Background Briefing

(Click to embiggen, or chase the link)
Source

So JB sent me this excellent graphic (above) a couple of weeks ago, and as I'm feeling extraordinarily lazy on this Friday afternoon (as I write) I decided to use the graphic in order to provide you, dear readers, with a bit of background on the armies of Napoléon's time.

(You there, in the back, wake up, this material WILL BE on the final exam. JK)

Anyhoo, much as it is today, military units in Napoléon's time consisted of a number of building blocks, from the individual soldier all the way up to an entire army, everything is, ya know, organized. I mean it's what makes an army credible and efficient. Well, that and the training the soldiers receive and how well they are taken care of (food, clothing, housing, medical care, etc. Oh yes, and pay, how could I forget pay?).

The basic tactical unit for the infantry was the battalion, for the cavalry it was the squadron, and for the artillery it was the battery. Organizations and uniforms tended to change over time, sometimes at the sovereign's whim, but most often due to practical necessity.

For instance, as noted above, French infantry battalions consisted of nine companies of 100 to 120 men per company. That's the 1805 table of organization, by the time of the Waterloo campaign, the number of companies per battalion had been reduced to six. This is what happens when you lose a lot of officers and non-commissioned-officers in combat. The invasion of Russia crippled the Grande Armée¹, the disastrous campaigns of 1813 and 1814 didn't help matters. The French were on the defensive and were eventually pushed back inside the borders of France and the Emperor was forced to abdicate.

So the battalions of the Waterloo campaign were smaller than those of earlier campaigns. The number of men per company did remain more or less the same.

If you'd like a more exhaustive view of Napoléon and his army (now don't all rush at once) you can chase this link, but beware, I've spent many hours over there, going down one rathole after another.

Now what, you may ask, has caused me to dial things back a bit on this series? Well, here's one answer ...

My character in Sengoku Dynasty² standing on the porch of his beach house.

My character in Sengoku Dynasty standing on the beach in front of his house.

I mean y'all knew I played computer games, right? And not to belabor the point, I am, ya know, retired and now have time to indulge myself with such things.

I'll get back to my Napoleonic "What If" series on Tuesday, I've got to figure out how to have the French win one battle which was actually a draw, of sorts, (Quatre Bras) and to make the victory at Ligny even bigger than it was. Because Napoléon didn't destroy the Prussians at Ligny, they got away and lived to fight another day, at Waterloo itself.

So until then, keep your powder dry and your nose to the wind.

¹ The Grand Army, usually what the Emperor called his main army up until it was practically destroyed in 1812, in Russia.

² Great game, for those who partake in such things, it's available on Steam, a fine purveyor of computer games. I've spent a lot of time (and money) over there, didn't feel either was wasted. YMMV

The Cupboard is Bare, As Is My Brain

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The heat of summer can be enervating, especially when one is in trail with a lawnmower.

After three weeks of lots of heat and not a lot of rain, the grass wasn't so much high as it was ragged.

So I waited until the outside temperature got closer to 80 than 90, then donned my working attire and set forth to cut the front yard.

It's done, I had a Guinness to celebrate than repaired to the dining room to consume a roast beef sandwich, with horse radish sauce, of course.

That being done, I thought about the blog.

Brain said, "Nope, not today pal."

So here we are ...

Juvat will be up tomorrow, and we'll get back with the Armée du Nord on Tuesday. They're camped on the frontier with Belgium, waiting for the word to advance.

Hopefully the Emperor can round up his stray marshals and get things going.

Wellington and Blücher ain't gonna wait forever.

Damn, I miss the beach.

Ciao!

The Mowing ...

Grass? What grass?
OAFS Photo

A brief pause in the tale of 1870 is in order. Thursday required a trip to the dermatologist, regularly scheduled visit, nothing ominous to report. Upon my return the lawn needed tending to. After a two week absence it was starting to look like jungle.

My next door neighbor knocked the front yard down for me at one point in my absence, so as not to arouse the ire of the neighborhood busybodies, so that wasn't too bad. So naturally I did that first. Curb appeal dontcha know? Weed whacking was a dire need, so I did that as well.

Friday will see the cutting of the back lawn, or the Serengeti as I'm starting to think of it. The idea of a herd of wildebeest back there is somewhat appealing, I mean they would knock down the grass, but you do know that they crap everywhere, right? And they'd drain that koi pond in nothing flat.

So, I do it manually. I am giving serious thought to finding someone else to do it, you know, for cash money. As Danny Glover might have put it ...

So yeah, there is that. This way I can go somewhere for a week or three and not worry about the gorram grass. Costs money, but I have that. I guess it all depends on how much. It can get pricy around these parts. (Maryland, on the gripping hand, is dirt cheap for that sort of thing. Or perhaps Tuttle just knows people, he's lived there for over fourteen years.)

In other news, the lilacs are in bloom. I have a fondness for those, my Mom had a whole line of them along the southern boundary of the ancestral manse, right outside my window, growing up. Love that fragrance.

OAFS Photo

Back soon with my fictional tale of the Franco-Prussian War, but more lawn cutting is in the offing.

Yay ...

De mauvaise humeur, peut-être¹ ...

Interior of a library, from Boethius

So if no one reads it, why bother to write it?

I do appreciate the few who actually stop by here daily², but ...

Be back in a day or so, or not. This blogging thing is becoming wearisome.

Perhaps I'm just in a bad mood.

We'll see what a good night's sleep does.

Going on the road Sunday, grandchildren are involved. Might help my morale.

Who knows?

Ciao.

¹ I n a bad mood, maybe ...

² All 90 of you as of 1830 Friday ...

As the World Goes Insane ...

Neuville défense de la porte de Longboyau
Alphonse de Neuville
Source

Just when I think I know where I'm going with a story, I start reading and learn new things. It's going to take a day or two to fit my newly gained knowledge into the tale of the Franco-Prussian War. So be cool, we'll get there, I hope.

In the meantime, let's hope the world slows down for a bit and people try harder not to do, say, or think very stupid things.

I know that's asking a lot, but ya never know.

Talk quietly among yourselves, don't break the windows, scratch the floors, or empty the liquor cabinet, such as it is. And this time, replace the freakin' keg under the bar, you know who I'm talking about.

In other words, have fun, but don't break my stuff.

I need a vacation!

The Grass Did Not Cut Itself ...

Battle of Mars-La-Tour, August 16,1870
Emil Hünten
Source

Okay Sarge, wait, what? What does grass cutting have to do with the Franco-Prussian War?

Nothing, nada, nichts, it's just that I had to finish up mowing my yard Wednesday and the thickness of the grass made that task take a bit longer than I cared for. At the end of which I ate my supper, then decided that I didn't much feel like writing. So ...

I did find a cool video on the rifles used in the Franco-Prussian War, the French Chassepot and the Prussian Dreyse. Here it is ...

After finding that, I decided to look for other cool videos on the war. I found one that covers the entire war, start to finish. I started watching it, which is reason #2 I didn't do a full-blown historical fiction post today.

The video is six plus hours long, and I watched quite a bit of it, so ...

You don't have to watch all of it, but if you watch the first ten minutes or so, you'll see how the war started. Much like World War I, everyone was itching for the chance to start shooting.

Well, everyone except the poor shmucks who had to do the actual fighting.

The more things change ...

Back tomorrow with, hopefully, another tale of the Franco-Prussian War.

Ciao!

And Here We Go ...

OAFS Android Screen Capture

Just a quick note ...

First Communion is this morning, the granddaughter is rather nervous about the whole thing, Grandpa ain't helping by asking such things as:

"Is the Pope coming?"

"Have you written your speech yet?"

"Is this going to cost me money?"

To which I received:

"Who?"

"I need to write a speech?"

"Shut up, Grandpa."

A chip off the old block she is.''

So proud of that girl.

More later, maybe, the after party features street tacos and cerveza, I probably won't be coherent enough to write a post for Sunday.

But ya never know.

Hasta luego!

So Yeah, I'm in California

Midway airport, Chicago
OAFS Photo

Flew out to California on Monday for granddaughter Li'l Sweetie's First Communion. Which is, as I gather, something of a big deal. Being a Baptist, of sorts, it's not something I fully grok. I just know that we were there for her big sister's First Communion. It was awesome and the after party was lots of fun. Also I hadn't been out to see LUSH and her tribe in quite some time, so it was off to California.

As they live near Fresno, that's where we flew to, no airline has a hub anywhere near Fresno, so getting there is a bit of a chore. Like first fly to Midway, the airport near Chicago not the island in the Pacific, then to Sandy Eggo, then, finally, to Fresno. Approximately eight hours in the air and another six hours on the ground, hanging out, waiting for the next flight.

So it was a rather long day. it was the first time I'd been back to Sandy Eggo in three (ish) years and the terminal we were in was new, it had been under construction the last time I was here. So it was good to be back, but it was different. But hey, it was just the terminal. We were only on the ground for three hours. Long enough to stretch our legs and get something to eat,

Holy sh!t, $25 for a cheeseburger and fries???

We ate something else, some Mediterranean kebob thing, which wasn't bad. Still expensive ($20) but not as expensive. Healthier as well, I actually ate a salad. (No, that doesn't normally happen when I eat at an airport.)

Anyhoo, I'm out here for a few days and juvat is in France. So, we'll see how things go. And from this sign I saw in the airport restroom (one over each urinal) ...

... California appears to be doomed.

That spinning noise you hear?

Darwin in his grave.

Ciao!

Stapler? Have You Seen My Stapler?

Total War: Rome - In game screenshot

From commanding tanks to commanding the legions of Ancient Rome, it's all in a day for me. Do I have way too many games?

Why yes, yes I do.

Does it bother me?

Why no, it does not.

Once the taxes are done, they need to be put in the mail. Which, as yesterday's comments revealed, can be a pain, depending on where you live.

The USPS doesn't really live up to its once vaunted reputation. For those of you of a certain age you might remember their old motto, "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

The USPS doesn't really claim this as their motto or creed, officially, but unofficially, sure that's what they strive for.

Ah, it's good to have goals. Better yet to hit those goals.

But I digress, I was speaking of the taxes.

Printing out (don't get started on submitting them online, I don't do that, my reasons are my own) the various forms was fun. Seems I need to update my printer drivers, or I can continue to stop the print spooler, clear the print queue by manually deleting files, restart the print spooler, delete the printer I have selected, then install it again.

While a pain, it worked, in my defense I was "draining the swamp" and decided to actually worry about the alligators later.

So everything is printed out, just needs to get stapled together and ...

Damn it. Where's my stapler?

Hhmm, not there, where I thought I left it last year. Nor is it there, where I have left it in past years. Maybe it's ...

Screw it, I'll buy another stapler.

Someday I am going to find a treasure trove of staplers, all barely used though rather dusty. The staplers are probably with all those socks which get lost in the dryer. Or the Tupperware lids which don't seem to go anywhere.

Argh, back to Ancient Rome, things are simpler there, the stapler hasn't been invented yet ...

Sarge Note: Yes, I'm enjoying my weekend, why do you ask? I'm sure the Muse is fine, she's probably with some sailors in a dive bar in ... Ruh roh.

Mindless Entertainment, Sort Of ...

Panzer Elite
In game screenshot

After a few days of perusing well-written (sic) government instructions and filling in numerous pages of tax documents, I have declared success.

As in, I'm done. All that remains is the mailing of the forms and the writing of the checks (that latter bit will be done online, no actual checks will be written). So, I guess I can get back to my fictional tale of the American Revolution and ...

Ya know what? Nope, I'm going to take at least another day, maybe the whole weekend before I get back to that.

My brain is fatigued after doing what I feel is my duty as an American citizen. Wasn't pretty, wasn't fun but hey, 'tis done for another year.

Now I'm going to go immerse myself in the virtual world of computer gaming.

I took that screenshot above just moments ago, I need to get back there. We'll need a restart as while I was setting up a screenshot, a German scout car was setting up a shot on my tank.

Damn the bad luck.

Sorry juvat, I was too shocked to get a picture of my tank blowing up for you. Bit traumatic that was.

Unlike real life, I can start over. Kind of like in that Tom Cruise movie Edge of Tomorrow. Which, by the way, I really enjoyed. (Being a big Emily Blunt fan helps as well.)

YMMV

One thing I will say for Panzer Elite, while the panzers generally show up in the same place and time, sometimes they don't. Keeps you on your toes it does. Mind your tactics, they're important. Very important.

See you soon (ish).

Oh Boy ...

Source

Not only am I in the midst of doing my taxes (Feds are done Little Rhody is in work) but I had a recent notice that my driver's license needed renewal.

So I went on line last week to do it and, much to my chagrin ...

Okay, it wasn't that I didn't know the magic word (but I love that clip so ...) as much as it was a question of me needing a new photo for my license. The one on my current license being rather old. I still look like that, but older, and with a mustache.

So ...

Little Rhody now has you make an appointment for this sort of thing, absolutely no walk-ins. Which I'm okay with. It certainly has sped the process up and you don't have a room full of people waiting to be seen. Getting angrier as the clock ticks.

Now the last time I went was as a walk-in (shortly after the conclusion of the Pleistocene Epoch I believe it was) and as the office was in a brand new building, the employees were all rather in a good mood. (Take note you cheap-ass corporations with your shitty facilities, happy workers are more productive ...) And, as I asked one of the clerks, "So what happened to old Mrs. 'I Hate Everybody'?" - "Oh, she got fired two years ago, too many complaints about her attitude."

So yes, at least on my side of Little Rhody (the East Bay) we've got that going for us.

At any rate I was in and out in less than fifteen minutes, the folks working there were great and I was happy.

Until I remembered the construction on the bridge which connects Aquidneck Island with my hometown. Fifteen minute delay going to the island, and knowing the traffic flow, it would be at least twenty minutes going back. So I opted for a different bridge (Sakonnet for those who must know, vice the Mt. Hope Bridge, also known as the bridge of "Our Lady of Perpetual Repairs). Took more time but was way less deleterious to my blood pressure.

So yeah, I'm good with that.

Now back to the dadgum taxes ...

Yes, It's That Time of Year ...

Source

There will be a brief pause in the action, a day maybe two, while I fill out my tax forms.

Federal and State.

I owe, I owe, it's NOT off to work I go.

Getting used to retirement also involves doing one's retired income taxes for the first time.

Adjustments will need to be made, but all in all ...

The "damage" ain't as bad as last year.

Oh well, I just wish those creatures in Congress wouldn't waste so much of the money we give them. But waste it they do ...

Always have ...

Probably always will.

Leopard can't change its spots.

What's Next?

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Yup, that's where I'm at, writing-wise. I'm at the edge of something, but I'm not sure what it is.

I started this blog back in 2012, after the death of our Lex.

Ya see, I read his blog every morning, without fail, it was as much a part of my morning as my coffee. When he was gone, I drifted aimlessly for a bit, then decided, hey, I can do my own blog.

So I did.

Why?

Partly to fill the void left by Lex, partly as something to occupy my mind. There was enough interest in my scribblings to keep this thing of ours going for the past fourteen years. But man, I feel like I'm running out of gas.

Over my sojourn down in Maryland I finished editing the prequel (part one) to Almost a Lifetime. So okay, what's next?

I really should try to get the book published, and if there's enough interest, I'll start part two of the prequel and try to get part one published. Thing is, this seems to be quite a bit of work. And one thing I've discovered since retiring is that I am now tending to avoid anything which smacks of "work."

So I'm at the edge of a cliff, perhaps a crossroads is a better way to describe it. Which way do I go next?

I have lots of hobbies which I'm stalled on because of this writing thing. As far as the writing goes, I really wish I'd known it was going to be so addictive. Would I have still jumped in? Probably.

I won't write about current day politics - it's divisive, annoying, and there are far too many opinions, heartfelt beliefs, and what have you to make it worth worrying about.

So here we are.

What's next?

Goofing Off, Not Much to Say

Me-410 Hornisse
Screenshot - IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad

I finally got around to hooking up my old Saitek X52 Flight Control System to the new desktop machine. I was somewhat worried that it wouldn't work well with the newer machine running Windows 11, but it does work and it seems (so far) to be working well.

It's been awhile since I've taken to the air in this old (but continually updated) flight sim which, to me, is the best I've ever "flown."

P-51 Mustang
Screenshot - IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad

What you see above is the view looking out of a P-51 over France. One thing vastly improved from the early versions of this flight sim (I hesitate to call it a "game") are the clouds. They looked pretty good back in late 2001, when the sim first came out, they look fantastic now.

The flight models in the later version of the sim are much improved as well. No flinging the old kite about the sky with wild abandon anymore, do that and guaranteed you'll stall or go into a spin. It was much harder to crash the bird in the early versions.

So while I play, I don't write, much.

I'm also working my way through the old HBO Rome series, one episode to go. I enjoy my time with Vorenus and Pullo, they're like old friends now.

Ah well, me and my fantasy worlds.

In other news ...

We're expecting more snow here, but the forecast has been bouncing all over the place, which is typical when they try to forecast ten days in the future. Right now it's raining, which was predicted. That might turn to snow after sundown.

Oh boy.

But on the bright side, the temperatures are in the high 30s during the day. Which after the last few weeks feels downright balmy!

So there you have it.

The rest of the world keeps working while the Old AF Sarge plays with his toys.

I've waited 50 years for this!

And I'm not disappointed in how it's going!

Ciao!

Snow Day

Saturday, 07 February 2026
OAFS Photo

I am taking a snow day.

Maybe I'll make up for it in the spring with two posts on the same day.

Or maybe I'll just let it go.

The snow is slowing down (around the 5 inch mark is my guesstimate) and the temperature is dropping fast. It's already dropped about 15° since the morning. (We're talking about Saturday here as I write.)

Sunday (today as you read) is supposed to be brutally cold when the wind kicks up.

And I can hear the flap on the bathroom exhaust fan flapping now.

Might get sporty out there.

I'll worry about clearing the snow later.

There's no where we have to go, so ...

Sit inside with a hot cuppa and watch the world go by.

No doubt juvat is roasting in the 80s down Texas way, Tuna is suffering through the 60s and 70s in Sandy Eggo, and Beans?

God only knows what the weather in Florida is going to be like.

In the pool one day, frozen palm trees the next, it's crazy down there!

Stay warm.

Ciao!

Fine Dining

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As I mentioned, Monday was the anniversary of The Missus Herself and Your Humble Scribe getting hitched forty eight years ago in the city of Seoul, Republic of Korea. She said I looked like a country lad visiting the big city for the first time.

Well, she wasn't too far wrong.

Not that I'm a city slicker these days but I'm used to cities now. (Still don't like driving in them, the terror is gone but the distaste remains.)

Now Newport is the fancy tourist town in Little Rhody. It's very nice and in the summer it's very crowded. Which is why we only go there, usually, in the winter. Fewer tourists, less traffic, but it's still a 17th Century town (founded in 1639) with streets better fitted to horse drawn conveyances than motor vehicles. So it's not a drive I look forward to.

But The Nuke recommended a dining establishment on the Newport waterfront, The Mooring, which I was most impressed by. Food was really good, service was outstanding, the ambiance was top notch, and the view from our table was very nice. Right on the water, I could see the lights reflecting off the waves of Newport Harbor.

Well, it was night but I've seen photos of it during the day and it's pretty, very pretty. This time of year there are far fewer boats in the harbor. As it's not long after Christmas, a nearby pier was still festooned with Christmas lights and that's something I always enjoy.

I had made reservations ahead of time and they asked if there was any special occasion we were celebrating. I told them it was our anniversary.

When we got to our table there was a "Happy Anniversary" card, signed by the duty staff, waiting for us. A really nice touch.

As I said, the food was great. When offered a dessert menu we declined as we were quite full by that point, our server said we should try their apple turnover as they were freshly made.

"But, we're just stuffed ..."

"It's free, because it's your anniversary."

"Free?"

"Yes, I'll box it up for you and you can take it home."

Nice, very nice.

The turnover didn't survive to become breakfast. I guess the thirty minute drive in the cold night air had given The Missus Herself an appetite. Especially when we opened the box and that turnover was still warm! (And big enough to easily serve two people.)

Thing was more pie than turnover and was absolutely delicious.

Now I'm not becoming a foodie, though I confess, I do like to eat, but Monday night was special enough to write about.

We had a good time in each other's company. I daresay, after forty eight years we should!

I'll think of something else to write about tomorrow, but for now ...

Ciao!

Dude, Where's My Car?¹

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Not much to report, I'm tired as I had a dream Friday night where someone had parked a tank on top of me. Woke up sweating like the veritable pig to discover there was no tank atop me, but the temperature had stayed warm overnight and I was in a state of "too much blanket."

Ain't no thang, but having to get up early, that sweaty tank dream rather broke up my sleep momentum.

Sigh ...

Breakfast with my friends was, as it always is, awesome. It ain't so much the food but the company. I love those guys.

But the venue was classic little town New England, that is, the parking lot doesn't hold enough cars to support the clientele for the breakfast place and a mini-gym and a nutrition place in the same little building. I count fifteen spaces (two of which are handicapped).

Now there is parking across the street at a salon (top left in the lead-in photo, depicted below) ...

Source

The red circles show the NO PARKING WE WILL TOW YOU and the ubiquitous Handicapped Parking sign.

Now there were a LOT of people around Saturday morning, in the restaurant, in the little gym, and I'm pretty sure that nutrition place was also open.

So Your Humble Scribe spent a few moments looking for a spot to park Blue.

My buddy Tom, who has eaten at this place before and is watching me look for parking, says "Go ahead and park at the salon, it's not open."

I first slid in around a car to discover the Handicapped Parking sign. So I backed out and parked over to the left, convinced that I was gonna get towed. Kinda reminded me of this story.

Long story short, breakfast was awesome but was too short. When we left I looked over and did not see my car.

I repeat, I did not see my car.

Damn, somebody stole my effing car.

That's when Liz nudges me and says, "You parked over there, dumbass, to the left."

And sure enough, I did, just didn't see the car.

And got to look like a knucklehead at the same time.

Mr. Overreact, that's me.

But all in all, an excellent day.

Now I just need to keep better track of my stuff ...

That might help.

¹ With apologies to the movie of the same name.

Idling in the Gray

OAFS Photo

On the bright side, the temperature is above freezing. As you can see from the picture above, nothing else is very bright at all. It's a gray day here in the Northeast but that's okay. It's winter, I'm not freezing my butt off and I have all the time in the world to do whatever.

So I've got that going for me.

While dallying in Maryland over the holidays I received a text message from my buddy Tom, he of the monthly breakfast gathering. He was wondering if I'd like to go to a concert not far from Chez Sarge. The musician was Ally the Piper and would I be interested?

Why yes, yes I would. I don't think he knew I was already a fan of hers. Bagpipes with a modern twist, she can do the classics as well.

That's happening in February and I'm looking forward to it.

Now, back to sleep ...

Just kidding, I've got some things that need doing, so I'm going to go do them.

See you on the morrow!