Pick your generals

[Demon of Light]

Imagine for a moment that the greatest (and not as great) military minds the world has ever kown are arrayed before you. You are gathering a huge warhost and need capable leaders at the head of your armies. They are all there so you can pick whoever you like.

Rules:

Can't pick more than one at a time.

Can't make consecutive selections (you have to wait until someone else goes before you can go again.)

Can't pick a person if someone else has already picked them.

You have to pick real people.

[Demon of Light]

I choose Sun Tzu.

His understanding of the concept of war itself together with his grasp of the exemplary manner in which it should be prosecuted makes him an asset without peer.

[Monk]

i choose Alexander the Great,

defeated Athens and thebes along with a few babarian tribes to the north, afterwards he went on to defeat the persian empire. i think that makes him ok in my book

[Popeye]

General Electric.

Shock troops...

[Demon of Light]

Charles Martel

Checked the expansion of the Muslims in 732. Kicked the snot out of them so badly he earned the Hammer as an epithet. He also quelled innumerable revolts with high effectiveness.

[Monk]

Spartan King Leonidas,

Defended Thermopylae against a huge persian army with his force of 300 bodyguards and around 7,000 allied troops. However they became encircled when a traitor showed the persians another way through the mountains, Leonidas told the allies to leave and the 300 partans were left alone to fight. 4 times the Persian army advanced on their position but were repulsed finaly the Spartans becam overwhealmed and were defeated. Leonidas along with his 300 bodyguards were dead. Herodotus would later recall this final stand: They fought with their swords, if they had them, but if not, with their hands and teeth.

The place remains, however, best known for the earlier clash of arms. Following the defeat of Leonidas the Spartan, the Greeks built a monument to mark the spot where the heroes died. Upon it were carved no lofty words of praise, no boasts or laments, but one simple, concise verse:-

Oh stranger tell the Lacedaemonians, that we lie here,
obedient to their laws.

Although he could not hold the pass, he did not retreat. and Xerxes lost many thousands of men at the battle, including 2 brothers.

[Goatus Maximus]

After Alexander the Great, who is there? Best of all his attributes was his logistical aptitude, which is unparalleled. Its one thing to be a genius on the battlefield or command a well-trained army...its another thing to setup, maintain, and strengthen your supply line thousands of miles from home.

OK, he's already taken...

How about Julius Caesar? Master statesman, tactically sound, siegecraft genius.

[Brother Derfel]

John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough

Never lost a battle (well his military ones, politicaly he was defeated too early)

[chilling]

Homer Simpson.


Doh

[hooah]

Quote[/b] (Demon of Light @ April 28 2003,12:19)]I choose Sun Tzu.

His understanding of the concept of war itself together with his grasp of the exemplary manner in which it should be prosecuted makes him an asset without peer.

Excuse me? I get the gist of what you're trying to say but if you're going to try and sound clever at least make some sense

[Demon of Light]

Casca is getting credit for this. We're too lazy to log Demon of Light out and log Casca in...

Hannibal

Master of improvisation, organization, inspiration and tactics. Almost single-handedly brought Rome to its knees and in one battle inflicted an estimated 80000 KIA on a Roman army.

[Demon of Light]

Quote[/b] (hooah @ April 28 2003,16:17)]

Quote[/b] (Demon of Light @ April 28 2003,12:19)]I choose Sun Tzu.

His understanding of the concept of war itself together with his grasp of the exemplary manner in which it should be prosecuted makes him an asset without peer.

Excuse me? I get the gist of what you're trying to say but if you're going to try and sound clever at least make some sense

That sentence is properly constructed. I will cede you part of the point though. I could have been clearer.

[newey1815]

With the Napoleonic Mod etc going a-pace elsewhere, I'm amazed no one has chosen Napoleon yet. I realise his powers waned towards the end of his career when he let political considerations get the better of military ones (eg Waterloo when he should have retreated into France when he realised the Prussians were arriving), but as a general he really is peerless. Remember his 1796 Campaign? And Ulm, Austerlitz etc? Friedland? All examples of a master of war at work. Plus he has the backing of Wellington (Duke of, not regular forum member ) in the 'best campaign' category for his efforts in 1814.

[Surprise]

Attila the Hun
I will own youz with Attila the thrilla

[hooah]

ok i'm shit-stirring, feel free to tell me to stop

an asset without peer - an 'asset' cannot have a peer, being such a non-specific word - a general or man can have a peer however

And exemplary is in the wrong place, as it is it sounds clumsy. As for 'prosecuted'? What, surely you mean executed ala together with his exemplary grasp of the manner in which it should be executed?

[hooah]

oh as for a general, Robert the Bruce was fairly good at using what he had (and he didn't have much compared to the english).

[ProfDanelaw]

Even though he might not truly qualify as a general, my first choice would be Pope Innocent III. He was the first pope to truly push the envelope of papal power in the form of crusades, excommunications, and general dominion over Catholic kingdoms. As if that wasn't enough, who generates more religious support than the pope? His presence would stir the support of almost every Catholic able to wield a sword to do his military bidding.

[Goatus Maximus]

OK, next up is Frederick the Great...master of drill and maneuver, with an outstanding understanding and use of combined arms.

[ProfDanelaw]

I don't suppose I have to wait for everyone else to go again, so I'll interject here and make another selection. In keeping with my theme of religious influence, I'd entrust my forces to King Saladin of the Saracens, as pious and chivalric as any man in history. Saladin inspired his Islamic brethren through his heartfelt love for the peoples of the Middle East and his foremost desire for peace. Though many would assume such a cosmopolite to be a poor commander, Saladin successfully led the Muslim forces that drove a large percentage of the Crusaders out of Islamic lands.

[LeeJackson]

Patton. Nuff said.

[KukriKhan]

Theodore Roosevelt. Sheer charisma, and an uncanny ability to surround himself with the most able strategic and tactical minds available, rank-be-damned.

Not bad for an asthmatic, near-sighted bookworm city-boy, turned environmentalist, general, and president. Guy had cajones of titanium.

Next. (Good proposition DoL).

[KukriKhan]

Quote[/b] (hooah @ April 28 2003,16:29)]oh as for a general, Robert the Bruce was fairly good at using what he had (and he didn't have much compared to the english).

Surprise I thought our honorable hooah was going to pick Joseph Addison(1672-1719), the persnickity poet and essayist, as his champion. That able wordsmith could have instructed us all in the finer points of 'prosecute' versus 'execute', not to mention a critique of our lackadaisical capitalization and punctuation habits.

[LeeJackson]

I am going to pick one more before I go to bed.

Longstreet
- an underated general IMO.

[kataphraktoi]

Belisarius

Extremely Loyal general

Innovative tactics military and non-military

Flexible military mind

Jus like Sun Tzu he adjusts accordingly to the situation.

[Goatus Maximus]

Just for sheer terror and disrupting the enemy's supply line...

Nathan Bedford Forrest

[Kongamato]

Subedei Bahadur.

I dont know whether the system made him or whether he made the system, but I must pick him first.

[Surprise]

Quote[/b] (LeeJackson @ April 28 2003,21:10)]Patton. Nuff said.

PATTON??

Attila will eat Patton alive while he screams like girl

[Demon of Light]

Flavius Aetius

Last great Roman general. Killed by Emperor Valentinian, who feared Aetius wanted the throne. His death sealed Rome's fate and was the harbinger the Dark Ages.

He mopped the floor with Attila the Hun in battle.

[Mak]

Rommel
Okay the guy was on the losing side, but boy did he wop some arse.

[newey1815]

In keeping with my Napoleonic theme, Marshal Louis Davout. The Iron Marshal was undefeated as a general, barring his 'surrender' of Hamburg although even that was more than a month after Napoleon's fall and after receiving a direct order from Louis XVIII. Auerstadt was a piece of genius, and if only he'd been commanding the left or right wing in the Waterloo campaign rather than being Minister of War...