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In Napoleonic wars era, a line contains mostly regular troops except for two kind of elite units, the heavy one, e.g. grenadiers, they normally are the bravest, strongest troops with the best stamina, suitable for shock troops which is posted to the right, and the light one who are normally the best shooters/skirmishers, normally posted in the left flank.

What is the advantage or the motivation of this particular arrangement? I could somehow understand why the best units are posted at flanks , possibly to allow or guard against flanking attacks, but why is there preference to post best storm troops to the right and best shooters to the left (as opposed to the other way around, or have it symmetrical)?

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Do you have any examples? – Luke Sep 27 '12 at 22:04
Generally speaking, large set-piece battles are a battle for the flanks, so placing your best troops there is good practice. Having said that, tactics varied for each battle, if you read through the battle reports of the time they involve a lot of throwing units into the fray and onto the line as they arrived and adapting to the situation as it evolved. A deployment that rigid wasn't always possible. – Odysseus May 2 at 4:44

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This was an expression of the "traditional" order of fighting, elite troops, in the position of order on the right; lesser troops on the left.

The battle of Leuctra cited in another answer was an exception. But many military dispositions were not so rational. In the battle of Camden in the American Revolution, the British-trained American general, Horatio Gates was criticized by Alexander Hamilton for using this model. Hamilton opined that the best defensive ground was to the American right, and should have protected the worst troops, and the best attacking ground was to the left, better for America's elite troops.

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Aren't skirmishers (normally the best shooters) considered elite as well? Why did they get the left flank? – Fitri Sep 30 '12 at 5:28
Also, I suppose you mean this custom originated from the Greek tradition? But if it survived all the way through the Napoleonic Wars era, it must have some advantages for gunpowder infantry as well? – Fitri Sep 30 '12 at 5:32
@filtri: Skirmishers are good, but often "irregular" troops that perform the role of "assassins." As such, they would be placed in front of the enemy's elite troops, their right, your left. – Tom Au Sep 30 '12 at 13:07
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This is basically oblique order. The idea is to crush one flank of the enemy with the strong force, turn it 90° and defeat the enemy in detail. The remainder of your troops keep the enemy busy on the other flank.

You put your heavy troops on the strong flank because they need the most strength (they need to break the line). The light troops are more useful for skirmishing. Their job here is to keep the enemy occupied. If the enemy penetrates your skirmishers, it is all over for your army. If the enemy realizes that your army is employing this tactic too soon, they will all fall on the strong flank and it will be crushed.

This technique was first used in Greece in the third century BC, but was most famously used by Frederick II of Prussia. Napoleon greatly admired Frederick II, and it is more than conceivable that Napoleon developed these tactics directly from him.

Oblique Order

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I think in your example the whole line other than the strong flank needs to fix the enemy line... Also, why is the heavy flank consistently in the right (instead of left?) – Fitri Sep 28 '12 at 15:13
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I don't quite follow your first sentence, but as to right and left, that is dependent on many factors. It is not always on the right. Terrain, and intelligence are the key factors. There has to be enough room for your strong flank to maneuver. Also, if you know one flank of the enemy is weaker, you'll want to place your strong flank on that side. There are many other factors involved; there is no rule that the strong flank must be on the right. For example, the Battle of Leuctra had the strong flank on the left. – Luke Sep 28 '12 at 17:40

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