The Fall of Britain

Fall of Britian 2.0

1778: The American Victory at Saratoga convinces France to declare war on Britian in support of the rebels. The French Armed Forces are mobilized, and 50,000 are prepapred to be sent to America as is 30 ships of the line.
1779: French troops begin to arrive in North America due to the 30 ships of the line making a sort of wolf pack around the transports, 15,000 are landed in Virginia's Penninsula near the Chesepeake Bay, and the French Army of Virginia is created, it slowly begins to push out the British soldiers from the Penninsula, Delaware, and Maryland thanks mostly to 20,000 more troops landing in northern Delaware and marching south torwards the French Army of Virginia. By the years end, the 15 of the French ships of the line will be setting up a protective blockade of Middle Colonies (Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, and a small foothold in southern New Jeresy
 
Last edited:
Let me just start by saying that I'm sure everyone in this thread has been called a fool at least a few times on this site.

1778: The American Victory at Saratoga convinces France to declare war on Britian in support of the rebels. The French Armed Forces are mobilized, and 100,000 are prepapred to be sent to America.

Okay, stop right there. The first problem here is with numbers. I'm not a huge expert on 18th century warfare, but the huge mobilization numbers that came in the Napoleonic wars came in the Napoleonic wars. Prior to that, smaller forces largely composed of professionals and mercenaries were the norm. Now during warfare that could indeed spike (maybe 60,000 at the extreme end) but this was in Europe, logistically and practically much easier for them to fight in than America.

Look at the numbers in the ARW and the Seven Years' War for comparisons. At this time I don't think France can even raise 100,000 men, let alone ship them across the entire Atlantic. You have to take into account the cost of the men, the cost of the ships, the strength of the British navy, the lack of troops left behind in Europe or other French possessions where there might be warfare. Warfare in this time (like in most times) was very bound up in how strong your economy was.
 
From everyone's favorite book (The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers)

French army in 1778: 170,000 men.

As in, the entire French army. France probably could double that (it was 330,000 in the first half of the Seven Years War) - but it would be a great strain and a cumbersome process.

The rest would be merely seconding MNP.

Nautically, Franace has 63 ships of the line (in 1779, but the situation hasn't changed much) vs. 90 for Britain. Spain adds 48 when it joins in.

But as several members can tell you, the Royal Navy is pretty damn good, even in the Revolution when things have gotten far more rotten than they should have.

France attempting to do much more than OTL would be more likely to break itself than Britain. War is expensive.
 
However, that isn't to say they couldn't send a token force that tips the scales in a British conflict, say, during one of the many Irish rebellions, or on the American continent itself. The naval support in OTL in itself was worth its weight in gold.
 
Fall of Britian 2.0

Fall of Britian 2.0 (Continued)
1778: The American Victory at Saratoga convinces France to declare war on Britian in support of the rebels. The French Armed Forces are mobilized, and 50,000 are prepapred to be sent to America as is 30 ships of the line.
1779: French troops begin to arrive in North America due to the 30 ships of the line making a sort of wolf pack around the transports, 15,000 are landed in Virginia's Penninsula near the Chesepeake Bay, and the French Army of Virginia is created, it slowly begins to push out the British soldiers from the Penninsula, Delaware, and Maryland thanks mostly to 20,000 more troops landing in northern Delaware and marching south torwards the French Army of Virginia. By the years end, the 15 of the French ships of the line will be setting up a protective blockade of Middle Colonies (Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, and a small foothold in southern New Jeresy. 8 French ships of the line begin to blockade New York City in an attempt to starve out the British. The remaining 15,000 French troops are by now well on there way to North America.
1780: The 8 French ships of the line (FSOL from now on) blockade forces the British Army in the city to finally surrender the city and withdrawing and marching south to Pennsylvania to try and get resupplied.
 
Last edited:
I've a question. What in this scenario changes the forces France can and did send to the American colonies compared to OTL?

And for that matter, eliminates the Royal Navy.
 
Top