Worst army ever!

[FierceKitty]

We clearly need a corollary to a recent, similar post.

My starters:

a) Franco-Imperial, 1757. If you lose with 5:1 odds in your favour, and the enemy don't even need to use most of their army, you can't be doing much right.

b) 4th Crusade. An army whose logistics are so bad that they end up selling their swords to destroy the most important check on their actual enemy...dear, dear.

c) Mongols. Conquer half the world without raising a sweat, and do sweet Fanny Adams with their prize, so lose it all a few steps down the time line.

[Jim Ando]

Hi
Hicks pasha's Egyptian army in the Sudan. Even Churchill said it was the worst army ever to March to war. Didn't stop me buying one from pendraken. And guess what they get slaughtered every time . Hey ho I was warned.
Jim

[fsn]

Neapolitans during the Napoleonic Wars.

[Leman]

The Lancastrian army at Losecoat Field.

[skywalker]

Any army I use in a game   

[Ithoriel]

Publius Quinctilius Varus' Roman Army.

An army best suited to open fields ambushed in a forest, in column of march by it's own allies!

"To lose one legion may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose three looks like carelessness."

[FierceKitty]

Publius Quinctilius Varus' Roman Army.

An army best suited to open fields ambushed in a forest, in column of march by its own allies!

That's bad generalship, good army.

[Roy]

Women's Land Army.

They probably created more lives, during the time they were operational, than the amount they ended (if any?).

Long term that's good strategy, but in the short term it won't win you any battles.

[Ithoriel]

That's bad generalship, good army.

True of so, so many purportedly bad armies.

[FierceKitty]

'nutha thread there, for those wishing to inflate their posts.

[FierceKitty]

Not that we'd do that.

[FierceKitty]

Right, lads?

[DFlynSqrl]

The Greater Sleepyshire Halfling Militia.  Most noted for almost making an appearance at Kreiller's Knob to repel the Orc Horde, except they stopped their march to have second breakfast.

[Leman]

Do you think the Orcs know about second breakfast? Incidentally this has now become part of my daily ritual, around 10.30; toast and marmalade with coffee.

[KTravlos]

My opinion in that is the Imperial Qinq Armies of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-5. Both the modern Beiyang Army and the older Banner armies were smashed by the Japanese. While elements of the armies did not lack spirit (especially at the Battle of Pyonyang) they severly lacked discipline, humanity, training, weapons. I would not even blame the command, as the poor generals appointed by the Imperial Court were given ridiculous missions.  Viceroy Li correctly understood that his army was in no state to fight a war, and would need a couple of decades to be able to fight the Japanese on an even footing .Alas he was not listened to. It is also one of the few cases in the 19th century were an army did not win any engagement against its enemy.  (Serbians in the Serbo-Bulgarian War are another case. The Greeks in 1897 did win the Battle of Grimbovo in Epirus,so they escape the worse epithet, though they could give a run for the money to the Chinese).