Scourge of War Boards

Are there any good books on tactics that people could recommend? Cavalry, infantry and artillery in blackpowder era. I was reading a novel earlier in the week and they were discussing an attack 'en echelon' I'd like to learn more about battle tactics, sieges etc. Any warfare from 1700s to end of ACW really

https://www.amazon.it/Battle-Tactics-Na ... napoleonic

https://www.amazon.it/Flintlock-Rifle-I ... napoleonic

https://www.amazon.it/Tactics-Experienc ... napoleonic

Brilliant mitra, thanks for tips. Reading the reviews it seems the Nosworthy one is best, Muir least so. Have you read any of them and if so which did you prefer?

Muir is more linear is the first to read, Nosworthy needs a first knowledge of argument in order to be appreciated fully.

How'd you get on with these MC? I'm looking for similar.

The Art of War (No, not the one by Sun Tzu) by Baron de Jomini. It's a translated version from French. The one in the link below was by Andy McNab. It's based on the original 1862 version issued to army officers during the civil war. Jomini is widely considered the foremost mind on Napoleonic warfare, having served with Napoleon himself (on his staff), and later the Russians. After the Napoleonic Wars he was a strategic and tactical consultant, writing tactical/strategic treatises. In short, if you want battle and war tactics based around the 18th and 19th century style of warfare, Jomini's your guy. His writings are actually the reason army officers in the 1800s were taught French. Specifically to be able to read Jomini's material.

If it's specifically battle tactics you're looking for, there's good chapters in it regarding positions for defense, offense, sieging an enemy position/city and so on. Enjoy.

https://www.amazon.com/Art-War-Baron-An ... war+jomini

An important concept he posed, as an example, is brining most of your forces' strength against a single decisive point, instead of just making a broad line of battle and throwing it against the enemy line. For example, let's say you had a corps vs a corps. I'd draw a division up in line of battle, the rest of them behind in assault columns (to be able to switch to line formation quickly if I had to). Once I figure out a weak point in their line, I'd maneuver the rear divisions, minus a brigade or two as reserves for my center, bring up the rest of my artillery to bombard the weak spot, and smash that weak point with everything I had, hitting it en echelon and smashing straight through the enemy line, or rolling up their flank like a carpet. The idea is just to keep them engaged and in place, to anchor their army so I can exploit a weakness, a flank in the air, etc.

Nice tip Jagre, thanks.

I've found it in the library too so will definitely check it out. I had not heard his name before but now see it popping up alot after you have mentioned it. Apparently he was also Ney's CoS but had gone over to the allies by Waterloo. He had previously been successful at extricating Ney from some of his major mistakes and his absence from Ney's side at Waterloo is supposedly significant.

Same here. Happened on his name by accident when I was , looking up some historical references on the Civil War. After that, my tactical acumen skyrocketed. Jomini's a genius.

I've never considered Ney to be that skillful of a general, though. He always seemed a bit of a hot head to me. I could see it being significant, though. A general's staff is important. They're like the presidential cabinet, the general asking them for advice when applicable, but is otherwise doing whatever he feels necessary. If it were me, I'd have Jomini as my right hand man, too. Napoleon had a high opinion of him, as well.

Glad it helped you out, though, bud. I know it helped me when I read it.