Greatest Military Commander Before the Industrial Age

[The Brain]

There's hundreds and hundreds.

[jimmy olsen]

Just noticed that horrific typo.

[The Minsky Moment]

What About Greatest Industrial Nation Before Napoleon?    

Egypt.

India

[Sheilbh]

Wallenstein!

[grumbler]

What About Greatest Industrial Nation Before Napoleon?    

Egypt.

India

India might be in the competition, but I recall Paul Kennedy making a pretty good case that it was China, in The Rise and Fall...

[The Minsky Moment]

It could go either way but I think "India" has a higher share of industrial output by the 18th century, driven by the textile industry.  In a relative sense, Chinese industry under the Song may have been more impressive, but in absolute terms 18th century India probably wins out.

[The Brain]

18th century UK?

[PJL]

But 18th century wasn't a unified country, but China was at that time. So China wins.

[Admiral Yi]

Someone dissed Alex for not building his own army from scratch, but looking through the list I don't see anyone who did.

[The Brain]

Someone dissed Alex for not building his own army from scratch, but looking through the list I don't see anyone who did.

From absolute zero? No. From crap? Yes.

[grumbler]

Someone dissed Alex for not building his own army from scratch, but looking through the list I don't see anyone who did.

The French Army under napoleon looked much different than it looked before him:  permanent corps level organization (the first anywhere), regularized unit strength, centralized artillery and cavalry, combinations of light and line infantry all the way from corps level to battalion level, a regular replacement and training system, rational military schools, permanent regulations, and more.  His was probably the first thoroughly-thought-out national army organization.

[The Brain]

Someone dissed Alex for not building his own army from scratch, but looking through the list I don't see anyone who did.

The French Army under napoleon looked much different than it looked before him:  permanent corps level organization (the first anywhere), regularized unit strength, centralized artillery and cavalry, combinations of light and line infantry all the way from corps level to battalion level, a regular replacement and training system, rational military schools, permanent regulations, and more.  His was probably the first thoroughly-thought-out national army organization.

In France?

[grumbler]

Someone dissed Alex for not building his own army from scratch, but looking through the list I don't see anyone who did.

The French Army under napoleon looked much different than it looked before him:  permanent corps level organization (the first anywhere), regularized unit strength, centralized artillery and cavalry, combinations of light and line infantry all the way from corps level to battalion level, a regular replacement and training system, rational military schools, permanent regulations, and more.  His was probably the first thoroughly-thought-out national army organization.

In France?

Yes, this happened in France.

[The Brain]

Someone dissed Alex for not building his own army from scratch, but looking through the list I don't see anyone who did.

The French Army under napoleon looked much different than it looked before him:  permanent corps level organization (the first anywhere), regularized unit strength, centralized artillery and cavalry, combinations of light and line infantry all the way from corps level to battalion level, a regular replacement and training system, rational military schools, permanent regulations, and more.  His was probably the first thoroughly-thought-out national army organization.

In France?

Yes, this happened in France.

OK. I'm not an expert on French army organization under the monarchy.

[Eddie Teach]

Someone dissed Alex for not building his own army from scratch, but looking through the list I don't see anyone who did.

The French Army under napoleon looked much different than it looked before him:  permanent corps level organization (the first anywhere), regularized unit strength, centralized artillery and cavalry, combinations of light and line infantry all the way from corps level to battalion level, a regular replacement and training system, rational military schools, permanent regulations, and more.  His was probably the first thoroughly-thought-out national army organization.

In France?

Yes, this happened in France.

And all across the continent, even in Russia for a little while.