WI: Prussian victory at the Battle of Jena

Anaxagoras

Banned
Napoleon's power, both throughout Europe and within France itself, rested on the image of his invincibility. Even if the French had recovered from the defeat at Jena and gone on to defeat the Prussians (which they probably would have), it would have had enormous political fallout. IOTL, Napoleon's credibility was badly damaged in 1809 when the Austrians beat him at Aspern-Essling. ITTL, that damage would occur sooner.
 
I agree with above, but... Just what chances Prussians had? Their army was (relatively) much worse than 10-20 years earlier and otl Napoleon crushed them. What (short of Napoleons insanity) could cause disaster?
 
Not much chance of a Prussian victory at Jena - the French were mostly concentrated, experienced and led by Napoleon at the height of his powers. Now, a Prussian victory at Auerstadt is a different matter - just have Brunswick remain unwounded so that the Prussian command doesn't break down to the point where that twit Frederick William III takes over. Davout gets crushed and the Prussian main body then has a chance of influencing matters at Jena. Probably the same result ensues but it's a harder battle.
 
The result of the battle of Jena could be better for the Prussians if either the French don't get their artillery on the hills surrounding the city, or the Prussians prepare for the French doing so and either occupy those hills themselves, or prepare themselfes to be attacked.

I am living in Jena, and am still astounded, that the French brought their cannons up those steep hills in one night. Must have been a lot of work.

The superiority in numbers doesn't change, but thats not necessary bad. There was apparently a lot of fog on the battlefields at Jena and Auerstädt, so with a better field command or some luck the result could change.
 
Not much chance of a Prussian victory at Jena - the French were mostly concentrated, experienced and led by Napoleon at the height of his powers. Now, a Prussian victory at Auerstadt is a different matter - just have Brunswick remain unwounded so that the Prussian command doesn't break down to the point where that twit Frederick William III takes over. Davout gets crushed and the Prussian main body then has a chance of influencing matters at Jena. Probably the same result ensues but it's a harder battle.

This.

A bloody victory at Auerstadt would at least preserve the Prussians to fight another day.

I don't think the Prussians were sufficiently mobile to crush Davout and get to Jena in time but at least they could cover the retreat from Jena

A larger force of Prussians could make Eylau even more interesting.
 
This.

A bloody victory at Auerstadt would at least preserve the Prussians to fight another day.

I don't think the Prussians were sufficiently mobile to crush Davout and get to Jena in time but at least they could cover the retreat from Jena

A larger force of Prussians could make Eylau even more interesting.

Matbe, but paradoxically... it could be worse for them. They won't stop Napoleon, not in long range. If they annoy him enough, he'll break their country (as he planned otl), and most likely won't heed to Tzars pleas.
 
Matbe, but paradoxically... it could be worse for them. They won't stop Napoleon, not in long range. If they annoy him enough, he'll break their country (as he planned otl), and most likely won't heed to Tzars pleas.

He could not have done much more to dismember Prussia than he did already. Besides - he's run out of family to elevate to royalty by then hadn't he :D
 
He could not have done much more to dismember Prussia than he did already. Besides - he's run out of family to elevate to royalty by then hadn't he :D

What do You mean? Prussia still had plenty of land that could be taken (for example Silesia and former Commonwealth lands) from them. As far as I remember, his original plan was to take everything but Brandenburg (although I'm not sure if he wasn't going to take even Neumark).

But I admit he really hadn't enough relatives left by then :p Maybe he'd give something to Duchy of Warsaw?
 
Davout gets crushed and the Prussian main body then has a chance of influencing matters at Jena.

Louis-Nicolas Davout was not defeated once in twenty-seven years of military service. His defeat at Auerstadt would be crushing in itself to French morale.
 
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