At the beginning of the previous century the French had a small contingent of Hungarian Hussars in her army. Strangely dressed they were a novelty.The French relied upon their heavy cavalry, as did the British and every other nation. All armies fielded "Horse" and "Dragoons".

By the Napoleonic period every army was fielding large quantities of light cavalry. Hussars had become "regularised" and no commander would think of going into action without Light cavalry screening, scouting and patrolling. The Cuirassier was unchanged, the heavy cavalryman that earlier Frenchmen would have recognised as Maison Du Roi and Gendarmes. The infantry carried essentially the same musket. But the light troops were new.

By the middle of the 18th century light horse had proved themselves against a number of opponents and began to be an integral part of major armies.

One of the major proponents of light cavalry was Austria,with her tradition of Hussars and other irregulars. In the War of the Austrian Succession Frederick the Great, believed by many wargamers to be the greatest commander of the period, complained bitterly that Austrian light horse had robbed him of his eyes. "Your scout service cannot live among them ; they hinder reconnoitering, and keep the enemy veiled from you". *

In the middle of the century war broke out again between Frederick the Great and Austria, with France and Britain taking their own sides. For many wargamers the Prussian army is the army of the Seven Years War. The image is of the Garde du Corp and white coated cuirassiers - the heavy cavalryman supreme. Yet what was probably Frederick's most humiliating defeat was inflicted by light cavalry.

The sequence of events that began that humiliating defeat started with an attack by one hundred hussar companies. On June 18 1757 General Count Ferenc Nadasdy led his hussars against the Prussians at Kolin. They broke through the Prussian infantry and occupied Frederick's camp. There were 13,000 Prussian casualties and the army fell back to Saxony.

Frederick's enemies were in a good position to destroy his army after the Battle of Kolin, but were too indecisive, and the moment passed. Frederick saw that the greatest danger was from the French army and German-Imperial troops. Leaving 40,000 men under the Duke of Bevern to block the Austrian he marched to meet the threat.

Frederick left 40,000 men under the Duke of Bevern to meet any threat from the Austrians and turned to defeat the French with the bulk of his army. As he pushed them back a gap appeared between him and Bevern. The gap was spotted by Field Marshall Prince Charles of Lorraine who saw the possibility it opened. It gave the opportunity to march through Silesia to Berlin.

A more adventurous commander would have taken his whole force to the enemy's capital, but Charles suffered from that perennial Austrian disease - caution. Instead of risking his main force he sent just a raiding party.

Fortunately he was a good enough commander to send one of his best officers.

HADIK

General Count Andrea Hadik was a Hungarian noble who joined a hussar regiment as a standard bearer at the age of 22. A year later (in 1733) he was fighting on the Rhine and was promoted to Captain. That was during the War of the Polish Succession. During the War of the Austrian Succession he became a regimental commander, and finished the war as a general, commanding a cavalry brigade.

When the Sevens Years War stated he saw action at Lobositz. At the battle of Prague he was commanding a cavalry division. His hussars helped make up the famous charge by Nadasdy at Kolin.

THE FORCE

In today's hi-tech army it takes several weeks/months to assemble an army and get it ready for action. Hadik had his raiding party assembled and organised within 24 hours. He had 5100 men. There were 300 infantry and 2,100 Croation border-guardsmen. Cavalry consisted of 1,100 hussars given some strength by the addition of 1,000 dragoons and cuirassiers. Four 6-lb and two 3-lb guns were also taken.

In order to protect his base at Elsterwerda he left 1,000 Croats, 240 of the heavy cavalry and 300 of his own hussars. Two of the six pounders were allocated to this force.Another 300 hussars were detached and under the command of Colonel Ujhazy ordered to march on a parallel course to the West. When he moved out on 11th October 1757, Hadik led 1,160 cavalry, 3,160 infantry with two 3-lb and two 6-lb guns.

BERLIN

Five days later a Hungarian Hussar Captain and his trumpeter stood before the city of Berlin. In the name of Maria Theresia and their commander they demanded tribute from the city council. The commander of the city's garrison refused to take them seriously, doubting that an enemy force could be anywhere near Berlin. He soon changed his mind for Hadik led 300 hussars against the Silesian gate and in fierce hand-to-hand fighting broke through the city walls.

Three Prussian infantry regiments formed up but were charged by Hadik's infantry. The Hussars hit them on the right flank. The fighting was hard but short and the Prussians routed. hadik's force was now inside the city. They regrouped and repeated their demand for tribute.

In the morning the city councillors did a deal, which meant that every soldier received over six months pay. On the 18th October the raiders turned back towards their own lines. They made a brief detour to Frankfurt am Odera to collect 30,000 silver taler in tribute.

The Austrian force had lost 88 soldiers and 57 horses. They came back with nearly a quarter of a million silver talers and 425 Prussian prisoners. They had also put the "Soldier King" in his place. Hadik was given the Grand Cross of the Order of Maria Teresia **, the highest military decoration Queen-Empress could award.

Hadik's raid showed what could be done with light troops. The Prussians had learnt of the raid on Berlin and troops were sent to intercept the Austrians. But the Prussians were unable to match the pace of their enemies. They moved at 8-12 miles a day, whilst the Austrian foot covered 32 miles a day. The horse covered 50 miles - every day for ten days.

Today, Long Distance Riders would consider 50 miles a day for 10 days incredibly good riding. And that's when there's no worry about the enemy or foraging for food or fodder.

The Prussians also had a tendency to desert as they moved away from central control and tried to operate in small units. The Austrians deep inside enemy territory maintained themselves as a cohesive fighting unit. They also appear to have done less pillaging, raping and looting that the civilised armies.

Many of the lessons of the 18th century had their effect on the Napoleonic period. certainly light troops had an indisputable place on the battlefield by the end of the century. Although FIRST EMPIRE is concerned with the Napoleonic period there are lessons for us wargamers in the previous century. And even if there aren't the stories of the battles, commanders and soldiers can be entertaining in themselves.

* Thomas Carlyle's Frederick the Great

** This is how Austrian writers of the 18th & 19th centuries spell her name.