Why did armies fight in lines?

In some cases, it was possible to overturn the enemy with just one volley at a short distance. The line was considered as the fundamental battle formation as it allowed for the largest deployment of firepower. Against surrounding enemy cavalry, line infantry could swiftly adopt square formations to provide protection.

Did armies really run at each other?

Yes they did charge. The charge really continued to be practiced until as late as ww2. The charge was at varying speeds depending on the distance. Whether both sides charged, depended on the unit.

Did medieval armies fight in lines?

Line formation warfare was developed during antiquity and used most notably in the Middle Ages, the Napoleonic Wars, and the Battle of the Bastards Battle of Cannae. It was seen as late as the First World War before giving way to trench warfare and specialized units with increased firepower and weaponry.

How do you identify one side in a medieval battle?

In the end, there was not a uniform (heh) way of identifying one side from the another on the medieval battlefield. Friendly fire incidents did occur – at the Battle of Barnet in 1471 some Lancastrians mistook their own reinforcements for Yorkists, throwing the Lancastrians into disarray as they fought each other.

Did armies used to stand in lines and kill each other?

I just discovered The Armchair Historian, a rather endearing YouTuber who created an animated history lesson about why armies used to stand in lines and kill each other. It seems counterintuitive now that we have weapons designed to kill large quantities of people and traditional wars between nations have given way to asymmetrical conflicts .

How did horses influence the development of the battle tactics?

They were influenced by cavalry, order and communication, and the tactics of the enemy. As warfare technology advanced, so, too, did battlefield tactics. One example Johnson gives is how horses influenced warfighting. Cavalry was effective against infantry, so the line formation was adopted to defend against cavalry.

How did people tell friend from foe in medieval warfare?

Compared to say, the 18th century, there wasn’t a standardized, color-coded way to tell friend from foe. Instead, there were a variety of kinds of battlefield identifications used in different times and places in the medieval era to identify individuals, groups within an army, and armies.