452:
241:
165:
411:, a formation in which shields were held edge-to-edge or overlapped. Close order was routinely used by infantry in the later Middle Ages, the intention being to avoid the enemy penetrating and disrupting their formation. A common literary image was that an apple should not be able to pass between their lances. In the 15th century, the Swiss developed pike tactics that used closely packed deep columns. A reconstruction of the deployment of
585:. The Scottish Brigade, consisting of 3,500 men shoulder to shoulder in 90 lines with a front of only 45 yards, moved forward in pre-dawn darkness to attack the entrenched Boer positions. Two of the four Highland regiments kept their tight formation with long ropes carried by the left hand man of each file. The result was a rout of the brigade after nine hours fighting, with nearly a quarter of the Scottish soldiers killed or wounded.
63:
22:
392:
329:
541:
in the center, along with reserve forces. That formation enabled the defenders to fire on cavalry on all sides of the formation although there was some risk that fire from one square might reach other squares formed nearby. The effectiveness of a square depended on the ability of the infantry to hold
612:
still feature soldiers standing and marching in close order formations for ceremonial purposes. Many armies maintain special ceremonial units, whose soldiers hold rigorous training in holding such formations, including armies established in the 20th century, which themselves have no experience of
517:
attacks as rifling technology, which significantly increased the range and accuracy of firearms at the expense of a substantially reduced rate of fire, began to see increased use in the late 18th century. Fortifications were designed to break up formations by reducing the effectiveness of volley
432:
From 1490 to 1520 saw the emergence of a consensus in military thinking that armies should be increasingly ordered on the battlefield and that neat, rectilinear formations were the key. The uniform bodies of pikes would be ordered based on an area occupied by a soldier of three paces frontage and
433:
seven paces depth, the soldier being positioned at the centre of the rectangle. Pikes did not stand alone on the battlefield, however, and new formations of horns or sleeves of shot were developed to support the pike blocks with firearms. In the late 16th century, a system called
512:
to increase the chances of inflicting casualties on the enemy. Such tactics were used throughout the 18th century. Line formations were, however, not without risks. Line commanders and other field officers were often highly visible targets and became the target of
315:
had made any such dense formation increasingly hazardous and less effective. The technological concentration of increased firepower to fewer soldiers had rendered the close order formation obsolete by the end of the 19th century. Modern infantry now use
371:, a long pike used in two hands. The normal frontage per man remained the same, but the normal depth grew to 16 ranks. An innovation was the introduction of a "locked shield order" (synaspismos), with a frontage of only about 18 in. The
437:
was developed to enable an exchange of ranks of shooters. That led to the development of thinner formations and set tacticians on the road to developing the linear fire tactics of the 18th century.
574:. After that humiliating defeat, the British army found that close-order infantry formations were necessary to concentrate firepower to break the Zulu warriors' formidable massed charges.
419:
consisted of 10,000 men, and experiments have estimated its area of as little as 60 m by 60 m. The knightly cavalry of the Middle Ages could also fight in close order, stirrup to stirrup.
558:, and technological improvements also simplified the targeting of large, mobile bodies of enemy forces. This, coupled with improved infantry weapons and automatic weapons such as the
504:
mechanism, which became the weapon of choice because it could be fired relatively rapidly (six shots per minute). Because of their poor accuracy, such weapons were typically used in
364:, a large round bronze faced shield and a large spear. The frontage per man was the width of the shield (about 3 ft), and the normal formation depth was four to eight men.
588:
In peace-time the major
European armies persisted in training their infantry in close-order tactics that were to ensure very heavy casualties in August 1914. During the
550:
In the 19th century, advances in firearms technology rendered the use of close formations obsolete. The widespread use of rifled artillery and the advent of reliable
927:
440:
On horseback, the old knightly tactics slowly gave way to new tactics involving firearms, which led to the development of pistol-armed cavalry known as
415:
forces in 1443 gives a formation 56 men wide by 20 deep, the formation having a width of 168 ft and a depth of 140 ft. The Swiss main formation at the
577:
One of the last occasions involving the deployment in the face of the enemy of substantial numbers of
British troops in close order occurred at the
434:
175:
127:
99:
538:
80:
35:
722:
106:
910:
Website devoted to 17th. century drill which explains "close order" as it relates to pike and musket formation from the
113:
889:
864:
809:
775:
747:
694:
660:
227:
209:
146:
49:
95:
84:
509:
932:
852:
537:. Designed to defend against cavalry charges, an infantry battalion would form a square with the unit's
451:
187:
41:
522:
fire. In the latter, an enemy that could fire down the length of a line with an inaccurate weapon or
459:
191:
120:
554:
altered the tactical landscape. These weapons had a significantly increased fire rate compared to
589:
578:
73:
622:
444:, who specialised in manoeuvring in deep, close formations and practiced a tactic known as the
183:
551:
519:
480:
304:
907:
571:
240:
8:
593:
485:
In the 17th century, European armies expanded their use of firearms, which were at first
763:
710:
300:
284:
tactics, to multiply their effective weight of arms by their weight of numbers. In the
261:
911:
885:
860:
805:
771:
743:
718:
690:
656:
627:
582:
400:
357:
349:
245:
505:
472:
285:
265:
609:
534:
476:
416:
367:
The later
Macedonian phalanx used a smaller shield but replaced the spear with a
348:
in close order formation. That tradition continued in the ancient world with the
273:
597:
567:
269:
921:
555:
396:
372:
289:
448:
in which successive ranks of men rode forward, shot and retired to reload.
293:
559:
277:
600:
the German regiments went forward "as if advancing on a parade ground".
566:, made close formations incredibly costly. A major exception was in the
632:
408:
317:
563:
527:
501:
486:
312:
296:
used close order formations that were similar to ancient phalanxes.
412:
264:
in which soldiers are close together and regularly arranged for the
62:
689:. Hockwold-cum-Wilton, Norfolk: Anglo-Saxon Books. pp. 182–5.
490:
445:
308:
523:
494:
455:
441:
380:
368:
333:
281:
596:
the French attacked in shoulder to shoulder masses while at the
328:
859:. London: Macdonald & Co (Publishers) Ltd. pp. 203–6.
514:
497:
391:
353:
376:
361:
345:
341:
249:
344:
kingdom from the 3rd millennium BC clearly show men with
458:
infantry in close order linear formation attack at the
530:
greatly increased their chances of hitting something.
608:
Though of no military value under modern conditions,
320:, which is effectively the opposite of close order.
252:
phalanx of spearmen with large shields (c. 2450 BC).
87:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
307:of soldiers became uncommon since improvements in
717:. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. pp. 162–3.
919:
715:Soldiers' Lives Through History: The Middle Ages
687:The English Warrior from earliest times to 1066
383:on a similar frontage per man to the phalanx.
172:The examples and perspective in this article
407:In the early Middle Ages, infantry used the
399:confront Holy Roman imperial cavalry at the
50:Learn how and when to remove these messages
928:Tactical formations of the Napoleonic Wars
684:
613:using such formations on the battlefield.
508:in which a commanding officer would order
466:
762:
228:Learn how and when to remove this message
210:Learn how and when to remove this message
147:Learn how and when to remove this message
851:
450:
390:
375:also fought in close order by using the
327:
239:
533:Another formation that saw use was the
268:concentration of force. It was used by
920:
879:
799:
737:
709:
542:their ground against cavalry charges.
422:
655:. London: Salamander. pp. 34–7.
650:
360:. The Greek phalanx fought with the
158:
85:adding citations to reliable sources
56:
15:
603:
13:
804:. London: Cassel. pp. 65–72.
770:. Oxford: Blackwell. p. 231.
14:
944:
901:
31:This article has multiple issues.
493:. They were later supplanted by
163:
61:
20:
873:
845:
836:
827:
427:
72:needs additional citations for
39:or discuss these issues on the
818:
793:
784:
756:
731:
703:
678:
669:
653:Warfare in the Classical World
644:
386:
336:marching in phalanx formation.
1:
908:Moving 17th. Century Soldiers
638:
332:Close order formation: Greek
685:Pollington, Stephen (1996).
323:
7:
884:. Hutchinson. p. 109.
616:
526:loaded with anti-personnel
244:Close order formation: The
186:, discuss the issue on the
10:
949:
740:The Swiss at War 1300–1500
545:
518:fire or to expose them to
470:
842:Arnold (2001), pp. 98-100
738:Miller, Douglas (1979).
460:Battle of Hohenfriedberg
833:Arnold (2001), pp.78-81
800:Arnold, Thomas (2001).
590:Battle of the Frontiers
579:Battle of Magersfontein
467:17th and 18th centuries
96:"Close order formation"
802:The Renaissance at War
768:War in the Middle Ages
742:. Osprey. p. 17.
675:Warry (1980), pp. 72-3
623:Night attack formation
552:breech-loading weapons
463:
404:
337:
253:
880:Keegan, John (1998).
790:Rogers (2007), p. 191
481:Enfilade and defilade
454:
394:
331:
258:close order formation
243:
651:Warry, John (1980).
594:Battle of the Sambre
572:Battle of Isandlwana
395:In close formation,
192:create a new article
184:improve this article
174:may not represent a
81:improve this article
933:Tactical formations
882:The First World War
824:Arnold (2001), p.71
764:Contamine, Philippe
423:Growth in firepower
358:Ancient Macedonians
276:, as the basis for
464:
405:
338:
303:(1861–1865), such
301:American Civil War
262:tactical formation
254:
912:English Civil War
724:978-0-313-33350-7
628:Phalanx formation
583:South African War
401:Battle of Dornach
350:phalanx formation
246:Stele of Vultures
238:
237:
230:
220:
219:
212:
194:, as appropriate.
157:
156:
149:
131:
54:
940:
896:
895:
877:
871:
870:
853:Pakenham, Thomas
849:
843:
840:
834:
831:
825:
822:
816:
815:
797:
791:
788:
782:
781:
760:
754:
753:
735:
729:
728:
711:Rogers, Clifford
707:
701:
700:
682:
676:
673:
667:
666:
648:
610:military parades
604:Military parades
473:Line (formation)
340:Images from the
286:Late Middle Ages
233:
226:
215:
208:
204:
201:
195:
167:
166:
159:
152:
145:
141:
138:
132:
130:
89:
65:
57:
46:
24:
23:
16:
948:
947:
943:
942:
941:
939:
938:
937:
918:
917:
904:
899:
892:
878:
874:
867:
850:
846:
841:
837:
832:
828:
823:
819:
812:
798:
794:
789:
785:
778:
761:
757:
750:
736:
732:
725:
708:
704:
697:
683:
679:
674:
670:
663:
649:
645:
641:
619:
606:
548:
535:infantry square
506:line formations
483:
477:infantry square
469:
435:countermarching
430:
425:
417:Battle of Morat
389:
326:
274:ancient warfare
234:
223:
222:
221:
216:
205:
199:
196:
181:
168:
164:
153:
142:
136:
133:
90:
88:
78:
66:
25:
21:
12:
11:
5:
946:
936:
935:
930:
916:
915:
903:
902:External links
900:
898:
897:
890:
872:
865:
844:
835:
826:
817:
810:
792:
783:
776:
755:
748:
730:
723:
702:
695:
677:
668:
661:
642:
640:
637:
636:
635:
630:
625:
618:
615:
605:
602:
598:Battle of Mons
568:Anglo-Zulu War
547:
544:
468:
465:
429:
426:
424:
421:
388:
385:
356:and later the
325:
322:
318:skirmish order
270:heavy infantry
260:is a military
236:
235:
218:
217:
178:of the subject
176:worldwide view
171:
169:
162:
155:
154:
69:
67:
60:
55:
29:
28:
26:
19:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
945:
934:
931:
929:
926:
925:
923:
913:
909:
906:
905:
893:
891:0-09-180178-8
887:
883:
876:
868:
866:0-7474-0976-5
862:
858:
854:
848:
839:
830:
821:
813:
811:0-304-35270-5
807:
803:
796:
787:
779:
777:0-631-13142-6
773:
769:
765:
759:
751:
749:0-85045-334-8
745:
741:
734:
726:
720:
716:
712:
706:
698:
696:1-898281-10-6
692:
688:
681:
672:
664:
662:0-86101-034-5
658:
654:
647:
643:
634:
631:
629:
626:
624:
621:
620:
614:
611:
601:
599:
595:
591:
586:
584:
580:
575:
573:
569:
565:
561:
557:
556:muzzleloaders
553:
543:
540:
536:
531:
529:
525:
521:
516:
511:
507:
503:
499:
496:
492:
489:weapons like
488:
482:
478:
474:
461:
457:
453:
449:
447:
443:
438:
436:
420:
418:
414:
410:
402:
398:
397:Swiss pikemen
393:
384:
382:
378:
374:
373:Roman legions
370:
365:
363:
359:
355:
351:
347:
343:
335:
330:
321:
319:
314:
310:
306:
305:organizations
302:
297:
295:
291:
290:Swiss pikemen
287:
283:
279:
275:
271:
267:
263:
259:
251:
248:represents a
247:
242:
232:
229:
214:
211:
203:
193:
189:
185:
179:
177:
170:
161:
160:
151:
148:
140:
129:
126:
122:
119:
115:
112:
108:
105:
101:
98: –
97:
93:
92:Find sources:
86:
82:
76:
75:
70:This article
68:
64:
59:
58:
53:
51:
44:
43:
38:
37:
32:
27:
18:
17:
881:
875:
857:The Boer War
856:
847:
838:
829:
820:
801:
795:
786:
767:
758:
739:
733:
714:
705:
686:
680:
671:
652:
646:
607:
587:
581:during the,
576:
549:
532:
484:
439:
431:
428:16th century
406:
366:
339:
298:
294:Landsknechts
257:
255:
224:
206:
197:
173:
143:
134:
124:
117:
110:
103:
91:
79:Please help
74:verification
71:
47:
40:
34:
33:Please help
30:
560:Gatling gun
510:volley fire
500:fired by a
387:Middle Ages
299:Around the
292:and German
278:shield wall
137:August 2008
922:Categories
639:References
633:Shieldwall
570:after the
520:enfilading
491:arquebuses
471:See also:
409:shieldwall
107:newspapers
36:improve it
564:Maxim Gun
528:grapeshot
502:flintlock
487:matchlock
324:Antiquity
313:artillery
200:July 2016
188:talk page
42:talk page
855:(1991).
766:(1984).
713:(2007).
617:See also
592:and the
562:and the
539:standard
495:unrifled
456:Prussian
446:caracole
379:and the
342:Sumerian
334:hoplites
309:firearms
266:tactical
250:Sumerian
182:You may
546:Eclipse
524:cannons
498:muskets
462:, 1745.
442:reiters
403:, 1499.
381:gladius
369:sarissa
352:of the
282:phalanx
121:scholar
888:
863:
808:
774:
746:
721:
693:
659:
515:sniper
479:, and
413:Zürich
354:Greeks
346:spears
123:
116:
109:
102:
94:
377:pilum
362:aspis
190:, or
128:JSTOR
114:books
914:era.
886:ISBN
861:ISBN
806:ISBN
772:ISBN
744:ISBN
719:ISBN
691:ISBN
657:ISBN
311:and
280:and
100:news
272:in
83:by
924::
475:,
288:,
256:A
45:.
894:.
869:.
814:.
780:.
752:.
727:.
699:.
665:.
231:)
225:(
213:)
207:(
202:)
198:(
180:.
150:)
144:(
139:)
135:(
125:·
118:·
111:·
104:·
77:.
52:)
48:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
