SquareFormation
Adefensivepostureformusket-armedinfantryunits,creatinganimpassablewallofsteeltofendoffcavalryattacks.Asthenamesuggests,thisisfourtwo-orthree-ranklinesofinfantryarrangedasahollowsquare,witheveryonefacingoutwards.Itisaversionoftheobsoletepikehedgehog,makinganycavalrychargeasuicidalexercise.Bayonetsarefixedtomusketswhenappropriateandpossible.Formingasquarerequiresgoodorderintheranks.Theoutercompaniesofaninfantryunitinlinehavetofoldbacktoformthesidesandbackofthesquare,withoutlosingcohesionintheprocess.Theunitcolourstakeupstationinthecentre,afinalrallyingpointshouldthesquarebebroken.Itisalsopossibletoformlargersquareswithmorethanoneunit.Thesquareis,ofcourse,atemptingtargetforenemyartillery.Whetheritisbettertoformsquareinthefaceofcavalryandriskanartillerybarrage,orstayinlinetomitigateartilleryfireandriskacavalrychargecanbeatacticalconundrum!Theoreticiansarguedinfantrycoulddefeatacavalrychargebyfirepoweralone.BrigadierGeneralRichardKane(laterMilitaryGovernorofGibraltar)remarked,IfabodyofFoothavebutResolutionandkeeptheirOrder,thereisnoBodyofHorsedareventurewithintheirFire…butforhimthatfirewastobedeliveredfromasquare,notaline.Hewasarguingfordisciplineasthekeytosuccess

方阵

方阵是装备带刺刀的滑膛枪的步兵使用的一种用于防御的阵型，如同铁墙一般使前来进攻的骑兵不能越雷池一步。

如它的名字一样，方阵由四组排成两线或三线的步兵组成一个空心正方形，所有人都朝向外侧。这是旧时代长矛兵刺猬阵的新版本，士兵们在此时为滑膛枪上刺刀，能使任何发起冲锋的骑兵在密集的刺刀上撞成筛子。组成方阵需要军队纪律严明。侧翼的连队需要进行折叠机动以构成方阵的侧面和背面，在此过程中队形不能发生丝毫混乱。掌旗官手持军旗立于方阵中心—距离敌军最远的位置。当然，也可以用更多的单位组成较大的方阵。不过，方阵是敌军炮兵最好的目标，因为所有人都挤在一起。是冒着被炮火打得粉碎的危险组成方阵抵御骑兵冲击？还是冒着被骑兵冲锋的危险维持线形阵以减轻炮击伤亡？这是战术指挥官的两难抉择。军事理论家倾向于步兵应该使用远程火力阻挡骑兵的冲锋。准将理查德·凯恩（晚期的直布罗陀军政*府总督）评论到：如果步兵部队意志坚定，纪律严明，没有骑兵敢于冲进他们的弹幕……但是此句的前提是这些弹幕是从方阵中射出的，而不是单薄的线形阵。他的核心意思是说，纪律是胜利的关键

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