Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden was the first to create a regular standing national army. Further, the reforms embodied in this army were to lay the foundation for all future armies. He established the foundation for modern military justice, reintroduced field artillery after an absence since the time of Alexander of Macedonia, and established the medical and engineering branches of the army. His organization laid the foundations of the modern chain of command and general staff. He introduced regimental standards and uniforms, and Promoted the building of regimental tradition. He founded the first modern logistics branch. His concept of fire wzd mobility is still the basis of tactics, and his tactical formations for musketeers were to remain the backbone of tactics until the introduction of the breach loader.

To better understand the magnitude of change that Gustavus's army represented to what was then the accepted norm, it is necessary to compare it to a typical army of the day. For this purpose I have picked the Imperialist Army which was its chief opponent, and until it met the Swedish Army, it was the undefeated example of the Spanish style army which had dominated warfare for over 100 years.

More Swedish National Army of Gustavus Adolphus

Introduction
Recruitment and Engineering
Medical, Pay, Administration, and Supply
Organization and Tactics