Osprey Men-at-Arms 298 : Russian Army of the Seven Years War (2)

Angus Konstam, in this study of the Russian Army of the Seven Years War concentrates on the cavalry, both the regular troops and irregular forces such as the Cossacks, considering their composition, nature and effectiveness. It also outlines the state of the Russian train of artillery, which was seen as the premier branch of the army and dominated Russian military doctrine throughout the 18th century. The artillery would maintain this status until at least 1917, if not to the present day. As a result of reforms to the army immediately prior to the Seven Years War, the Russians entered the war with Prussia somewhat wrong footed. This disarray was most apparent in the cavalry arm, where changes of organisation, tactics and even role had been undertaken in 1756. The ability of the army to recover from this in the crucible of war is a major part of this story. Experience gained during the early years of the war was rapidly assimilated and put to good use. Organisation and tactics were changed to produce a more effective army, one that was capable of inflicting upon Frederick the Great what was probably his greatest defeat, and one whose forces could even capture Berlin. The text is accompanied by plenty of illustrations, including eight full page colour plates by Bill Younghusband, with commentaries, and features plenty of detailed information on uniforms. A companion book to Men-at-Arms 297 : Russian Army of the Seven Years War (1) : Infantry.

Contents

• Introduction
• Chronology
• Russian Cavalry 1725-1740
• The Empress Elizabeth's Cavalry
• Cavalry Organisation and Tactics
• Cossacks
• Cavalry Uniforms and Equipment
• Cavalry Standards
• Artillery
• Bibliography
• The Plates