Editing Combined arms (section)

==15th to 18th centuries==
Generally the savanna cavalries of [[West Africa]] used a combined arms approach, seldom operating without supporting infantry.<ref>Thornton, pp. 28–34</ref>

The [[Early modern France|French]] army of the [[House of Valois|Valois]] kings, composed of heavily armoured ''[[Gendarme (historical)|gendarmes]]'' (professional versions of the medieval [[knight]]), [[Swiss mercenary|Swiss]] and [[Landsknecht]] [[mercenary]] [[Pike (weapon)|pikemen]], and heavy cannons took form during the transition from the medieval way of war to the [[early modern period]].

The late [[15th century]] saw the development of combined [[pike and shot]] formations in Europe, starting with the ''colunelas'' of the Spanish general [[Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba]], evolving into the ''[[tercio]]s'' of [[Habsburg Spain]] and the [[Imperial Army of the Holy Roman Emperor]] during the [[16th century]].

In Japan, at the [[battle of Nagashino]] (長篠の戦い) in 1575, forces of the [[Oda clan]] successfully employed combined arms against the [[Takeda clan]], which heavily relied on cavalry. The Oda army erected [[palisade]]s to protect their [[ashigaru]] [[Tanegashima (gun)|musketeers]] that shot down the Takeda cavalry while their [[samurai]] cut down any enemies who managed to approach melee range.

The 17th century saw increasing use of combined arms at lower (regimental) level. King [[Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden]] was the proponent of the idea. For fire support he attached teams of "commanded musketeers" to cavalry units and fielded light 3-pounder guns to provide infantry units with organic artillery.

In the eighteenth century, the concept of the legion was revived. Legions now consisted of [[musketeer]]s, [[light infantry]], [[dragoon]]s and [[artillery]] in a [[brigade]] sized force. These legions often combined professional military personnel with [[militia]]. Perhaps the most notable example is the use of [[light cavalry]], light infantry and light [[horse artillery]] in advance detachments by France's [[La Grande Armée]] during the [[Napoleonic Wars]].