A successful landing of 100,000 men would have faced a weak British army, but the entire force was unlikely to cross intact. The first wave might carry only 17,000 to 20,000 troops, and wind could scatter the barges even if the Royal Navy did not intervene immediately. Once the alarm spread, militia, regular regiments, and London's trained bands could concentrate before later waves arrived. British sailors might also land behind the invaders and cut off their beachhead, making the plan's vulnerable sequence of lifts more important than the impressive total force on paper.
Notable Point · 1:53:36-1:56:39
Why the invasion plan failed in practice
Even if French troops reached Britain, small first waves, weather, mobilization, and Royal Navy counteraction threatened the whole scheme.