Close order formation

In the Late Middle Ages, Swiss pikemen and German Landsknechts used close order formations that were similar to ancient phalanxes.

Around the American Civil War (1861–1865), such organizations of soldiers became uncommon since improvements in firearms and artillery had made any such dense formation increasingly hazardous and less effective.

The technological concentration of increased firepower to fewer soldiers had rendered the close order formation obsolete by the end of the 19th century.

Because of their poor accuracy, such weapons were typically used in line formations in which a commanding officer would order volley fire to increase the chances of inflicting casualties on the enemy.

In the latter, an enemy that could fire down the length of a line with an inaccurate weapon or cannons loaded with anti-personnel grapeshot greatly increased their chances of hitting something.

Designed to defend against cavalry charges, an infantry battalion would form a square with the unit's standard in the center, along with reserve forces.

These weapons had a significantly increased fire rate compared to muzzleloaders, and technological improvements also simplified the targeting of large, mobile bodies of enemy forces.

After that humiliating defeat, the British army found that close-order infantry formations were necessary to concentrate firepower to break the Zulu warriors' formidable massed charges.

One of the last occasions involving the deployment in the face of the enemy of substantial numbers of British troops in close order occurred at the Battle of Magersfontein during the, South African War.

[12] In peace-time the major European armies persisted in training their infantry in close-order tactics that were to ensure very heavy casualties in August 1914.