Why the Echelon? Part # of a on going series of stuff Raz doesn't get

[grumbler]

Well, the Romans of course built their excellent roads for that purpose; but how did a premodern supply train "work" off-road, when draught animals tended to eat their own loads in ten days or so?

Depots, forage, and, of course, herds of animals brought along for slaughter to reduce the grain requirements.

Bringing sufficient wine/beer was often the most difficult of the supply issues! 

[Malthus]

Well, the Romans of course built their excellent roads for that purpose; but how did a premodern supply train "work" off-road, when draught animals tended to eat their own loads in ten days or so?

Depots, forage, and, of course, herds of animals brought along for slaughter to reduce the grain requirements.

Bringing sufficient wine/beer was often the most difficult of the supply issues! 

Well, depots and herds certainly; but both methods were pretty limited. Depots only worked where you already had control of the territory and herds have to graze or they will die - that and forage require scattering, at least to an extent.

I also read that a conquering army could, if the commander was clever, arrange for those anxious about losing to sell or provide supplies - Alexander certainly did that.

Another thing I read was that wine/beer wasn't just a luxury, but a necessity - mixing some with the water decreased the chances of disease. Dunno if that is actually true or not, but certainly disease was always a big factor with premodern armies.

[grumbler]

Well, the Romans of course built their excellent roads for that purpose; but how did a premodern supply train "work" off-road, when draught animals tended to eat their own loads in ten days or so?

Depots, forage, and, of course, herds of animals brought along for slaughter to reduce the grain requirements.

Bringing sufficient wine/beer was often the most difficult of the supply issues! 

Well, depots and herds certainly; but both methods were pretty limited. Depots only worked where you already had control of the territory and herds have to graze or they will die - that and forage require scattering, at least to an extent.

I also read that a conquering army could, if the commander was clever, arrange for those anxious about losing to sell or provide supplies - Alexander certainly did that.

Another thing I read was that wine/beer wasn't just a luxury, but a necessity - mixing some with the water decreased the chances of disease. Dunno if that is actually true or not, but certainly disease was always a big factor with premodern armies.

It is true that "contributions" (to use the French Revolutionary phrase) were certainly imposed on losing cities and whatnot.

What isn't true is that armies in the ancient and medieval period would disperse to forage, like the French did in the revWar and early Napoleonic periods.  If one did that, odds are that the troops could never again be re-assembled.  The command and control wasn't good enough for that.

And, yes, it was known that driniking alcohol was healthier than drinking water, though no one knew why.  Disease was such a big issue that sieges, for instance, often boiled down to which army was being devasted by disease the least.  The Romans were one of the few premodern armies that had the concept of camp sanitation, and even they suffered horribly from disease.

[Razgovory]

See, I knew that some people here were smart enough to answer!  Thanks.