Napoleonic Heavy Cavalry & Dragoon Tactics

Napoleonic Heavy Cavalry & Dragoon Tactics PDF

Author: Philip Haythornthwaite

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2013-07-20

Total Pages: 137

ISBN-13: 178200940X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

During the Napoleonic Wars the supreme battlefield shock weapon was the heavy cavalry – the French cuirassiers, and their British, Austrian, Prussian and Russian counterparts. Big men mounted on big horses, the heavy cavalry were armed with swords nearly a metre long, used for slashing or thrusting at their opponents; many wore steel armour, a practice revived by Napoleon. They were tasked with smashing a hole in the enemy's line of battle, with exploiting a weakness, or with turning a flank. Their classic manoeuvre was the charge; arrayed in close-order lines or columns, the heavy cavalry would begin their attack at the walk, building up to a gallop for the final 50 metres before impact. Illustrated with diagrams, relevant paintings and prints and specially prepared colour plates, this is the first volume of a two-part study of the cavalry tactics of the armies of Napoleon and those of his allies and opponents. Written by a leading authority on the period, it draws upon drill manuals and later writings to offer a vivid assessment of how heavy cavalry actually fought on the Napoleonic battlefield.

Napoleonic Heavy Cavalry & Dragoon Tactics

Napoleonic Heavy Cavalry & Dragoon Tactics PDF

Author: Philip Haythornthwaite

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2013-07-20

Total Pages: 66

ISBN-13: 1849087113

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

During the Napoleonic Wars the supreme battlefield shock weapon was the heavy cavalry – the French cuirassiers, and their British, Austrian, Prussian and Russian counterparts. Big men mounted on big horses, the heavy cavalry were armed with swords nearly a metre long, used for slashing or thrusting at their opponents; many wore steel armour, a practice revived by Napoleon. They were tasked with smashing a hole in the enemy's line of battle, with exploiting a weakness, or with turning a flank. Their classic manoeuvre was the charge; arrayed in close-order lines or columns, the heavy cavalry would begin their attack at the walk, building up to a gallop for the final 50 metres before impact. Illustrated with diagrams, relevant paintings and prints and specially prepared colour plates, this is the first volume of a two-part study of the cavalry tactics of the armies of Napoleon and those of his allies and opponents. Written by a leading authority on the period, it draws upon drill manuals and later writings to offer a vivid assessment of how heavy cavalry actually fought on the Napoleonic battlefield.

Napoleonic Light Cavalry Tactics

Napoleonic Light Cavalry Tactics PDF

Author: Philip Haythornthwaite

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2013-12-20

Total Pages: 149

ISBN-13: 1780961049

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

During the Napoleonic Wars all the major combatants fielded large numbers of light cavalry. These nimble, fast-moving regiments performed a variety of vital roles, from reconnaissance and keeping contact with the enemy during the movement of armies, to raiding, skirmishing, and the pursuit to destruction of beaten enemies. In practice, light cavalry were often also employed for battlefield charges alongside the heavy cavalry. Featuring period illustrations and specially commissioned colour artwork, this is the second volume of a two-part study of the cavalry tactics of the armies of Napoleon and those of his allies and opponents. Written by a leading authority on the period, it draws upon drill manuals and later writings to offer a vivid assessment of how light cavalry actually fought on the Napoleonic battlefield.

British Napoleonic Infantry Tactics 1792–1815

British Napoleonic Infantry Tactics 1792–1815 PDF

Author: Philip Haythornthwaite

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-05-20

Total Pages: 66

ISBN-13: 1846038537

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

The British Army that faced Napoleon in the Peninsula was small by continental standards, but it consistently out-fought larger French armies, never losing a major open-field action. Its cavalry and artillery were standard; but its infantry achieved unique results, as their tactics were brought to a peak of professional perfection by Wellington. Using contemporary instruction manuals, first-hand accounts and in-depth analysis of individual actions, this book examines exactly how Wellington was able to convert a rabble of volunteers and criminals into a well-oiled, highly disciplined and professional war-winning machine. With a detailed look at the effective use of terrain, line rather than column manoeuvres and fortification assaults, Philip Haythornthwaite reveals the crucial tactics of Wellington's army, illustrated with comprehensive maps, images and full-colour artwork.

British Light Infantry & Rifle Tactics of the Napoleonic Wars

British Light Infantry & Rifle Tactics of the Napoleonic Wars PDF

Author: Philip Haythornthwaite

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2016-10-20

Total Pages: 68

ISBN-13: 1472816080

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

In an age when infantry units manoeuvred and fought in rigid blocks, the idea of encouraging initiative and allowing a unit to 'skirmish' was regarded as revolutionary and fell out of favour in the years following the French-Indian and American Revolutionary wars. It was revived by far-sighted British and foreign-mercenary officers, who observed the way in which French Revolutionary armies deployed skirmishers to prepare the way for their assault columns. Offering a detailed analysis of the tactics, this book is studded with period 'battle descriptions' quoted from eye-witness accounts, creating a comprehensive guide to the Light and Rifles units of Wellington's Light Division. As the result of the first tentative experiments in skirmishing the units achieved an unsurpassed peak of efficiency – they marched faster, were versatile in any sort of tactical situation and could shoot more accurately than either friend or foe. No other national army, either allied or enemy, achieved these standards.

French Napoleonic Infantry Tactics 1792–1815

French Napoleonic Infantry Tactics 1792–1815 PDF

Author: Paddy Griffith

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2012-08-20

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13: 1782002235

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Bonaparte's Grande Armée, one of the most renowned battle-winning machines in history, evolved from a merging of the professional army of the Ancien Régime and the volunteers and conscripts of the Revolutionary levée en masse – although the contribution of the former is often underestimated. A leading authority on the history of tactics draws here on original drill manuals and later writings to explain how the French infantry of 1792–1815 were organized for fire and movement on the battlefield. Illustrated with clear diagrams and relevant paintings and prints, and specially prepared colour plates, this text brings the tactical aspects of eight battles vividly to life.

Napoleonic Light Cavalry Tactics

Napoleonic Light Cavalry Tactics PDF

Author: Philip Haythornthwaite

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2013-12-20

Total Pages: 66

ISBN-13: 1780961030

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

During the Napoleonic Wars all the major combatants fielded large numbers of light cavalry. These nimble, fast-moving regiments performed a variety of vital roles, from reconnaissance and keeping contact with the enemy during the movement of armies, to raiding, skirmishing, and the pursuit to destruction of beaten enemies. In practice, light cavalry were often also employed for battlefield charges alongside the heavy cavalry. Featuring period illustrations and specially commissioned colour artwork, this is the second volume of a two-part study of the cavalry tactics of the armies of Napoleon and those of his allies and opponents. Written by a leading authority on the period, it draws upon drill manuals and later writings to offer a vivid assessment of how light cavalry actually fought on the Napoleonic battlefield.

Fighting Techniques of the Napoleonic Age

Fighting Techniques of the Napoleonic Age PDF

Author: Robert Bowman Bruce

Publisher: Macmillan

Published: 2008-04-15

Total Pages: 312

ISBN-13: 9780312375874

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

Fighting Techniques of the Napoleonic World explores the tactics and strategy required to win battles with the technology available during the Napoleonic period (1789-1815), and points out how the development of such weapons technology changed the face of the battlefield. Divided into five sections it highlights: - Individual components of the armies: the foot soldier, the cavalryman and the artilleryman, the equipment they wore and used, and how they fought together. - Technology change, the emergence of military professionalism, and the impact these changes had on the battlefield. - How units were used together on the battlefield, and strategic positioning of battle units. - Specialist techniques and equipment developed for artillery. - Naval warfare, from the ships in which the men fought to the weapons they carried.

French Dragoons

French Dragoons PDF

Author: Veronique Letrun

Publisher: Officers and Soldiers of

Published: 2015-04-17

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9782352504238

DOWNLOAD EBOOK →

In this second half of the 18th century, military tactics changed, going from static siege tactics to rapid maneuvers, giving the cavalry a predominant role again on the field of battle. The changes in uniform, organization and tactics of the Dragoon regiments evolved over three periods. The main corps gradually joined with the cavalry, becoming a key element in the new strategy of movement. The first period, included ordinances from 1750 and 1757, and mainly improved the troop's comfort. The second period of change reorganized and unified the corps. Finally the last period provided the republic with the most modern corps and army in the world.