Caroleans (Swedish: karoliner ) was a warrior from the Swedish king Charles XI and Charles XII whose tactics differed from that of Western Europe through greater dependence on spears, rapier, bayonet and offensive spirit.
Video Caroleans
Tentara Carolean
To compensate for their lack of energy and resources, Sweden is trying to find an innovative way to build an effective force. In fact, the innovative path of successful military ideas was the only way the Swedes had achieved such a great power status. Thanks to their achievements during the Great North War, Carolean soldiers were considered the most effective military forces of their day, as demonstrated by their efforts in combat such as Narva, DÃÆ'¼na, Klissow, Pultusk, Jakobstadt, Gemauerthof, Warsaw, Fraustadt, Holowczyn, Helsingborg, and Gadebusch.
However, due to the relatively small size of the Carolean army due to the very small number of Swedish troops, large losses can become irreparable. Thus the commanders of the Carolean army must choose their battle wisely and strategize carefully to keep the victim low.
Despite its effectiveness the small size of Carolean's army made it difficult for Sweden to maintain its power, as evidenced by the decline of the Swedish Empire after its defeat in the Great North War.
After a long march and decisive into Russian interiors where they were exposed to charred earth tactics, frequent small attacks and the cold climate of Russia, the exhausted and hungry Carolean soldiers were convincingly defeated by the Russians at the Battle of Poltava. During the war about 35,000 Swedish soldiers were killed - 70 percent of soldiers. 25,000 of them died in battle and another 10,000 died of starvation, disease and fatigue.
Moral and religious beliefs
Strict discipline is needed in Carolean's army to allow highly offensive tactics, which among other expose warriors to medium-range enemy fire before being allowed to respond. This tactic is meant to make the soldiers close enough to the enemy that it is almost impossible to miss a shot. The steadfast courage shown by Swedish forces will also affect the enemy's morale, and on some occasions the enemy is afraid of retreat.
To achieve this steadfast discipline, the army has very strict rules. Even the private lives of the soldiers were undermined by these rules, as they were supervised in the cabin of their soldiers as well as in the field. Religion is used as a tool to keep the spirit high among the troops. Regular priests also preach on the virtues of serving the throne and becoming soldiers to increase registration. In the military, priests often participate in battles to raise morale among troops.
In order for soldiers from various regions and provinces of the kingdom to feel friendship and loyalty to fellow soldiers, people from the same region or province are made to live with each other. The church also helped by creating a sense of solidarity between soldiers from various parts of the kingdom by showing that the soldiers fought for the common belief of the Swedish Lutheran church while facing enemy troops. It is also a reminder to the soldiers that God protects and helps them in battle, as has been said since Sweden fought in the Thirty Years' War as a Protestant continental leader. After the Battle of Narva, many soldiers believed that God had sent them a snow storm that helped them win. It is generally thought that the defeat in Poltava was God's judgment on the arrogance and sin of the soldiers.
System designation
In 1680, Charles XI carried out his political and military reforms in parliament where he made himself an autocrat. His greatest reform was the development of a designation system in which all peasants in each country would provide the crown with a full regiment of 1,000 people complete with weapons and uniforms. Each ground is divided into "Roots" (the root is a poor translation of the Swedish "rote"; rather it should be squadrons or groups). One to five farmers will form Root and sign a contract with the crown they will provide and support a soldier. In the contract it was determined that a soldier would be given huts and gardens.
Cavalry is built almost the same, the difference is that Roots also provides a horse; this becomes an additional burden, Root is given a tax deduction by the crown. In this way Karl XI was confirmed as a professional soldier with 18,000 infantry and 8,000 cavalry. There are an additional 7,000 infantry and 3,000 cavalry in Finland. Along the coast and sailors of big city ports are taken under the system, thus providing a navy with 6,600 sailors in Sweden and 600 in Finland.
It is said of Charles XII that "he can not back down, only attack or fall". The same applies to his soldiers. In the tactics of the Swedish army at the time, the retreat was never covered. The troops are obliged to attack or fight where they stand.
Uniform
Carolean uniforms are among many variants of Swedish Standard Uniforms introduced by Charles XI. Large blue coat with yellow cuff. White buttocks and yellow vests. Many regiments have uniform variations. For example, the dragoons of BohuslÃÆ'¤n have green coats and NÃÆ'¤rke-VÃÆ'¤rmland regiments have red handcuffs. Artillery has a gray coat with a blue cuff. They wear a tricorne hat or a special hat called Karpus. Trabant Garde's elite cavalry is the only armored troop, wearing a steel chest plate.
Armament
Most infantry are equipped with modern flintlock rifles, although older versions are still in use. They are also equipped with rapier and bags for ammunition. About one-third of each company is equipped with spears. Twelve people from each company are grenadiers, usually the strongest and the highest. The grenadiers are also the only soldiers who have bayonets on their rifles, because ordinary shooters are meant to use their rapier for hand-to-hand combat. Since the grenadiers are often placed on the sides of a unit to protect themselves from cavalry, guns with bayonets are more practical because they provide greater range of swords when faced with mounted opponents and can be countered against impact. Sometimes, two handed clubs are used during the siege. The troops were mounted with wide swords and two pistols each for the horse or carbine regiment for the dragons. Artillery has a smaller sword for close combat, called hirschfÃÆ'¤ngare .
Maps Caroleans
Organization
The Carolean Army is organized into regiments by region, and divided into the following sections:
- The cavalry regiment, including the dragon regiment of JÃÆ'¤mtlands, and the personal guardian of the king, the Livdrabanterna regiment
- Infantry regiments, including the VÃÆ'¤rmlands and VÃÆ'¤sterbottens regiments; every company has twelve grenadier
- Artillery regiment
Soldiers also include a special unit called Livdrabanterna (Royal Life Guard Corps). This is a special unit consisting of about 100 people. It was under the personal command of King Charles XII, whom he named captain. To be personal in the corps, one must reach the rank of Captain in the regular army. The second king in command was Colonel under the title KaptenlÃÆ'¶jtnant (Lieutenant Captain). The corps fought to the bitter end, and some of its veterans brought the coffin of Charles XII on his arrival to the capital for burial in 1719.
Exit in the
fieldThe rules are tight for Carolean soldiers. For example, stealing food from other soldiers will cause harsh punishment. Looting, as is often the case, is part of the army 'every day is prohibited; However, it sometimes happens if necessary, for example several occasions in Narva and Lemberg.
To take the name of God in vain is one of the worst crimes a Carole soldier can commit, and the punishment for this is death, for it is vital to keep the high spirits among the troops, and Christianity is the way to do this. To disturb the moment of prayer will also lead to the death penalty.
Soldiers Carolean was told not to fear fighting or to be scared in the field, because if God meant to die, this would happen regardless of whether he was avoiding bullets or not. This reason is crucial for Carolean's army offensive tactics, which requires strong discipline to succeed.
Daily rations of soldiers are meant to consist of 625 grams of dry bread, 850 grams of butter or pork, 1/3 liter of peas, and 2.5 liters of beer. Butter or pork is often replaced by fish if available. Water should be avoided because it is often contaminated.
Tactics and formations
Carolean infantry regiment consists of about 1,200 people, divided into two battalions of 600 people each. The battalion is the smallest tactical unit of the Swedish army and consists of four companies of 150 people each. Before the battle, people were usually formed into four ranks ( four people in ); however, the battalion could also be spÃÆ'¤ckad with six ranks. About a third of those people are pikemen, equipped with spears and 5.55 meters long swords, these pikemen often make a split in the middle of each battalion with the shooters to their side, however, if the battalion is spÃÆ'Â ¤ckad the pikemen are placed in the third and fourth rank. Furthermore, grenadiers often attach to the sides of musketeers - or by pronouncing far to the left and right of each battalion - to protect against enemy cavalry and to throw grenades to break enemy formation (there is one grenadier for ten musketeers). Sometimes, grenadiers form their own battalions like the Grenadier Regiment of Life. The battalion width is approximately 180 meters (or 135 meters when the battalion closes the gap). At the outbreak of the Great North War, every Swedish musketeer is equipped with a sword and is usually a 20 mm caliber rifle without bayonets. Bayonets were first introduced to each Swedish musketeer 1704. However, grenadiers are equipped with grenades, swords and ferrets with bayonet flintlocks.
The Swedish cavalry regiment consisted of about 1,000 people, divided into four squadrons of 250 people each. The squadron is a tactical unit of the Swedish army and consists of two companies each 125 people. The Swedish heavy cavalry is equipped with a rapier (nearly a meter long made for thrust and secondary to slash), carbine, two pistols and has a steel coating. The dragoons have a rapier, a rifle with bayonets and two pistols. Certain irregular units are also used, often Vlachs cavalry. However, this is not suitable for combat but only reconnaissance and pursuit of routing enemies. Cavalry was used as a key instrument of victory and made for a large proportion in the Swedish army. Contrary to other regular armies in Europe, the cavalry is made up of half of the combat troops. For example, during the invasion of Charles XII to Russia, the army numbered 31,000, and more than half, 16,800, were horsemen.
Infantry GÃÆ'  ¥ -PÃÆ'  ¥
The GÃÆ'  ¥ -PÃÆ'  ¥ -method (literally "Go-On") specialized in the standard shock and combat technique used in the Swedish army at the time. This very aggressive tactic often produces a short battle, to fight enemies with more numbers.
According to regulation 1694 and 1701, infantry attacks operate as follows: In four ranks with a gap, the Swedish battalion will line up "smoothly and slowly" towards the enemy line, challenging enemy fire that often starts at a distance of about 100 meters. The Swedish soldiers were told not to shoot until "you can see white in the enemy's eyes" - a distance of about 50 meters. When the drum line up stop two rear rows will fill the gap in the two front rows and fire the salvo, then draw their sword. The two back ranks will then return to their previous positions and the two fronts will close the gap in their line, after which the battalion will continue their attack. The two front ranks will release their muskets in the last volley as they are within range to fill - a distance of about 20 meters. They will then draw their swords and attack the enemy, taking advantage of the demoralizing and lethal effects of their close-range volleyball.
At this distance, powerful guns usually uprooted many enemy forces, which greatly discouraged them. Immediately after the volley, the Swedes attacked the enemy base with spears, bayonets, and rapier. Note that the spear is used as an offensive weapon: in close combat, they have an advantage over their enemy's weapons thanks to their longer range. Often a full range of enemies ran before physical contact, feared by long spears and the fact that the Swedish battalion's morale could calmly contain their fire.
Mods via war
This method changed little during the Great North War. The slow marches are replaced by running to take fewer victims and start battling faster, while hopefully still frightening the enemy with rapid courage, progressing non-stop into enemy fire. The shooting range was reduced from 50 meters to 15 to 20 meters for the first volley from the back row - which no longer fell to the previous position behind the front row, but followed the gap in it. As a result, the battalions attack in two filled densities, which makes the last charge more effective because the Carolean forces will be together, giving a heavy impact.
Another change is that the battalion will more often receive support from artillery pieces, especially in the battle of Gadebusch where a new set of Swedish artillery discoveries sees action.
Analysis of methods
As musketeers during this period are usually fired by platoon, rank or all together, it is ultimately necessary for the whole group to stop and return. During this reload - which takes 1-2 minutes to complete - the opponent can calmly line up 80 meters and run as far as 150 meters (in a minute). This means that the first side of the shot is made for a vulnerable target to the incoming enemy line. Method GÃÆ'  ¥ -PÃÆ'  ¥ utilize this simple math. The Caroleans will line up calmly and steadily to close the gap during reloading enemies, before firing at closer distances.
Cavalry GÃÆ'  ¥ -PÃÆ'  ¥
The Swedish cavalry, like infantry, fought in this extreme aggressive manner (also called the "way of Carolingian"). Before the battle, contrary to Europe - which will then form knee to knee - the Swedish cavalry will form a small wedge formation in two or three ranks, knee behind knee for managed to reach the most clustered cavalry formation possible to further impact the enemy ruthlessly. To achieve this, they have a thrust rapier which will further increase the effectiveness of the load. Squadrons usually will not use their pistols during an attack, just a knife. In 1704 the rule was made, dispersing the gun completely when filling (however, sometimes, the gun was allowed, which took place in Fraustadt, or when chasing the targeted enemy). In 1705 another rule was made, in which the cavalry would pedal running during the initial phase of the attack and then raced fully (which was the fastest speed possible) before its impact. The cart saves the energy of the horses to paddle the last horse, and only runs horses when in a power span that preserves their stamina so they will not get tired as soon as the battle.
Coordinate among units
Close coordination between infantry, cavalry, and sometimes artillery is necessary to successfully destroy enemy defenses. Only infantry will normally face a frontal attack on a well-prepared path, preferably with artillery assistance. The regiment guns will follow the reloading skills and protect them from enemy attacks. The cavalry will attack the opposing cavalry, or quell the irregular infantry in vulnerable areas on the sides or back. Cavalry is also used to cover the retreating troops or to disrupt and pursue the remaining enemies after a successful infantry attack. If the cavalry attack is repulsed it will fall back behind the friendly infantry line and regroup for another fee. If necessary, infantry can fall back and forth shooting and moving. In some situations, infantry boxes are used for protection against flanking cavalry attacks. This formation is effective because all sides of the square will face outward, eliminating the risk of rear or vulnerable sides. Also, the square formation presents enemy horses with very solid troops and real hedges of sharp weapons, shrinking them from accusations.
See also
- Swedish Army
- Swedish designation system
- Great Northern War
- Carolean Death March
Note
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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