Napoleonic Wargame Club (NWC)

Congratulations, Mark!

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My dear General Knox, I would be most pleased to buy your redoubtable commander any type of alcoholic beverage in whatever quantity is required to render him insensible on the battlefield. It would, after all, be much easier to achieve a victory against so formidable opponent were he to order his men to unlimber their artillery facing away from my troops, form squares directly in front of my artillery, and invariably disperse into open order at the approach of my cavalry.

Besides, it was my understanding that the good Marechal may actually have developed a taste for warm beer as he has frequently been known to consume an entire keg at our celebrations, while strapping another to his horse to act as a reserve upon his return to headquarters.

Now, as for your motives in wearing your current uniform, I have no doubt that you firmly believe in the principles you have listed and I know both Marechal Bardon and you to be ‘educated and sophisticated warriors’. I too agree with your marvelous ideals of Liberty, Fraternity and Equality. I just disagree that these changes can be enacted with the bayonet. Such changes in the social order must occur slowly and peacefully in order to be truly effective. More importantly, they must come willingly. For all of your Emperor’s fine abilities, he has missed the fundamental method by which such social change must occur. The Emperor of France should be sending teachers across his borders, not soldiers. Your Emperor is using a noble ideal to further his own personal ambition, and well educated and noble men such as Marechal Bardon and you have fallen prey to what you simply wish to be true. I have no faith whatsoever in the motives of the Corsican Usurper. This war will end with Bonaparte’s life. In the meantime, I fear that poor soldiers such as we are consigned to perpetually strive and perish.

Another round, gentlemen?

The game of thrones! Such fine 20th Century sentiments! How fare the English teachers in Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Africa, India, Hong Kong, well, you get the picture. And the Hapless-burgs with their great Austro-Hungarian-Tyrolean, Italian, Balkaan provinces? And the Russian empire in Finland, with designs on Sweden, and other climes? Oh, the poor Poles, carved up between Russian, Prussian and Austria. You see the picture more fully now? The game of thrones, and the fact is the club members of various royal families just couldn't stand an upstart, from Corsica no less, trying to join the ranks of such esteemed, ahem, company.
This Tirailleur has no false impressions of the transformation from Republic to Consulate, to Empire... Such are the vagaries of perpetual war. We all are the products of the time.

Brigadier Jones, while I am fond of ales, I will never subscribe to that peculiar English notion called warm beer. Cold, ice cold preferably.

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Marechal Jeff Bardon
Duc de Castiglione et Prince de Wagram
Commandant de la Garde Imperiale

Well then, ice cold beer it is! Only the best for so esteemed a Guard Commander. I will even make sure that the barrel placed on your horse is wrapped in blankets to prevent the fine stallion from getting frost bite.

Drink up, Herr Bardon, our match is drawing ever closer and you still retain far too many of your faculties to reduce the danger (at least to me) of our engagement.

Congrats Mark.

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Field Marshal Sir Edward Blackburn, 1st Duke of Aberdeen K.G.
85th (Buck's Light Volunteers) Regiment of Foot
16th British Brigade
7th Division
III (Peninsular) Corps
2nd Battalion, Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards

I DON'T PLAY WITH ROUT LIMITING OR NME OFF

Congratulations Mark

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This is most appropriate! Congratulations, BG Jones. And may I present you with this fine German cavalry sword as a token of your joining the General ranks. Wait, I left it on my horse. My horse? Where on earth did he get to? Never mind, Helga? Drinks on me until I find my horse... and that might take a while. Now where is that ale bucket?

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FM Sir 'Muddy' Jones, KG
2nd Life Guards, 1st Squadron, Household Cavalry
1st Duke of Uxbridge & Anglesey K.G.

Congratulations Brigadier Jones. Your new rank is appropriate recognition of your skill on the battlefield as well as your dedication to improving the NWC. Huzzah!!

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