Square Formation
Square Formation
A defensive posture for musket-armed infantry units, creating an impassable wall of steel to fend off cavalry attacks. As the name suggests, this is four two- or three-rank lines of infantry arranged as a hollow square, with everyone facing outwards. It is a version of the obsolete pike “hedgehog”, making any cavalry charge a suicidal exercise. Bayonets are fixed to muskets when appropriate and possible. Forming a square requires good order in the ranks. The outer companies of an infantry unit in line have to “fold back” to form the sides and back of the square, without losing cohesion in the process. The unit colours take up station in the centre, a final rallying point should the square be broken. It is also possible to form larger squares with more than one unit. The square is, of course, a tempting target for enemy artillery. Whether it is better to form square in the face of cavalry and risk an artillery barrage, or stay in line to mitigate artillery fire and risk a cavalry charge can be a tactical conundrum! Theoreticians argued infantry could defeat a cavalry charge by firepower alone. Brigadier General Richard Kane (later Military Governor of Gibraltar) remarked, “If a body of Foot have but Resolution and keep their Order, there is no Body of Horse dare venture within their Fire…” but for him that fire was to be delivered from a square, not a line. He was arguing for discipline as the key to success
方阵
方阵是装备带刺刀的滑膛枪的步兵使用的一种用于防御的阵型，如同铁墙一般使前来进攻的骑兵不能越雷池一步。
如它的名字一样，方阵由四组排成两线或三线的步兵组成一个空心正方形，所有人都朝向外侧。这是旧时代长矛兵刺猬阵的新版本，士兵们在此时为滑膛枪上刺刀，能使任何发起冲锋的骑兵在密集的刺刀上撞成筛子。组成方阵需要军队纪律严明。侧翼的连队需要进行折叠机动以构成方阵的侧面和背面，在此过程中队形不能发生丝毫混乱。掌旗官手持军旗立于方阵中心—距离敌军最远的位置。当然，也可以用更多的单位组成较大的方阵。不过，方阵是敌军炮兵最好的目标，因为所有人都挤在一起。是冒着被炮火打得粉碎的危险组成方阵抵御骑兵冲击？还是冒着被骑兵冲锋的危险维持线形阵以减轻炮击伤亡？这是战术指挥官的两难抉择。军事理论家倾向于步兵应该使用远程火力阻挡骑兵的冲锋。准将理查德·凯恩（晚期的直布罗陀军政*府总督）评论到：“如果步兵部队意志坚定，纪律严明，没有骑兵敢于冲进他们的弹幕……”但是此句的前提是这些弹幕是从方阵中射出的，而不是单薄的线形阵。他的核心意思是说，纪律是胜利的关键
来自：clanlong 翻译及润色人员：astlos，pulom，oliphaunt，charlieshen，kevinly1984，jeffery，sorcererhx，edwardhws，乾盛帝 ，JOHNASON19 ，tokyowar .
相关资讯请关注:帝国：全面战争专区
