Customer Reviews

French Napoleonic Infantry Tactics 1792-1815 (Elite)

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'French Napoleonic Infantry Tactics 1792-1815' is an examination of infantry formations and fighting styles used from when France declared war on England in 1792 to Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo in 1815. But I guess you figured that much already...

This title contains numerous interesting, and sometimes poorly-known details on the Napoleonic and in general French fighting styles of the era. The debates amongst the military experts of the time (such as, what should that man in the third rank do-try to fire past his comrades, run ahead or to the side and skirmish, or just hold a pike and 'hang around'?) are dealt with, although history, rather than the opinions of the author, are allowed to answer them.

The first 28 pages of the book deal with a variety of subjects concisely yet also with detail. These include the roles and changing tactics of the skirmishers and 'light infantry', the tactics (or lack thereof) of the democratic/Revolutionary armies, rectangular defensive formations designed to ward off cavalry, and some bold offensive column formations. Some of the conflicting literary works of the contemporary military thinkers are also examined.

The next major section of the book, well-titled La Grande Armee, examines the battle tactics employed by Napoleon himself, particularly between 1805 and 1808. Two particular topics addressed here are those of firepower and the tactical flexibility of Napoleon's Army.

The next section, titled 'The Peninsular War' is for the most part an examination of the tactics used against the Brits and Spanish 1808-14. The final section, 'Corrupt Gigantism' looks at the reforms of 1808 and the unusual dilemma of the 'overcrowded battlefield'.

As with all Osprey Elite titles, this one contains eight full-color plates, which do a good job of breathing life into the text when it becomes hard to visualize. Plate 'C' illustrates the defensive square formed during the Egyptian Campaign in 1798, while Plate 'H' looks at the French deployment at Waterloo. The formations and movements of the battles of Jemappes, Wattignies, Bergen, Auerstadt, Wagram, and Sorauren are also illustrated.

The plate commentary is highly detailed; one can glean at least as much useful information from it as from the main text. The book is also full of black-and-white photos and contemporary images that illustrate many of the battles, leaders, and common soldiers of the period.

Overall, this Elite title is an excellent source on the infantry tactics employed by Napoleon and his contemporaries, and is a most worthy addition to Osprey's sizeable library on the topic.

This is a true macro overview of French infantry tactics during the Napoleonic Wars. Of course Griffith reviews the perennial issue of line vs. column -- an argument that didn't resolve itself on the field of battle as a variety of French commanders swore by and used both tactics during the war.

Griffith doesn't just discuss the issue as a maneuver theory, but also looks at how lines and column were used on the battlefield and on what type of terrain. He also reviews "l'order mixte" and skirmish tactics.

These discussions take place against the historical context of the French army during the Revolutionary period, the Grande Armee during the height of its capabilities, and during the period of the French army's qualitative slide as the original Grande Armee died off through attrition.

The book's strength is that it is an overview focused on French infantry tactics -- which makes it valuable to the novice. However, if you are already familiar with Napoleonic battles you will probably see this book as "old news."

This book serves as a reasonably good primer for those not familiar with Napoleonic Infantry tactics. It is very well written. The background information is quite good. However, the rest is principally a rehash to anyone somewhat familiar with the period. The book starts with a very nice buildup, but is a flop in the end. I was impressed with the work Mr. Griffith had done in assembling something of a database relative to French attacks. It's too bad he could not have done more with it, which suggested to me that it was a somewhat cursory endeavor.

This is to counterbalance the overly positive reviews so far. To start with the positive, this book has nice illustrations, although the colored inserts show little in terms of variation in the terrain, which hints that they do not necessarily correspond to the actual terrain of the battle they refer to. In any case, the most negative aspect is related to the narrative. The author seems to have written this in between jobs, or games at the wargame society he belongs to. The arguments are not solidely made, and the explanations are confused and contradictions abound (is the idea of tirailleurs a fantasy or not?). Add to to that random, unnecessary jibes at Napoleon, as well as questionable choice of terms (e.g. platoon instead of compagny), which makes the read even less fluent, and you get a pamphlet that cannot be recommended.

I have been trying to understand how the French Revolutionary army actually manoeuvred for about thirty years. Thanks to Mr Griffiths I finally know. His text and illustrations are clear and consise and the colour plates are excellent.

The chapters are
The Legacy of the Seven Years' War
Guibert and the 1791 Regelement
'Revolutionary Warfare'
From the 'Terror' to the Coup of Brumaire
La Grand Armee
The Penninsular War 1808-14
'Corrupt Gigantism' 1809-15

The colour plates are
Jemappes - November 1792 - skirmishers, 'blobs' and 'swarms
Wattignies - October 1793 - weakness against in-depth defences
The Pyramids - July 1798 - an 'Egyptian square' in action
Bergen - September 1799 - Defence and recapture of a village
Auerstadt - October 1806 - Morand's flexible manoeuvres
Wagram - July 1809 - Macdonald's 'monstrous column'
Sorauren - July 1813 - the difficulty of deployment during up-hill attacks
Waterloo - june 1815 - The attack of the Middle Guard
Each plate has at least two vignettes illustrating the events depicted.

He begins by discussing the state of the art in the period leading up to the Revolution. The army was in two minds about lines and columns - 'Les grandes querrelles'. Eventually, Guibert's theories were adapted in the Regulations of 1791, and these, with minor modifications continued in use until the next major revision in 1831. What actually affected the use of the various formations was the quality of the troops. The Grand Armee was so well-trained that its commanders were able to use the tactics to their greatest effect, but as the quality of the troops declined over the following years, so their ability to be manoeuvred with precision declined. The value of the original regulations is clear from the fact that Napoleon didn't interfere with them - as he did in so many other areas, political and military.

An excellent introductary book to this subject.

Further reading
Battle Tactics of Napoleon and His Enemies
The Anatomy of Victory: Battle Tactics, 1689-1763
The Art of War of Revolutionary France, 1789-1802
Napoleon; a History of the Art of War: From the Beginning of the Consulate to the End of the Friedland Campaign, with a Detailed Account of the Napoleonic Wars

I have been purchasing many Ospreys over the years and keep forgetting that I end up reselling most of them.

With the usual plates disconnected from the text that makes their understanding difficult - hello editor? - this little book is a lot of work to get into. Text is confusing and put together without really knowing where it is going. If you keep reading on, you will eventually get some info about the evolution of presumably the French infantry tactics in a sort of uninteresting / anecdote-less way.

It has a few nice drawings, in particular a depiction of the big squares at the battle of the Pyramids which actually was interesting, but a few good pages don't make a mandatory purchase.

Basically this book will stay on my shelves as a sad piece of no interest. Not really pleased with the purchase.

I ordered this book for my husband, and he absolutely loves it. It's just what he hoped it would be...he is really into Napoleonic History.

This is good for the beginner in learning the tactics of the era. I would recommend this book for the historian or the gamer of the era.

A very helpful guide to the French tactics of the time. The illustrations demonstrate the various perceptions one can have respecting column and line, the ongoing controversy amongst scholars of the period. Griffith is one of the first to emphasize the "counter-attack" style of the British. In pointing out the vast majority of French attacks in column over line, he could have integrated Kleber's "swarm" to demonstrate what, according to Gates and Oman, Taupin and Vandermaeson proved in their initial attacks at Saurauren I, namely proper use of tirailleurs in combination succeeds in shock and awe. It would have provided a nice balance between the Colin school and the actual studied practice of the French in action, without succumbing to the vagueness of a Beatson. Despite the missed opportunity, a fine introduction to the subject.

Excellant explaination of how the armies of the Republic and the Empire won, and lost, battles. Paddy Griffiths demonstrates by examples the roles that training, equipment, doctrine, leadership and circumstances have in determining the results of armed encounters.