elite light infatry
elite light infatry
light infanry forces form a skirmish line to slow the enemy advance and keep their own line unmolested by enemy skirmishers. whether they are called light infanry, jaegers, tirailleurs or chasseurs à pied, it is the job of these men to screen the main battle line, harass the enemy and, if possible, pick off important men in the enemy’s ranks. unlike their fellows in the line infanry, light infantymen are trained to think for themselves, use the ground and cover intelligently, and not fight in rigid lines. instead, they form a loose skirmish line and fire independently at their own designated targets. the effect is a constant, low-level barrage rather than the crashing thunder of a volley but the effect is quite deadly as officers and sergeants are picked off and removed from the fight. against cvalry, however, their best defence is to withdraw to their own battle line. historically, the austrians were widely regarded as producing the finest light infanry forces in europe. other nations did catch up, but in the case of britain and france it was their experiences in fighting in north america that persuaded them of the wisdom of light troops. battle lines were simply impossible to manage in the dense woodlands, and largely pointless against the native
轻步兵用以组成散兵队形以迟滞敌军的前进速度，并驱逐敌军轻步兵以防他们骚扰本军阵线。不论他们被叫做轻步兵、狙击兵、散兵或是猎兵，他们的工作都是掩护本军主阵线和骚扰敌军，如果有可能，他们也不介意狙倒一两个敌军的重要人物。与战列步兵不同，轻步兵接受了大量有关利用地形隐蔽和掩护自己的训练，柔性进退而非固守阵线。轻步兵们组成松散的队形，自由开火对付目标。这种战术自然不如枪林弹雨的齐射那样壮观，但效果却一样致命。试想，一支沒了军官和军士的部队该如何作战呢？骑兵是轻步兵的克星，遇到骑兵，轻步兵就只能飞奔回自己的主阵线寻求保护。历史上，奥地利人被认为拥有欧洲最好的轻步兵。其他国家在模仿奥地利组件自己的轻步兵时，英国和法国却依据自己在北美的经验组建了独特的轻步兵单位。这些轻步兵用以独立行动，在一般战列步兵无法发挥作用的森林地形对付当地土著。
