Battle Tactics of Napoleon and His Enemies

The French Revolutionary wars of the eighteenth century resulted in the overturning of the tradition of 'linear' warfare on the European battlefield by a new system of 'impulse' warfare primarily employed by the French Army and later adopted by their adversaries. Historians have placed great emphasis on Napoleon's leadership in defining the outcome of decisive battles of the period, but Brent Nosworthy argues this fails to appreciate the wealth of opportunities the new impulse system afforded to his subordinate commanders at the expense of their opponents. This book argues that successful minor tactics were the building blocks which enabled Napoleon to implement his grand tactical designs, best illustrated by the triumph of Austerlitz.