Infantry, and all other unit types, started using modern military organization charts and types. Although the names where slightly different, for example legion instead of  regiment, but were standardize during this time. Your base command unit type was a troop which consisted of 15-45 men. These where put into groups and from there formed companies, battalions, regiments, and lastly divisions. 

​

The role of infantry on the battlefield was to take and hold objectives, to form the middle and bulk of the forces, and to (hopefully) charge and break the other enemy infantry. Some sub-roles where to carry the standards of the country and generals house and to guard the artillery. Some of the tactics of infantry used during this time period where:

• Volley fire - Everyone in the front row or two rows, depending on the amount of ranks shoots then either changes places with the rear most ranks to reload and the front most ranks continue firing, or the loaded guns where passes up and the most recently fired guns where sent to the back to be reloaded. This tactic kept units rate of fire up when the weapons took on average thirteen seconds to load. 

• Square formation - Normally units fought rank and file in lines. However this left them vulnerable to getting flanked. Square formation was created so the unit could effectively fight cavalry and charges incoming from multiple directions while still being able to fire and reform lines if need be. What the men would do is move the rear middle to a back line and the left and right flanks would pivot to connect the front and rear lines with the commanding units in the center. 

• Column Marching - Used mainly by the french, this tactic moves from a wide stance to a deep marching order, this effectively increased the marching speed and was very intimidating to units that where about to get charge due to the shorter front that they could hit. However it was extremely vulnerable to artillery and flanking shots from infantry.  

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Cavalry 

Cavalry was the next most used unit type of the army. Its mobility and melee effectiveness was key in most victories. The role of cavalry was to out maneuver the enemy, beak infantry, and catch unguarded or weakly guarded artillery units. There base unit type was a squad/troop of 10-30 men and horses. 

​

Unlike infantry, cavalry used mostly melee weapons and had different load outs to complete different jobs. The following are commonly used terms for the types of cavalry:

• Heavy Cavalry - used the largest and strongest horses, wore heavy armor, normally had very well crafted long cavalry swords. Used to charge into bulks of enemies or counter lighter cavalry units.

• Dragoons - Medium cavalry with slightly faster, less armored horses, and were proficient in shooting cavalry carbines. The swords they used were normally curved. 

• Lancers - Medium cavalry - Used lances and were primarily on the field to counter the other armies cavalry units. 

• Light cavalry - Used unarmored, fast horses. These units scouted, flanked infantry during a charge, took on artillery positions and chased routing units. Whiles these units also used lances sometimes they mostly used the curved cavalry sword or a shorter straight sword.  

​

Artillery

Artillery was the least used unit as far as men and equipment, but it had the largest impact in Napoleons success in Europe. Artillery had next to no mobility and was normally entrenched or it had to be light enough to be pulled by a single horse crew. An artillery team consisted of 1-2 loaders, a operator, and an officer who would range and spot for the operator. The role of artillery on the battlefield was to inflict moral damage, decimate infantry before the close combat/melee began, and to lay siege to enemy artillery positions or fortified positions. Artillery comes in the standard unit of batteries which consist of  4-12 guns and crew. Napoleon also conscripted grand batteries which were groups of batteries combined. 

​

Artillery came as three types cannon, howitzer, and mortar. The cannon used round shots and canister shots and fired straight and at low arcs. The howitzer used canister and explosive shots and shot at straight to medium arcs and to bombard the enemy. Lastly, mortars used explosive shots and fired at high arcs to hit units in cover or behind walls at very long ranges. All artillery used the pound of a shot it fired to determine its type. Below are the categories:

• Light cannon/howitzer - 4 to 6 lb. shot

• Medium cannon/howitzer - 8 to 12 lb. shot

• Heavy cannon/howitzer/mortars- 20+ lb. shot

​

Great link with a lot of extra information http://www.napolun.com/mirror/napoleonistyka.atspace.com/

​