Warmatrix

Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov was a gifted Russian general who fought many battles but never lost one. Had he not died at the turn of the century, he might have stopped Napoléon in his invasion of Russia.
Suvorov was born in 1729 CE in Moscow. His parents were emigrants from Sweden, from a family with a long military tradition. As a boy he suffered from weak health and remained small and wiry throughout his life. But he proved to be a voracious learner of many sciences, including military history. Against the will of this father, he aspired to join the army and exercised to try to improve his health. When he was 12 years old, general Gannibal persuaded his father to turn around. At the age of 18 Alexander entered military service.
In his early career he deepened his knowledge of military matters and also gained practical experience while fighting against Prussia in the Seven Year's War and against Poland. He became a colonel in 1762 CE and major-general six years later. During this time he gained a reputation as a strong-willed leader and unorthodox tactician.
Suvorov wrote down his views on war in several books, the best known called 'The Science of Victory'. These show almost un-Russian strategies and tactics. He advocated training rigorously, so that the actual fighting would come easy. He was frugal, shared the hardships of his men, made sure they were well supplied and quartered and received good medical care. Combined with personal bravery, this made him very much adored by his soldiers. He relied little on drill but communicated clearly with his troops, encouraging them to not wait for orders, but to take initiative and improvise to exploit opportunities. In battle he emphasized speed, mobility and striking hard at weak points of the enemy. He always adapted the formation of his own forces to counter that of the enemy. However Suvorov was not perfect; he wasted time sleeping off drunkenness and had a disregard for logistics.
In his later career he fought against the Ottoman empire and the Poles. Especially the Battle of the Rymnik River and the assault on the fortress of Izmail gained him fame, though also infamy, as his troops sacked several towns vigorously after taking them. Catherine the Great was very much taken with his continuous victories and promoted him to count and field marshal. But her son Paul, who succeeded her in 1796 CE, was more interested in fancy uniforms than actual fighting. When the field marshal, with his customary brashness, fired a shot of sarcasm at the tsar's policies, the two fell out with each other and he was dismissed.
The rise of Napoléon forced Paul to recall Suvorov in 1799 CE, who proceeded to undo most of the French gains in eastern Europe and then push into Italy. He could have advanced into France, but his superiors sent him to Switzerland, where he was outmaneuvered. He had to retreat over the Alps, where his army suffered severe losses, though much less than anyone had anticipated. A year later, instead of re-engaging the French, Paul ordered his army back and refused to award his general for his efforts. Worn out and ill, Suvorov died a few days later.