Greatest Military Bluffs

[Rooster]

What's your favorite military bluff of all time?

I like Rommel's use of automobiles outfitted with fake Tank exteriors to ward of the Brits until he built up his forces in N. Africa. [8D]

[Hexed Gamer]

Saddam's "Mother of all Battles"

Of course when you bluff, its better to have more than a pair of 2s

[Hexed Gamer]

To be more serious though, dumping Patton opposite the 15th while he was in the proverbial doghouse sure had the Germans convinced.

The fact that Patton himself thought the Pas d Calais was the spot to cross only aided in the ruse.

[mogami]

Hi, RE Lee on Sept 18, 1862

[Blackhorse]

Great Moments in (Confederate) Civil War Bluffs

1. Confederate J.E.B Magruder: While facing McClellan during the Peninsular campaign, along the Williamsport lines, Magruder used every trick in the book, (marching one regiment of troops up in full view of enemy troops, circling back under cover, marching up again; officers shouting out commands to non-existant troops; etc.) to convince McClellan that the north was outnumbered. Magruder employed the same old wheezes and successfully pinned down the union troops on the direct road to Richmond while R.E. Lee launched the first attacks of the Seven Days campaign.

2. "Stovepipe" Johnson. A confederate raider who forced the town of Newburgh, Indiana to surrender by threatening them with a "cannon" that was just a piece of stovepipe across a pair of wagon wheels.

3. Nathan Bedford Forrest. Only had two artillery pieces with him while he chased Union Col. Abel Streight's raid. During a parley with Streight, Forrest had the guns brought around-and-around. "Good god, how many guns do you have, that's 18 I've counted already!" exclaimed Streight. "I guess that's all that managed to keep up," said Forrest. Streight surrendered.

4. G.T. Beauregard. To cover the evacuation of Corinth from Halleck's advance, Beauregard had a detail of leather-lunged men and a band railed around to different points along his line all night . . . the train blew its whistle, the band played, the men cheered, creating the illusion of new reinforcements, and covering the sound of the retreat. Union General John Pope braced his men for an expected attack at dawn . . . by which time Beauregard's army was gone.

[Koper]

Schulmeister bluff in Ulm fortress (1805), when he made all Austrian staff officers believe, that Napoleon is far away, fighting the coup.

One spy, huge victory for France.

Also taking Stettin fortess (5000 soldiers, 300 cannons) by Lasalle with 800 cavalrymen - it was taken only thanks to Infernal Brigade commander insolent behavior.

[Bandkanon]

Ancient Chinese history:

During the Romance of the Three Kingdoms era, circa 190 AD to 250 AD:

The greatest strategist of the era was Zhuge Liang (aka Kun Ming), advisor to Liu Bei, King of Shu. Liu Bei took his army out to campaign against the kingdom of Wei and left his country defenseless, assuming that his ally, the kingdom of Wu, would honor their non aggression pact. However, Wu, sensing a perfect oppurtunity to absorb Shu, decided to attack and marched upon the capital city of Shu. When Liu Bei heard the news of the invasion he wanted to turn back. However, the grand strategist, Zhuge Liang, sent a message to his lord from the soon to be beseiged city, advising him to not turn back. Instead, Zhuge Liang, understanding himself and his enemy, opened the gates of the city to the invading force. He stood upon the ramparts and awaited the enemy to come. The enemy was led by Sima Yin, who was himself a man of cunning. Upon seeing the opened gates and Zhuge Liang standing on the ramparts as if to welcome him, Sima instinctively began to suspect that it was all a large trap, a trap that was thought up be Zhuge Liang from the very beginning. The Shu army is probably just around the corner waiting for him to rush into the city. Sima laughed and exclaimed how smart he was for exposing Zhuge Liang's trap and wheeled around and went home.

[Billy Yank]

George Washington took Boston from the British with a bunch of cannons and no gunpowder.

[Dirtdog20]

The British dumping a dead body off the Spanish coast with fake plans for an invasion of Greece instead of Sicily in 43. Even took the time to find a pnumonia victim so it would look like he had drowned from teh fluid in his lungs.

[a19999577]

How about the British surrender in Singapore? I think the Japanese were heavily outnumbered and almost out of ammunition, but they bluffed the British into surrendering, didn't they?

[Bandkanon]

ORIGINAL: a19999577

How about the British surrender in Singapore? I think the Japanese were heavily outnumbered and almost out of ammunition, but they bluffed the British into surrendering, didn't they?

I think the British bluffed themselves to the surrender table. They saw how fast everything collapsed around them and was especially demoralized by the quick capitulation of Hong Kong. They thought the Japanese had alot more than they really had. But that;s not to take credit away from The Tiger of Malaya for recognizing the opportunity to intimidate the British to surrender completely during the talks for a cease fire. It was the Japanese's greatest land victory and every family in Japan received 2 bottles of sake and every child received a box of candy in celebration.

[BossGnome]

Montgomery did the same trick as rommel, exept in reverse. Right before the battle of el alamein, montgomery disguised his tanks as cars, leading Rommel to believe the American reinforcements had not yet arrived. He thus attacked right away, which led to a debacle and pretty much destroyed the Afrikakorps's offensive potential.

[Error in 0]

Who is this girl on your picture, bandkanon? A forgotten female japanese general undercover? [:)]

[a19999577]

During the Guerra del Pacifico 1879-1884 [War of the Pacific], after the fall of Lima to Chilean troops, General Caceres began to reorganize a new Peruvian Army in the Central Highlands. The Chileans launched an expedition before the new army was ready, so Cáceres 'defended' the key city of Huancayo with an army of llamas outfitted with red kerchiefs in order to look like Peruvian troops. Chilean scouts were convinced by the bluff and withdrew to Lima, giving Caceres precious time to reestablish a front.

[Bandkanon]

ORIGINAL: JallaTryne

Who is this girl on your picture, bandkanon? A forgotten female japanese general undercover? [:)]

She's this girl I'm trying to get with. I put her there so that I'll realize what a wargame geek I am and that I need to get off my fat ass and get to the gym ASAP.

[Error in 0]

ORIGINAL: Bandkanon

ORIGINAL: JallaTryne

Who is this girl on your picture, bandkanon? A forgotten female japanese general undercover? [:)]

She's this girl I'm trying to get with. I put her there so that I'll realize what a wargame geek I am and that I need to get off my fat ass and get to the gym ASAP.

Smart, the wargaming business, and gaming in general, is not really helping any social life [:)]

Not the greatest bluff, but still a kind of bluff. After 2 A-bombs the Japs surrendered, not taking any risk of a 3. A-bomb. But really, who can blame them [:)]

[Major Destruction]

ORIGINAL: Bandkanon

ORIGINAL: JallaTryne

Who is this girl on your picture, bandkanon? A forgotten female japanese general undercover? [:)]

She's this girl I'm trying to get with. I put her there so that I'll realize what a wargame geek I am and that I need to get off my fat ass and get to the gym ASAP.

Is this a bluff? Really, your girl is some 200 pound broad with stainless steel teeth, right?

Or what are you doing here?

Lets see, Wargames versus beautiful girl

Oh I know, wargames! ......... no, beautiful girl!........ no! wargames!

What was the question again?[8|]

[Bandkanon]

ORIGINAL: Major Destruction

ORIGINAL: Bandkanon

ORIGINAL: JallaTryne

Who is this girl on your picture, bandkanon? A forgotten female japanese general undercover? [:)]

She's this girl I'm trying to get with. I put her there so that I'll realize what a wargame geek I am and that I need to get off my fat ass and get to the gym ASAP.

Is this a bluff? Really, your girl is some 200 pound broad with stainless steel teeth, right?

Or what are you doing here?

Lets see, Wargames versus beautiful girl

Oh I know, wargames! ......... no, beautiful girl!........ no! wargames!

What was the question again?[8|]

Hey she's a cutey alright but that doesn't mean that I can't spend time playing wargames. Having her as an avatar is better than having a picture relating to some wargame like everyone else here.

Anyway, whats wrong with playing wargames and chasing a cutey? Who said they were mutually exclusive?

[Raverdave]

ORIGINAL: Blackhorse

While facing McClellan during the Peninsular campaign, along the Williamsport lines, Magruder used every trick in the book, (marching one regiment of troops up in full view of enemy troops, circling back under cover, marching up again; officers shouting out commands to non-existant troops; etc.) to convince McClellan that the north was outnumbered. Magruder employed the same old wheezes and successfully pinned down the union troops on the direct road to Richmond while R.E. Lee launched the first attacks of the Seven Days campaign.

McClellan was an idiot.

[terje439]

Hmm I think Gøring must win this one, why??
- The Luftwaffe WILL finish of the BEF
- The Luftwaffe WILL defeat RAF
- The Luftwaffe WILL supply the 6th Army

[:D]