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"Whether as sailors, soldiers, artillerymen or engineers, there was no task they could not undertake!"
- Empereur Napoléon Bonaparte
About Us- Empereur Napoléon Bonaparte
Initially created by Smithy, our Capitaine, in September of 2011, our regiment has seen multiple revivals over the years. Smithy's primary goal in creation of the regiment was to provide him and his friends a skilled, laid back, and fun group for Mount and Blade and other games. The fact that we have remained a tight-knit group of friends for the last 11 years attests to Smithy's success in this endeavor. The Marins de la Garde Imperiale, serving as multiple different roles in the Imperial Guard, was one of the most unique units in the Napoleonic Wars. We strive to accurately portray the discipline and skill of the Marins that garnered them respect from their comrades and enemies alike. For this Sword and Musket revival of the Marins, we are seeking to continue the Marins tradition of being a dependable and effective line infantry regiment.
Valeur et Discipline,
Lieutenant Charles
Valeur et Discipline,
Lieutenant Charles
Brief History
Among all the military units belonging to the Imperial Guard of the First Empire led by Napoléon Bonaparte, a single marine battalion was created from a small staff of specifically adept soldiers within the Armée Français on September 17th, 1803, and was comprised of a multitude of infantry and artillery detachments. The Batallion des Marins de la Garde Impériale. The Battalion was formed into five equipages (a ship’s company), each with five squads, bringing the total strength of the battalion to 737 men, all of whom accompanied Napoléon throughout every one of his campaigns. Through both victory and defeat, the Bataillon des Marins de la Garde Impériale was seen, participating in the construction of bridges, transportation vessels, and various engineering necessities; whichever pertained to Napoléon's needs. The battalion not only did engineering work, but would also act (and excel in) any position required of them by Napoléon during battle, as well as other essential and supportive roles needed to supply the unstoppable force that was Napoléon’s Grande Armée. The Marins would act as supply transportation (including ammunition, arms, artillery, and living assets) for the army, and on occasion would aid the supply convoys with limited movement due to water. Only when their intervention was an absolute necessity (either due to setbacks or tactical advantage) the Marins de la Garde Impériale would arrive on the battlefield to show their bravery in the face of the enemy. Their performance during these times (most specifically during the Spanish Civil War of 1808, but seen through all campaigns as well) was so exceptional, they gained admiration by not only their fellow soldiers, but their enemies as well. When ordered, the Marins would abandon the tools needed to build the bridges and raise arms against the enemy, always in cooperation with sappers, and would readily operate as foot artillery if the need arose. These individuals, who were mostly comprised of Grenadiers and Chasseurs Guard, were nothing less of their title, Sailors. This is why the Marins, in order to have a brilliant military career on the sea, their natural element, became one of the most elite marine infantry battalions during this era. This is the battalion in which Napoléon boasted “Whether as, sailors, soldiers, artillerymen or engineers, there was no task they could not undertake.” During the Spanish Campaign of 1808, the battalion was almost completely destroyed in the Battle of Baylen. Even with this inevitable fate, the Marins fought with honor and devoted passion for the Grande Armée, and had unbreakable morale in even the worst of battles. While the Marins almost fell during this campaign, their reputation and renown throughout the French army was almost equal to Napoléon’s. The battalion was (after their fall) rebuilt, adding three more equipages to the battalion, totaling in 1,136 men.
~ written by Munro ~
Historical Recruitment Conditions~ written by Munro ~
In order to be eligible to join the Marins, an individual must have had the following qualities:
A Marin should be at least 25 years of age, have a height of between 1m 78cm (5’ 10”) to 1m 84cm (6’), they must be healthy and hold excellent moral conduct and standing. A soldier also needed to be able to read and write, and would need to have completed at least 3 campaigns of the Wars of Liberty.
The wages a Marin would make was around 12 francs a year, and officers were issued a housing allowance while on duty.
During this time period, the average height of a Frenchman was approximately 5’ 5”. The accepted height for a Marin was the second most selective recruitment condition, just following the Grenadiers de la Garde Impériale.
These enlistment requirements and the unit's uniforms were created by Napoleon himself, which shows his admiration for this unit. Their fearsome fighting spirit and imposing capabilities gained them the respect of friend and foe alike.
“What should we have done without them? As sailors they have no way deteriorated, and they have shown themselves the best of soldiers. When occasion required they proved equally valuable, whether as sailors, soldiers, artillerymen or engineers; there was no duty they could not undertake."
Napoleon Bonaparte
Recruitment
Though we are not actively recruiting at this moment, if you're interested in joining, feel free to reach out to Lieutenant Charles or Lieutenant Gamechanger on Steam for more information about the regiment or you may fill out the application form here.
Valeur et Discipline.
Sincerely,
Lieutenant Charles
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