Transcript
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Technology Date
simple bows and javelins
Swords and axes of Bronze 2000 BC
Chariots 1700-30 BC
Forged iron 1400BC
The Phalanx 359-36 BC
Hoplite spear
heavy armour, helmet, greaves
Circular shield
Sarrissa
Ballista 400 BC
Pilum
Gladius
Maniple Legion 300 BC
Cohort legion 107 BC
Gaius Marius
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Stirrup 200
Greek fire 673 AD
De Re Militari 392
Stratigicon 575
Tactica 900
Feudalism 800-1400
Crossbow 900-1460
Pike 1300-1550
landsknect
1550-1700
Longbow 1340
First Canon 1300
Bombards 1390
1420
1449
1495
1600-1700
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1500-1600
Machievelli 1520
matchlock 1475-1720Arquebus 1503
Musket 1590
Wheelock 1520-1560
flintlock 1690-1840
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Vauban 1678
Socket bayonet 1680
1756
1750-1760
Gribeauval 1760
Guibert
Rifle 1775
French revolution 1789
Semaphore 1793
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SEVEN
YEARS
WAR
1756 -
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percussion cap musket 1815
Electric Telegraph 1837
Morse code
Railways 1840
Machine gun 1840
Rifled Artillery 1840
Percussion rifle 1840
Minnie ball 1851
Breech loading 1860
Maxim Machine gun 1889
Field Telephone 1890
Smokeless Powder 1890Magazine feed
recoiling and quick fire artillery
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Improved artillery fuses
cartridge case
Radio 1900
Internal combustion engine
Indirect fire 1900-1905
High explosive rounds 1909
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Comments
Egyptians/Assyrians
Cavalry more flexible and less expensive
Unsuited to rough terrain
Used by Persians and Assyrians and Egyptians
Eventually defeated by well drilled Infantry (Roman)
Provided first true mobility and shock action
Phalanx requires cohesion discipline and drill
Vulnerable to flank attack. Somewhat inarticulate
Most effective on flat level terrain
Siege Craft
Roman Legion had the ability to defeat the phalanx
Articulated Infantry
These weapon systems
did not seriously
challenge the supremacy
of the armoured knight
The Byzantium Empire progressed
militarily despite the general decline in
the west. It was marked by anelaborate defensive system and a
combined arms approach with
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shock action by cavalry
Byzantine books on military tactics
Knights and the demise of the Infantry
Decline of science
Inventions were few
The art of fortification flourished
Development of the castle
small version of the ballista
lethal in unskilled hands
advantages over the bow
2-3 round per minute
Swiss pikemen
Needed a mass disciplined formation to be effective
Needed drill and training
Relatively inarticulate and vulnerable to flank attack
Vulnerable to Artillery and other
Worked better in a combined force scenario
Pike was used in combination with the musket until socket bayonet
Outranged the Crossbow
4-5 times the rate of fire
12-15 rounds per minute
Siege Warfare replaced siege engines
Siege of Constantinople
More effective gunpowder developed
Charles Vii of France reconquered Normandy
The gun was the master of fortification
The guns were heavu and immobile.
Guns given mobility and drawn by horses
Increase in rate of fire
Increased use of battlefield artillery as guns became more mobile
These weapon systems
did not seriously
challenge the supremacy
of the armoured knight
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sophisticated structure and tactics. The
army was arranged in flexible
formations not unlike Napoleon. War
was regarded as an intellectual
challenge. War was based on scientific
analysis and was highly professional.
Their opponents the Arabs made use
of less disciplined skirmish actions to
wear down their opponents.
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New tactics of pike protecting musketeer
Artillery opened the way
Musketeers cleared the way fore the pike and cavalry
Lack of standardisation of artillery pieces
The art of war
Greater penetration than a bow but limited rangeLow rate of fire, sensitive to wet weather
Harder to make, heavier than a bow
Less accurate and less reliable
Needed a supply of powder and shot and rounds not recyclable
Cheaper to make than the crossbow
Needed good discipline and drill to be effective
Heavier than an Arquebus but better range and penetration
Transformed cavalry warfare and dispensed with the ignited fuse
Could be operated with one hand
Mechanism expensive
Devastating against pike formations
Increased speed and reliability (doubled the rate)
less dependent on the weather
pre packaged paper cartridges
Allowed infantryman to stand closer with reduced danger and increased firepower
weighed less than matchlock and fired 2 rounds pm
Combination with bayonet altered battlefield tactics lessening the role of cavalry
Casualty rates extremely high
By 1600 the Spanish were
using a 50:50 ratio of
Musket to Pike.
By 1540 the Spanish were
theleaders with their
formations of Pike and
Musket
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The art of fortification and siege craft
Marked the end of the Pike. Led to linear formations to maximise inaccurate firepowerPhase out of body armour. Encouraged offensive tactics
Led to an all purpose infantry
This type of infantryman with smoothbore rifle and bayonet lasted until 1830
Communication between artillery, cavalry and infantry was simple and easy
Fredrick the Great made use of massed artillery in the seven years war
Accurate out to 150m instead of musket 50m
Reintroduction of light infantry and skirmishing tactics
Slow rate of fire, required expert to fire it. Quick to foul, more expensive
stations vulnerable to attack, dependent on weather. 150 miles in 5 minutes
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Standardisation of artillery under Gribeauval This encouraged use
of artillery beyond opening bombardment Mobility and accuracy
increased. Rate of fire increased Advent of massed artillery .
Artillery was standardised, became lighter and organised in regular
batteries, comprehensive training
Guibert provided the tactical philosophy for the French, and the
ordre mixte.....column and line.
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crucial invention that enabled muzzle-loading firearms
to fire reliably in any weather, speeded up the process of fire
Enhanced mobilisation and strategic ability
Major strategic and operational impact. Mobilisation, deployment, concentrationlogistics. Little difference at the tactical level.
Mechanically unreliable. Tactics for its use not fully evolved.
Moved artillery back out of range of the Infantry
Increased accuracy. Increased range up to 500m
Resulted in less dense skirmish lines, defensive works and trenches.
design was made to allow rapid muzzle loading of rifles, increased velocity
an innovation that brought about the widespread
use of the rifle as a mass battlefield weapon
Rate of fire increased to 6/7 rounds pm. Could be fired prone
These three inventions led to the empty battlefield
Reliable and transportable, water cooled, fully automatic
Allowed voice command
Increase in range and muzzle velocity. Absence of smoke
Increased rate of fire
All these increased the volume, range and effectiveness of firepower.
These changes strengthened defensive firepower making it difficult to overwhelm
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The key to unlocking defensive firepower was combined arms warfare
Tactics on battlefield changed
Fire and movement
Continuous creeping barrages
Use of cover
Infantry coordinated with artillery
Major impact on command and control
The impact of radio not fully grasped in WWI
In WWII the radio speeded up tactical moves and coordination of combined warfare.
Greatly increase the explosive force of rounds
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Assyrians organised a state wholly
designed for war. They used forged iron.
They had discipline and training. They
used armour. First organised cavalry and
first horse archers. They also perfected
siege craft. They developed the first
corps of military engineers
Persians emerged as a great empire in
559BC. They had a huge army consisting
of heavy and light infantry, cavalry,
chariots, war elephants, camels. Elite
corps of 10 000 called the Immortals
introduced by Darius. Their tactics
remaine crude and they introduced few
new weapons
The Greeks eventually introduced a
highly professional force with no equal.
Phillip introduced highly trained light
infantry, Cavalry., artillery and bridging
equipment. Orders were transmitted
by smoke, trumpet and beacon signals.
There was a rudimentary staff. Great
stress was put on combined action and
cooperation between horse and foot.
This was a truly balanced force.
Roman legions looked like the phalanx
to start with. The maniple legion was
born and flexible articulate Heavy
Infantry was born. The maniple was
proceeded by the Velites, and made up
of hastati,principes,and triarii. Paid
professional army, chain of command,
artillery weapons, siege craft, a
sophisticated all armed force of mixed
capability. First class engineers andartillery. Experts at siege warfare.
Reforms under Giaus Marius were the
following. Cange to a cohort based
legion consisting of three maniples.
Similar to napoleons corps. Legions
equipped by the state. 16 years service
instead of indefinite. Pay and
Retirement benefits. Soldiers were .
Soldiers were recruited from the
masses, previous property owning
qualification fell away. Drill and trainingwas all year round in a proffessional
army. Baggage train was reduced as
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Mongols (Nomadic Horsemen 1000AD)
Expert with the horse and the bow.
Subsist on the most meagre of rations
and live off the land. The basis of their
warfare was unadulterated terror. They
also had a very effective 5th columnand spy network. Every man was
mounted and there was no infantry
arm. The chief weapon was a reflex
bow. They were the precursor to
Napoleons corps in that they moved
divided and fought concentrated. Their
mobility and speed were unmatched
due to their self reliance and ability to
concentrate. The Mongol system was
marked by a ferocious discipline. They
believed in an aggressive attackphilosophy and would use whatever
means at their disposal to succeed.
he demise of the Roman Empire after
00 saw the deterioration of military
kills for 300 years. War reverted back
o tribal and raiding.
his period saw the rise of the
ounted soldier + feudalism + castles
issile weapons fell into disfavour
he eventual overthrow of the
ounted knight by the foot soldier
rmed with pike and missiles, and
ventually firearms. Shock action was
e Pike + Longbow + siege artillery
w the demise of the feudal system
d the knight and the reintroduction
the heavy infantryman as the
rnerstone of the battlefield.
The Introduction of the Bombard
reduced siege warfare from 4-10
months to a matter of weeks. Charles
the VII of France made good use of
them by taking 40 fortresses in one
year. Canon Dominated siegecraft from
1453 to 1550 and dominated
fortifications.
By 1525 siege engineering once again
wrested the initiative from the canon
and fortresses began to dominate
warfare again. Sieges were costly and
time consuming taking many months
and even years.
The use of cannon on the battlefield
was limited by their poor mobility.
In 1494 Charles the VIII invaded Italy at
the head of an army that was more
professional, more national, and betterequipped. It suceeded over the
condottieri. This marked to transition
each man had to carry his own food
and equipment. Full citizenship offered
for good service.
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The Art of war up to the late 18th
century was the ability and skill to
force battle using surprise or other
means choosing the time and place
for the battle which suited the
aggressor. . It was easy for one
antagonist to refuse battle. This period
from Caesar to Fredrick the great was
known as classical warfare
Charles the VIII was predominant in
Italy because of the first examples of
true filed artillery 1494
rom eu a to o ern ar.
Gustav Adolphus was the first truly modern army He was the father of modern war.
1611-1632
Improved tactical doctrine
Improved firepower
Linear tactical system
Pike reduced to 8 feet
Used the wheel lockUsed paper cartridges
He cross trained his army
Transformed the Artillery into Siege, Field and regimental pieces. He had the most
mobile artillery in Europe. He introduced three calibres 24, 12 , 3
The 3 pounders were innivative as they were small enough to accompany the formations
in support anywhere. Thus was born close fire support.
The Cavalry where encouraged to use shock tactics rather than the Caracole.
He also introduced the Brigade made up of platoons. As a result the Infantry became
more flexible and linear tactics were born opposing massed formations.
Guns were a considerable liability on
campaign . They were entrusted tocivilians, they were bulky with short
range and inaccurate. They restricted
an armies advance to 10 miles per day.
From 1716 onward the situation
improved with the foundation of
regular regiments of artillery. Most
problems remained until 1770
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He introduced.... standardised uniforms, regular pay, chaplains, banned women, severe
but just discipline, preferred native troops to mercenaries, concentrated on supply and
reinforcement., national militia based on conscription.
Limited warfare involved dynatic struggles between monarchs rather than wars of a
national nature involving the whole population. The era between the religious and
national wars became limited in nature. Objectives were restricted to territorial,
commercial or colonial ambitions. There was a tendency fo more moderate attititudes.
Poor atate of the roads, limited fodder, and heavy cannon made movement
operationally very difficult. Campaign season only lasted 6 months. The officers came
from the nobility and the men from the lowest classes. Desertion and looting were rife.
Conscription lay in the future and the armies were crewed by volunteers. Field armies
were small at 40-70k. Armies relied on pre stocked magazines. Troops could not be
trusted to forage for themselves. Sieges dominated Europeon warfare. the work of
Vauban favoured the defence. The strategic focus became the disruption of
communication and supply lines rather than the destruction of the enemy forces.
Revolution led to an era of total war. Economy and society were geared to maintain
the armed forces. "Nation in arms" Armies increased in size. conscription,. Troopsfought in Skirmishing order or columns, the bayonet attack was favoured. Casualties
were less important than in the past. Mixed brigades were formed containing all arms
of service. Subsistance off the land. Reduction in wagon train and dependence on
magazines. This led to superior French mobility. promotion was based on professional
competance. A rudimentry general staff was added.
Napoleon inherited these considerable advancements from the revolution. He affected
the adoption of the corps d armee as the standard major formation. This was the next
level up from the mixed divisions of the republic. These subdivisions allowed for a
dispersed movement and a concentration in the attack. The Corps was also able to pin
an enemy force many times its size. Each corps was a miniature army and this speededup the process of battle. This was the french secret weapon. The Cavalry and Artillery
were massed into the Reserve to be used at the critical moment. The artillery was
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Once Napoleons adversaries had
learned his way of war and matched
French detachments with similardetachments, the 19th centaury saw
the rapid extension of fronts. This
eventuall resulted in the continuous
militirised under napoleon and the guns to men ratio was steadily increased. Battle was
central to napoleon and the siege almost disappeared. He fused marching, fighting and
pursuit.
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fronts of the WWI. The defence
became dominant. Whole Nations
were mobilised for an Industrial war.
The will of the whole nation was now
important and not just the army as it
had been in Napoleonic times.
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BATTLE
Arbela 331BC
Zela 47BC
Marathon 490
Issus 333BC
Gaugamela 331BC
Hydaspes 326BC
Cannae 216BC
Zama 202BC
Alesia 52BC
Adrianople 378AD
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STRATA OF WAR
Grand Strategy
Hastings 1066 Lays down the aims of the war an
Strategy
Merv 1221 Determines the methods of how t
Bhamo 1277 How What where when How muc
Grand Tactics / Operational ArtPlanning of major operations usin
Maintenance of a reserve
Tactics
Methods of fighting and manoeuv
Logistics
Provision, movement and supply o
Seven classical manoeuvres of wa
Penetration of the centre
Sedan 1940, Blenheim 1704, Aust
Crecy 1346
Potiers 1356 Hundred years war Envelopment of a single flank
Agincourt 1415 Various Western desert battles W
Gaugamela 331BC, Hydaspes326B
Crecy 1346
Envelopment of both flanks
Cannae 216BC, Tannenberg 1914,
Zama 202BC
Attack in oblique order
Constantinople 1453 Leuctra 371BC, Leuthen 1757, Cas
Feigned withdrawal
Associated with the double envelo
Cannae, Hastings 1066, Salamanca
Attack from a defensive positionAgincourt,Alesia 52BC, Stalingrad
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Indirect approach
Ulm 1806, Sedan 1940, 2nd Bull ru
Pavia 1525
Breitenfeld 1631
Lutzen 1632
Arquebus played a major role at
Pavia in what was to become
the last major land
engagements for several
generations
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Blenheim 1704
Malplaquet 1709
Leuthen 1757
Ulm 1805
In this age of limited warfare the following shone.
Duke of Malborough (16501722), Fredrik the Great (17401786), Prin
Marshall Villars. These Generals were able to restore a measure of mib
in the conduct of war. Discipline and Firepower were the factors that dvictory on the battlefield.
Marlborough devolved fire control down to platoon level, following th
example of 1630. Fire and movement was born. The linear formation a
born and the Pike was discarded. Strict discipline was required to have
firepower and changes of formation. Marlborough success was being a
combat on an unwilling foe, by means of rapid marches under cover of
retained his cavalry as a shock weapon to deliver the coup de grace. H
light guns to every infantry battalion for close support.
Fredrik the Great was the ruler of an autocratic state. He demonstratinterior lines to good effect. His philosophy was discipline,subsistance,
and practicability. He made good use of drill and howitzers to attack th
LOS.
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American civil warFranco Prussian
Prussian Austrian
Franco Prussian
Port Arthur
Crimean war 1853-6
American Civil War 1862
Franco Prussian
Boer War
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Boer WarPort Arthur
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the broad form it is to take
he aim is to be achieved
speed and concentration of force
re from battalion commander to rifleman
f armed forces.
r
rlitz 1805
II
C
Russian Front WWII, Falaise gap
iglione 1796, Bautzen 1813, Hydaspes, 326BC
pment
1812. Merv 1221
942
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n 1862
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ce Eugene,
ility, and decsion
etermines
e Sweeish
nd square was
effective
ble to force
darkness. He
attached two
d theuse ofoffensive action,
e enemy out of
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