Quick Guide to Napoleonic Infantry Tactics

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4 жыл бұрын

A quick guide to infantry tactics and formations of the Napoleonic period, which first appeared in our video on the Battle of Aspern. In this video we try to explain why lining up shoulder-to-shoulder was not as stupid as it first seems, and how different formations were used to maximise firepower, mobility and defence. All achieved through the miracle of drill.
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@EpichistoryTv 4 жыл бұрын

This is our quick guide to Napoleonic infantry tactics, which first appeared in our Battle of Aspern video. I thought it might be useful to post it as its own video for those looking for a quick summary of the topic. I hope you find it interesting and look forward to heated debate on Napoleonic tactics... (For those seeking more detail on this topic, there's links to some good books in the video description, including those referenced for the making of this video. Rory Muir's book is particularly recommended). New Napoleon video out on Thursday - the Invasion of Russia.

@mrvulture8981 4 жыл бұрын

damn thanks for this. Im writing a book set in Napoleonic setting and these videos are really helpful

@matro2 4 жыл бұрын

More tactics and strategy please.

@polishrenegade3781 4 жыл бұрын

Good video. One small pet peeve. For many videos now, you say "Voltigeur" with a hard "G". However, in French, it is pronounced "Voltijeur" (soft 'G'). See wikipedia pronunciation. And for "Pied" (the "D" is mute). Thank you!

@residentelect 4 жыл бұрын

Watched the Invasion of Russia video last night. Absolutely fantastic! You are coming on leaps and bounds, especially with the artwork, animation and battle maps! This tactics video is the icing on the cake!! Can't wait for Part 2 👍

@cheechiajohri 4 жыл бұрын

@Shivaji the Great an awesome start over here👌😎

@Lodurrson 4 жыл бұрын

Timing couldn't be better. I'm planning a siege of my neighbors and I now realize my tactics were just plain silly.

@evvec1490 4 жыл бұрын

IRL or game?

@Lodurrson 4 жыл бұрын

IRL. His kid threw a football into my yard and I took it as an act of war.

@theodoresmith5272 4 жыл бұрын

Classic bro!

@Crackdalf 4 жыл бұрын

Don't neglect your supply lines

@kennethglanzer4821 4 жыл бұрын

Good one

@justintimbersaw3934 3 жыл бұрын

I remember that in one battle, Napoleon's cavalry couldn't penetrate through the infantry so they decided to move back a little bit and let the cannon do the work so the infantry would scatter and the cavalry would be easier to pick them. They do this repeatedly

@sovietz99 2 жыл бұрын

You’re thinking of Austerlitz and Friedland

@derkylos 2 жыл бұрын

Using cavalry, or even the threat of cavalry, was a sound tactic to force the enemy into a square so the artillery could do their work. Only Wellington's unconventional order to lie down saved the Allied force from much greater casualties at Waterloo.

@stayclassic2361 2 жыл бұрын

@@derkylos would you mind going into a little bit of detail? Why did he order the troops to lie down?

@sarpkaplan4449 2 жыл бұрын

@@stayclassic2361 i think he means reverse slopes

@starsixseven9259 2 жыл бұрын

@@sarpkaplan4449 but why? Simply to obscure reserve numbers or was there an oncoming threat?

@davidlisovtsev6607 4 жыл бұрын

How a bout a L O N G guide tho?

@lelouche25 4 жыл бұрын

I would freaking love that. I hope they do something of the sort.

@ieuanhunt552 4 жыл бұрын

Yes please give me over an hour long video on this topic

@yc2673 4 жыл бұрын

Ok guys I'll try to explain in my poor english (I'm French) The debate between liners and columnists have been raging for years in those times. Germans under Friedrich the great invented the skewed order, keeping the line while maximizing firepower but required a lot of well drilled troops to be executed. Napoleon on his side prefered the mass formations as it was unpredictable for the ennemy to know where he will strike. The classic napoleonic order was the C line, or U formations. A deformed skewed order. The aim was to feint attacks by forming a C, and when the ennemy reacted suddenly forming a U to maximize firepower. The ennemy then ready tl attack suffers maximum losses while neighboring corps forms the C ready to mass themselves to exploit any breakthrough. In fact he resolved the question by remaining on line but flexible to quickly reform columns. This was helped by a well planned counteractions (cav, arty and chasseurs) to allow time for its troops to prepare those manoeuvres. But the main innovation was the corps d'armée (a little army by itself with its own guns and cav attached). Those were considerably more autonomous than the old regiment system, interarm operations were easier, that gave napoleonic armies much more both strategical and tactical advantages. But Napoleon was more a strategist than a tactician. His corps d'armée as brigades had the possibility to act as attacking or defending units independently according to their neighboor. The main victory key for Napoleon was the strategic quadilateral, each corps d'armée widespread on a region could rapidly reinforce another allowing more coverage of areas, better speed and as well better maneuvrability.

@ieuanhunt552 4 жыл бұрын

@@yc2673 your English is fine, some misspelled words but it's a long comment so that can be forgiven. Could you elaborate on the difference between a strategist and a tactician. I also find it interesting how combined arms warfare evolved over time. One thing I read about in ww1 was the advent of the Creeping Barrage where artillery was very well coordinated with the infantry and would keep a continuous bombardment while they advanced. How sophisticated was artillery in those days and how closely could they coordinate with other units. Like cavalry and infantry.

@yc2673 4 жыл бұрын

@@ieuanhunt552 Hello, The main difference between a tactician and a strategist consists in that the tactician is an operational genius, able to use its assets at best to win victories. The strategist will not focus on the operational ground rather than the whole campaign. His skill is to turn its victories decisive. For example, in ww2, Erwin Romel was a superior tactician while Montgommery a strategist. For the first world war, I can give you some elements on the strategic evolutions : 1- The german defense in depht was the most notable innovation, 3 lines, one to fight and leave, the second to hold, the third to reinforce and counterattack. The main idea was that ennemy artillery could not follow the advance of its troops and therefor the second line unbombarded was well organized to receive them while they didn't have the cover of their own artillery. It was decisive. But the French and British both counter reacts smartly. The British was to transform its infantry as an heavy infantry (with light machineguns) in a defensive purpose to block germans counterattacks while the offensive and breakthrough left to the tanks. The French on the other side focused on mobility with the most motorized army of the war. The trucks allowed the french artillery to moove quickly and to exerce a "rolling fire" disorganizing the German defense in depht. While breakthrough was always the purpose of infantry helped by light mobile tanks. Germans doctrine relied heavily on the train and ability to mass artillery and troops to create breakthrough while the French relied on a dispersed approach while rapidly mooving its artillery and troops by truck on chockpoints. I hoped I bring you something. Have a good day!

@alabamaminator6978 4 жыл бұрын

The cavalry be like: *Oh God it's a square*

@ericcloud1023 4 жыл бұрын

Back when squares were cool.....

@yudistiraliem135 4 жыл бұрын

eric cloud it’s hip to be square

@ritaDas-xl4kz 3 жыл бұрын

@098765 Craper and Cavalry also be like Oh god a rectangle

@nap0038 3 жыл бұрын

What Ney said at Waterloo

@volcelraptor3983 3 жыл бұрын

@Yu Hin TAM You expose the rear who can't march at pace backwards.

@BrorealeK 4 жыл бұрын

Great video. Something not mentioned here though, which played a huge role in Napoleonic infantry tactics, was that the Napoleonic wars--and the French Revolutionary wars that preceded them--were the first modern examples of mass conscription and mobilization in warfare. 18th Century battles were fought with small, professional armies, brutally drilled, and fought for relatively small exchanges of territory (in western Europe, at least). The Revolutionary wars were titanic struggles which were painted by bouth sides as having existential threats to the nations involved, especially France. Masses of raw recruits, patriotic volunteers, and fresh conscripts had to fight against these well-drilled professional units. It was actually the French who first used assault columns to break the thin lines of Allied infantry in battle, and this tactic proved successful enough that even Napoleon was doing the same with his elite Old Guard in the final charge at Waterloo. With tactics such as these, it's no surprise that Napoleonic era battles were far more decisive than those that came before--for better or for worse for the commanders using these tactics.

@EpichistoryTv 4 жыл бұрын

It's a good point - one can read accounts of Austrian and Prussian commanders facing the French in 1792 who are horrified by these waves of untrained but highly motivated French soldiers coming at them. Revolutionary warfare is particularly interesting, and there seems to an endless debate over how new it was (use of light infantry, loose order etc), and/or to what extent the French army still relied on its professional, ancien régime core (the guillotining of aristocrats is such a popular image of the Revolution, that many people are surprised by just how many aristocrats stayed in the army, or were allowed to return.) One can also understand a lot about warfare in this period simply by studying each country's development and implementation (or not) of conscription laws..

@AA-pk6fo 2 жыл бұрын

@@EpichistoryTv helllo

@plrc4593 2 жыл бұрын

It's good you added "in western Europe, at least", because otherwise it would not have been true. Mass armies of conscripts and line infantry existed long before the French Revolution. Russia, Prussia and Austria had armies of tens of thousands or even more soldiers from conscription in the middle of 18th century or even earlier. This was one of the reasons of the demise of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, because she missed the time when big armies of line infantry from conscription started to being created. When the Commonwealth had an army of, say, 30 thousands of mainly cavarly, Russia, Prussia and Austria alread had armies close to 100 thousands or even more.

@paeljewlian2559 Жыл бұрын

Not if it's a chinese civil war💀

@CaptScrotes Жыл бұрын

Plus LOTS of guns!

@yourlocalt72 4 жыл бұрын

that moment when you see epic history uploaded after the school its like christmass

@pearsy2639 4 жыл бұрын

God I love your videos, they're so well done and interesting

@AttackTheGasStation1 4 жыл бұрын

"Lines", "formations", "columns", "artillery", "cavalry", "manoeuvre", "division", "army", "lieutenant", "sergeant", "colonel", "general", "assault", "company", "marine", "canonnier", the whole military vocabulary of english language is made of french words.

@cseijifja 4 жыл бұрын

Military? Yes, remember the lorda who waged war in england were normans, french.

@alexanderchristopher6237 4 жыл бұрын

@@cseijifja also France was a beast of a country for a long period of time. From the Middle Ages to the Napoleonic War, they're the ones that helped influence many battle tactics.

@cseijifja 4 жыл бұрын

@@alexanderchristopher6237 france had arguably the mightiest army in the wrold in the 1700's - early 1800, damn, they took on europe 6 times and won.

@rulant802 4 жыл бұрын

I'd say that applies to many of our words beyond just military vocabulary due to Norman influence following 1066. The language of nobility only really stopped being French during the Hundred Years War where more emphasis was put on establishing a more unique English identity.

@elbucho8867 4 жыл бұрын

Some of those words are italian, such a colonel

@professor.moriarty9803 Жыл бұрын

After watching this video, I read some Napoleon's tactics from campaigns prior to Waterloo and used it to beat my friends in a game of Age of Empires IV.

@hidokun9145 Жыл бұрын

Did it work?

@epsilon3821 Жыл бұрын

@@hidokun9145 imagine playing an inferior game of its series whose purpose is just to milk idiots like OP Whether it worked or not doesnt matter because he should have been playing ultimate general civil war instead

@hidokun9145 Жыл бұрын

@@epsilon3821 ok ._.

@danielk301 Жыл бұрын

Invincible tactic in Total War (in my case Rome and Medieval II): -pikemen on the front and sides (and behind if needed) -masses of archers behind them Works every time against the AI (and often against human opponents too) with somewhat balanced armies. Same applies to defending villages (with 4 ways to the town square), but it's even easier because you need even fewer melee troops relative to archers. In this case you can beat an army that's like twice the size of your own.

@professor.moriarty9803 Жыл бұрын

@@danielk301 Very accurate! Can't say most people, but a lot of people don't care for formations and stances, but that's how they lose a fight most times. In AoE, when you order the spikemen to hold their positions, not a single horse can get through, it's the perfect counter to enemy cavalries, while they blocks the incoming charges, switch in the long range squadrons from the back to finish the job. Another thing is flanking, it matters a great deal in RTS games. Just like the scenario above, while all of this is happening, my reserved cavalry units have already flanked around out of view and charging the rear units, which in most cases are vulnerable long range units

@lamhkak47 4 жыл бұрын

Napoleon: *does literally anything* Epic History TV: It's free real estate

@dorylaions 4 жыл бұрын

I feel like this refers to the general era tactics rather than napoleon himself.

@StaleBaguette 4 жыл бұрын

The thing was that era was so influenced by Napoleon it might as well have been named after him

@user-dc1ud6px3s 4 жыл бұрын

@@StaleBaguette Dominated, yes. Influenced, not necessarily.

@napoleonbonaparteempereurd4676 4 жыл бұрын

@@StaleBaguette It is

@xenotypos 4 жыл бұрын

@@user-dc1ud6px3s Since his innovations were copied by his ennemies throughout the wars, you can safely say that he influenced greatly the era in terms of military tactics. Of course he also used stuff from other people, but I believe it wasn't at the same scale.

@marshallamb4744 4 жыл бұрын

Great video as always. The Napoleonic Era battles are really amazing, and many people adore this era's battles. However, I think that no one wishes to be a soldier in the armies of Napoleonic Era. Honestly, getting hit by a musket ball can be the worst thing ever in the world.

@artificialintelligence8328 3 жыл бұрын

Oh there are some fetishists who would.

@therobro5089 2 жыл бұрын

@@artificialintelligence8328 Maybe if u are in the far back or part of the artillery

@sjonnieplayfull5859 2 жыл бұрын

Getting hit by a canon ball is a bit higher on my list of least favorite things to do...

@papamike137 2 жыл бұрын

I’d say a bayonet to the guts to be left bleeding out on a field of corpses for several days would be worse

@siler7 2 жыл бұрын

I found a Minie ball when I was a kid. Holding it in my hand was scary. The idea of being hit by something even more crude induces shudders.

@laithmeister 4 жыл бұрын

Nice Beethoven background music 👍

@oliverludwig6148 4 жыл бұрын

What exactly? Should be in video description

@SomeDude1000 3 жыл бұрын

@@gorankatic40000bc Dam bro

@PasqualeToscano 3 жыл бұрын

Beethoven Egmont Overture

@croesuslydias6488 4 жыл бұрын

4:09 "Horses won't charge a solid wall of men" This is debated actually. While for the period it seems correct, there are cases where cavalry charges possibly did slam into walls of men in medieval and ancient times (again heavily debated). IMO it seems more likely that it had more to do with a fear of the musketfire than the refusal to slam into men, but I really want to explore the topic more. Great vid as always!

@georgeb65412 4 жыл бұрын

Lots of sources from the Napoleonic wars repeatedly state that charging horses would pull up a few meters just before hitting the square(or opposing charging cavalry), main benefit of multiple staggered battalion squares opposed to a single long battalion line is that the horseman will ride through any gaps they find, rather than engaging the squares themselves, one british (highlander i believe) says that when his square was surrounded by french cavalry, only a few braver horseman actually rode up close to hack at the square, the others stayed back, hoping to entice the infantry to fire their muskets with little effect before closing. The main effect of a heavy cavalry charge in any time period would be that the infantry would falter and turn their backs and run right before the cavalry charge hit home, thus the horses can pass in between them and there is no great impact, like at Waterloo also, the British heavy cavalry charge destroyed D'Erlons corps because it was just a packed group of men huddled together, the horses 'charged' at the trot and the french caught by surprise just turned and fled, only way a couple hundred horseman could move through thousands of tightly packed infantry.

@doleofdolonia8859 4 жыл бұрын

I agree with you on that. Musket volleys are loud and produce heavy amounts of smoke. Horses can easily be startled by these factors for the time. As for the medieval ages, it would seem to be easier for a well trained warhorse to charge into a wall of spears and shields unless the defenders were disciplined themselves. Horses are capable of doing incredible feats as long as they are well fed and trained by their riders. There are many lose accounts of these feats. But I agree that it is still debatable.

@HeyImLucious 4 жыл бұрын

I've talked to 2 people who have worked with horses their whole life about this and both of them said that horses are... well... pretty blunt in the head so you could train them to do almost anything. This is just circumstantial evidence on my part and they obviously haven't bred any war horses but I think the idea of "train them hard enough and they'll do it" is important.

@georgeb65412 4 жыл бұрын

@@HeyImLucious The point with that is you have to remember that theres a rider ontop as well, you may undoubtedly be able to ride a horse through a line of men, but will the rider want to surround himself with enemy infantry with 10 inch bayonets in his face

@rubenheymans1988 4 жыл бұрын

I don't get why it's still debatable. How do you explain the polish hussars charging at the muslims at vienna, or Alexandar the great breaking the persian lines etc. Cavalry charges into mass infantry formations just have to be real.

@KalyeStreet10 4 жыл бұрын

Thats it. Im downloading empire total war again.

@gs7828 4 жыл бұрын

You need Napoleon Total War ;)

@ninja.saywhat 4 жыл бұрын

me too, just going back to it.

@KalyeStreet10 4 жыл бұрын

@@gs7828 i would, but i need to upgrade my pc 😢

@richardlahan7068 4 жыл бұрын

These tactics were still in use at the time of the American Civil War. They were being taught to cadets at West Point, The Citadel and VMI. American officers were steeped in Napoleonic tactics.

@Rusty_Gold85 Жыл бұрын

Post waterloo a lot of French Generals went to French pre owned territory in the States

@user-xx7um5bh5w 10 ай бұрын

My understanding is that one of the reasons for the high casualty rates during the Civil War is that the generals were using Napoleonic tactics with relatively new weapons like rifled muskets and rifled cannon and, in some cases, Gatling Guns.

@richardlahan7068 10 ай бұрын

@user-xx7um5bh5w The main reason for keeping troops together in large bodies during Napoleonic (and Civil War) combat was to exercise tactical control in an age when radio communications did not exist. Couriers and had to hand deliver orders to junior officers and situational reports to commanding officers. That's difficult to do if your troops are strung out over the countryside. Innovations in weapons like rifle muskets and rifled artillery could start killing at distances Napoleonic era weapons could not.

@GenkiGanbare Жыл бұрын

I would have never thought to concentrate line infantry, but it makes total sense for the wars Napoleon fought. Loose ranks minimize your casualties but they drag a battle out. Napoleon was getting dogged by five or six nations' armies for his entire career. He couldn't afford long battles, because reinforcements were always in his enemies' favour. He needed to fall on one army, tear them to pieces, and get back on the move fast, and casualties could be minimized with using higher quality troops that only improved their quality with every battle they experienced.

@nohrii023 4 жыл бұрын

We Austrian Napoleonic Reenactors call our "Mass" the "retarded square". :D

@odd-ysseusdoesstuff6347 3 жыл бұрын

Nohrii lol

@leporellothegoldfinch 3 жыл бұрын

Fellow Austrian here, now I REALLY want to know what you call it in German!

@nohrii023 3 жыл бұрын

@@leporellothegoldfinch Exercierreglement 1807 by Erzherzog Carl he developed "die Masse", we re-enactors say "das behinderte Karree".

@volcelraptor3983 3 жыл бұрын

@@leporellothegoldfinch Dumbox

@realstrixy1229 3 жыл бұрын

Could not agree more with people I have never met before.

@napoleoncorneliusscipio5141 4 жыл бұрын

Holy roman empire! Its out! Spread the word! Right out of the shower, I am delighted to see Epic History TV with a new Napoleonic war upload! LOVE IT!

@napoleonbonaparteempereurd4676 4 жыл бұрын

It truly is a great honour to have my career commemorated in this way

@mizuha-chan4145 4 жыл бұрын

Hey Napoleon. *hold up*

@lelouche25 4 жыл бұрын

I'm writing some fanfiction using the napoleonic wars as the setting. You guys are an amazing source of information keep up the good work my friends.

@lelouche25 4 жыл бұрын

@@franzvonoverbeck8541 neither xD

@sealy_99 4 жыл бұрын

For which series?

@lelouche25 4 жыл бұрын

@@sealy_99 Ah it's Equestria Girls thing. The girls look back at history and we follow a napoleonic inspired character.

@sealy_99 4 жыл бұрын

@@lelouche25 Can't say I've ever seen it but good luck nonetheless. I'm planning on eventually attempting an A Song of Ice and Fire fanfic myself that I want to set in this period too, but I really need to do some more research first. Stuff like this is really helpful and easy to digest.

@academus4978 4 жыл бұрын

Cringe

@residentelect 4 жыл бұрын

@shaneisimperium3210 4 жыл бұрын

No spoilers lol.

@residentelect 4 жыл бұрын

@@shaneisimperium3210 My lips are sealed mate 👍 Get ready for one of the best episodes, yet!

@justsomeguy1671 Жыл бұрын

Use your own brain. Ukraine is the human trafficking capital of the world. And a World Economic Forum bitch. You are too I guess.

@JCody-pt3th 3 жыл бұрын

The quick summary has me ravenous for more. These videos are brilliant! I've never before been so intrigued by the Napoleonic era. Your work is tremendous sir! Bravo!

@mikellwehrer 4 жыл бұрын

I LOVE this animation style. Please do more like this for other eras!

@sirlordhenrymortimer6620 4 жыл бұрын

What a pleasant surprise . Always interested in battle field tactics. Would you be interested in doing a 30 years war video series . Thanks will be epic

@davidhughes8357 2 жыл бұрын

That would be a long video. Lol

@Der_Befraier 4 жыл бұрын

I have done PHD on Napoleon by epic history TV videos.

@louik.t.1440 4 жыл бұрын

Brilliant video! Nice illustrations, great audio (music, sound effects, etc.) I also really enjoy the subtitles, that I assume you at EHTV make. Thank you very much.

@nunyabidness3075 2 жыл бұрын

Wow! Getting that down to six minutes and doing such a comprehensive and understandable job is amazing. Well done.

@stevefugere2687 Жыл бұрын

The perfect voice and perfect music, I really enjoy these videos and the well researched information they contain.

@benkenobi180 4 жыл бұрын

We could use many more videos just like this, thanks guys these Napoleonic videos have sparked a new interest in Napoleons grand campaigns good show.

@urgadurga Жыл бұрын

fantastic visuals and overall just a really good video. made me realize that military tactics are much more interesting then i had originally thought. i had always wondered why warfare was fought the way it was with such formations, im glad i finally found out. i own napolean total war, and this gave me a newfound appreciation for it.

@tunazzz__677 4 жыл бұрын

-Napoleonic Infantry Tactics Guide- How to be an Expert in Napoleon Total War Edit: looks like 1.2k People Agreed with Me and have Therefore Benefitted from this Video.

@ygobarreto 4 жыл бұрын

La montee de l'empire lol

@proudfirebrand3946 4 жыл бұрын

@@ygobarreto Yep....

@CarrotConsumer 4 жыл бұрын

Videogames

@PraiseworthyNobleman 4 жыл бұрын

Hahaha

@marshallamb4744 4 жыл бұрын

I was going to write the same thing, dude. However, it seems I am late, lol.

@echostarling84 3 жыл бұрын

When I saw the green jackets I heard Richard Sharpe say "95th Rifles South Essex"

@EpicGamer-dj7dm 4 жыл бұрын

This video was uploaded again... still gonna watch it

@mario_1683 4 жыл бұрын

I just love your videos. They bring interesting information like just few othef channels do

@justdraw316 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this! this will definitely help with my battles

@jankramolis8658 Жыл бұрын

Straightforward, simple, accurate, simply very nicely done:)

@LookHereMars 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the Video EH great content as always

@philRminiatures 4 жыл бұрын

Nice vid with useful informations and advices for us, wargamers...and wonderful animations/illustrations!👍👍

@AlexVoxel 3 жыл бұрын

I always tought it was a weird way of fighting, now I now why. A big thank you!

@FreeFallingAir 2 жыл бұрын

This has to be about the best breakdown for this on the tube!

@ElvenMetalhead 4 жыл бұрын

A summary of all the army tactics explained in most of Epic History's Napoleonic videos. Nice!

@thehistorybard6333 4 жыл бұрын

Brilliant video! Explains the tactics in a really concise, simple and easy to understand manner. Thanks guys!!!

@SNP-1999 4 жыл бұрын

A highly informative guide, giving all important factors of the subject in clear, precise manner using excellent computer graphics. A great tutorial for any budding Napoleonic wargamer, and not only for them either ! 🌟🌟🌟

@Idcanymore510 3 жыл бұрын

This channel is a simple joy!

@DaidusIII 4 жыл бұрын

This vid was awesome! You guys are awesome! I just can’t get this kind of stuff anywhere else except (kings and generals) but I like you guys more when it comes to the Napoleonic Wars.

@pedrodeeg3893 4 жыл бұрын

Greetings from Australia! Another great vid

@Charles50Kal 4 жыл бұрын

Would've helped 10 years ago when Napoleon Total War came out! Great video!!

@aaronbocanegra6344 Жыл бұрын

Lmao

@gimgimlet6350 7 ай бұрын

literally one of my favorite videos

@EugenethePhilostopher Жыл бұрын

Some great info, thanks.

@CrabDougnut 3 жыл бұрын

Take me back to the time where most armies used this tactics

@rhysnichols8608 3 жыл бұрын

Brutal but no where near as insane as modern warfare. Far fewer total casualties, shorter wars, and minimal civilian casualties. Settle things in a decisive battle like men!

@kevinc.cucumber3697 3 жыл бұрын

Sorry but I don’t want to live on a time where casualties were high on both sides and you are just standing there looking at the guy pointing a gun directly at you.

@rustedcoin9341 2 жыл бұрын

@@rhysnichols8608 Lmao American losses in the Middle East are minimal whereas more than 500 000 soldiers died in the campaign of Russia ALONE. The Napoleonic Wars were extremely violent and murderous.

@rustedcoin9341 2 жыл бұрын

@Bass Slapper Yes they were lmao, you never heard about Carl von Clausewitz but you should read about him. You'll learn that a shift happened in warfares during the Napoleonic wars causing these conflicts to be way more violent than they were the last centuries. Also just how many times were the people conscripted to basically butcher each other up? WW1 had more casualties cuz guess what, after a century there was a demographic growth, in case you didn't know in the 1790's France had the largest population in Europe with less than 30 million people. And you're basically saying that warfares today are the same as in WW1 which is the dumbest shit I've ever heard.

@Cotswolds1913 2 жыл бұрын

Say hello to dying at age 35

@nickpodehl6364 4 жыл бұрын

These Napoleonic videos are first rate! Please do make more of these!

@David-ns4ym Жыл бұрын

I wrote a thesis on regulated vs unregulated brothels between the British / Wellington( regulated) and French / napoleon (unregulated). Syphilis took out tons of French line troops that he would have had at Waterloo. Just as timely as the Prussians entering the battle. Napoleons best logistics general was not present. Bad shoes also played a role.

@BountyFlamor 7 ай бұрын

Ironic. In WW1 it was the British that refused to hand out condoms to the soldiers. The result were STDs, unlike the French soldiers.

@dogestranding5047 4 жыл бұрын

I was in Coast Guard basic training and it's cool how we have battalions and companies. Obviously not for infantry combat, but to train close order drill.

@steadyjumper3547 2 жыл бұрын

Me and my marching band are making battle plans against another school. This is perfect to practice. Such a handy quick guide

@amesbancal 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent as usual !

@1KosovoJeSrbija1 2 жыл бұрын

Absolutely top notch video on a higher level than most documentaries, and a great way to explain why no line battles arent dumb.

@BlackLabelExpat Жыл бұрын

One thing I learned from Rome total was was by this age calvary became way more situational than older times. In general you charge at the wrong time and your forces just get gunned down. Charge at a lone unit from the rear, routing units, or heavy rain were the only ideal conditions. Even artillery can defend itself well from calvary with well timed grape shots.

@Archris17 Жыл бұрын

IRL, heavy rain was just a bad time for battles all around. A single horse can churn up the ground, but 200-600 at once? That basically leaves a quagmire wherever it goes! That mud makes it hard for the cavalry in the rear to keep formation; for the cavalry to pull back after the charge (I know you know cycle-charging works wonders); and for infantry to follow up the attack. That's on top of the issues of commanders seeing what the hell was going on, or relaying orders in the downpour. Basically, unless you had a truly elite fighting force that knew what to do down to muscle memory, it was best to wait for clearer conditions. You're absolutely right about cavalry not being used to charge the front of a formation however. Even in ancient times, that was risky and by the time muskets were the mainstay of armies, it was just suicidal. Amazing to think that some idiots were still trying that when machine guns were a thing...

@eugenioblanco4037 4 жыл бұрын

This chanel makes extremely good content!

@musicusaddictus 4 жыл бұрын

This is a nice introduction into napoleonic wars tactics. To those who seek more details and facts about tactics of that era I highly recommend book "Battle Tactics of Napoleon and His Enemies" by Brent Nosworthy. It is by far the top 3 book about N tactics of all time. Just a little note of mine to this video about square formations. They of course could be broken and they were on many occasions. Experienced Cavalry formation could easily exploit just a little hole, gap in the square created by canister shots for an instance. Then they would charge directly into that gap and get inside of the square which always led to a total slaughter of the enemy. There were even occasions were a french heavy cavalry (Kellermann or d'Hautpoul) broke two squares with one charge! they broke one square and then charged into another one standing behind and breaking them into pieces. There were obviously other tactics for cavalry vs square developed during that era. But what really determined the outcome of this clash was the firmness of the square and the experience/bravado of charging cavalry. In percentages it is hard to estimate the success of cavalry breaking a square formation but I personally would put it to 10%. Here are some of the examples: -In 1812 at Kliastitzi, Russian Tambov Regiment awaited the cavalry. The French charged and received volley that emptied only "a few saddles". Before the infantry could reload their muskets the cavalry were upon them. The square was broken. -In 1813 in Dresden, Russian Grodno and Loubny Hussars broke square of 5th Voltigeurs of the Young Guard, killing, wounding and taking prisoner 310 guardsmen. The Grodno Hussars broke also another square of the Young Guard. (Source: Plotho - "Der Krieg" Vol II). [But in February 1813 in Kalish the Russian Alexandria Hussars were unable to break three weak Saxon grenadier companies !] - In May 1813 at Michelsdorf, 15 squadrons of Prussian cavalry> (Silesian Cuirassiers, East Prussian Cuirassiers, Silesian Uhlans and Guard Light Cavalry Regiment) attacked the French 16th Division. The Silesian cuirassiers crushed the partially formed French square, the East Prussian cuirassiers moved between Michelsdorf and Hainau, routing all formed bodies of infantry they found. The other cavalry units captured six guns and cut the gunners. The 16th Division broke and fled in a bloody rout to Michelsdorf.

@GrandMoffTarkinsTeaDispenser 4 жыл бұрын

Listening to Napoleon Total War ost and this video gets uploaded. Nice.

@vaastdovahkiin635 4 жыл бұрын

great soundtrack for sure

@minedoimperija 3 жыл бұрын

The background music fits perfectly well with that guys voice

@lorimeyers3839 10 ай бұрын

Excellent video. I love watching military history, notably Germany on the Eastern Front 1941-1945. Been watching more Napoleon lately but I never really knew much about infantry tactics. Until now, that is!

@joshnguyen6933 3 жыл бұрын

More more more! I’m addicted to these videos.

@Steve-ps6qw 4 жыл бұрын

I just started the video and low and behold, I see Austrian (actually Hungarian) infantry!!! Great start! Most ppl think the Napoleonic wars were just between France and Britain....probably because most of the English publications Americans read are from the British and they only get their biased point of view.

@EpichistoryTv 4 жыл бұрын

we've made a series of videos on the wars between France and Prussia, Austria and Russia. In fact this tactics guide first appeared in our video about Aspern-Essling.

@nomooon 4 жыл бұрын

Britain had always been a cherry picker ever since they lost Hundred Years War. After that all they can do is scheme, fund, patrol the sea and do some hit-and-runs. They can no longer bear the brunt of fighting like the continental European powers.

@cliveburt2638 4 жыл бұрын

@@nomooon Yes, Britain funded the Russians, Prussians and Austrians throughout the Revolutionary wars and the Napoleonic wars. Because Britain did not have the manpower they had - or the autocratic regimes. But Britain did fight in the Peninsular War, with the Portuguese and Spanish - once the Spanish realised that they were on the losing side.

@LiLian-vd4ki 4 жыл бұрын

steve exactly thanks

@LiLian-vd4ki 4 жыл бұрын

@@cliveburt2638 England fighted on continent only if they were sure to have their ships for retreat and when the battles of men arrived you prefered wait behind a high plain.

@centurymemes1208 4 жыл бұрын

Still waiting on your napoleonic war series

@TheAidiwashere 4 жыл бұрын

This was great, please do more like these

@NOFX0890 4 жыл бұрын

Wow. Another great video. Thankyou...

@noxanneballadynasowacka6125 4 жыл бұрын

Wow! All those years I was convinced that artillery's main purpose was to blast enemy infantry in small explosions, rather than tear through multiple columns like that. Too many video games, I suppose.

@a-drewg1716 4 жыл бұрын

they didn't really have explosive shot as there were very unreliable (faulty fuses), dangerous for crews (faulty fuses), and more trouble then they were worth (faulty fuses). They would mostly use solid shot or grapeshot/canister shot (technically different shells which canister being metal shells being shot inside metal cans which broke when fired while grapeshot was shot with round shots being in canvas bags or held together by a coiled bar), or shrapnel shot (had a hollowed out center and filled with small round shots and then packed with a small amount of explosive power with a timed fuse which would explode while a few feet off the ground). There were though shells which were explosive, though they weren't fired by cannons but instead other artillery pieces such as howitzers

@a-drewg1716 4 жыл бұрын

or to put it simply cannons fired canisters or shots while mortars or howitzers fired shells (which were explosive)

@anaussie213 2 жыл бұрын

It's thanks to Hollywood (they set flashy fire explosions to go off when cannonballs hit). But yeah generally the balls bounce in a line taking out whatever is in there path,

@thelukesternater 2 жыл бұрын

Reminds me of that museum piece where the display says “from a wounded soldier” The chest piece has an entrance hole you could stick your head through and an exit larger. “Wounded”

@staliniosifvissarionovich5588 Жыл бұрын

No, you are not wrong. At that time they just used iron balls. But they also used ball with explosive in some battle.

@StaleBaguette 4 жыл бұрын

Me: trying to do homework EHTV: posts Me: math can wait

@nomooon 4 жыл бұрын

math can always wait

@yanousse3217 4 жыл бұрын

@@nomooon maths will always wait.

@albertosancha7679 4 жыл бұрын

Great video, very explanatory. From Spain Un saludo

@philjohnson1744 3 жыл бұрын

Exactly what i was looking for. Instant Sub

@TheMegaPingasMobile Жыл бұрын

I've never quite understood, what exactly was the role of greandier during these times? I don't suppose they actually hurled bombs at the enemy

@MrGreglego Жыл бұрын

I imagine they were just very skilled infantry which could be used for more precise, risky attacks and flanking

@Warmaker01 Жыл бұрын

Grenadiers originally did used to throw explosives but according to wikipedia, that fell out in the 18th century. But the idea of these prestigious, high quality formations persisted and so you had grenadier formations not throwing grenades anymore afterwards. I'm not as big into military history in the Napoleonic Wars, but there's a western tradition of putting the best part of your formation at the right side. It was a place of prestige in a battle line. This goes back even into the classic era of Ancient Greece. Old tradition in the days of sword, shield, and spear: You have your shield on your left arm, and you can rely on the man to your right whose shield will protect you, too. So only best and bravest would be on the right side of the line. Nobody's shield will protect their right side. So the battalion would still have its elite component, their grenadiers, and they were always on the right side of the line.

@gabrielboi3465 Жыл бұрын

no, they were elite shock troops

@Reaper08 11 ай бұрын

@@Warmaker01 Being part of an elite unit also does wonders for morale. I remember watching a US army veteran talk about how the training standards between regular troops and the airborne aren't that different and neither is the gear that much better. They're more specialized. The psychological effect however is substantial. Men will fight harder even if they just believe they are part of elite formations. Surprising but it makes sense when you think about it.

@thatjerrycan5505 Жыл бұрын

Anyone know of a videogame which emulates this kind of combat realistically? I'm thinking Hearts of Iron 3 levels of micromanagement but in the Napoleonic era? Great video! This channel is my favorite for this era of military history; everything is so beautifully and clearly visualized!

@knuppel8875 Жыл бұрын

eu4 is 1444 and ends in 1820ish. but if you know hoi3 you probably know eu4. Tbh it reminded me of total war games.

@moonlily701 Жыл бұрын

Total War Napoleon

@sudjinamvs7707 Жыл бұрын

Total war Napoleon is the perfect game

@Figgy_23 Жыл бұрын

Scourge of War-Waterloo Also Ultimate General Civil War... It's in the American civil war but it's the best game I've ever played that emulates this kind of warfare.

@maslan9371 Жыл бұрын

Total war Empire or Napoleon

@TheHomeless87 4 жыл бұрын

Great summary!

@valaudae1809 4 жыл бұрын

The narrator has the right voice for the subject.

@napoleonibonaparte7198 4 жыл бұрын

There’s always that one player that thinks they can rambo the battle to victory

@antoinettelelu5731 4 жыл бұрын

Excellent video, very interesting. Pronunciation tips: chasseurs à pied, we don't pronounce the "s" at the end of chasseur nor the "d" at the end of pied (pronounce it this way : pié). Voltigeur: vɔltiʒœʀ. Thank you for your videos.

@pedrogaytan1057 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent video!

@marcol654 Жыл бұрын

A very good and relaxing video.

@kuhlerkarl4473 4 жыл бұрын

Good Idea to put this at its own Video. Great Fan of the Series. Could you maybe do something about Assasination Attemps on Napoleon? I heard there where some pretty close calls

@gabegayheart6126 Жыл бұрын

Watching this wishing I could implement such things in Total War Warhammer 3 as the Empire with handgunners

@1987MartinT Жыл бұрын

Something you could look into, which might be more effective with Imperial forces, is pike and shot tactics.

@christiankrarup6501 Жыл бұрын

@@1987MartinT While it would be awesome, it is a real hell to manage any tercio-like formation in Total War games. They aren't fundamentally designed around that exact period of combat that stretches between the end of the middle ages and the beginning of the enlightenment

3 жыл бұрын

Nice and easy to understand

@omarcillo060 4 жыл бұрын

This is a beautiful clip, thanks!

@EpichistoryTv 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@dl4350 4 жыл бұрын

2:07 sean bean as sharpe anyone?

@aperson1139 4 жыл бұрын

I disagree, all fusiliers can fight in open/extended order. A lot of times the company was formed up in 2 ranks in the french army as well as from 1791 frequently drill in 2 ranks, as the regulation states once a company was reduced below 12 files it was to be formed on 2 ranks. And right before the column charges the enemy the divisions would go close to each other, I think a few paces but I forgot. And this video should be titled more about close order French and Austrian infantry tactics on a battalion level.

@95DarkFire Жыл бұрын

Do you have source for your first sentence? Open order was considered the formation for elites. While fusiliers could be trained for this, the average soldier fought in line.

@gabrielboi3465 Жыл бұрын

@@95DarkFire It was common for regular infantry to skirmish in small engagements, where line formations wouldnt make much sense. So it's assumable that when needed even in battle they could make them skirmish if the situation required that, commanders back then were mostly focused on practicality more than etiquette. Still i presume that in big battles it was more rare, the concept of a soldier being both light and line infantry was only standardized and common in the ACW

@Reaper08 11 ай бұрын

It was. This was part of longer video detailing Napoleon's first major defeat as Emperor during renewed war with Austria. They split it off into a single video.

@theauthor8901 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent, it was nice and to the point.

@golden_smaug 4 жыл бұрын

Quick and decisive

@cevapipapi6167 Жыл бұрын

could anyone tell me why the grenadiers were located on the right and the light infantry on the left?

@somethinghappened3721 Жыл бұрын

Longstanding tradition, stemming from the Ancient Greek practice of placing the most experienced hoplites on the right (shield formations would drift to the right, as the soldiers would instinctively move to the right to get protected by their neighbor's shield). The most elite were placed on the right to prevent this drift. Practical reasons, as the right-side of the company is where the standards/flag were carried, and so every soldier looking in that direction would also see the elite grenadiers, and thus help improve morale. Finally, that's just the layout of a single battalion of 600 men, so their marching order was irrelevant compared to battles that would have 50,000-75,000 soldiers in the army.

@matthewmcneany 4 жыл бұрын

An important distinction which the graphics allude to was the fact that the British often fought in lines two men deep as opposed to the European powers who fought in three lines, due to the generally more professional nature of the British troops (being as it was a 'volunteer' army) the two formations often had similar fire rates with British troops generally having more regular training and hence a higher fire rate (the myth is three rounds in a minute to the European's two - although Prussian line regiments had the same allocation of shot for yearly training so it would be expected that they would have similar fire rates). The French of all nations had the lowest volume of shot allocated for training in line with being an army based on mass conscription and to a certain extent and often won battle through a combination of massed cannon and infantry charges. Austrian generally shared more in common with France than it did with the northern European powers and Russia again was even more similar to the French when it came to training - although the Russians relied a lot more on irregulars such as the cassocks many of whom would have experience hunting and fighting as a result of the conditions of life on the Asiatic steppe. Great video and it would be great to see more videos with extra detail in. Source for infantry training figures - www.napolun.com/mirror/napoleonistyka.atspace.com/infantry_tactics_2.htm

@cliveburt2638 4 жыл бұрын

Do you mean Cossacks, rather than cassocks?

@cliveburt2638 4 жыл бұрын

The British training reached its height in 1914, when the Germans thought that they were being fired upon by machine guns at Mons & 1st Ypres, rather than rifleman, with the Lee-Enfield .303’s ...

@doug6500 4 жыл бұрын

Don't use napolun.com as its horribly biased against the British, deliberately so. It cherry picks and paraphrases out of context to make the British seem wholly incompetent despite masquerading as being objective.

@Leo_1975 4 жыл бұрын

Good stuff! Congratulations!!!

@EpichistoryTv 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks Leonardo!

@KateFergeson 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for posting!!!

@theswedishdude1 4 жыл бұрын

i'm getting some deja vu here, i feel like i've watched this video before

@kevin8712 4 жыл бұрын

"Horses won't charge a solid wall of men and steel" Battle of Garcia Hernandez: *stares*

@EpichistoryTv 4 жыл бұрын

The usual account of Garcia is that a dying horse collapsed into the French square in its death throes.

@mramzuk8 Жыл бұрын

Outstanding graphics

@mrkacerik7494 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for this tutorial

@maisonraider4593 3 жыл бұрын

Muskets where inaccurate back then, men had to march in linear formation and fire volleys to maximize the effect on the enemy. The officer of the formation had to determine the right distance to open fire, and it was extremely difficult to find the golden spot to stop marching and open fire on the enemy, in combat conditions, in order to have the maximum effect of your guns and the least casualties from the enemie’s. Accuracy and rate of fire depended on the soldier’s training experience, quality and quantity of gun powered as well as the wind. However another reason for men lined in packed ranks which is rarely mentioned, is the fact that if a soldier reloaded and fired at will, the flash from the discharge of his weapon once he fired could ignite the powder of the weapon of the soldier next to him who might not have been ready to fire. To avoid such incidents officers preferred volleys with all men firing at the same time.

@Asterix958 2 жыл бұрын

Fighting in separated formation is more logical if muskets are inaccurate back then. You are increasing enemy's accuracy in tight formation. I read from contemporary sources that even in 16th century, muskets are 100% accurate in short range. In short range, tight formation is better than separated formation due to you having more muskets to fire enemy. Tight formation is better against cavalry as well but explaining tight formation only with cavalry is not enough because tight formations are used non-cavalry battles as well.

@TommyGlint 4 жыл бұрын

You hardly “maximise firepower“ if you use the division column in attack. It was nothing but a battering ram, crude and easy to perform.

@ineednochannelyoutube5384 2 жыл бұрын

You maximise firepover in battallion line. Assault collumn is well, as the name suggests assault. Bayonet charge.

@Reaper08 11 ай бұрын

He literally said when deployed in line and using volley fire, not in column.

@villagemagician1320 7 ай бұрын

I love love LOVE this type of video, especially from epic history TV. Same reason why I am subscribed, one of maybe 5 subs I have currently. We need more like this!!!