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Thread: Infantry in the 18th Century: Organization, Order and Mission

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    Default Infantry in the 18th Century: Organization, Order and Mission

    The thread is thought to discuss everything what could be of value for future more historical orientated modifications of the infantry units in ETW.

    I am going to post some excerpts from books which might not be accessible to every modder because there is no library at hand. Parts of this post have already been posted earlier on totalwarDotcom.

    The following are organization charts of typical units and they may vary and differ from the historic reality. Therefore some of these charts may problematic. They give an idea of basic structures of organization and deployment, however. This is sufficent for a game mods indeed.

    The hierarchy within a typical 18th century organization of an army in the field would be:

    Field Army
    |
    Left and Right Wing
    |
    Regiment (basic tactical unit)
    |
    Battalion (smallest independant tactical unit)
    .................
    |
    Pelotons and sometimes so called Full-Divisons (both only formed at the begin of the battle)


    It is important to understand that regiments and companies were first forms of administration and that during combat the fire was directed on the niveau of smaller units normally than companies (there are exceptions). Battalions were divided in 8, 12, 16 parts on the battlefield. These parts were the peloton (platoon) and they were not permanent but for each action formed anew. The reason for this was practical because the man numbers in the battalions could vary due losses and the permanent refilling of the units. Two small pelotons could be combined to a half-divison and two half-divions to a full division for the purpose of concentration of fire. The divison was like the peloton non-permanent formation.

    Regiments were deployed in combat with a front line element for the first encounter (one or two battalions) and a second encounter of one battalion. The first encounter was the actual battleline. The second formed reserve element or if things went bad, gave the line behind which the remains of the battleline could rally.


    Symbols

    R: regiment
    B: battalion
    D: full division (/company)
    C: company (of grenadier)
    HD: half division
    Pl: peloton (platoon) type large
    Ps: peloton type small
    G: grenadier
    Front: front length of a unit
    x: individual soldiers

    Austria

    R vary in the number of assigned B between 3 (1740) and 4 (1748) plus 2 C.

    B (1750): D-D-D-D

    D before 1757 four ranks, then 3 ranks

    D: Ps-Ps Ps-Ps

    Ps:
    xxxxxxxx
    xxxxxxxx
    xxxxxxxx
    xxxxxxxx
    xxx

    Remarks:

    R (1740): about 2300 men in 3 B plus 2 C
    B: about 650 men
    Ps: about 30-40 men (D: 4x Ps)
    C: about 110 grenadiers
    B Front (3 ranks): 240-300 paces (=216-270 meter)

    Prussia (period of Frederic II)

    R: 2 B plus 2 C

    B: D-D-D-D
    (- administrative : 4 musketeer and 1 grenadier company)

    D: Pl-Pl

    Pl:
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
    xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    Remarks:

    R: about 1700 men including officers and support
    B: about 800 men
    Pl: about 80 men (three ranks)
    C: about 175 men (grenadiers, officers, nc, etc.)
    B Front: 150-200 paces (= 135-180 meter)
    D Front: 40-50 paces (= 36-45 meter)
    Pl Front: 20-25 paces (= 18-22,5 meter)

    - Prussian pelotons have about double the size of austrian pelotons at least before the introduction of the three rank deployment of the battalion.



    Feel free to comment on it or to add informations you have.

    I am still searching for some material about the forces involved in the Spanish Successor War because then we can develop an understanding of the tactical organization of the infantry in the first half of the 18th century before the Prussian and Austrian reforms and their effect on the development of the infantry till the Napoleonic period.
    Last edited by Jazzy; 03-22-2009 at 16:09.

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