At the beginning of this period, the battalions of the Prussian Line usually fought in a linear formation three ranks deep, overwhelming the enemy with fire before a well-timed bayonet attack. By the end, the preferred formation was eight to 12 ranks deep. The responsibility for conducting the fire-fight was now given to the skirmish elements and the artillery. The formed battalions provided support for the fire line, and conducted the decisive bayonet charge. Whatever the change, the spirit and ability of the infantry remained consistently high throughout this bloody period.

Written by an expert on the Prussian army of the Napoleonic era, this is a fascinating insight into the 18th-century evolution of the Prussian forces into the war-winning troops of the final battles against Napoleon. Using contemporary materials including drill regulations, instructions, staff and regimental histories and after-action reports, this book provides a compelling history of Prussian tactics from 1792 until 1815. It includes studies of the professional Prussian army during the Revolutionary Wars and the mass mobilization of a conscript army that fought during the Wars of Liberation and Waterloo. Following on from the success of Osprey's other Elite Tactics volumes, this is a must-have for serious students of Napoleonic warfare, armchair generals, and wargamers alike.

Napoleon's line infantry was founded upon that of the Ancien Régime. A total re-organisation began on 1 January 1791 with the abolition of the old regimental titles, and over the next two years an increasing number of conscript and volunteer battalions were formed. Their quality varied from the proficiency of the early National Guard regiments to the untrained and ill-equipped rabble of the levée. To combine the discipline and steadiness of the regular army with the revolutionary fervour of the new army, the Amalgame was decreed on 21 February; by this measure each regular battalion became the nucleus of a new Demi-Brigade.

The Prussian Army of the Lower Rhine, led by Blücher in 1815, played a crucial part in the Allied victory at Waterloo, and was involved in intense fighting at Wavre and Ligny. Delving into original sources, including eyewitness accounts and regimental histories known only to German scholars, this book tells the story of the soldiers on the ground: how they were organised and drilled, their previous service; their march to the battlefield; and what they did when they got there. Also ideal for all those interested in the actual appearance of the Prussian soldiers in 1815, this colourful study combines the latest findings and expert analysis to cast new light on the fateful Waterloo campaign.

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.

From the partisans and legions of the mid-eighteenth century to the Napoleonic regiments, this title is a comprehensive study of French light infantry between 1788-1815. It covers the formal chasseur battalions and regiments and the light companies of scouts and voltigeurs in Napoleon's armies. It details the separate roles of the chasseurs and car

Irregular, semi-regular and reserve formations comprised a substantial part of the armed forces at the disposal of the Prussian Army throughout the Napoleonic Wars, particularly during the campaigns of the Wars of Liberation, 1813-15. The scale of the uprising of 1813 required the mobilization of all available forces and the utilization of all available equipment, and meant that the Prussian Army of the Wars of Liberation was very much a patchwork affair. This book examines and illustrates the reservists (or Kruemper), the Freikorps and foreign units, and the militia who fought in the Prussian Army.

Carl von Clausewitz is still considered one of the most important writers on military strategy. In Prussian Military Thought 1815-1830: Beyond Clausewitz , Jacek Jędrysiak offers a new perspective on the context of his legacy, with a detailed analysis of Prussian military thought after the Napoleonic wars and an examination of the development of certain institutions, such as the General Staff, leading to a more nuanced understanding of Clausewitz’s work. The dominance of the famous figures of Clausewitz and Helmuth von Moltke the Elder has obscured much about the Prussian army in the 19th century. In this study, Jacek Jędrysiak reveals the forgotten face of the Prussian army.

At the beginning of this period, the battalions of the Prussian Line usually fought in a linear formation three ranks deep, overwhelming the enemy with fire before a well-timed bayonet attack. By the end, the preferred formation was eight to 12 ranks deep. The responsibility for conducting the fire-fight was now given to the skirmish elements and the artillery. The formed battalions provided support for the fire line, and conducted the decisive bayonet charge. Whatever the change, the spirit and ability of the infantry remained consistently high throughout this bloody period.