cRPG

Off Topic => Historical Discussion => Topic started by: Osiris on March 04, 2013, 02:54:39 pm

Title: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Osiris on March 04, 2013, 02:54:39 pm
Topic says it all :P Which battles are your favorite in terms of reading up on/studying/watching documentaries on. Admiration of the Generals or just sheer epicness. Im not saying death is cool etc but well you know.


Being a fan of Ancient Egypt I enjoy reading/watching about the battle of Kadesh. It was a large scale chariot battle which a highly debatable outcome :P

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kadesh

Kind of obvious one nuff said

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cannae

A couple of Anglo Saxon vs Danes (not a ton of info makes it interesting :D) (being English and all ^^)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ethandun
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cynwit



Those are some of the battles i enjoy reading/watching about what are yours? :D
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Vibe on March 04, 2013, 03:09:08 pm
Being a fan of ancient rome:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Pharsalus
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Abay on March 04, 2013, 03:35:19 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Moh%C3%A1cs

it ends in 2-3 hours. after that battle, no-one in eu could fight against suleiman cos of fear of that battle. u know, cannons were used in an open battle first time here  :wink:
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Christo on March 04, 2013, 03:45:19 pm
Just to "counter" my Turkish forum-mate here  :wink:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Eger_(1552)  8-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Vienna

Yep, techincally aren't battles. But I had to.  :mrgreen:
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: the real god emperor on March 04, 2013, 03:49:34 pm
Dont counter Turkish with battles after 16th century :D

But if you will, i will counter back! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Nagykanizsa
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Christo on March 04, 2013, 03:54:23 pm
Yeah, idiotic Habsburg leadership is idiotic.  :mrgreen:
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: the real god emperor on March 04, 2013, 03:59:10 pm
Id show Fall of Constantinople too, but i am a Byzantium... so Nagykanizsa ! :P
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Christo on March 04, 2013, 04:02:57 pm
Now now.

I wouldn't flex around with conquest of land that was torn apart by inner conflict, and outside control and domineering.

Pretty much that's how Ottomans came in and ruined the party everywhere  :mrgreen:

No, I'm not hating on them or anything, but still. Janissaries were kick-ass quality troops, so yeah.
Devouring struggling small powers isn't that amazing.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Abay on March 04, 2013, 04:06:33 pm
Dont counter Turkish with battles after 16th century :D

But if you will, i will counter back! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Nagykanizsa
that is legendary  :wink:
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: the real god emperor on March 04, 2013, 04:07:38 pm
Tbh, I dont like Ottoman Empire, most barbarian and cruel country i ve ever seen, and i feel shamed in most ways cuz of my history. For exp; Janissaries are not actual turkish, they re captured from other eu countries as babies, then sent there to fight back. I dont really care about my history before 19 May 1919 :P
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Abay on March 04, 2013, 04:09:40 pm
Now now.

I wouldn't flex around with conquest of land that was torn apart by inner conflict, and outside control and domineering.

Pretty much that's how Ottomans came in and ruined the party everywhere  :mrgreen:

No, I'm not hating on them or anything, but still. Janissaries were kick-ass quality troops, so yeah.
Devouring struggling small powers isn't that amazing.

I am sure the key is scinece here. After christian world broke church barrier, they improved themselves in any kind of scince. In opposite way, big Ottomans fall cos of setting barriers front of science.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Abay on March 04, 2013, 04:11:09 pm
Tbh, I dont like Ottoman Empire, most barbarian and cruel country i ve ever seen, and i feel shamed in most ways cuz of my history. For exp; Janissaries are not actual turkish, they re captured from other eu countries as babies, then sent there to fight back. I dont really care about my history before 19 May 1919 :P
Loser, idiot and an ignorant. How do you know you are a Turk? Maybe your ancestor is one of those janissaries. Respect! We dont talk about blood and racism here, our issue is culture, you fool.
You say your histor begins after 19 may 1919 but you dont know what being Turk, right? It is not about blood, it is about culture.
you say Ottoman Empire is cruel? Omg, you fucking byzantium my old friend.
(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Overdriven on March 04, 2013, 04:45:47 pm
Thread got hi-jacked.

And for the record, most empires were cruel. Including the Ottoman.

As for battles I find interesting:

For basic English history I can never tire of:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stamford_Bridge

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hastings


As for others I love reading about/watching docs on:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Alesia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Somme (partly for first use of the tank)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stalingrad (turning point of WW2)

There was a very good BBC series about 6 years ago or so that basically examined major battles throughout the 20th century. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_Century_Battlefields

Ah and this was the older one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlefield_Britain
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: the real god emperor on March 04, 2013, 05:14:21 pm
Loser, idiot and an ignorant. How do you know you are a Turk? Maybe your ancestor is one of those janissaries. Respect! We dont talk about blood and racism here, our issue is culture, you fool.
You say your histor begins after 19 may 1919 but you dont know what being Turk, right? It is not about blood, it is about culture.
you say Ottoman Empire is cruel? Omg, you fucking byzantium my old friend.
(click to show/hide)

Being a Turk is not being Ottoman, I am a Turk and fuck Ottoman. I was born with the republic, and i can die for it -not for this goverment though- and Ottoman culture is full of blood and racism,slavery,convertion, piracy, and kebab.And "devşirme" was a cruel and racist system. And Kapikulu guys started calling Byzantiums my old friends, the irony.

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: donib on March 04, 2013, 05:25:14 pm
Battle of Yarmouk
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Abay on March 04, 2013, 05:27:08 pm
http://www.theottomans.org/english/index.asp
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Dezilagel on March 04, 2013, 05:38:00 pm
All the ones I didn't have to participate in.

Hooray for modern society!
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Uther Pendragon on March 04, 2013, 06:04:47 pm
This thread didn't even reach 2 pages and ottoman hate came in :(

As a proud POLACK...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Grunwald Nuff said

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hod%C3%B3w Polish Thermopyles, Nuff said

And obviously http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Vienna

And as a Alexander's the Great fanboy:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gaugamela Taking even most fair estimates, he still defeated at least a two times larger force

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Issus And the took over Asia Minor!

And the total badass moment of Alexander: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mallian_Campaign#Siege_of_Multanese_Citadel


EDIT: lol I'm too dumb to copy links


Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Moncho on March 04, 2013, 06:27:25 pm
I usually like battles that happen when it is not expected, such as that of Bailen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bail%C3%A9n, first major defeat of Napoleon's army), or when they happen against big odds, like Stirling Bridge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stirling_Bridge).
Also, some naval battles:
A Spanish tactical fail, especially when you name your fleet the "Armada invencible": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Armada
And for the Ottoman lovers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lepanto. A coalition of southern European states vs the Ottomans, with a decisive defeat for the latter.

Other than that, some of the ones already mentioned, like Stalingrad, Cannae and Zama (always loved the Punic Wars).
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Zox_Fury on March 05, 2013, 11:42:38 am
I m a fan to the antiquity so i could say :
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Mantinea_(418_BC) this one

and ofc ;-)

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Jerusalem_(1187)
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Darkoveride on March 05, 2013, 06:18:07 pm
After 10 years in british army, i cant help but put a british battle up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Rorke%27s_Drift (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Rorke%27s_Drift)

and a nice ambush.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Trebia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Trebia)
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: 51L3NC3R on June 09, 2013, 05:22:37 pm
Battle of Asculum 279BC
Marked an epic showdown between Greek hoplites with their phalanx and Roman legionnaires and their pila...
wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ascalum
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Adraman on July 28, 2013, 12:44:25 am
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Varna
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Tibe on August 02, 2013, 12:41:30 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Moh%C3%A1cs

it ends in 2-3 hours. after that battle, no-one in eu could fight against suleiman cos of fear of that battle. u know, cannons were used in an open battle first time here  :wink:
Quote
Whilst Mohács was a decisive loss, it was the aftermath that truly put an end to independent Hungary. The ensuing two hundred years of near constant warfare between the two empires, Habsburg and Ottoman, turned Hungary into a perpetual battlefield. The countryside was regularly ravaged by armies moving back and forth, in turn devastating the population. Only in the 20th century would Hungary regain its political independence, but denuded of much of its land, and it has never regained its former political power.

Oh man, that is just sad as fudge. I feel like hugging a hungarian now.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Falka on August 03, 2013, 02:12:20 am
Two great victiories of Frederick the Great.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Rossbach
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Leuthen

In both battles his enemies had great advantage in terms of number of troops, actually they had more than twice as many troops as he had, but he still achieved decisive victiores. Napoleon never won in comparable circumstances, when he was winning he always had more or less the same number of troops as his enemies.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Oberyn on August 03, 2013, 05:26:58 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Moh%C3%A1cs

it ends in 2-3 hours. after that battle, no-one in eu could fight against suleiman cos of fear of that battle. u know, cannons were used in an open battle first time here  :wink:

"The first confirmed use of cannon in Europe was in southerern Iberia, by the Moors, in the Siege of Cordoba in 1280."

You're off by about 250 years. And that's only in Europe, they had been in use in the far east (specifically China) for much longer.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Oberyn on August 03, 2013, 05:41:25 pm
Two great victiories of Frederick the Great.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Rossbach
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Leuthen

In both battles his enemies had great advantage in terms of number of troops, actually they had more than twice as many troops as he had, but he still achieved decisive victiores. Napoleon never won in comparable circumstances, when he was winning he always had more or less the same number of troops as his enemies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Rivoli
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Mount_Tabor_%281799%29
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Austerlitz
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dresden
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Montmirail
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ch%C3%A2teau-Thierry_%281814%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Arcis-sur-Aube
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ligny

Battle of Dresden probably the closest one in terms of number ratios. Except it went into the hundreds of thousands of troops instead of tens of thousands. Mount Tabor doesn't really count I guess, since it was agains the Mameluks and not another "modern" military of the time.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: okiN on August 03, 2013, 05:53:36 pm
"The first confirmed use of cannon in Europe was in southerern Iberia, by the Moors, in the Siege of Cordoba in 1280."

You're off by about 250 years. And that's only in Europe, they had been in use in the far east (specifically China) for much longer.

Never mind this absurd claim that "no-one in eu could fight against suleiman cos of fear of that battle" when that was the start of the Ottoman-Habsburg wars.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Christo on August 03, 2013, 06:04:13 pm
I love Turkish historical propaganda, beating chests about winning against unstable, weak nations that weren't in their league.
Interesting how they don't like to talk about what happened, when they met another major power.

"no-one in eu could fight against suleiman cos of fear of that battle" That made me lol reading it once again.

This is what excessive Nationalism does to you. It makes you stupid.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Falka on August 04, 2013, 02:06:30 am
(click to show/hide)

In most of the battles mentioned above - with a few exceptions - the number of troops of both sides was pretty similar. And part of them is hard to call decisive victory, e.g. Motnmirail:

Quote
Strenght
20,000   36,000
Casualties and losses
2,000    4,000

In the other battles advantage of coalition wasn't so significant. e.g. Rivoli: 23,000 vs 28,000. On the other hand Rossbach: 22 k vs 42 k, Leuthen 36 k vs 80 k, and in both these battles Prussia basically destroyed opponents armies.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Torost on August 06, 2013, 12:14:20 am
Not a specific battle, but a long series of them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_Wars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_Wars)

Very interresting backdrop and cultureclash. The british litteraly steamrolls over the chinese in every encounter.
Naval artillery bombardment versus forts stuffed with soldiers wielding meleeweapons and lowtech muskets. No cover from above.
And the chinese make the most absurd countermeasures.
Every chrushing defeat gets reportet as a glorious victory to the emperor.

The right to sell opium to chinese addict was glorious cause for the british empire. :evil:

Halfway thru this book now http://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/sep/02/opium-war-julia-lovell-review (http://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/sep/02/opium-war-julia-lovell-review)
the book does a great job of getting into the nitty gritty and the issues beyond the battlefield. It is a good read.

Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Korgoth on August 20, 2013, 03:01:59 am
Not sure if anyone posted any as late as this but WW2 is actually my favourite History subject.

I really like a lot of the battles on the Eastern Front like Stalingrad (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Stalingrad), Kharkov (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Battle_of_Kharkov) and Kursk (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kursk). On the Western front I love the Ardennes Offensive (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bulge) and the Hürtgen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_H%C3%BCrtgen_Forest). Ofcourse I'm a fan of the Battle for Normandy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Overlord) but it's just so overused in games and movies that it's gotten very boring. Also for some reason I love Winter battles, I just think soldiers look so much cooler in Winter uniforms.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Franke on September 08, 2013, 02:55:24 am
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_K%C3%B6niggr%C3%A4tz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_K%C3%B6niggr%C3%A4tz).

Maybe not my favourite battle but an interesting one. The climax of the Austro-Prussian (or German-German) War 1866, and a rather impressive example what technological and logistical advantage as well as centralized leadership can do against superior numbers (beyond the usual "Spear-armed-natives-charging-a-breech-loading-rifle-armed-thin-red-line" pattern).
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Lars on September 08, 2013, 01:52:04 pm
I'm quite fascinated by the conditions and the terrain in which WW1 was fought on the alpine front.It was a weird war, a struggle against the enemy and  nature:  avalanches, cold,  long winters (that could last ~8-9 months  depending on the altitude) and  storms/blizzards .  One of the great logistic problems was to transport equipment /supply continuously the positions on such a rough terrain. Mountains were  seen as an obstacle and were  a place partly unknown (especially at high altitudes), a place   definetely not suitable for life ( at least human life) or to stay there for long periods  .   For ~3 years and a half hundreds of thousands of soldiers lived/fought/died at altitudes above 2000 meters . 
I post some pictures below, afterall a picture is worth a thousand words.


WW1  trenches/positions - alpine front (1915-1918)
(click to show/hide)

You shall not pass
(click to show/hide)

Machine gun on mountain Padon
(click to show/hide)

Cannon on mt. Ortler/Ortles ~3900 meters above sea level ( i don't know if this is the top of the mountain)
(click to show/hide)

Somewhere in the alps
(click to show/hide)

Wounded soldier
(click to show/hide)

Going up/climbing
(click to show/hide)
Descending?
(click to show/hide)

Morning gathering/muster
(click to show/hide)

Sentry
(click to show/hide)

Kaiserjäger somewhere in the Dolomites alps
(click to show/hide)

The glacier is melting
(click to show/hide)
 
Bodies of WW1 soldiers found in the ice some years ago *Warning:Graphic*
(click to show/hide)


Videos Warning : annoying music
(click to show/hide)



I definetely went off-topic...  anyway, my "favorite" battles are probably the one in which both contendants had a similar technology/strenght, so  i would say one of the battles of the Punic wars between ancient Rome and Carthage.

Maybe battle of Cannae and Zama  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cannae         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Zama


Modern times, mmm i guess one of the battles fought during Napoleonic era.




 
 
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Gnjus on September 10, 2013, 10:04:38 am
My favorite battle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Alamo



U.S.A. ! U.S.A ! U.S.A !
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Cicero on September 10, 2013, 11:30:59 am
Loser, idiot and an ignorant. How do you know you are a Turk? Maybe your ancestor is one of those janissaries. Respect! We dont talk about blood and racism here, our issue is culture, you fool.
You say your histor begins after 19 may 1919 but you dont know what being Turk, right? It is not about blood, it is about culture.
you say Ottoman Empire is cruel? Omg, you fucking byzantium my old friend.
(click to show/hide)

Lemme translate the best quote of abay ever ;

"Bok böceği gibisin , onların bokları sana tat veriyor."

"You are like a shit bug , their shit gives you pleasure."

Even hardcore then 9 years old girl.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: the real god emperor on September 10, 2013, 12:23:09 pm
Loser idiot and ignorant byzantium* my old friends deserve this
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Morris on September 20, 2013, 05:09:16 am
fuckin nerds
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Bittersteel on September 20, 2013, 02:33:06 pm
In most of the battles mentioned above - with a few exceptions - the number of troops of both sides was pretty similar. And part of them is hard to call decisive victory, e.g. Motnmirail:

In the other battles advantage of coalition wasn't so significant. e.g. Rivoli: 23,000 vs 28,000. On the other hand Rossbach: 22 k vs 42 k, Leuthen 36 k vs 80 k, and in both these battles Prussia basically destroyed opponents armies.


Oh thank god. You have no idea how long i've been looking for someone to even know who Frederick is. I keep on telling them "One of the greatest general ever known and was always on the offensive even against greater numbers." It's sad that there is so few people that know about him. My personal favorite is battle of Leuthen. Like Napoleon would have said "Gentlemen, if this man was still alive I would not be here". 


Even have him as profile pictures on every forum i visit :P
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Flans on September 21, 2013, 12:52:02 am
Favorite  Commanders are   Khalid ibn al-Walid "Drawn sword of Allah" And Saladin

Favorite battles would be

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Chains

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Yarmouk

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Iron_Bridge

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Jerusalem_(1187)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Yamama

Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Lord_Bernie_of_Voodoo on September 21, 2013, 06:52:17 am
I'm quite fascinated by the conditions and the terrain in which WW1 was fought on the alpine front.
It was a weird war, a struggle against the enemy and  nature:  avalanches, cold,  long winters (that could last ~8-9 months  depending on the altitude) and  storms/blizzards  .  One of the great logistic problem was to transport equipment /supply continuously the positions on such a rough terrain. Mountains were always seen as an obstacle and a place partly unknown before (especially at high altitudes), a place  definitely not  suited for life or to stay there for long periods.   For ~3 years and a half hundreds of thousands of soldiers lived/fought/died at altitudes above 2000 meters . 
I post some pictures below, afterall a picture is worth a thousand words.


WW1  trenches/positions - alpine front (1915-1918)
(click to show/hide)


You shall not pass
(click to show/hide)

Machine gun on mountain Padon
(click to show/hide)

Cannon on mt. Ortler/Ortles ~3900 meters above sea level ( i don't know if this is the top of the mountain)
(click to show/hide)

Somewhere in the alps
(click to show/hide)

Wounded soldier
(click to show/hide)

Ascending/climbing
(click to show/hide)
Descending?
(click to show/hide)

Morning gathering
(click to show/hide)

Sentry
(click to show/hide)

Kaiserjäger somewhere in the Dolomites alps
(click to show/hide)

The glacier is melting
(click to show/hide)
 
Remains of  WW1 soldiers found  some years ago *Warning:Graphic*
(click to show/hide)


Videos Warning : annoying music
(click to show/hide)



I definetely went off-topic...  anyway, my "favorite" battles are probably the one in which both contendants had a similar technology/strenght, so  i would say one of the battles of the Punic wars between ancient Rome and Carthage.

Maybe battle of Cannae and Zama  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cannae http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Zama


Modern times, mmm i guess one of the battles fought during Napoleonic era.

I've never read up on this and I have to say, that's fucking insane. Thanks for the share.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Lars on September 22, 2013, 10:24:08 pm
I've never read up on this and I have to say, that's fucking insane. Thanks for the share.



You are welcome. The alpine front, gebirgskrieg in German( mountain war) also known as "the white war" isn't very popular, even though it was probably the biggest  mountain war in history ( or one of the biggest), during ww1 ~four-fifth of the Austrian-Italian front was formed by mountains.
I guess it's not known abroad, probably because the largest slaughters took place  on the western and eastern front ( until the Russian revolution) and generally in the plains-field, maybe also because it was a war where sometimes nature  imposed forced "breaks" on both sides  (while i think on the western front and in the field-plains, big or small fights took place almost every day), due to the fact that in some cases it wasn't techically possible to get "near" the enemy, like for example during part of winter 1916-1917, which is considered to be one of the most snowy and coldest winter of the 20th century, if the weapons were "quiet" or their use  was limited, on the other hand giant avalanches steamrolled entire columns of soldiers, outposts, trenches etc...


A  studio named "Geosfilm" is making a movie about the alpine front that should be released in 2014, judging by the number of actors-figurants you can see in the trailer i guess they didn't have a great budget, so don't expect any big fight, i just hope the movie will be historically accurate.

The movie is called "Tränen der Sextner Dolomiten"  "Tears of the Sexter/Sesto dolomites" trailer  :arrow:

The same studio was supposed to release another movie about ww1, but i guess that the project was cancelled because the trailer is dated 9 August 2012.   Trailer --->   
(click to show/hide)


Probably the most "famous" movie is "Berge in flammen" " Mountains in flames/on fire"  made by Luis Trenker  in 1931
(click to show/hide)

There are serveral books that talk about the war on the alps, but i don't know if you can find 'em translated in English, if you can and you are interested, i suggest  this book http://www.amazon.com/lunga-trincea-1915-1918-Valsugana-Panarotta/dp/8881300427 .

Found these books in English http://www.amazon.com/The-White-War-Italian-1915-1919/dp/0465020372 ( guess they made a mistake in the tile, cuz the war ended in November 1918)  and  :arrow: http://www.amazon.com/Battles-Alps-History-Italian-Front/dp/1607030373/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1379879750&sr=1-1&keywords=ww1+alps

Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Osiris on September 25, 2013, 08:10:11 pm
Britain vs Sikh Empire two interesting battles with wiki links and just some quotes :P


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Ferozeshah
"The British emerged victorious, but the battle was one of the hardest-fought in the history of the British Army"

Casualties and losses
  Sikh Empire                     East India Company
~3,000 casualties       694 killed 1,721 wounded[2]



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Aliwal

Many commentators referred to Smith's victory as the "Battle without a mistake".[4] Except for the 16th Lancers, who lost 144 men out of about 300, few of Smith's units had heavy casualties.

Stength

Sikh Empire             East India Company
20000 men              12000 men
69-70 guns              30-32 guns

Casualties

2000-3000             673-850
67 guns

Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Butan on September 27, 2013, 01:19:50 am
Nice to see im not the only wiki-battle-list addict around here. I really learnt a lot reading battle reports when I first saw this wikipedia section.



Like a lot of people here, I like when odds are not really favorable on the paper, but the overwhelmed party still win the day. It happened a lot in sieges and particularly in the first siege of Rhodos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Rhodes_%281480%29) which is probably one of the most impressive siege defense heroic victory.


Some years later, they came back with an even more retardly big army and this time they took the island in the second siege of Rhodos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Rhodes_%281522%29).
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Osiris on September 27, 2013, 08:03:29 pm
yeah i find wiki to be a great source for finding out about battles/events you don't know too much about, People can complain about its accuracy etc but you cant deny its a good gateway :D




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Brunanburh

Epic battle described as"the greatest single battle in Anglo-Saxon history before the Battle of Hastings."

The medieval records of the battle are too elusive to trace the course of the battle with any surety, but the sources consistently describe it as a massive and bloody engagement even within the context of warfare in the Middle Ages.[15][16][17]
The famous poem about the battle in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records the deaths of five kings and seven earls among Æthelstan's enemies, along with (or among them) Constantine's son:
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Chosen1 on October 03, 2013, 09:31:16 pm
Battle of Gazala. Erwin Rommel was outnumbered and had considerably less tanks, but he was still able to capture Tobruk and capture 35,000 South Africans. Rommel is the only chocolate chip cookie I can admire.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gazala

edit: lol, it filtered N-A-Z-I into chocolate chip cookie.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Prinz_Karl on October 03, 2013, 09:58:06 pm
Battle of Gazala. Erwin Rommel was outnumbered and had considerably less tanks, but he was still able to capture Tobruk and capture 35,000 South Africans. Rommel is the only chocolate chip cookie I can admire.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gazala

Erwin Rommel also wasn't the person you would call a national socialist and he wasn't member of the NSDAP. He was more like the unpolitically person who was serving as general and nothing more
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Sniger on October 12, 2013, 11:44:56 am
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Svolder (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Svolder)
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Ragni_Bross on October 21, 2013, 07:56:00 pm
Agincourt, Pharsalus, Rocroi!
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Rhuarc91 on October 23, 2013, 06:41:33 am
Battle of Iwo Jima or really any battles of the Pacific theatre I find to be rather interesting due to the nature of those battles. Also enjoy some battles from Vietnam Khe sahn and stuff like that
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Relit on October 24, 2013, 04:46:30 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_El_Guettar

This is my favorite battle, was taught all about it during military school. Was the first major american battle in North Africa where it was shown that US forces could stand up to the more experienced German crews.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: War_Ferret on November 05, 2013, 11:18:45 am
I think they are all equally awesome.

It is always beautiful and glorious, when two brainwashed mobs are tricked into hating and killing each other with false pretenses, created by the rich and powerful, with the sole purpose of getting more rich and powerful in the process - until this day.

Not to mention the pain and suffering, the loss of the relatives and the hatred lasting for generations it creates. So sweet.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Umbra on November 05, 2013, 11:58:51 am
Welp, as a Croat my predictable response will be http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Szigetv%C3%A1r

Just seeing the odds, the result, and imagining Zrinjski charging out makes my little Croatian hart warm  :lol:
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Molly on November 05, 2013, 12:00:51 pm
My favourite battle would probably be the Battle of Belgrad: Leshma vs Waradin...  8-)
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Xant on November 06, 2013, 12:48:11 am
I think they are all equally awesome.

It is always beautiful and glorious, when two brainwashed mobs are tricked into hating and killing each other with false pretenses, created by the rich and powerful, with the sole purpose of getting more rich and powerful in the process - until this day.

Not to mention the pain and suffering, the loss of the relatives and the hatred lasting for generations it creates. So sweet.
Truly; the real glory was to be had at home, working fifteen hours a day on your field, having no money for medicine or anything but just enough food to scrape by; dying of disease at the age of twenty-five, having done nothing but farmed your whole life. Your sarcasm is well founded: who in their right mind would actually want to get away from their fields and slow starvation?
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: War_Ferret on November 06, 2013, 12:55:51 am
Truly; the real glory was to be had at home, working fifteen hours a day on your field, having no money for medicine or anything but just enough food to scrape by; dying of disease at the age of twenty-five, having done nothing but farmed your whole life. Your sarcasm is well founded: who in their right mind would actually want to get away from their fields and slow starvation?

So, in order to escape medieval life, you go out, slaughter each other and hope to die as a pawn for your liege, chopped to pieces until death releases you from the pain?

Mmkay...
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Xant on November 06, 2013, 12:57:07 am
Yup.

Quote
"But, apart from killing people, you could die yourself. You could get killed in one of these futile wars."

"Yes, and I could live on, like a battery hen, in one of these futile cities. Filling in futile forms, paying futile taxes to enable futile politicians and state managers to fritter it away on electorally useful white elephants. I could earn a futile salary in a futile office and commute futilely on a train, morning and evening, until a futile retirement. I prefer to do it my way, live my way and die my way."
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: War_Ferret on November 06, 2013, 01:10:28 am
If we were talking revolutions, rolling heads and stuff, ok.

But dying in an average war is only glorious, if you're stupid enough to believe the official story.
If you don't want to live, you don't have to go kill others. You can just slit your wrists and be done with it.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Xant on November 06, 2013, 01:11:09 am
Dying isn't the goal.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Osiris on November 06, 2013, 01:18:40 am
yes because people in medieval europe had the same thoughts culture and goals as you mr ferret ^^

Im sure they also had lots of choice when called to fight by their lords at the start.


Quote
The rising importance of foot troops, then, brought not only the opportunity but also the need to expand armies substantially. Then as early as the late 13th century, we can observe Edward I campaigning at the head of armies incorporating tens of thousands of paid archers and spearmen.. This represented a major change in approaches to recruitment, organization, and above all pay.[2]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infantry_in_the_Middle_Ages

i read in a book once probably historical fiction and totally a lie but it made sense and stuck with me :D why tend a field for £1 when i can stand behind a pike for £10 (clearly the money i made up) but you get my drift :P not to mention the propaganda and nationalism hell why did anyone fight ever ^^
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: War_Ferret on November 06, 2013, 01:21:01 am
Dying isn't the goal.

If you don't want to be a conformist (which is perfectly understandable), there are other ways to express yourself or live alternatively, without terror and death.
Although I don't see how being a soldier, having to function like a tool with no purpose but to serve, wouldn't be much worse, even.

If you want adventure and company, join the super adventure club.

Or am I still missing the point?
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: War_Ferret on November 06, 2013, 01:23:51 am
yes because people in medieval europe had the same thoughts culture and goals as you mr ferret ^^

Im sure they also had lots of choice when called to fight by their lords at the start.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infantry_in_the_Middle_Ages

i read in a book once probably historical fiction and totally a lie but it made sense and stuck with me :D why tend a field for £1 when i can stand behind a pike for £10 (clearly the money i made up) but you get my drift :P not to mention the propaganda and nationalism hell why did anyone fight ever ^^

I am not saying people had a choice or were informed enough to judge for themselves. But that only makes it even more... awesome.  :mrgreen:
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Xant on November 06, 2013, 01:26:21 am
If you don't want to be a conformist (which is perfectly understandable), there are other ways to express yourself or live alternatively, without terror and death.
Although I don't see how being a soldier, having to function like a tool with no purpose but to serve, wouldn't be much worse, even.

If you want adventure and company, join the super adventure club.

Or am I still missing the point?
Yes, you are missing the point. 

Quote
“Why do you live the way you do? Why be a mercenary and go around making wars on people?”

“I don’t make wars. The world we live in makes wars, led and governed by men who pretend they are creatures of morality and integrity, whereas most of them are self-seeking bastards. They make the wars, for increased profits or increased power. I just fight the wars because it’s the way I like to live.”

“Buy why for money? Mercenaries fight for money, don’t they?”

“Not only the money. The bums do, but when it comes to a crunch the bums who style themselves mercenaries usually don’t fight. They run away. Most of the best ones fight for the same reason I do; they enjoy the life, the hard living, the combat.”
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: War_Ferret on November 06, 2013, 02:02:20 am
Ok then, I hope they also enjoy the looting, burning, raping and massacring civilians.

Who are you quoting anyway?
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Xant on November 06, 2013, 02:04:26 am
Forsyth. And considering how ubiquitous the above have been throughout history, yes, there's no problem finding people who enjoy it, seeing as it's human nature.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: War_Ferret on November 06, 2013, 08:53:15 am
To each their own, but for me it's just a game  :D

By "really high quality of living" you mean having shit loads of money, I assume.
If you can still look into the mirror by the time you have it, I guess that's nice.
But you shouldn't forget that the system only allows a very small percentage to enjoy luxury by exploiting the majority and making them work for their gain.
Few people "aspire" into that anyway, least of all the common soldier. You are usually born into it.
Title: Re: Your Favorite Battles
Post by: Xant on November 06, 2013, 09:07:49 am
Of course most people are 'born' into it, but that doesn't mean they were any worse off in a military than they would have been otherwise. What they had to look forward to in civilian life was suffering and boredom, their lives having no purpose other than to secure enough food to live yet another day, so that they could repeat the process again. At that point in time, everyone died, no exceptions. As Agent Cho says, nothing is quite as invigorating as mortal combat. At least that way, you'd get some excitement in your life before your death; as opposed to living as a peasant with nothing to look forward to at all.