Some general questions about TYW

[Gunfreak]

1. What formations did the French use, they kinda came in late in the war, so I guess they used dutch or Swedish formations?
2. Did spain really keep the tercio until the end of the war?
3. When the Imperial germans adopted more linear formations, was it dutch or swedish types? or something of their own?

When deplyoing cavalry, was there a special type that was used on the exteme flanks, like was there a standard place for the akerbuses? and one for Cuirassiers.

[mrtn]

1. Dunno. Maybe the Composite German?
2. They still called it a tercio, but I'm not sure if it still was one.
3. Both they and the Swedes adopted a Composite German Style (as it's called in the Osprey books).
4. Don't know about the cavalry.

[Invisible officer]

1. In fact most of the French who fought in Germany had been German mercenaries. Richelieu needed the catholic French recruits against the Hugenots. These Germans fought in the Dutch way, the Swedish fell out of fashion post Lützen.
2. The genuine Spanish troops (in fact mostly Italian troops) still fought in Tercio. That was sometimes used with a little variation. The musketeer bastions from the back added to the sides of the front ones. So the firepower was as strong as that of the enemies.
The close fighting central block was used as steamroller.

3. The Germans adopted a variation of the Dutch system post Lützen. Before those allied to the Swedish crown copied the Swedish brigade. The Swedish brigade kep a lot of musketeers in the back as reserve, so the firepower difference to the Tercio was less than some authors think. The four squdron one fell out of use in 1631, at Lützen they used the three squadron one. And even the Swedish forces did not use this one post 1634.

4. The difference between Cuirassier and Harquebusier was fading post 1630.

For the flanks the Imperial forces used Croat and Polish light units. The Swedish the Finnish ones.

[Gunfreak]

Thanks for the info