Prime and Load!

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In the spring of 1741, the Austrian high command looked at the Prussian Army and saw a joke. To the battle-hardened veterans of the Habsburg Empire, Frederick II’s men were nothing more than a parade-ground army obsessed with perfect drill, but completely untested in the mud and blood of real combat.
At the Battle of Mollwitz, the Austrians intended to brush them aside. And for a moment, it looked like they had.
This week on Prime & Load, Dr. Alex Burns takes the lead to dissect the harsh tactical realities of the battle that launched the Prussian military machine. We explore the fatal contempt the Austrian commanders held for their enemy, the devastating shock action of the Austrian cavalry, and the infamous moment a panicked, young Frederick the Great fled the field, believing his army was destroyed.
But most importantly, we look at how the unbroken lines of Prussian infantry stood their ground and changed the course of the battle.
Topics Discussed:
The Austrian Hubris: Why the Habsburg veterans drastically underestimated the Prussian war machine.
Shock Action: The devastating charge of the Austrian heavy cavalry that broke the Prussian horse.
The King Who Ran: Frederick II's disastrous personal showing and the harsh lessons he learned.
The Infantry Holds: How the mechanical, rapid-fire drill of the Prussian infantry saved the day and revolutionized 18th-century tactics.
In the War Room (The Uncut Episode): For our Plank Owners and War Room members, we go far beyond the tactical battlefield in this extended cut. If you want the true "graduate-level" breakdown of the 1741 campaign, we look under the hood at the broader geopolitics and logistics of the region, discussing:
The Silesian Prize: The specific grand strategy and economic reasons Frederick the Great risked everything to take Silesia from the Habsburgs.
The Ground They Fought On: A detailed look at the terrain of Silesia and how its geography dictated the friction of the campaign.
The People in the Crossfire: Who actually lived in Silesia, and how the local demographics reacted to the Prussian invasion.
Cavalry Woes: A breakdown of the true effectiveness (and initial failures) of the Prussian cavalry before Frederick reformed them.
The Geopolitical Chessboard: The political makeup, alliances, and standing of the Central European states that set the stage for the War of the Austrian Succession.
Hosts: Lee Gugino, Dr. Alex Burns, and Andrew Bamford.
Producer: Lee Gugino
Prime & Load! is a Historic Studios Podcast
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General Recommended Reading
The Military Experience in the Age of Reason, By Christopher Duffy
Infantry in Battle 1733-1783, By Alexander Burns
*All materials are affiliated links that earn the show commission. Using these links helps support the podcast. Thank you.

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Decades before the American Revolution or the Seven Years' War, the British Empire assembled an armada of over 180 ships and 30,000 men. Their target: the Spanish stronghold of Cartagena de Indias. It was the largest expeditionary force the British had ever assembled, and it was supposed to be a crushing blow in the War of Jenkins' Ear.
Instead, it became a masterclass in the friction of war.
Today on Prime & Load, we are joined by historian Tom Golding-Lee to dissect the catastrophic 1741 expedition against Cartagena. We look under the hood at the sheer scale of logistics required to project British power across the Atlantic, the brand-new regiments raised specifically for this campaign, and the stubborn Spanish defense that bled the attackers dry. Above all, we examine the toxic, hostile relationship between Admiral Edward Vernon and General Thomas Wentworth.
Topics Discussed:
The Logistical Nightmare: How the British managed one of the largest amphibious operations of the 18th century prior to the 1770s.
The Green Hell: The unique tactical challenges of jungle combat and the devastating impact of tropical diseases.
Command Friction: The bitter rivalry between the Army and the Royal Navy that crippled operational effectiveness.
The Defenders: How the Spanish garrison utilized the terrain, fortifications, and time to hold the line against impossible odds.
In the War Room (Over 40 Minutes of Uncut Audio): For our Plank Owners, Aide-de-Camp, and War Room members, we have an absolute massive uncut version of this episode with over 40 minutes of extra interview content. In this exclusive deep dive, we discuss:
The American Perspective: How the colonies viewed the expedition and the specific role of the American provincial troops.
Imperial Strategy: The geopolitical importance of the Caribbean to both the British and Spanish empires.
Order of Battle: A closer, more detailed look at the composition of the British forces.
The Seeds of Revolution: How the treatment of American troops and the campaign's failure may have effected the colonies' view of Great Britain.
Andrew asking listeners to join War Room.
Support the show
General Recommended Reading
The Military Experience in the Age of Reason, By Christopher Duffy
Infantry in Battle 1733-1783, By Alexander Burns
*All materials are affiliated links that earn the show commission. Using these links helps support the podcast. Thank you.

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When we think of 18th-century warfare, our minds usually jump to the fields of Flanders, the forests of North America, or the rolling hills of Central Europe. But while the Western powers were fighting over border forts and overseas colonies, a completely different scale of war was raging in the East.
Across the vast, unforgiving expanse of the Pontic Steppe, the Russian and Ottoman Empires were hurling hundreds of thousands of men at each other in a fight for control over the region that is modern-day Ukraine and southern Russia.
In this episode, Lee Gugino, Dr. Alex Burns, and Andrew Bamford turn their attention East to the monumental Russo-Turkish Wars of the mid-to-late 18th century. We are joined by historian and author Dave Watson, known on social media as "Balkan Dave", to discuss his fantastic new book covering these massive campaigns.
Together, we step away from Western Europe to explore the massive armies and economic systems that clashed in the East. We break down the contrasts in military doctrine, the logistical challenges of supplying an army across a sea of grass, and the brutal reality of fighting for the Steppe.
Topics Discussed:
The Eastern Theater: The sheer scale and geography of the Pontic Steppe and how it effected the conflicts.
The Russian War Machine: How the expanding Russian Empire learned from wars in the west and how it applied them in the east.
The Ottoman Army: Breaking down the Order of Battle (OOB) for the Ottoman forces.
Economic Warfare: The underlying financial and logistical systems that fueled these massive imperial collisions.
In the War Room (Uncut Episode): For our War Room members, the full unedited conversation includes:
The Black Sea Fleets: A deep dive into the Russian and Ottoman navies. We discuss the massive shipbuilding efforts required by both empires to control the coastlines and the tactical realities of 18th-century naval combat in the East.
The Ottoman Decline: The structural and doctrinal reasons why the Ottoman military machine began to falter in the latter half of the century. We look past the standard narrative to examine the specific institutional friction points that led to their battlefield setbacks.
Guest: Dave Watson ("Balkan Dave"), author and military historian specializing in the 18th-century Russo-Turkish conflicts.
Recommended Reading 
The Struggle for the Pontic Steppe: Russo-Ottoman Wars 1768-1792
By: Dave Watson
Ottoman Wars, 1700-1870: An Empire Besieged
By: Virginia Aksan
The Early Modern Ottomans: Remapping the Empire
By: Virginia Aksan & Daniel Goffman
Andrew asking listeners to join War Room.
Support the show
General Recommended Reading
The Military Experience in the Age of Reason, By Christopher Duffy
Infantry in Battle 1733-1783, By Alexander Burns
*All materials are affiliated links that earn the show commission. Using these links helps support the podcast. Thank you.

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January 1746. The Jacobites have just won another stunning victory at Falkirk Muir. But instead of marching south, Bonnie Prince Charlie finds himself overruled by his war council and forced into a controversial retreat back into the Highlands.
History often jumps straight from the victory at Falkirk to the tragedy at Culloden, ignoring the critical months in between. But the war did not stop.
In this episode of Prime & Load, Lee Gugino, Dr. Alex Burns, and Andrew Bamford are joined once again by Dr. Arran Johnston to shine a light on the "Small Wars" of 1746. We explore the complex, aggressive campaign waged by the Jacobites to seize the initiative in the Highlands while the main armies maneuvered.
From the dramatic Rout of Moy to the Siege of Fort Augustus and the audacious Raids in Atholl, we break down how this period set up the Jacobite Army for its final fight for the highlands.
In the War Room (Uncut Episode): For our Plank Owners and War Room members, the full unedited conversation goes deeper into the strategic mind of the rising, including:
The Prince's Fury: A look at Charles Edward Stuart’s personal reaction to the retreat, his anger, his sense of betrayal, and the widening rift with his commanders.
Retreat as a Weapon: How the Jacobite leadership repeatedly managed to turn retreats into strong strategic positions, baffling government commanders.
The Anatomy of the Army: We break down the specific composition of the force in 1746.
Join the War Room on Patreon!
Andrew asking listeners to join War Room.
Support the show
General Recommended Reading
The Military Experience in the Age of Reason, By Christopher Duffy
Infantry in Battle 1733-1783, By Alexander Burns
*All materials are affiliated links that earn the show commission. Using these links helps support the podcast. Thank you.

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In the English-speaking world, we often view the French Army through the single lens of the Seven Years' War. We see the disaster: the loss of Canada, the retreat from India, and a reputation left in tatters.
But this is a dangerously limited view of the 18th-century French War Machine. To judge them only by their defeats is to miss how they defined the very art of war for the rest of Europe.
In this episode, Lee Gugino, Dr. Alex Burns, and Andrew Bamford are joined by Dr. Jonathan Abel, Associate Professor of Military History at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC).
Together, we examine the "Gold Standard" of the 18th century. We discuss how the Royal French Army actually functioned, from the complex systems used to man its ranks to the massive logistical engine that kept it moving. We explore how this institution became the aspiration for the rest of the world, influencing military doctrine from Prussia to the American colonies.
Topics Discussed:
The "Gold Standard": How the French Army became the model for the rest of Europe.
Logistics & Supply: The sophisticated systems required to feed the largest army in Europe.
Modern Application: How Dr. Abel uses 18th-century history to train modern officers at the CGSC.
In the War Room (Uncut Episode): For our Plank Owners and War Room members, the full unedited conversation includes a deeper dive into the intellectual life of the officer corps, including:
Doctrine Wars: The internal debates on how to fight (Line vs. Column).
National Character: The French perspective on the "martial spirit" of their British and Prussian rivals.
Merit vs. Birth: The struggle to introduce meritocracy into an aristocratic officer corps.
Guest: Dr. Jonathan Abel, Associate Professor of Military History at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College.
Guibert: Father of Napoleon's Grande Armée 
By Dr. Jonathan Abel
Andrew asking listeners to join War Room.
Support the show
General Recommended Reading
The Military Experience in the Age of Reason, By Christopher Duffy
Infantry in Battle 1733-1783, By Alexander Burns
*All materials are affiliated links that earn the show commission. Using these links helps support the podcast. Thank you.