Cuirassier - combat unit of the main striking force of linear cavalry

View of heavy cavalry in cuirass

French cuirassier (1809)

Cuirassiers

(/ˌkzɪrəsɪər/, from French
cuirassier
[1][kɥiʁasje]) were cavalry armed with cuirass, sword and pistols. Cuirassiers first appeared in Europe in the mid-to-late 16th century and were produced as a result of armored cavalry, such as troopers and half-troopers, abandoning their spears and adopting the use of pistols as their primary weapon. [2] At the end of the 17th century, the cuirassier lost the armor on his limbs and subsequently used only the cuirass (breastplate and shield), and sometimes a helmet. By this time, the sword or saber had become their main weapon, and pistols were relegated to a secondary function.

Cuirassiers achieved greater prominence during the Napoleonic Wars and last saw action during the opening stages of the First World War. Cuirassiers continue to be used as ceremonial troops in a number of countries. The French term means "man with cuirass" ( cuirass

), the breastplate they wore. [3]

Effectiveness during the Napoleonic Wars[edit]

Although the armor could not protect against fire from modern flintlock muskets, it could deflect long-range shots, prevent ricochets, and provide protection against all but pistol fire at very close range. More importantly, in an era when cavalry was used in large numbers, breastplates (along with helmets) provided excellent protection from the swords and spears of opposing cavalry and from infantry armed with bayonets. It also had some psychological effect on the wearer (effectively forcing the cuirassier more willing to plunge into the thick of battle) and the enemy (adding intimidation), while at the same time it also added weight to the charge, especially in cavalry versus cavalry action.

Charge of French cuirassiers at the Battle of Waterloo against British infantry square.

Napoleonic French cuirasses were originally designed to protect against three musket shots at close range; however, this was never achieved in practice. Regulations eventually recognized this, and cuirasses were subsequently expected to protect against only one shot at long range. [14]

The usefulness of this armor has sometimes been disputed. Prussian cuirassiers abandoned armored cuirasses before the Napoleonic Wars, but were re-issued with them in 1814. During this period, the only British cavalry regiment (the Royal Horse Guards) wore cuirasses during the 1794 Low Countries campaign, using breastplates taken from a store. [15] Austrian cuirassiers traded protection for mobility, wearing only a half-cuirass (without a back) and a helmet. [16] Napoleon considered it quite useful that he received cuirassier style armor issued to his two carbine regiments after the Battle of Wagram. The Russians, having abandoned the Austrian-style half cuirasses in 1801, reissued full cuirasses in 1812 for all army and guards cuirassier regiments, which received troops in the summer of 1812 and wore cuirasses at Borodino. After the Battle of Tarutino, the Pskov Dragoon Regiment received captured French cuirasses and was officially transformed into a cuirassier regiment. Although metallurgically more advanced than ancient plate armor, the Napoleonic era cuirass was still quite bulky and hot to wear in warm weather; however, the additional protection it gave the wearer and the imposing appearance of an armored cavalryman were factors that contributed to its retention.

Cuirassiers in Russia: where it all began

Before the revolution, each guards regiment had a regimental museum, where all its regalia, as well as samples of uniforms from different years, were carefully preserved. Then, for the regiment’s anniversary, we got historical photographs like these. Well, historians had plenty of freedom: come, look, touch, describe...

...for six hundred shekels of silver, and the horse for one hundred and fifty. 2 Chronicles 17:1

Military affairs at the turn of eras.

Armies have always been expensive for the state. So Peter I, when establishing a regular army in Rus', apparently thought a lot about how to make it European and at the same time cheap enough, of course, by his own standards, so that foreigners, God forbid, would not laugh at Peter’s troops. And it is clear that he could not do without cavalry, but decided, since it was possible, to make it cheap. Therefore, he did not have any expensive cuirassiers, but limited himself, in general, to the universal dragoon cavalry, which was “riding infantry”, and only gradually, over time, learned to fight not only on foot, but also on horseback.

The tax for the maintenance of the dragoon cavalry was paid separately and was called the dragoon tax, and it was introduced in 1701. First, the dragoon regiments (nine in number) recruited former spearmen, reiters and noble minors (at least some kind of elite!), a total of 10,012 people. From each yard they were supposed to collect: from landowners and patrimonial owners - 20 kopecks, from church and palace departments - 25, from merchants - a tenth of the income. But the number of regiments constantly increased and by 1706 reached 28. The budget of the Russian state spent 420,000 rubles a year on their maintenance! And this despite the fact that the Russian dragoons rode on “thin horses”, and their uniforms did not differ from the infantry, with the exception of high boots made of hard leather, which were absolutely necessary for operating in tight formation. Nevertheless, horsemen, somewhat similar to cuirassiers, did appear in Russia under Peter I, albeit in small numbers and only for a while.

Cavalry guard of Catherine's times. From the book by Jacob von Lude “Images of the uniforms of the Russian imperial army.” Artist and engraver H. G. G. Geisler. St. Petersburg, 1793

As already noted here, Peter was a rather thrifty monarch, but, having signed the Decree on the Coronation of Empress Catherine in 1723, he decided not to skimp on the celebrations on this occasion. Peter himself refused the official ceremony, but decided to legally formalize the status of his wife as his heir. At the coronation, Catherine was to be accompanied by cavalry guards, or trabants (drabants) - knights of special guard, a guard of honor, a living demonstration of the power and glory of the empire. Although this was a “one-time” unit, Peter’s closest associates fought for the right to form it. Thus, Count Tolstoy had already received the order to carry out the final fitting and adjustment of the luxurious uniform and knightly armor, but then he was pushed aside by Menshikov and Yaguzhinsky, who clashed in the last major palace intrigue of the reign of Peter. In the end, His Serene Highness Prince Alexander Danilovich Menshikov was very unlucky: he was not even included in the cavalry guards. And Yaguzhinsky became the main cavalry guard, and this despite the fact that Peter I formally appointed himself captain of the cavalry guard. However, the happiness of Prosecutor General Yaguzhinsky was also short-lived. After the coronation, which took place in March 1724, the life campaign was dissolved, and the luxurious uniforms and silver pipes were put into storage. On April 30, 1726, the cavalry guard was restored, but Catherine I herself now became its captain. Anna Ioannovna did not trust the cavalry guards, representatives of noble Russian families, and decided to spite them by forming the Horse Guards, and officers began to be recruited into it mainly from foreigners without family background. tribe. Elizaveta Petrovna did not establish cavalry guards. But Catherine II restored this honorary guard again, and in it “60 privates served in the ranks of second majors, captains and lieutenants.” True, it is quite difficult to call this unit a military unit. It was very few in number. Well, the Cavalry Guard Regiment became a full-fledged combat unit in the Imperial Russian Army only in 1800.

At the coronation of 1724, the cavalry guards were dressed in caftans of green cloth with gilded buttons and gold braid, red trousers and camisoles, and on top of the caftan there was also a red supervest (something like the same cuirass or vest, but made of fabric), trimmed with wide gold galloon. A silver star of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called was embroidered on the chest of the superwests, and a golden double-headed eagle on the back. They were armed with broadswords with a gilded hilt and a sheath made of white leather, with a lanyard made of gold threads, as well as a carbine and two pistols, also trimmed with gold. It’s beautiful, to be sure, and such a guard should have made a strong impression.

Cavalry Guard 1724 From the book by A. P. Sapozhnikov “Drawings from a brief history of Her Imperial Majesty’s Cavalry Guard Regiment from 1724 to 1832”

Well, the honor of creating the actual cuirassier regiments in Russia belongs to Burchard Christopher Minich, who was one of the chicks of Petrov’s nest and who, after Peter’s death, served his niece, Empress Anna Ioannovna. Another war with Turkey was brewing, and Minich, having carefully studied the Austrian experience of fighting with Turkish cavalry, in 1730 proposed to the empress a project for creating heavy cuirassier cavalry in Russia. The Empress thought about it and on December 31, 1730, she issued a decree on the creation of the first Life Guards Cavalry Regiment, in which she herself would be listed as a colonel. For the lower ranks, who continued to be called reiters, it was planned to buy 1,111 German horses abroad. Officers had to buy horses at their own expense. In 1732, the cost of purchasing and delivering 1,201 horses from Germany for the Horse Guards reached 80 thousand rubles. So the pleasure of having cuirassiers for Russia turned out to be not at all cheap.

“For non-commissioned officers, kettledrum players, trumpeters, corporals and cuirassiers, do not mount horses less than 36 and more than 38 inches, so that their chests and hindquarters are wide, from 4 to 6 years old mares and geldings with black or brown and bay hair, which are always The companies are divided into regiments according to wool. For horses purchased in Russia, pay from 30 to 50 rubles, and for those purchased in Germany from 60 to 80 with a drive for officers. From German regions you can contract to supply from 100 to 200 rubles for each,”

- Anna Ioannovna indicated in the document dated November 18, 1731 “On the establishment of the Cuirassier Regiment from the cavalry.”

Prices for horses, as you can see, were simply sky-high; German horses of the famous Holstein breed were especially expensive.

Cavalry guard in full dress during the reign of Empress Catherine II (1764-1796). From the book by A. P. Sapozhnikov “Drawings from a brief history of Her Imperial Majesty’s Cavalry Guard Regiment from 1724 to 1832”

Here one more subtlety should be noted: in addition to the “thunderstorm for the Turks,” the new cuirassier regiments were conceived by the empress as a “counterweight” to the old Peter’s guard: the Semenovsky and Preobrazhensky regiments, the loyalty of which she doubted, and not without reason. And so, in order to entice young nobles to serve as officers in these cavalry regiments, and not in the old guard, special privileges, or, in those days, “avants,” were invented for them. There were several of them, and they were all very characteristic of that time:

1. They will never be sent to Persia. 2. Except in wartime, service will be in the capital and its surroundings, and they will have housing in the best apartments. 3. The salary is higher than all other regiments. 4. Both privates and corporals are all higher in rank than other regiments. 5. Even ordinary people will not be beaten with sticks for any offense.

Since in the army at that time they flogged for any offense, the latter privilege, of course, had a particularly attractive force, although flogging at that time was looked at differently than it is now. There was even a saying: “If they don’t beat you, it’s well known that they teach badly!”

However, the Life Guards Horse Regiment, where the empress was a colonel, was created so slowly that the first cuirassier regiment was not it, but... the army regiment of Minich. Moreover, in 1731, the Vyborg Dragoon Regiment was simply renamed the cuirassier regiment. And on November 1, 1732, the Nevsky Dragoon Regiment, which turned into the Life Cuirassier Regiment, and the Yaroslavl Dragoon Regiment, which became the 3rd Cuirassier Regiment, became cuirassiers.

Cuirassier of the Kazan regiment of the era of Catherine II. From the book by Jacob von Lude “Images of the uniforms of the Russian imperial army.” Artist and engraver H. G. G. Geisler. St. Petersburg, 1793

By 1740, there were already four cuirassier regiments in the Russian imperial army. According to the states, the regiment should have had a strength of 977 people and... 781 combat horses. Moreover, again, it must be emphasized that not only the horses in the regiments were originally German, but their composition was also largely ... German, since Germans were willingly recruited into the cuirassiers, who fought well and had no connections with the Russian aristocracy. In particular, Hieronymus Karl Friedrich von Minihausen, the future famous Baron Munchausen, was a Russian cuirassier. Even with my own uniform, there were big problems with that one at first...

Cavalry officers in 1742. From the book by A.P. Sapozhnikov “Drawings from a brief history of the Cavalry Guard of Her Imperial Majesty Regiment from 1724 to 1832”

Russian cuirassiers had dark-colored horses, but traditionally light-colored uniforms. Since tunics and leggings (tight leggings) were made from tanned elk leather (suede), they initially had a yellowish color and only later began to wear a white uniform made of white cloth. The shelves were differentiated by the color of the cuffs and lapels on their uniforms, that is, the colors of the “applied cloth.” For example, the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment, the same one that was established first, but actually appeared second, had red cuffs and lining.

Cavalry guard in everyday uniform 1764-1796. From the book by A. P. Sapozhnikov “Drawings from a brief history of Her Imperial Majesty’s Cavalry Guard Regiment from 1724 to 1832”

The cuirassier, unlike the dragoon, in 1732-1742. it was necessary to have two uniforms. One, called everyday, consisted of a blue caftan, the same as in the dragoon cavalry, but a red camisole and elk skin trousers. The hat had a metal oval crown, called a casket, with a brim trimmed with gold braid along the edge. On their feet, the cuirassiers wore high boots with flaps made of hard leather and spurs. The second uniform was a drill uniform. It included a moose jacket, a breeches and trousers. The tunic was a narrow and short caftan, which had a turn-down collar, with cuffs and rolled flaps, which were trimmed along the edge with a ribbon of red cloth 2.5 cm wide. Both the collar and the collar were fastened with hooks. The podkoletnik was a short vest without a collar or sleeves. The “second uniform” was complemented by a black feather hat (cocked hat), a white tie, gloves and high boots with shibboleth cuffs, and instead of an overcoat there was a cape made of red cloth. In ceremonial formation, as well as during military operations, a cuirass with a suede lining, with metal spikes along the edges, a red cloth trim (for officers, velvet!) and a copper or gilded plaque with a royal monogram on the chest was worn over an elk tunic. The straps with which the cuirass was attached to the rider’s chest were reinforced with metal plates; for officers, they were gilded. The weight of the cuirass was about 10 kg. So people of strong build had to carry such weapons...

Chief officer of the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment. From the book “Drawings for the history of the Life Guards Horse Regiment: uniform of the Life Guards Horse Regiment. 1731—1848"

The cuirassier's weapons were a straight broadsword with a brass guard and a straight handle, two pistols in saddle holsters (olstras) and a carbine. However, such a complete set of weapons could hardly be found in even one of the regiments. Here are the broadswords - yes, all the cuirassiers had them. They also tried to arm them with pikes - longer than those the lancers had, with an influx of weighted lead.

Chief officer and reiter of the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment, 1731-1742. From the book “Drawings for the history of the Life Guards Horse Regiment: uniform of the Life Guards Horse Regiment. 1731—1848"

Cuirasses were used painted black, with brass fastening parts. The cavalry guards, who represented a particularly privileged regiment of the same cuirassiers, had cuirasses at a certain period in their history of scarlet color with gold trim.

Private of the Cavalry Corps of Paul I. Only under him the supervestes of the cavalry guards were decorated with the Maltese cross. From the book by A. P. Sapozhnikov “Drawings from a brief history of Her Imperial Majesty’s Cavalry Guard Regiment from 1724 to 1832”

Among the cuirassier units of the Russian army, the regiments of His Majesty and Her Majesty, which competed with each other since the time of Peter the Great, stood out especially. Over the many years of existence, both regiments changed many names. The emperor's cuirassiers trace their history back to the Dragoon Regiment, formed by Prince Grigory Volkonsky in 1702. Only in 1761; During the Seven Years' War, the regiment received its final name, and Alexander I assigned it guards status in 1813. The barracks were located in Tsarskoye Selo, so in common parlance it began to be called Tsarskoye Selo. The ancestor of the Empress's cuirassiers was the Portes Dragoon Regiment, organized by the boyar Tikhon Nikitich Streshnev in 1704. In 1733 the regiment became the Life Cuirassier Regiment, in 1762 - the Cuirassier General-in-Chief Korf Regiment. In 1796, Empress Maria Feodorovna became the chief of the regiment, and the regiment was renamed in her honor; the name subsequently did not change. True, the Gatchina cuirassiers (they were located in Gatchina) received the right to be called guardsmen much later than the Tsarskoye Selo cuirassiers - in 1856, which intensified the rivalry. The poet Afanasy Fet made a choice in favor of the Empress’s regiment:

“Meanwhile, I strongly wanted to transform myself into a formal cuirassier, and I dreamed of a white baldric, a lacquered canopy, a broadsword, copper cuirass and a helmet with a crest of a horse’s tail, towering over the Star of St. George.”

Usually His and Her Majesty's cuirassiers were called "yellow cuirassiers" and "blue cuirassiers" - according to the instrument colors. Collars, cuffs, shoulder straps, piping, piping, bands and horse saddles were yellow for some and blue for others. Most contemporaries believed that the empress's blue cuirassiers looked more impressive.

Photo for the 200th anniversary of the Tsarskoe Selo cuirassiers. Magazine "Niva" for 1902

On the eve of the Seven Years' War in Russia there were already five cuirassier regiments, both guards and army. The regiment was supposed to have 946 people, but usually it was somewhat less. All regiments fought, and the 3rd Cuirassier even took part in the capture of Berlin. But... the same Rumyantsev assessed their combat work as unsatisfactory and wrote the following to the Empress Catherine:

“The cuirassier and carabinieri regiments are mounted on both expensive and delicate and heavy breed horses, which are more for parade than capable of action. During the entire campaign they had to stock up on dry fodder, since they were exhausted on field food. For this reason, in past operations it was impossible for our cavalry to produce the benefit that it might have had the opportunity to..."

That is, cuirassier horses required special food and careful care, and for some reason it turned out to be difficult to arrange all this for them in our army. Although Rumyantsev noted that for some reason the Prussian cuirassiers do not experience such difficulties...

Officer's cuirass of the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment. Russia, XVIII century. Steel, brass, leather, embossing, engraving Monogram of Catherine I. (State Historical Museum, Moscow)

Peter III decided to increase the number of cuirassier regiments to 12, Catherine the Second, during whose reign this war was completed, canceled this decision, and Russia was left with five regiments of heavy cavalry: the Life Cuirassier, the Cuirassier Regiment of the Heir to the Tsarevich, the Regiment of the Military Order ( former Minich regiment), Ekaterinoslavsky (former Novotroitsky), and Kazan regiment.

Officer's cuirass of the Life Guards Cavalry Regiment. Russia, 1730s. Steel, brass, embossing, engraving. On the cuirass is the monogram of Empress Anna Ioannovna. State Historical Museum, Moscow

Subsequently, the number of cuirassier regiments in Russia constantly changed. New monarch, new whim - new regiments. It was only in 1801 that Alexander I for some reason abolished cuirasses in the cuirassier regiments. And it turned out... with great losses in these regiments in the wars with Napoleon in 1805-1807. But later, either the sovereign himself thought of this, or someone told him, the cuirasses were returned to them in 1811. Literally a year before the start of the “thunderstorm of '12.” However, why be surprised? In the Russian army of that time, such “eccentricities” happened constantly. For example, when we started a regiment of lancers, they borrowed exactly its uniform from the Poles, but... they forgot about the main weapon of the lancers - pikes, which this regiment again received only on the eve of 1812!

Breastplate of Prince Eugene of Savoy.
Museum of Military History. Vienna To be continued...

Franco-Prussian War[edit]

Main article: Franco-Prussian War

The last time cuirassiers played an important tactical role as shock cavalry in traditional armor was during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71. The French cuirassiers numbered 11 regiments at the start of the war, but did not see action after the Battle of Waterloo. The brigade, consisting of the 6th and 9th regiments, took part in the Crimean War, but did not actually encounter the enemy. [17] Accordingly, the prospect of action against the Prussian army, which included 10 of its own cuirassier regiments, [18] was seen as an opportunity for the strictly traditional French cavalry branch to prove its continued relevance. Indeed, in a series of massive attacks on Prussian infantry and artillery at Frechewillers and Resonville, the French cuirassiers suffered very heavy losses for little return.

Heavy cavalry tactics

The increase in the rate of fire of the infantry, brought to perfection by the Prussian king Frederick the Great, was a real gift for the cuirassiers. The number of infantry ranks was reduced from six or eight to three. And the thinner the line of shooters, the easier it is to break through. And put the enemy to flight.

Throughout the 18th century, the number of cuirassier regiments in European armies continuously increased. There were thirteen of them in the Prussian army, and the Austrians had even more - 18 regiments.

At the same time, individual cuirassier regiments began to be united into more powerful formations. Masses of steel-clad cavalry began to decide the outcome of major battles.

Napoleon even formed two cuirassier divisions. Each of them included as many as six regiments of heavy cavalry. The impact of such a mass of armored horsemen was capable of breaking almost any enemy. The cuirassier attack of General Etienne Nansouty became a difficult test for the Russian Life Guard regiments in the Battle of Borodino.

19th-20th centuries[edit]

French cuirassiers in Paris, August 1914. During the early months of the First World War, these regiments wore cloth-covered cuirasses and helmets. [19]

Italian corazzieri during a public event

In 1914, the German army still retained cuirassiers (ten regiments, including Gardes du Corps and Guards Cuirassiers); as well as the French (twelve regiments) and Russian (four regiments, the entire Imperial Guard) armies. The Austrians abandoned heavy breastplates in 1860 [20] and officially abolished cuirassiers as part of their cavalry in 1868. [21] Influenced by the French example, the Belgian army created two regiments of cuirassiers in 1830. they were converted into lancers in 1863. [22]

By the end of the 19th century, German and Russian cuirassiers used breastplates only as part of their peacetime ceremonial dress, [23] but French regiments still wore the cuirass and plumed helmet (both with cloth covering) on ​​active service during the first weeks of the First World War. Among the ceremonial units is the Spanish squadron Escolta Real

(Royal Escort), [24] the Argentine Presidential Bodyguard [25] and the Italian Cuirassier Corps (
Corazzieri
) [26] all wore cuirasses as part of their mounted troops. dress uniform in the early years of the 20th century.

The retention of cuirass as part of the field uniform by the French Army in 1914 reflected the historical prestige of this branch of cavalry, dating back to the Franco-Prussian War and Napoleon's campaigns. Before the war, the Army maintained that the cuirass should be limited to dress dress, but after mobilization in 1914, the only concession to active service was the addition of a brown or blue cloth cover [27] over the shiny steel. and brass metal hardware to make it less noticeable. [28] Within a few weeks, most French regiments stopped wearing the cuirass as it served no real purpose in this new war. However, it was not formally withdrawn until October 1915.[29]

Russian and German cuirassiers ceased to exist after the disbandment of the imperial armies in both countries; respectively in 1917 (due to the revolution) and in 1918 (due to the Treaty of Versailles). The French cuirassiers continued to exist after the First World War, although without traditional armor, and their numbers were reduced to six regiments, which were the most decorated during the war. Five of these units achieved their distinction by serving as "cuirassier foot soldiers"

"or
foot
cavalrymen in the trenches. The surviving cuirassier regiments were among the first cavalry units of the French army to mechanize in the 1930s. One cuirassier regiment is still part of the French army.

Differences between cuirassiers

The main difference between this type of cavalry was the protective armor - cuirasses. They were made of metal plates, and to protect against corrosion they were coated with black paint or polished.

Initially, cuirasses covered the chest and back of the rider. Then the armor was lightened and the back part was removed. And at the end of the 18th century, the commanders suddenly decided that, thanks to the rapid onslaught, there was no need to protect the soldier’s chest. Cuirasses were canceled altogether. But losses during the Napoleonic wars forced us to reconsider this erroneous opinion. And full cuirasses returned to service.

In the 19th century, such armor was considered as complete protection against shot. Therefore, their production technology was constantly improved, and their protective properties increased. But the development of rifled weapons led to the fact that armor capitulated to the bullet and armor remained only an element of the dress uniform of elite cavalry units.

Cuirassier uniforms - tunics - were originally made from thin suede. The durable material lasted longer in contact with the metal cuirass. Then the suede was replaced with thick cloth. But according to tradition, for a long time, warriors’ uniforms were light yellow, characteristic of dressed suede.

Gradually, in most European countries, cuirassiers received a white uniform. Although the uniforms of French cuirassiers traditionally remained dark blue.

From time to time they tried to arm the cuirassiers with pikes. Military theorists assumed that the “shock blow” would seriously benefit if the horsemen attacked the enemy not only with broadswords, but also with a long spear - the heir to the weapons of medieval knights.

A curious distinction of the Prussian cuirassiers was the hussar tashka assigned to them - a bag worn on the belt, decorated with colored cloth and the monogram of the ruling king. Most likely, its appearance was associated with the desire to make the differences of the cuirassier regiments more noticeable. After all, the cuirass not only protected the soldier, but also hid the colored trim of the uniform assigned to each regiment.

Cuirassiers today[edit]

• The French
  Army maintains one historical Cuirassier as an armored unit: the 12th Regiment de Cuirassiers based on the Olivet.
• Italy
  maintains the Cuirassier Regiment (Italian:
  Reggimento Corazzieri
  ) as an honor guard for the President of the Italian Republic. They are part of the Carabinieri.
• Spain
  maintains a cavalry unit within the Spanish Royal Guard, who wear cuirasses and are sometimes known as cuirassiers (Spanish:
  Coraceros
  ).
  Their proper name is Royal Escort Squadron ( Escuadrón de Escolta Real
  ).
• The British
  equestrian dress featured the cuirass as part of their dress equipment on formal occasions but were never officially designated as cuirassiers, instead retaining the titles of lifeguard and horse guards.
• The Chilean
  Army maintains an armored brigade that uses the name
  1st Armored Cuirassier Brigade
  .
• The Argentine
  Army 7th Armored Cavalry also uses
  Colonel Ramon Estomba's title of "cuirassier"
  .
  In addition, the 4th Reconnaissance Cavalry Regiment (Mountain) retains the title of General Lavalier Coracero
  (General Lavalier's Cuirassier). This latter regiment maintains a mounted fanfare and ceremonial escort in 1910 Argentine cuirassier uniforms, although period body armor is no longer worn.

Tactical use of cuirassiers

The first cuirassiers were established by King Maximilian I of Germany at the end of the 15th century. These were mainly Croatian mercenaries. However, they were practically no different from ordinary light cavalry of that time.

As a result, this name was not found in other states for quite a long time, because until the second half of the 16th century, the tactics of cuirassiers did not differ much from the tactics of knights. At that time, it was popular to use a ramming blow with a spear.

Everything changed because of the wheel lock invented by Leonardo da Vinci. This made it possible to do without burning wicks and use pistols that were always ready for battle. They were invented back in the 80s of the 15th century. They were recognized as master gunsmiths during their lifetimes. With all this, due to many difficulties in their manufacture, for quite a long time they remained a rare curiosity. And only in the twenties of the 16th century did they begin to manufacture pistols on an industrial scale.

It should be noted that, due to the high cost of the first pistols, they could only be available to aristocrats who still did not take off their knightly armor, but they were not so accessible to impoverished nobles who became mercenaries, so pistols began to appear en masse among the last of the knights only in a decade. Whereas for the rest of the cavalry, mass armament with pistols became available only in the middle of the 16th century.

Evolution of cuirassier harness[edit]

The development of firearms, which reduced the effectiveness of expensive heavy armor, led to a significant reduction in the size and complexity of the latter. This form of protection was reduced in the second half of the 17th century to a breastplate and helmet which eventually became largely decorative against projectiles, but still retained its effectiveness against swords, spears, bayonets and other bladed weapons.

• Cuirassier (16th century)
• Three-quarter armor (early 17th century)
• French Centguard breastplate (19th century), still used in battle today
• Spanish ceremonial cuirass Escuadron de Escolta Real

  (20th century)

Reitars - relatives of cuirassiers

And here the reiters burst into our history. These cavalrymen armed themselves in the cuirassier style - with a sword, light armor and pistols. But they relied on shots and maneuvers on the battlefield - unlike the cuirassiers, who relied on edged weapons. And the reiters had their own, new tactics.

The riders of the first rank of the Reitar regiment rode up to the enemy infantry, bristling with pikes. But instead of a suicidal attack, they fired two shots and turned back. Following them, the next line drove up... At this time, the cavalrymen who had fired the shot were reloading their pistols in the rear. This spiral movement resembled a snail shell, which is why the Reitar tactic was called “caracol” - Italian for “snail”.

Evgeny Bashin-Razumovsky Expert on historical issues

Weapons dictate tactics. And how similar it is to other horsemen with distance weapons - the nomadic archers of Eastern Europe and Asia, from the Magyars and Cumans to the Mongols.

Reitars took to the battlefields until the end of the 17th century. Their mobility and shooting power made it possible to achieve convincing victories over infantry. But this continued until the development of linear tactics and the improvement of firearms led first to a decrease in the number of pikemen, and then to their complete disappearance.

Links[edit]

1. "cuirassier - definition of cuirassier in the free online dictionary, thesaurus and encyclopedia". Thefreedictionary.com. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
2. Oman, Charles (1987) [1937] A History of the Art of War in the Sixteenth Century
   , London: Greenhill, ISBN 0-947898-69-7, pp. 85-88. The first recorded use of pistols on horseback by German cavalry was in 1545.
3. Angus Konstam, William Youngusband (1996). Russian army of the Seven Years' War
   . Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85532-587-X.
4. Tincey, J. (McBride, A. - illustrator) (1990) Soldiers of the English Civil War (2) Cavalry
   , Osprey Publishing, ISBN 0-85045-940-0. pp. 31 and 45.
5. Haythornthwaite, P. (1983) The English Civil War, An Illustrated History
   of Blandford Press. ISBN 1-85409-323-1. pp. 45 and 49.
6. Brzezinski, R. (Hook, R. - illustrator) (1993) Army of Gustav Adolf (2) Cavalry.
   Osprey Publishing, ISBN 1-85532-350-8, page 4
7. Blackmore, D. (1990) Arms and Armor of the English Civil Wars
   , Trustees of the Royal Armories. ISBN 0-948092-08-4, pp.9-10
8. Mollo, John. Military fashion
   . paragraph 23. ISBN 0-214-65349-8.
9. Blackmore, D. (1990) Arms and Armor of the English Civil Wars
   , Trustees of the Royal Armories. ISBN 0-948092-08-4, pp.9-10
10. Smith, Digby (2006). An illustrated encyclopedia of uniforms of the Napoleonic Wars
    . pp. 140–141. ISBN 0-7548-1571-4.
11. Stadden, Charles. Life Guards. Clothing and dating 1660-1914
    . paragraph 29. ISBN 0-85524-049-0.
12. Richard Notel, page 24 "Uniform of the World, ISBN 0-684-16304-7
13. Heath, Ian (2005). Sikh Army 1799-1849. paragraph 46. ISBN 1-84176-777-8.
14. Elting, J. R. (1988) Swords around the Throne: Napoloen in the Grande Armée, London, p. 230
15. W. Y. Carman, Dictionary of Military Uniforms
    , ISBN 0-684-15130-8
16. Philip Haythornthwaite, The Austrian Army of the Napoleonic Wars - Cavalry
    , ISBN 0-85045-726-2
17. Stephen Shann and Louis Delperrier, pages 11 and 17 "The French Army 1870-71, ISBN 1-85532-121-1
18. Michael Solka, page 12, "German Armies 1870-71 - Prussia", ISBN 1 84176 754 9
19. Louis Delperier, Les cuirassiers 1845-1918
    , 1981, pp. 60-67
20. Rothenburg, G. The Army of Francis Joseph
    . West Lafayette: Purdue University Press, 1976. p. 63.
21. Richard Knotel, page 24 "Uniform of the World", ISBN 0-684-16304-7
22. Lierneux, Pierre (2017). The Belgian Army in the Great War Vol. 2
    (1st ed.). Vienna: Verlag Militeria. item 406. ISBN. 978-3-902526-86-1.
23. Herr, Ulrich. German cavalry from 1871 to 1914
    . p. 268. ISBN 3-902526-07-6.
24. ↑
    Jose M. Bueno, page 19 "Tropas de la Casa Real", ISBN 84-86071-01-1
25. Jack Cassin-Scott, plate 1, "The Ceremonial Uniform of the World", ISBN 0 903792 03 6
26. Quinto Cenni, page 309 ""Il Soldato Italiano delle Ottocento", Revista Militare Quaderno n.3/1856
27. Louis Delperrier, pp = 62-67 Les Cuirassiers 1845-1918,
    Paris: Argout-Editions, 1981
28. Mirouze, Laurent (2007). The French Army in the First World War - to the Battle of 1914
    . pp. 258–259. ISBN 978-3-902526-09-0.
29. Louis Delperrier, pp. 34 and 60 Les Cuirassiers 1845-1918,
    Paris: Argout-Editions, 1981

Notes

1. Light by the standards of Central Europe at that time, when the basis of cavalry were Gothic knights on armored horses, and less than a century later such armor began to be considered heavy
2. In fact, even before Leonardo da Vinci, the so-called “monastic arquebus” (German: Moenchsbuechse
   ) was invented - a mechanism that allows the movement of a finger to strike sparks from pyrite by friction against a small flat corrugated arm, and which had the disadvantage of low reliability and misfires, since on the first attempt it was often not possible to strike a spark, especially if the striking movement was not sharp enough; in the mechanism of Leonardo da Vinci, the spark was struck by a rapidly rotating corrugated wheel, if not from the first revolution, then from the nth, which, provided that the weapon was kept clean, gave very high practical reliability
3. Lianna and Fred Funken “Encyclopedia of weapons and military clothing. Middle Ages. The Age of Renaissance: Infantry - Cavalry - Artillery", jointly by Astrel Publishing House and Ast Publishing House, Moscow 2002, ISBN 5-17-014796-1 (Ast), ISBN 5-271-05016-5 (Astrel), ISBN 2-203-14319 -3 (French edition), Part 2 “Cavalry”, Chapter “Light Cavalry”, section “Cuirassiers”, page 44
4. Ewart Oakeshott "European Weapons and Armour." From the Reinessance to the Industrial Revolution.", the Boydell Press, Woodbrifge 2000 (first published 1980), ISBN 0-85115-789-0, chapter 11 "Armour in Decline", section "Cavalry armor", page 198
5. The owners of the latest knightly armor, as a rule, led a luxurious lifestyle, and their armor was often a real work of art, and had a very expensive pompous finish, often representing a whole set of armor for all occasions, called an armor set and combining the functions of ceremonial, tournament and battle armor
6. Lianna and Fred Funken “Encyclopedia of weapons and military clothing. Middle Ages. The Age of Renaissance: Infantry - Cavalry - Artillery", jointly by Astrel Publishing House and Ast Publishing House, Moscow 2002, ISBN 5-17-014796-1 (Ast), ISBN 5-271-05016-5 (Astrel), ISBN 2-203-14319 -3 (French edition), Part 2 “Cavalry”, Chapter “Light Cavalry”, section “Reiters”, page 42
7. Also, cuirassiers were sometimes scolded for the fact that, after unloading their pistols, they turned away so as not to run into the pikes resting on the ground, if the infantry, after the first volleys, managed to maintain the formation forming a “forest of peaks,” while the reiters in a similar situation, methodically reloading pistols, they continued to shoot infantry
8. Particularly noticeable was the gendarmes’ refusal to use horse plate armor.
9. The infantry formation was still mixed and consisted of pikemen mixed with musketeers
10. Some military leaders, in order to reduce weight, sometimes wore incomplete armor, which differed from the armor of ordinary mercenaries in both quality and expensive finishing.
11. The growth in the sophistication of full knight's armor was accompanied by both an increase in the complexity of their design and a noticeable increase in their price, as a result of which more and more nobles remained squires instead of being knighted.
12. Of course, if necessary, the Reitars also cut into the unfinished infantry, wielding their Reitar swords silently. reitschwert
    , which were something between a sword and a bastard sword, however, if the situation allowed, they still preferred to shoot the infantry
13. Usually the armor that had a slight defect was put up for sale by the blacksmith, hiding the defects with oil paint
14. A Reitar with enough money could, having bought high-quality polished armor that had no metal defects, coat it with oil paint to simplify maintenance
15. ↑ 12
    Lianna and Fred Funken “Encyclopedia of weapons and military clothing. Middle Ages. The Age of Renaissance: Infantry - Cavalry - Artillery", jointly by Astrel Publishing House and Ast Publishing House, Moscow 2002, ISBN 5-17-014796-1 (Ast), ISBN 5-271-05016-5 (Astrel), ISBN 2-203-14319 -3 (French edition), Part 2 "Cavalry", diagrams of Reitar and Cuirassier armor, pages 32-33 and 38-39
16. For example, with enlarged eye sockets instead of narrow slits, or even with bars instead of a blank visor
17. In that era, unlike later boots, cuirassier boots were knee-high and were often reinforced with metal plates
18. Most of the infantry armor has earned the name dumb among ordinary infantrymen. scheisenpanzer
    ("crap armor"), but there was also good quality armor worn by elite units
19. Often up to the elbows
20. Often up to the knees
21. Ill. 24. Chief officers of His Majesty's Life Guards Cuirassier and Her Majesty's Life Cuirassier Regiments. (In full dress uniform.) March 15, 1855. // Changes in the uniform and armament of the troops of the Russian Imperial Army since the accession to the throne of Sovereign Emperor Alexander Nikolaevich (with additions): Compiled by the Highest Command / Comp. Alexander II (Russian Emperor), illus. Balashov Pyotr Ivanovich and Piratsky Karl Karlovich. - St. Petersburg: Military printing house, 1857-1881. — Up to 500 copies. — Notebooks 1–111: (With drawings No. 1–661). — 47×35 cm.

Wiktionary has an entry for "cuirassier"

Austrian "Cuirassier"

When the Austrian army needed a new light tank, local engineers, without thinking twice, “crossed” the modified chassis of a tracked armored personnel carrier with a French-made turret. The resulting SK-105 Cuirassier

proved to be in demand on the global arms market - in addition to Austria, it entered service with several countries in Africa and South America.

In the first half of the 60s, the tank fleet of the Bundesheer (Austrian Army) presented a very motley picture. Two hundred medium tanks (about a quarter of them British Cheerioteers, the rest M47 Pattons) complemented approximately 150 light vehicles. Among the latter, the most modern were 72 French AMX-13s, received in 1957-1958, while the rest were American M24 and M41. The obsolete "Cherioteers" and "Chaffees" were already decommissioned in the mid-60s, and their towers were installed in long-term fire structures. But the Austrians tried to modernize the AMX-13.

The path to the Cuirassier

The AMX-13 tanks in service with the Austrian army were early modifications - with an FL-10 turret and a 75-mm cannon. The power of the latter no longer satisfied the military, who demanded that it be replaced with a new 105-mm gun CN-105-57, developed by the French company GIAT. At first they tried to make do with “little loss” by replacing the 75 mm gun with a 105 mm one. It turned out that such an installation in the FL-10 turret was too heavy for the AMX-13 chassis (later in France they created an AMX-13 version with a 105 mm gun, but in a different turret - the FL-12). In 1963, the Austrian armed forces ordered (in 1970 it became part of the Steyr-Daimler-Puch concern) a new light tank.

The chassis for the future tank was created on the basis of the 4K4FA armored personnel carrier weaponsandwarfare.com

The designers of the Osterreichische Saurerwerke took the proven chassis of the 4K series tracked armored personnel carrier and changed its layout to a “tank” one - the engine and gearbox were moved from the front of the hull to the rear. Accordingly, the drive wheels were now located not in front, but in the rear.

Tank SK-105 weaponsandwarfare.com

In 1967, a prototype of the tank was tested, designated 4KH6FA-FL10. The second prototype appeared two years later. It was distinguished by a somewhat shortened hull, but most importantly, it received a new FL-12 turret. In this form, the tank was considered quite suitable, and was put into production under the designation SK-105 “Cuirassier”. Deliveries to the army began in 1972. It is interesting that in the Austrian ground forces the Cuirassier was not listed as a tank, but as a JagdPanzer K tank destroyer (abbreviated as JaPz K).

Design

The SK-105 has a classic layout with a front control compartment, a combat compartment in the middle, and a rear engine-transmission compartment. The hull is welded from steel armor plates, the turret is welded and cast steel. The thickness of the armor of the frontal part of the hull is 20 mm, the forehead of the turret is 40 mm, the sides of the hull are 14 mm, the sides of the turret are 20 mm, the roof of the hull and turret are 8-10 mm.

The driver's workplace is shifted to the left side. To the right of it are batteries and a non-mechanized ammunition rack. Three prism observation devices are installed in front of the driver's hatch, the central one of which, if necessary, can be replaced with a passive periscope night vision device.

Projections of the SK-105 tank the-blueprints.com

The tank is equipped with a FL-12OS oscillating turret, a modified version of the French FL-12. For tanks of the first series, turrets were imported from France; subsequently, their licensed production was established at one of the. The design of the turret provides very limited vertical aiming angles - from −6 to +13º (for comparison, on M60 series tanks this range is from −9 to +20º). The guidance drives are hydraulic (the backup ones are manual), their control is duplicated (can be carried out by both the gunner and the commander). There is no weapon stabilizer. In the stowed position, the gun barrel is fixed with a steady rest located on the upper frontal plate of the hull.

The main armament is a 105 mm rifled gun CN-105-57, known in Austria under the designations M57 and 105G1. The gun is equipped with a two-chamber muzzle brake and a heat-insulating casing. There is no ejector - the removal of powder gases from the barrel after a shot is carried out using a fan. The automatic loader consists of two drum-type magazines for six shots each. The spent cartridge case is thrown out of the tank through a special hatch in the rear of the turret. The gun's rate of fire reaches 12 rounds per minute. Reloading magazines is done manually and requires leaving the tank. The total ammunition load of the gun is 32 rounds.

Initially, the main type of ammunition for the M57 gun was a cumulative projectile, which ensured the destruction of tanks at ranges of up to 2700 m. Its mass is 17.3 kg, the initial speed is 800 m/s. This projectile can penetrate a 360 mm steel armor plate normally or a 150 mm plate at an angle of 65º. High-explosive fragmentation (weight - 18.5 kg, initial speed - 700 m/s) and smoke (weight - 19.1 kg, initial speed - 695 m/s) shells were also used.

Auxiliary armament is a 7.62-mm Steyr MG74Pz machine gun coaxial with a cannon (ammunition capacity - 2000 rounds). A second machine gun of the same type or a 12.7 mm Browning M2NV can be mounted on the commander’s cupola. There are three grenade launchers on each side of the turret for firing smoke grenades.

The tank commander has 7 prism observation devices and a periscope sight with variable magnification (16x and 7.5x; respectively, the field of view is 28° and 9°). The gunner uses two prism observation devices and a telescopic sight with 8x magnification and a field of view of 8.5°. At night, the commander uses an infrared night sight with 6x magnification and a 7º field of view. A TCV29 laser range finder (range measurement range is from 400 to 10,000 m) and an XSW-30-U IR/white light illuminator with a power of 950 W are installed on the roof of the tower.

The tank is equipped with a six-cylinder Steyr 6FA diesel engine with a power of 300 hp. (at 2500 rpm). The transmission consists of a six-speed manual gearbox, a differential-type rotating mechanism with hydraulic displacement transmission in the drive and single-stage final drives.

SK-105 front view weaponsandwarfare.com

The chassis for one side includes a rear drive wheel and a front guide wheel, five road wheels and three support rollers. The suspension of the road wheels is torsion bar, with hydraulic shock absorbers installed on the first and fifth rollers. Caterpillars of type 224A (with a rubber-metal hinge) manufactured in Germany consist of 78 tracks with a width of 380 mm. For driving on snow and ice, steel spurs can be installed.

Modernization

During the production process, the Cuirassier went through several stages of modernization, and it underwent the first one already in the 70s, shortly after the start of serial production. The modernization was comprehensive. Firstly, the gun was modified to fire armor-piercing sabot shells. Such a projectile, developed by GIAT, weighed 3.14 kg (core mass was 1.84 kg) and had an initial speed of 1460 m/s. In terms of armor penetration, it was significantly superior to the cumulative projectile. Secondly, the tank received a new 7FA engine with a power of 320 hp, and the manual gearbox was replaced by an automatic ZF 6 HP 600 with a torque converter and a locking clutch. The upgraded version was designated SK-105A1 (JaPz K A1).

Installation of the M68 cannon on the SK-105A3 tank required significant modifications to the turret weaponsandwarfare.com

The SK-105A2 (JaPz K A2) variant received a new Israeli fire control system, including a thermal imaging camera, and a 9FA engine with 365 hp. On its basis, the Super Cuirassier tank was created in 1981, which received a weapon stabilization system. And in 1986, the SK-105A3 appeared, on which the French gun was replaced by the American M68. However, neither it nor the “Super Cuirassier” were mass-produced.

Vehicles based on the Cuirassier

In 1974, the Austrian army ordered an armored repair and recovery vehicle intended for units armed with Cuirassiers. The 4K7FA SB prototype entered testing two years later. The chassis and power plant of the BREM corresponds to the SK-105A1 tank, but instead of the turret there is a fixed armored cabin that can accommodate four crew members (commander, driver and two repairmen). A lifting boom is mounted in the right front part of the wheelhouse (load capacity - 6 tons, maximum reach - 3.9 m, rotation angle - 234º). In addition, the ARV is equipped with a winch with a traction force of 200 kN (cable length - 95 m) and a small dozer blade. The latter is used mainly as a coulter when operating a crane or winch. A cargo platform is installed above the engine compartment for transporting spare parts and large tools (for example, a welding machine). The ARV's armament consists of a 12.7-mm M2NV turret machine gun (ammunition capacity - 1,500 rounds) and four smoke grenade launchers.

BREM "Greif" pinterest.com

In the Austrian armed forces, the BREM received the designation Bergepanzer (BergPz) and the name “Greif”. Deliveries of such machines began in 1977.

Engineering vehicle 4KH7FA-Pi armedconflicts.com

In 1976, by order of the Austrian army, the development of the 4KH7FA-Pi engineering vehicle began. Its design was based on the Greif, differing only in details. In particular, the machine received a powerful bulldozer blade 3 m wide with a hydraulic drive, and the crane boom was adapted to work with a bucket (forward or backhoe) 350 mm wide. Development of the 4KH7FA-Pi was a low priority. The prototype of the engineering vehicle appeared only in 1984, and mass production began four years later. In the Austrian Armed Forces the 4KH7FA-Pi is designated Pionierpanzer (PiPz).

Engineering vehicle 4KH7FA-Pi during flood relief work armedconflicts.com

"Cuirassiers" in service

The total production volume of SK-105 tanks exceeded 600 units; in addition, 48 ARVs and 18 engineering vehicles were manufactured. Naturally, the largest operator was the Austrian army, which received 285 tanks (133 SK-105A1 and 152 SK-105A2), 36 Greifs and 18 engineering vehicles. "Cuirassiers" entered service with anti-tank and reconnaissance units. In 1995-1996, they were partially replaced by self-propelled ATGMs "Jaguar 1", purchased from Germany. By 2007, only SK-105A2 tanks remained in service (in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd reconnaissance battalions and a tank school), and SK-105A1 were mothballed. During the reorganization and reduction of the armed forces, the active fleet of Cuirassiers was reduced to 60 units by 2010, and a few years later they were removed from service. As for ARVs and engineering vehicles based on the Cuirassier, they are still in service.

SK-105A2 at the parade in Vienna, October 26, 2005 tanks-encyklopedia.com

The SK-105's service in neutral Austria was relatively quiet. Only two episodes deserve mention, both of them related to the former Yugoslavia. In June-July 1991, these tanks took part in an operation to strengthen the security of the border with Slovenia in connection with the outbreak of the civil war. And in 2004, six SK-105A2s went to the KFOR peacekeeping forces in Kosovo.

The second largest buyer of Cuirassiers was the Argentine ground forces. Since 1982, they have received, according to various sources, from 112 to 120 such tanks, including several SK-105A2, as well as 8 ARVs. They were armed with the 9th and 11th cavalry tank regiments from the 9th and 11th mechanized brigades. Each of them, according to the staff, included two squadrons and consisted of 26 tanks and 2 ARVs. In addition, SK-105 became part of the light cavalry regiments - the 3rd (9th mechanized brigade), the 4th mountain (6th mountain brigade), and the 13th (10th mechanized brigade), as well as the 11th th armored reconnaissance cavalry squadron of the 11th mechanized brigade. In these units, Cuirassiers were used in conjunction with armored vehicles AML-90, Grenadier and others.

A prototype of the Patagon tank pinterest.com

In 2003, Argentina began implementing the Patagon program, which included the construction of tanks on the Cuirassier chassis using FL-12 turrets from the decommissioned AMX-13. It was planned to supply 39 such tanks. For the first batch, 9 used SK-105 chassis were purchased from Austria. The Patagon prototype was ready in 2005, but further implementation of the program was slowed down due to a chronic lack of funds. Until 2008, four more cars were produced, after which the program was closed.

"Cuirassier" of the Bolivian Army pinterest.com

In 1979-1982, Bolivia acquired 36 SK-105 tanks and two ARVs. They armed the 3rd and 4th tank battalions. At the end of the 80s, Ecuador hatched plans to purchase Cuirassiers, but there were not enough funds for this. The latest buyer of these tanks was the Brazilian Marine Corps - in 2001, it received 17 SK-105A2S tanks (this version features enhanced turret armor and the presence of a turret-mounted 12.7 mm machine gun) and one ARV.

SK-105A2S Brazilian Marines pinterest.com

The first foreign buyer of the SK-105 was Tunisia, which ordered 54 tanks in 1975 (the first export of Austrian-made armored vehicles). Morocco followed, purchasing 111 Cuirassiers. Moroccan tanks made their mark in the fighting in Western Sahara, where two vehicles became trophies of the Polisario forces. To date, all Moroccan SK-105s have been put into storage. Finally, Botswana has purchased 52 SK-105 tanks since 1997.

The SK-105 Cuirassier tank, created to meet the specific requirements of the armed forces of neutral Austria and considered by them primarily as a means of anti-tank warfare, turned out to be a completely successful combat vehicle.
Evidence of this is the success of the Cuirassier on the global arms market. The SK-105 even became a “screen star” - it starred as a German Afrika Korps tank in the film “The Adventurers,” released in 1984. Tactical and technical characteristics of the SK-105A1 tank

Literature:

1. Odenhal Z. SK-105 Kurassier. ATM, 2007, No. 4
2. Malginov V. Austrian light tank “Cuirassier”. Tankmaster, 2001, No. 5
3. Modern tanks. M.: Arsenal-Press, 1995
4. infodefensa.com
5. tanks-encyklopedia.com
6. tanknutdave.com

How did Frederick of Prussia create the best cavalry in Europe?

A new era in the development of European cavalry was opened by the reign of King Frederick II of Prussia, who gained power in 1740. The young ruler of the growing German state became a cavalry reformer. Before Frederick, the Prussian cavalry did not enjoy such great fame. Until 1740, the cavalry was supposed to maintain clean uniforms and horses, and perform in the parade in a coherent and majestic manner.

Cuirassiers and dragoons and hussars in Prussia were not instructed to pay much attention to the handling of broadswords and sabers. And the horses were not burdened with long marches. They selected slow and clumsy horses for the heavy cavalry, as has been the custom since the 17th century, since the times of knights. Such cavalry was of little use for the rapid pursuit of a retreating enemy; it could not get anywhere.

Therefore, the young king decided to change the entire system of training riders for the army. Frederick's rules were generally used until the beginning of the 20th century in all armies of the world, not just Europe.

During the First World War, cavalry tactics changed, and then large cavalry units disappeared forever from the armies.

What were these rules? Frederick of Prussia ordered the regiments to have experienced riders and postilions, and horse riding teachers. In the units, they built playpens where they trained in any weather under the roof, paying attention to the strength of the soldier’s seat in the saddle. Training in shooting from a carbine did not begin until the soldier learned to ride a horse.

For more than two days, the horses for the cuirassier, dragoon, and hussar were not kept in stable stalls; the horses were constantly taken out into the air, for running, and their endurance was trained. For the beginning of the 18th century, such a rule turned out to be an innovation.

After confident control of a horse by a single soldier, cavalrymen were taught to ride in close formation. First, as part of a squad or group, then in a deployed formation of platoons and squadrons.

The Prussian cavalry lined up in ranks, and there was supposed to be at least 10 steps of distance between the squadrons. The cavalry rushed into battle in lines. First the heavy armored men - the cuirassiers, followed by the dragoons - the medium cavalry. In the third line are light cavalry - hussars. The attack began with the advance of the squadrons at a walk, which was gradually replaced by a trot. 200 steps before the target of attack, the cavalry galloped, the riders swung broadswords, cutting into the enemy’s infantry or cavalry.

Hussar squadrons performed complex formations and could move in a ledge, pouncing on the flanks of the attacked enemy. Frederick insisted on covering the enemy's flanks and also on his cavalry using the highest speeds possible when attacking. without wasting time on empty pistol fire.

The Austrian troops very soon realized what the Prussian system meant in practice. The Prussians beat the Austrian cuirassiers and dragoons in the battles of Owl in September 1745, near the city of Gehenfriedberg in the summer of the same 1745. Previously, the cavalry attacked at a slow pace and fired from carbines or pistols. In the very first battle, the Austrian soldiers expected this from the Prussians, but received a crushing blow with cold steel. A wall of cavalrymen, bristling with broadswords, cut into the ranks of the Austrians' battle formation.

The close formation gave way to a loose formation when it was necessary to pursue the fleeing Austrians.

However, we must not forget that the revival of cavalry was associated with the combat operations of the Prussian army, whose training and actions were in strict accordance with the rules of linear tactics, which sometimes made it very difficult for infantry to maneuver in battle. Its opponents also acted according to the canons of linear tactics. For slow-moving infantry lines, the mobile and liberated cavalry of the Prussians was very dangerous.

Reports of the successes of the Prussian cavalry reached Russia. This news forced the administration to hasten changes in the cavalry, whose condition continued to remain unsatisfactory. The reforms affected all aspects of the life of the Russian cavalry of that time: its, so to speak, “material part,” that is, the horse composition, combat training, and principles of organization.

The strengthening of the Prussian cavalry in Russia was taken as a challenge. They began to pay more attention to feeding the horses and their preparation. The Russian government and military administration allocated more money for the purchase of hay, straw, and oats.

They began to provide fodder not 6 months a year, as before, but all year round, except for 6 weeks when the horses grazed in the meadows. The daily ration was approximately 4 kilograms of oats and 6 kilograms of hay, which cost one and a half rubles per month.

More expensive and better-fed horses began to be purchased for the troops. These measures, of course, were supposed to immediately improve the quality of the horse stock in the cavalry regiments: lead to the decommissioning of decrepit horse personnel and replenish the ranks with stronger and healthier horses.

To improve the combat training of cavalrymen, a new charter, called “Exercise and establishment of formations of all ceremonies of the regular cavalry” and adopted in 1755, played an important role. For the first time on the pages of this charter, the purpose of cavalry in battle * was defined as follows: “Every action and strength of cavalry, which occurs with advance and victory of the enemy, consists in the courage of people, in the good use of broadswords, in a strong closure and in a cruel blow through a strong gallop " These words summarize the experience of the Prussian cavalry, gained in battles with the Austrians, and the rules introduced by King Frederick of Prussia.

According to the regulations, the formation of the cavalry remained the same, three ranks, with the rank standing 3 steps apart from the rank, the riders of one rank had to feel the knee of their neighbor with their knees. Three types of construction were used: expanded, scattered and columns. The deployed formation was intended for battle and attack.

Scattered - for inspecting the area and pursuing a defeated enemy. Columns are for marching movement.

The main part of regimental training was the production of attacks. The cavalry was trained in three types of attacks: ordinary (closed, “knee on knee”), second and scattered. The usual attack began with a slow trot, then moved to an increased tempo of movement, then to a full gallop. When there were only 200 meters left to the enemy, the regiment, at the command “Go, go!” rushed into the quarry. After making an attack on the command “Stop and level!” The horsemen came together, lined up and again galloped into the attack, so that, as stated in the regulations, “to prevent the enemy from being defeated through the first attack, to gather the scattering heaps of his people and set up a front.”

The second attack was a technique for training horses to shoot. The scattering attack existed for pursuit. Only one squadron was allowed to be allocated to a regiment for this purpose. He rode forward, scattered and fired pistols. In all other cases, shooting from horseback was prohibited.

The charter also addressed some details. In particular, turns and races that were made on a solid axis. That is, for example, when the squadron turned to the right, the right flanks reined in their horses, and the left flanks drove in. The officers, riding along the front, ensured that when turning, the formation was maintained in close order in all three ranks and in alignment.

The charter also required horse riding lessons to be held every day and field rides to be regularly arranged, and non-commissioned officers and soldiers to be taught how to cut down “booties and scarecrows” while galloping.

In general, the charter was a useful book for Russian cavalrymen, but, unfortunately, it was very late, right before the war, that he entered the army, and they did not have time to begin training there.

Excerpt characterizing the Cuirassier

The elderly lady bore the name of Princess Drubetskaya, one of the best families in Russia, but she was poor, had long since left the world and had lost her previous connections. She has now come to secure a placement in the guard for her only son. Only then, in order to see Prince Vasily, did she introduce herself and come to Anna Pavlovna for the evening, only then did she listen to the Viscount’s story. She was frightened by the words of Prince Vasily; Once upon a time her beautiful face expressed anger, but this lasted only a minute. She smiled again and grabbed Prince Vasily’s hand more tightly. “Listen, prince,” she said, “I never asked you, I will never ask you, I never reminded you of my father’s friendship for you.” But now, I conjure you by God, do this for my son, and I will consider you a benefactor,” she hastily added. - No, you are not angry, but you promise me. I asked Golitsyn, but he refused. Soyez le bon enfant que vous аvez ete, [Be the kind fellow you were,] she said, trying to smile, while there were tears in her eyes. “Dad, we’ll be late,” said Princess Helen, who was waiting at the door, turning her beautiful head on her antique shoulders. But influence in the world is capital, which must be protected so that it does not disappear. Prince Vasily knew this, and once he realized that if he began to ask for everyone who asked him, then soon he would not be able to ask for himself, he rarely used his influence. In the case of Princess Drubetskaya, however, after her new call, he felt something like a reproach of conscience. She reminded him of the truth: he owed his first steps in the service to her father. In addition, he saw from her methods that she was one of those women, especially mothers, who, once they have taken something into their heads, will not leave until their desires are fulfilled, and otherwise are ready for daily every minute harassment and even on stage. This last consideration shook him. “Here Anna Mikhailovna,” he said with his usual familiarity and boredom in his voice, “it’s almost impossible for me to do what you want; but to prove to you how much I love you and honor the memory of your late father, I will do the impossible: your son will be transferred to the guard, here is my hand to you. Are you satisfied? - My dear, you are a benefactor! I didn’t expect anything else from you; I knew how kind you were. He wanted to leave. - Wait, two words. Une fois passe aux gardes... [Once he joins the guard...] - She hesitated: - You are good with Mikhail Ilarionovich Kutuzov, recommend Boris to him as an adjutant. Then I would be at peace, and then I would... Prince Vasily smiled. - I don’t promise that. You don’t know how Kutuzov has been besieged since he was appointed commander-in-chief. He himself told me that all the Moscow ladies agreed to give him all their children as adjutants. - No, promise, I won’t let you in, my dear, my benefactor... - Dad! - the beauty repeated again in the same tone, - we will be late. - Well, au revoir, [goodbye,] goodbye. Do you see? - So tomorrow you will report to the sovereign? - Definitely, but I don’t promise Kutuzov. “No, promise, promise, Basile, [Vasily],” Anna Mikhailovna said after him, with the smile of a young coquette, which must once have been characteristic of her, but now did not suit her exhausted face. She apparently forgot her years and, out of habit, used all the old feminine remedies. But as soon as he left, her face again took on the same cold, feigned expression that was on it before. She returned to the circle, in which the Viscount continued to talk, and again pretended to listen, waiting for the time to leave, since her work was done. – But how do you find all this latest comedy du sacre de Milan? [Milan anointing?] - said Anna Pavlovna. Et la nouvelle comedie des peuples de Genes et de Lucques, qui viennent presenter leurs voeux a M. Buonaparte assis sur un throne, et exaucant les voeux des nations! Adorable! Non, mais c'est a en devenir folle! On dirait, que le monde entier a perdu la tete. [And here is a new comedy: the people of Genoa and Lucca express their desires to Mr. Bonaparte. And Mr. Bonaparte sits on the throne and fulfills the wishes of the people. 0! This is amazing! No, this can drive you crazy. You will think that the whole world has lost its head.] Prince Andrei grinned, looking straight into Anna Pavlovna’s face. “Dieu me la donne, gare a qui la touche,” he said (the words Bonaparte said when laying on the crown). – On dit qu'il a ete tres beau en prononcant ces paroles, [God gave me the crown. Trouble is to those who touch it. “They say he was very good at pronouncing these words,” he added and once again repeated these words in Italian: “Dio mi la dona, guai a chi la tocca.” “J'espere enfin,” continued Anna Pavlovna, “que ca a ete la goutte d'eau qui fera deborder le verre.” Les souverains ne peuvent plus supporter cet homme, qui menace tout. [I hope that this was finally the drop that overflows the glass. The sovereigns can no longer tolerate this man who threatens everything.] – Les souverains? Je ne parle pas de la Russie,” said the Viscount politely and hopelessly: “Les souverains, madame!” Qu'ont ils fait pour Louis XVII, pour la reine, pour madame Elisabeth? Rien,” he continued, animated. - Et croyez moi, ils subissent la punition pour leur trahison de la cause des Bourbons. Les souverains? Ils envoient des ambassadeurs complimenter l'usurpateur. [Sirs! I'm not talking about Russia. Sirs! But what did they do for Louis XVII, for the queen, for Elizabeth? Nothing. And, believe me, they are being punished for their betrayal of the Bourbon cause. Sirs! They send ambassadors to greet the thief of the throne.] And he, sighing contemptuously, changed his position again. Prince Hippolyte, who had been looking at the Viscount through his lorgnette for a long time, suddenly at these words turned his whole body to the little princess and, asking her for a needle, began to show her, drawing with a needle on the table, the coat of arms of Condé. He explained this coat of arms to her with such a significant air, as if the princess had asked him about it. – Baton de gueules, engrele de gueules d’azur – maison Conde, [A phrase that cannot be translated literally, as it consists of conventional heraldic terms that are not used quite accurately. The general meaning is this: The coat of arms of Condé represents a shield with red and blue narrow jagged stripes,” he said. The princess listened, smiling. “If Bonaparte remains on the throne of France for another year,” the Viscount continued the conversation that had begun, with the air of a man who does not listen to others, but in a matter that is best known to him, following only the course of his thoughts, “then things will go too far.” Through intrigue, violence, expulsions, executions, society, I mean good society, French, will be destroyed forever, and then... He shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands. Pierre wanted to say something: the conversation interested him, but Anna Pavlovna, who was watching him, interrupted. “Emperor Alexander,” she said with the sadness that always accompanied her speeches about the imperial family, “announced that he would let the French themselves choose their mode of government.” And I think there is no doubt that the whole nation, freed from the usurper, will throw itself into the hands of the rightful king,” said Anna Pavlovna, trying to be polite to the emigrant and royalist. “This is doubtful,” said Prince Andrei. “Monsieur le vicomte [Mr. Viscount] quite rightly believes that things have already gone too far. I think it will be difficult to go back to the old ways. “As far as I heard,” Pierre, blushing, again intervened in the conversation, “almost the entire nobility has already gone over to Bonaparte’s side.” “That’s what the Bonapartists say,” said the Viscount, without looking at Pierre. – Now it is difficult to know the public opinion of France. “Bonaparte l'a dit, [Bonaparte said this," said Prince Andrei with a grin. (It was clear that he did not like the Viscount, and that, although he did not look at him, he directed his speeches against him.) “Je leur ai montre le chemin de la gloire,” he said after a short silence, repeating the words again Napoleon: – “ils n'en ont pas voulu; Je leur ai ouvert mes antichambres, ils se sont precipites en foule”... Je ne sais pas a quel point il a eu le droit de le dire. [I showed them the way of glory: they did not want; I opened my halls to them: they rushed in a crowd... I don’t know to what extent he had the right to say that.] - Aucun, [Nothing] - objected the Viscount. “After the Duke’s murder, even the most biased people stopped seeing him as a hero.” “Si meme ca a ete un heros pour certaines gens,” said the Viscount, turning to Anna Pavlovna, “depuis l'assassinat du duc il ya un Marietyr de plus dans le ciel, un heros de moins sur la terre.” [If he was a hero for some people, then after the murder of the Duke there was one more martyr in heaven and one less hero on earth.] Before Anna Pavlovna and others had time to smile at these words of the Viscount, Pierre again burst into the conversation, and Anna Pavlovna, although she had a presentiment that he would say something indecent, could no longer stop him. “The execution of the Duke of Enghien,” said Monsieur Pierre, “was a state necessity; and I precisely see the greatness of the soul in the fact that Napoleon was not afraid to take upon himself the sole responsibility in this act. - Dieul mon Dieu! [God! my God!] - Anna Pavlovna said in a terrible whisper. “Comment, M. Pierre, vous trouvez que l'assassinat est grandeur d'ame, [How, Monsieur Pierre, you see the greatness of the soul in murder," said the little princess, smiling and moving her work closer to her. - Ah! Oh! - said different voices. – Capital! [Excellent!] - Prince Ippolit said in English and began to hit himself on the knee with his palm. The Viscount just shrugged. Pierre looked solemnly over his glasses at the audience. “I say this because,” he continued with despair, “because the Bourbons fled from the revolution, leaving the people to anarchy; and Napoleon alone knew how to understand the revolution, defeat it, and therefore, for the common good, he could not stop before the life of one person. – Would you like to go to that table? - said Anna Pavlovna. But Pierre, without answering, continued his speech. “No,” he said, becoming more and more animated, “Napoleon is great because he rose above the revolution, suppressed its abuses, retained everything good - the equality of citizens, and freedom of speech and the press - and only because of this he acquired power.” “Yes, if he, having taken power without using it to kill, would have given it to the rightful king,” said the Viscount, “then I would call him a great man.” - He couldn't do that. The people gave him power only so that he could save him from the Bourbons, and because the people saw him as a great man. The revolution was a great thing,” Monsieur Pierre continued, showing with this desperate and defiant introductory sentence his great youth and desire to express himself more and more fully. – Are revolution and regicide a great thing?... After that... would you like to go to that table? – Anna Pavlovna repeated. “Contrat social,” the Viscount said with a meek smile. - I'm not talking about regicide. I'm talking about ideas. “Yes, the ideas of robbery, murder and regicide,” the ironic voice interrupted again. – These were extremes, of course, but the whole meaning is not in them, but the meaning is in human rights, in emancipation from prejudice, in the equality of citizens; and Napoleon retained all these ideas in all their strength. “Freedom and equality,” said the Viscount contemptuously, as if he had finally decided to seriously prove to this young man the stupidity of his speeches, “all big words that have long been compromised.” Who doesn't love freedom and equality? Our Savior also preached freedom and equality. Did people become happier after the revolution? Against. We wanted freedom, and Bonaparte destroyed it. Prince Andrey looked with a smile, first at Pierre, then at the Viscount, then at the hostess. At the first minute of Pierre's antics, Anna Pavlovna was horrified, despite her habit of light; but when she saw that, despite the sacrilegious speeches uttered by Pierre, the Viscount did not lose his temper, and when she was convinced that it was no longer possible to hush up these speeches, she gathered her strength and, joining the Viscount, attacked the speaker. “Mais, mon cher mr Pierre, [But, my dear Pierre,” said Anna Pavlovna, “how do you explain a great man who could execute the Duke, finally, just a man, without trial and without guilt? “I would ask,” said the Viscount, “how the monsieur explains the 18th Brumaire.” Isn't this a scam? C'est un escamotage, qui ne ressemble NULLement a la maniere d'agir d'un grand homme. [This is cheating, not at all similar to the way of action of a great man.] - And the prisoners in Africa whom he killed? - said the little princess. - It's horrible! – And she shrugged. “C’est un roturier, vous aurez beau dire, [This is a rogue, no matter what you say,” said Prince Hippolyte. Monsieur Pierre did not know who to answer, he looked at everyone and smiled. His smile was not like other people's, merging with a non-smile. With him, on the contrary, when a smile came, then suddenly, instantly, his serious and even somewhat gloomy face disappeared and another one appeared - childish, kind, even stupid and as if asking for forgiveness. It became clear to the Viscount, who saw him for the first time, that this Jacobin was not at all as terrible as his words. Everyone fell silent. - How do you want him to answer everyone all of a sudden? - said Prince Andrei. – Moreover, in the actions of a statesman it is necessary to distinguish between the actions of a private person, a commander or an emperor. It seems so to me. “Yes, yes, of course,” Pierre picked up, delighted at the help that was coming to him. “It’s impossible not to admit,” continued Prince Andrei, “Napoleon as a person is great on the Arcole Bridge, in the hospital in Jaffa, where he gives his hand to the plague, but... but there are other actions that are difficult to justify.” Prince Andrei, apparently wanting to soften the awkwardness of Pierre's speech, stood up, getting ready to go and signaling to his wife. Suddenly Prince Hippolyte stood up and, stopping everyone with hand signs and asking them to sit down, spoke: “Ah!” aujourd'hui on m'a raconte une anecdote moscovite, charmante: il faut que je vous en regale. Vous m'excusez, vicomte, il faut que je raconte en russe. Autrement on ne sentira pas le sel de l'histoire. [Today I was told a charming Moscow joke; you need to teach them. Excuse me, Viscount, I will tell you in Russian, otherwise the whole point of the anecdote will be lost.] And Prince Hippolyte began to speak Russian with the accent that the French speak when they have been in Russia for a year. Everyone paused: Prince Hippolyte so animatedly and urgently demanded attention to his story. – There is one lady in Moscow, une dame. And she's very stingy. She needed to have two valets de pied [footmen] for the carriage. And very tall. It was to her liking. And she had une femme de chambre [maid], still very tall. She said... Here Prince Hippolyte began to think, apparently having difficulty thinking. “She said... yes, she said: “girl (a la femme de chambre), put on the livree [livery] and come with me, behind the carriage, faire des visites.” [make visits.] Here Prince Hippolyte snorted and laughed much earlier than his listeners, which made an unfavorable impression for the narrator. However, many, including the elderly lady and Anna Pavlovna, smiled. - She went. Suddenly there was a strong wind. The girl lost her hat, and her long hair was combed... Then he could no longer hold on and began to laugh abruptly and through this laughter he said: - And the whole world knew... And that’s how the joke ended. Although it was not clear why he was telling it and why it had to be told in Russian, Anna Pavlovna and others appreciated the social courtesy of Prince Hippolyte, who so pleasantly ended Monsieur Pierre’s unpleasant and ungracious prank. The conversation after the anecdote disintegrated into small, insignificant talk about the future and the past ball, performance, about when and where they would see each other. Having thanked Anna Pavlovna for her charmante soiree [charming evening], the guests began to leave. Pierre was clumsy. Fat, taller than usual, broad, with huge red hands, he, as they say, did not know how to enter a salon and even less knew how to leave it, that is, to say something especially pleasant before leaving. Besides, he was distracted. Getting up, instead of his hat, he grabbed a three-cornered hat with a general's plume and held it, tugging at the plume, until the general asked to return it. But all his absent-mindedness and inability to enter the salon and speak in it were redeemed by an expression of good nature, simplicity and modesty. Anna Pavlovna turned to him and, with Christian meekness expressing forgiveness for his outburst, nodded to him and said: “I hope to see you again, but I also hope that you will change your opinions, my dear Monsieur Pierre,” she said. When she told him this, he did not answer anything, he just leaned over and showed everyone his smile again, which said nothing, except this: “Opinions are opinions, and you see what a kind and nice fellow I am.” Everyone, including Anna Pavlovna, involuntarily felt it. Prince Andrey went out into the hall and, putting his shoulders to the footman who was throwing his cloak on him, listened indifferently to the chatter of his wife with Prince Hippolyte, who also came out into the hall. Prince Hippolyte stood next to the pretty pregnant princess and stubbornly looked straight at her through his lorgnette. “Go, Annette, you’ll catch a cold,” said the little princess, saying goodbye to Anna Pavlovna. “C’est arrete, [It’s decided],” she added quietly. Anna Pavlovna had already managed to talk with Lisa about the matchmaking that she had started between Anatole and the little princess’s sister-in-law.