Editing English Civil War (section)

==Strategy and tactics==
Many officers and veteran soldiers had fought in European wars, notably the [[Eighty Years' War]] between the Spanish and the Dutch, which began in 1568, as well as earlier phases of the [[Thirty Years' War]] which began in 1618 and concluded in 1648.{{Sfn|Baker|1986|p=}}

The war was of unprecedented scale for the English. During the campaign seasons, 120,000 to 150,000 soldiers would be in the field, a higher proportion of the population than were fighting in Germany in the [[Thirty Years' War]].<ref>{{Cite journal |first=Quentin |last=Outram |title=The Demographic Impact of Early Modern Warfare |journal=Social Science History |date=Summer 2002 |volume=26 |issue=2 |page=256 |jstor=40267778 |doi=10.1215/01455532-26-2-245}}.</ref>

The main battle tactic came to be known as [[pike and shot]] infantry. The two sides would line up opposite one another, with infantry brigades of [[musketeer]]s in the centre. These carried matchlock muskets, an inaccurate weapon which nevertheless could be lethal at a range of up to 300 yards. Musketeers would assemble three rows deep, the first kneeling, second crouching, and third standing. At times, troops divided into two groups, allowing one to reload while the other fired.{{Sfn|Burne|Young|1998|p=}}{{Page needed|date=April 2015}} Among the musketeers were pike men, carrying [[Pike (weapon)|pikes]] of {{Convert|12|ft|m|0}} to {{Convert|18|ft|m|1|sigfig=}} long, whose main purpose was to protect the musketeers from cavalry charges. Positioned on each side of the infantry were cavalry, with a right wing led by the [[Lieutenant general|lieutenant-general]] and left by the [[commissary general]]. Its main aim was to rout the opponents' cavalry, then turn and overpower their infantry.<ref name="Simkin">{{Cite web |last=Simkin |first=John |date=August 2014 |orig-date=September 1997 |title=The English Civil War – Tactics |url=http://spartacus-educational.com/STUcivilwarMT.htm |access-date=20 April 2015 |publisher=Spartacus Educational}}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=April 2015}}<ref>{{Citation |last=Gaunt |first=Peter |title=The English Civil War: A Military History |date=2014 |place=London |publisher=I. B. Tauris |oclc=882915214}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=April 2017}}

The Royalist cavaliers' skill and speed on horseback led to many early victories. [[Prince Rupert of the Rhine|Prince Rupert]], commanding the king's cavalry, used a tactic learned while fighting in the Dutch army, where cavalry would charge at full speed into the opponent's infantry, firing their pistols just before impact.<ref name="Simkin"/><ref>{{Cite book |last=Young |first=Peter |title=The English Civil War Armies |date=1977 |publisher=Osprey |series=Men-at-arms series |location=Reading |oclc=505954051 |orig-date=1973}}</ref>{{Page needed|date=April 2017}}

However, with Oliver Cromwell and the introduction of the more disciplined [[New Model Army]], a group of disciplined pike men would stand its ground, which could have a devastating effect. The Royalist cavalry had a tendency to chase down individual targets after the initial charge, leaving their forces scattered and tired, whereas [[Ironside (cavalry)|Cromwell's cavalry]] was slower but better disciplined.<ref name="Simkin"/> Trained to operate as a single unit, it went on to win many decisive victories.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Tincey |first=John |title=Ironsides: English Cavalry 1588–1688 |date=2012 |publisher=Osprey |page=63 |oclc=842879605}}</ref>