| “ | To plan to reserve cavalry for the finish of the battle is to have no conception of the power of combined infantry and cavalry charges, either for attack or for defense.
— Napoleon Bonaparte
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The cuirassier was a type of cavalryman employed by European nations, particularly France, from the early Renaissance until the First World War. Named after the cuirass, a piece of torso-covering armor, the cuirassier combined melee weapons and firearms.
Originating in the 16th century, the first cuirassiers closely resembled the fully armored knight and man-at-arms of the late medieval period, differing chiefly in their adoption of the pistol as their primary weapon. This cuirassier contributed to the development of the caracole, a tactical maneuver wherein cavalry units approached enemy formations, discharged their pistols at close range, and promptly retreated away to reload, relying on repeated cycles to disrupt enemy cohesion.
By the mid-17th century, influenced by the reforms of Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, cuirassiers transitioned to close-quarters shock combat, focusing on direct charges using sabers . Cuirassiers were prominent in the armies of France, Britain, Austria, and Prussia throughout the 18th century, although evolving battlefield conditions led to a gradual decline in their use. Under Napoleon Bonaparte, however, cuirassiers experienced a resurgence, forming a key part in the cavalry of France's Grande Armée.
Despite their diminishing effectiveness in the face of new technology, cuirassiers were fielded during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, where their vulnerability to contemporary weaponry became apparent. Nevertheless, the symbolic prestige of the cuirassiers ensured their deployment in the early stages of the First World War. By the war’s end, the cuirassiers of France, Germany, and Russia had been permanently retired. Today, cuirassiers exist only in ceremonial capacities.Battles here were deemed to be unfair or otherwise not in accordance with wiki standards, and have been removed from the statuses of the warriors and displayed below.
Battle vs. Winged Hussar (by Omnicube1)[]
A cuirassier is riding out with orders to deliver a message to a local lord. As he is riding he discovers a knight with wings on his back. Immediately, the cuirassier draws his Cavalry Carbine and fires at the Winged Hussar. The Hussar hears the shot and a bullet rips through his right wing. He grunts and draws his Polish Crossbow and fires a bolt down-range. It lands in the shoulder of the cuirassier's armor but does not harm him. The cuirassier draws his Horseman's Pick and and Cuirassier's Sabre and charges at his enemy. The Hussar picks up his Polish Hussar's Lance and orders his horse to charge at full speed. The two meet and the Hussar stabs at the cuirassier but misses. However, he is able to strike the Hussar in the shoulder with his Pick. The Winged Hussar clinches his wound and draws his Flintlock Pistol and fires. The bullet hits the arm of the cuirassier causing him to drop his Horseman's Pick. He smirks and charges at the cuirassier again with the lance. As he draws in, the cuirassier draws his Reiter's Pistol and shoots it but misses. The lance pierces into the cuirassier and causes him to fall of his horse. While on the ground, he draws another pistol and fires. The bullet hits the Hussar's horse, causing the rider to collapse to the ground. The cuirassier picks up his sabre and stumbles toward the downed Hussar. As he is about to stab him, the Hussar flips around and kicks the cuirassier in the stomach. He then throws a Peasant's Grenade at the cuirassier. The two run for cover and grenade explodes. The cuirassier falls to the ground grasping at his face which has been lodged with shrapnel. The Hussar steps above him draws his Polish Crossbow and disembowels the cuirassier with the crossbow's bayonet. He then limps toward his dead horse and mourns for his fallen friend.
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