Napoleon - En enanstående fältherre
The Emperor has discovered a new way of waging war; ha makes use of our legs instead of our bayonets...
Anonymous French soldier, 1805
Napoleon har ofta ansetts vara en av tidernas största fältherrar. Han kunde tack vare sin utomordentliga skicklighet inom krigskonsten vinna slag där oddsen stod emot honom. Ofta har han använt simpla manövrer för att förvilla sin fiende, eller förbättrat befintliga taktiska drag och uppställningar.
Grunden i Napoleons taktik låg i att förflytta 'le grande Armée' snabbt och smidigt. För att kunna genomföra detta krävs bra vägar och en armé som är självförsörjande och inte behöver släpa med sig för mycket proviant och material. Napoleon, som var en skicklig vägbyggare, lät därför anlägga flera vägar för transport av trupper. Armén fick leva av det den kunde plundra sig till och av vad som fanns att tillgå på landsbygden. Inget onödigt material fick tas med på fälttågen. Det var av yttersta vikt att man tog med endast de effektivaste vapnen. Napoleon såg själv till att rätt typ av kanoner togs med vid fälttågen. Ett av hans stora taktiska försprång berodde nämligen på att han använde så få kanoner som möjligt, men han utnyttjade dem på bästa möjliga sätt. På detta sättet kom man runt problemet med många, stora och otympliga transporter.
Kanonerna drogs av hästar vilket gjorde att de snabbt kunde sättas in där de behövdes. Därför spred Napoleon ut sina pjäser på en bred linje. Pjäserna användes som infanteriunderstöd. De sköt luckor i fiendens linjer så att de franska kolonnerna kunde bryta igenom och splittra fienden i mindre grupper.
Kavalleriet delade Napoleon upp i tungt och lätt kavalleri, vart och ett med sin specifika uppgift. Det lätta kavalleriet användes till spaning långt bakom fiendens linjer, men även som skyddsskärm vid framryckningar. Där fick ryttarna ta emot de...
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