Quote Originally Posted by BeeSting
Napoleon was rather unconventional, however. When his opponents were expecting to exchange and withstand or outlast enemy fire, his men threw them off by moving in, after cannonading and skirmishing with an overwhelming concentration of forces in shock bayonet attacks against enemy flanks. This was a new way of fighting which ended an era that bulk of ETW time frame represents, the 18th century warfare largely defined by Marlborough and Frederick II.
I believe Frederick the Great did something similar. I remember reading about him trying to roll up their flank. Sometimes it worked with devastating effect and others it didn't work at all and caused a large amount of casualties.