I've been wondering what types of cavalry, that will become available in the game when it is released and what differentiates them.
There seem to be so many different units during the period. So I thought it could be interesting to find out what was the most commonly used types of cavalry
during the wars of the 18th century, and what their tactical purpose was when used in battle. I have tried to define some of the characteristics of the various
types that I know of, their history/purpose, strenghts and weaknessess. I don't have access to detailed historic material, so please feel free to comment,
and add to the list.
Hussars
Tactical purpose:
Initially fighting in various smaller units, they were reorganised into a strong, highly-trained and motivated unit during the reign of King Matthias I
Corvinus of Hungary. Under his command the units took part in the war against Turkey in 1485 and proved successful against the Turkish Spahis. After king's
death in 1490 many hussars fled to other Central and Western European countries and became the core of similar light cavalry formations reated there. Hussars
were often used for reconnaissance duties and for surprise attacks against the enemy's flanks and rear.
Armament: light
Weapons: curved sabre and a carbine musket
Strenghts: Very agile on the battlefield and good morale. Medium ranged attack capability.
Weaknesses: Not as disciplined and trained as dragoons and not as strong and robust as the cuirassiers.
Lancers
Tactical purpose:
Although the lance had its greatest effect in the charge, Lancers were vulnerable against other cavalry, as the lance proved ineffective (compared to the
sabre) in close quarters. By the mid-19th century, most cavalry formations consisted of lancers in the front rank and sabres in the second, the lances for the
initial shock and sabres for the meleé.
Armament: heavy
Weapons: curved sabre and lance
Strenghts: Great shock effect on first impact with infantry.
Weaknesses: Inefficient in close combat and against other cavalry units.
Dragoons
Tactical purpose:
A dragoon is a soldier intended primarily to fight on foot but trained also in horse riding and cavalry combat, especially during the late 17th and early 18th
centuries when dragoon regiments were established in most European armies. The name Dragoon or dragon is derived from their musket also known as the
"Dragon" because they "breathed fire". A reference to the flames carbines emitted when fired. trained to fight as both dismounted
musketeers and cavalry capable of engaging a mounted enemy in a melee. They also retained responsibilities for scouting and piquet duty. Dragoons were the most
efficient and economical form of cavalry. In the 18th century dragoons gradually became cavalry proper, trained and equipped to charge home on the battlefield.
Eventually they became the most versatile cavalry type in the army, taking on everything from scouting, police work, surprise attacks against the enemy's
flanks and rear, counter guerilla warfare and to actively engage in dismounted combat on the battlefield.
Armament: medium
Weapons: Curved sabre, (axe) and a carbine musket.
Strenghts: High mobility and maneuverability. Low on recruitment and maintenance. Medium ranged attack capability.
Weaknesses: Low on horsemanship and quality armament
Cuirassiers
Tactical purpose:
Cuirassiers were mounted cavalry soldiers equipped with armour and firearms, first appearing in late 15th-century Europe. The cuirassiers generally enjoyed
higher prestige than dragoons and hussars. The men and horses in cuirassier regiments were bigger and stronger, a factor important not only on parades. They
were the battle-cavalry who on battlefield charged en masse crushing the enemy with sheer force.
Armament: heavy
Weapons: 2 pistols, carbine musket, sword and a lance
Strenghts: Shock effect against infantry, highly trained, psycological effect on enemy. Protection against musket fire. Medium ranged attack capability.
Weaknesses: Slow on the battlefield, can get bogged down in close combat with infantry.
Cossacks
Tactical purpose:
The cossack cavalry had a military style followed that of the Mongols. They were Russia's unique and plentiful supply of irregular cavalry. They were
employed as skirmishers, raiders and scouts, and their tactics of harassment and harrying caused great problems during various wars in the 18th and 19th
century. Although labelled as rapacious mercenaries and ill-disciplined on the battlefield, they laid claim to being the finest light cavalry in Europe.
Cossack troops took part in all Russia's wars from the 18th to the 20th centuries. They were particularly adept in cavalry raids, such as that on Berlin in
1760, and in harrying the French in 1812.
Armament: very light.
Weapons: light lance, curved light sabre, pistols and a lasso
Strenghts: Guerilla warfare, scouting and overall laid claim to being one of the finest light cavalry forces in Europe, if not the finest.
weaknesses: ill-disciplined on the field.
Cavalry Weapons
Carbine flintlock musket
Tthis carbine offered light cavalry a short, light, and versatile firearm for close quarter fighting - the typical situation for Light Dragoons and Hussars.
Blunderbuss musket:
In the early 1700s the blunderbuss (or blunderbess) started to become popular as a weapon for close quarters because of its ability to deliver a blast of shot
or buck and ball. Numerous armies and navies produced various versions of this item all the way into the 1840s. However its zenith seems to have been in the
mid-1700s when it was used both by mounted soldiers, sailors, and civilians as a means of defence in close quarters.
Cavalry pistol
This is a Prussian Cavalry Pistol developed to replace the muzzle heavier former models. By the time Frederick the Great's army tested its metal against
the other armies of Europe this model was most common pistol in the holsters of Prussia's mounted troops.
Dragoon (first and second photo) and Hussar (second photo) sabres:
Light cavalry used a curved blade for the slashing attack. This also included Hussars. The idea was to close with the enemy and, in melee, attack from either
sides of the horse. This also worked with mounted artillery soldiers, who defended artillery from horseback. There is also the semi-curved, which was the jack
of all trades but master of none. Not great for the slash, it was not really very good for the thrust.
Cuirassier's Sword:
Heavy cavalry used a straight-blade. The thrusting blow was the most deadly, much more so than the slashing blow. Also, the long, straight sword carried,
properly couched, was easier in a full-blown charge. Heavy cavalry was never really intended to simply mix it up in the chaos of a close-in melee. Light
cavalry was to do that, to be in amongst the enemy with swords swinging. Heavy also often wore armor, both helmets and breast plates. This was to survive the
initial musket volley and so allow the attack to press before reloading.
Lance:
The lance is of course the ultimate pursuit weapon, but is fairly useless in melée, in which case lancers dropped their lances and went to swords anyway.By the
time of the minié ball and percussion caps, cavalry charges were obsolete.
(Searching for a photo)
