Opinions vary widely as to Napoleon’s tactical ability. In terms of overall strategy, the man was perhaps the greatest who ever lived. But when it came down to the tactics of the individual battle, historians like Alan Schom have painted Napoleon as basically lucking his way through a series of quasi-massacres thanks to his elite forces unexpectedly punching a hole through the enemy lines at the right time, turning total defeat into sudden victory.
That doesn’t seem quite a fair assessment to me. Warfare is messy and nasty and very very loud. The best you can do is set up the field so that your dudes have more chances to do something interesting than their dudes can and then manage the chaos as best you are able. Napoleon did that better than just about anybody for a period of ten years, while simultaneously doing everything he needed to do to run an Empire.
Still, the man did run forces into the center of an enemy line an awful lot… Ah well.
– Count Dolby von Luckner
Relevant Archival Episodes:
Standard Policy I
Standard Policy II
Standard Policy III
http://www.ftg-comic.com/2007/12/06/index.php
The example of the Galactic Empire has stirred Napoleon to action, and now it is time to bring the man to Voltaire for final marching orders. That is, it would be, if not for Frederick being Frederick, Peter being Peter, and Goldingsheim, the place where a man who has paid all his accounts goes after he dies, being entirely made up. It’s episode 84: All That Glitters Is Not Goldingsheim, and it is swell!!
– Geoff and The Count
Today the creator of the Yurito character essays pressed into my clawlike hand the draft of an awesome story he is working on with Euler as the central figure. The story is written as Euler’s diary, complete with Leonhardian mathematical scribblings winding their way around the margins. Pretty neat stuff. Once I am not under the gun of imminent comprehensive exams, I’ll figure out a way of getting the full thing up here, but for the moment you can enjoy an unfortunately scribbleless section over at the Fan Art page.
My favorite line: “It will be the most prestigious school in all the world – nay, in all of Europe, even!” The suggestion that, to a 18th century European mathematician, adding anything to Europe actually lessens Europe strikes me as remarkably psychologically accurate.
Oh! And Mark Poutenis over at Thinking Ape Blues has created a strip revolving around Falco, perhaps my favorite singer ever in the history of man (also the creator of one of the greatest music videos ever). Check out the strip, then sit back and enjoy Falco’s unparalleled ability to stylishly walk between two parallel lines of people. Why, Falco, why did you leave us?!!!
– Count Dolby von Luckner
Relevant Archival Episodes:
Goldingsheim Born
Goldingsheim Persists In Not Existing
Why, this episode puts me in mind of a story.
Back in the fall of aught-four, one of my roommates had mixed up two batches of sangria for his birthday party. There was a batch mixed with red wine and one with white wine. Now, both of these mixtures contained an entire bottle of 151 in each of them. This must be distinctly understood, or nothing wonderful can come of the story I am going to relate.
Anyway, another one of my roommates noticed the 151 going into the red sangria, but somehow missed the fact that there was 151 in the white sangria. Later, when the party was getting into full swing, this roommate made it his duty to mention to the partygoers, especially those with less robust constituions, that he had heard that the red sangria was mixed with 151.
It should suffice to say that I have never before or since been at a party that beat out that one for quantity or quality of sloppy, sloppy drunks.
So, let this be a lesson, kids: consequents shouldn’t be affirmed. Nothing funny comes about due to logical fallacy. Only things that are extra awesome hilarious.
–Geoff