A foot trooper is a soldier who fights on foot, as opposed to one who is mounted on a horse or other vehicle. Throughout history, foot troopers have typically made up the vast majority of a army's fighting force.
Today, the term 'foot trooper' is most often used to refer to infantry soldiers. In past centuries, however, it was used to describe any type of soldier who fought on foot, including archers and pikemen.
The main advantage of foot troopers over their mounted counterparts is that they are much less expensive to equip and train. Horses and other mounts must be fed and cared for, and require specialized training. In contrast, any able-bodied man can be turned into a foot trooper with relatively little effort.
This cost advantage often allowed armies with large numbers of foot troopers to defeat those with fewer mounted soldiers. For example, the English longbowmen famously defeated the French knights at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.
Foot troopers also have the advantage of being able to move through terrain that is impassable for mounted soldiers. This allows them to ambush enemies or launch surprise attacks.
The main disadvantage of foot troopers is that they are slower and less mobile than mounted soldiers. This can be a serious problem when trying to pursue a retreating enemy or defend against a cavalry charge.
Foot troopers are also more vulnerable to missile fire than mounted soldiers. This was famously demonstrated during the Battle of Hastings in 1066, when the English foot soldiers were repeatedly pelted with arrows by the Norman archers.
Despite these disadvantages, foot troopers have remained an important part of armies throughout history. In the modern era, they form the backbone of most infantry units.
Comments
Post a Comment