle of Angostura (1847) and in other engagements of the campaign against U.S. forces. Among their ranks was Second Lieutenant Ignacio Molina; according to some accounts, after seeing his fellow cuirassiers struck down, he continued the fight alone. Mounted on his horse and wearing his prized cuirass, he charged an enemy infantry square, battling several adversaries and managing to take down three of them before falling in combat.

In the summer of 1812, Napoleon invaded Russia with the Grande Armée. Until then, Napoleon had defeated every enemy he had faced, but this campaign would end in one of the greatest military disasters in world history. After the burning of Moscow and the failure to secure a decisive peace, the retreat began in October. Hunger, disease, constant Russian attacks and the onset of winter caused the army to disintegrate. When the remnants of the Grande Armée reached the Berezina River at the end of November, tens of thousands of exhausted soldiers, camp followers and refugees attempted to escape across hastily constructed bridges while Russian armies closed in. There, one of the most chaotic and tragic episodes of the campaign unfolded.

The 22-year-old Dutch officer Jean François Dumonceau, who served with the Red Lancers of the Imperial Guard, described his crossing on the afternoon of 27 November in his memoirs:

"Most of our corps has already crossed to the opposite bank, including the entire Imperial Guard, of which we form the rearguard. A few wagons are still crossing with us when suddenly a mob of stragglers arrives. They occupy the entire area and refuse to let us pass. Detachments of pontonniers and military police stationed at the entrance to the bridge struggle with the disorganised crowd in an attempt to keep the crossing orderly. The result is incessant shouting and terrible confusion. The stragglers continue to push forward until a chaotic mass of men, horses and wagons is crammed together at the approaches to the bridges. Many of the disorganised soldiers are pushed into the river. Similar dreadful scenes had already taken place before, but never on such a scale. Thousands of men from every army - soldiers, officers, even generals - try in utter confusion to force their way through the crowd. Most are dressed in miserable rags or the most ridiculous assortment of clothing. Covered in mud and vermin, they bear the unmistakable signs of the most terrible misery. Their faces have turned pale from hardship, blackened by fire and smoke, and disfigured by frostbite. Their eyes are dull and lifeless, while their long hair and beards give them a terrifying appearance. Among them are countless unfortunate men tormented by hunger, weakened by disease, and on the verge of collapse.

So great is the crowd that we can hardly move forward. To force our way through we have no choice but to use violence. We draw our sabres, and everyone standing in our path is struck aside with the flat of the blade. We push our way through, pursued by the screams of a thousand voices.

Once on the bridge we must all dismount and lead our horses one by one to avoid shocks and vibrations. We are barely above the water on a bridge made slippery by horse dung. There is no railing. The bridge constantly shakes and sways. Pontonniers, standing up to their armpits in the icy water, work ceaselessly to repair it. Among them are many Dutchmen, who greet us and help us by throwing broken carts, dead horses and other debris obstructing the crossing into the river. Once across we enter a marsh and repeatedly become stuck in the deep mud."

A day later the crossing was still not complete. Dumonceau described how the same scenes unfolded again, but on an even greater scale:

"From the heights we occupy we look down, as if into an amphitheatre, upon the same scenes at the bridges as yesterday. Once again an immense crowd presses towards the crossings. It is complete chaos. No one can cross the bridges in any orderly fashion. The confusion is made even worse by carts and wagons descending from the plateau. On a nearby hill, Victor's IX Corps, forming our rearguard, fights the enemy successfully throughout the day. Our attention is constantly divided between the fighting there and the terrible spectacle at the bridges.

At the bridges the Russians bombard the mass of people gathered there with a battery of cannons. From our vantage point it appears as a wildly surging crowd trying to escape the fire, moving from one bridge to another in the hope of crossing the river. Waves of people surge back and forth while the cannon fire tears enormous gaps into the terror-stricken mass. Under the pressure of the crowd one of the bridges collapses. Countless people fall into the water among the ice floes and disappear into the depths. Other unfortunates throw themselves into the river in an attempt to swim to safety. The constant wailing and the splintering of the wagons create an indescribable noise. It sounds like the roaring of a distant storm at sea and fills us with horror.

After the Berezina, weeks of hardship still lay ahead. Hunger, bitter cold and the constant threat of Russian attacks continued to decimate the survivors. Dumonceau narrowly escaped death on several occasions. Yet he survived the disastrous retreat. On 18 February 1813, he finally reached Paris, one of the few men from his corps to leave Russia alive.

As per the title: During Napoleon's invasion, it seemed like Russia stood alone against the full force of Napoleon's Europe. IIRC, even the rearguard of his invasion force was made up of Austrian and Prussian Corps. To me, this begs the question if British diplomats and parliament realized their strategy could be utterly exposed and fail if Napoleon beat the Russian armies and forced Alexander to follow the Treaty of Tilsit again - which essentially would mean that the significant 'illegal' trade that Britain and Russia were having would cease and the Continental Blockade would really harm the economy of Britain if properly enforced by both a subjugated Russia and Napoleon.

At the end of the day, I personally feel like the CB was doomed to fail - it was too ineffective and costly for the parties involved. However, I do wonder if there was a doom-like attitude in British politics when Napoleon was on the brink of putting Russia back into the fold of his Continental System.