Frivolous ASB thread

  I suspect it would end sooner, even if both sides get the MLRS and the facilities to maintain and use them.  [Would this include manufacturing of replacement vehicles and the fuel they needed as that would revolutionise much of the rest of the war and also peacetime society afterwards.]

  I say this simply because, unless their in very small numbers and the relevant commander don't have the necessary background knowledge to use them, their going to be so lethal that both sides would run out of trained men very quickly.  Casualty rates are going to be immensely higher if their used in large numbers, presuming targeting can be sorted out.  I think both sides would be forced to come to terms before they run out of men and suffer social collapse.

  When you say both side what would that mean.  Including smaller powers like Serbia, Bulgaria and the like, medium level ones like Italy and Turkey or just the big developed states of Britain, France and Germany - which could be very bad for imperial Russia.

  Just had a thought.  If say a couple of batteries, with necessary knowledge and support including say some drones for targeting, and plenty of ammo were made available to Belgium as Germany invaded it could really screw the German invasion.  They faced a major bottleneck with the fortresses at Liege but their very heavy siege guns smashed the modern forts there.  If MLRS took out those guns then smashed repeated infantry attacks things could get badly delayed and give time for the BEF and French 5th army to reach the area.  Germany might have to outflank through the Dutch territories.  Likely to be overwhelmed eventually simply because they would be outflanked or run out of ammo and spares but could save a lot of Belgium and NE France and change the war in the west.

  I had a slightly similar idea where say a brigade from modern times, with advanced warning so they knew what they were getting into, appeared say just after the Battle of Mons and were able to cover the retreat of the BEF and probably largely dismantle the German 1st army in the process.  - Long ranged artillery aided by drones smashing units on the march, troops with night vision gear picking off officers and causing havoc while the Germans were trying to rest not to mention what happened when they ran into AFVs.  Yet another of the many ideas I never developed.

  Definitely.  I would read the OP as only the directly ruled territories but even so France, Belgium and the Netherlands are gone along with large chunks of Germany, Italy [including Rome and the papacy] and Spain as well as whatever areas are covered by the Illyrian province.  Both NATO and the EU have been hit hard and the region affected replaced by Napoleon's increasingly autocratic empire. 

  Depending on the date in 1812 that it takes place Napoleon and the bulk of his forces may still be present or may be lost as their already somewhere in Russia.  Coupled with the loss of the bulk of the forces trying to occupy France its going to be in an hopeless position even without the fact its now two centuries behind the times militarily as well as in other ways.

  I would expect assorted countries, probably aided by NATO to liberate the currently occupied regions of their countries as well as probably Belgium and the Netherlands.  In the unlikely event of Napoleon - if still present - accepting this then they might have some political reservations about occupying France itself, especially since the emperor probably has some popularity.  Although that latter might decline fairly quickly once France itself has to maintain his armies.  Plus there would be problems in terms of lack of modern standards of human rights in Napoleonic France, although its probably still better than in many present day countries, including two permanent members of the UN security council.  [Mind you that would be an issue as I can't see France keeping its permanent seat there. ]

  In purely local terms it would probably be good for Britain.  With the EU pretty much eviscerated leaving would be no problem and with no Brussels to object the GFA could be maintained.  On the down side a lot of Britons have been lose, trade disrupted and also the energy trade with France has disappeared as presumably has at least a good chunk of the Chunnel.  Also given the wider shock to the world as a good chunk of one of its most prosperous regions has been replaced by a backward and disease riven mess its going to cause some problems.