France had a population of between 22 and 25 million at this time, and maintained the largest standing army in Europe. In peacetime it might have amounted to about 200,000 men; in times of war, it could be anything up to half a million. A substantial part of Louis XV's army consisted of numerous regiments of guard cavalry, heavy cavalry and dragoon regiments, which were considered the best and noblest part. These many units form the subject matter in this first of five fascinating volumes [Men-at-Arms 296, 302, 304, 308 & 313] by René Chartrand covering the army of Louis XV's.
By the time of his death in 1725 Peter the Great had placed Russia among the foremost European powers, and had created a military system that has infuenced the European balance of power until the present day. In this companion volume to Men-at-Arms 260, Peter the Great's Army 1: Infantry, Angus Konstam discusses Tsar Peter's cavalry, both the regular troops and irregular forces such as the Cossacks, exploring their composition and effectiveness, and also outlines the development of the Russian train of artillery. The Author's text is complemented by a multitude of illustrations and photographs, including eight full page colour plates by David Rickman.
In the mid-19th century, Austria comprised a heterogeneous, multi-ethnic empire consisting of the Austrian or 'German' area; the Hungarian area; the Military Border; and the Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia. The diverse nature of the empire made it difficult to create a unified and up-to-date military system, especially with remnants of feudalism still strong in some provinces. This book examines the Line infantry, Grenz infantry (Border troops) and Jägers (riflemen) that formed the Austrian infantry. Numerous illustrations and photographs of uniforms, rank insignia and regiments complement the text, as well as eight full colour plates.