Charge (warfare)
A decisive shock attack advancing at best speed into close combat.
A charge is a battle tactic where soldiers rush toward the enemy as fast as they can, aiming to force a decisive hand-to-hand fight. It is the primary form of shock attack and has often decided the outcome of battles throughout history. In modern times, charges typically involve small fireteams using rapid-fire weapons to assault specific defensive points like bunkers or concertina wire, rather than large formations charging other groups or fortified lines.
Evidence for charges in prehistoric warfare is assumed but only clearly documented in later literate societies. The classical Greek phalanx, for instance, used a methodical approach march that ended with a charge into contact.
In the late 16th century, Irish and Scottish troops adapted to firearms by combining a musket volley with a swift transition to melee combat. This tactic initially worked but was later countered by disciplined opponents and defensive bayonet drills.
The term "Banzai charge" was used by Allied forces to describe Japanese human wave attacks, where infantry armed with bayonets and swords swarmed enemy positions. The name came from the battle cry "Tennōheika Banzai" ("Long live His Majesty the Emperor"), shortened to *banzai*, and referred to a specific Imperial Japanese Army tactic in the Pacific War.
The bayonet, introduced in the late 17th century, made the bayonet charge the main infantry tactic from the 18th through the early 20th century. By the 1800s, military theorists noted that most bayonet charges never led to actual close combat—one side usually fled first. Fixing bayonets became primarily a morale signal, showing both friend and foe a willingness to kill at close quarters.
Cavalry charges exploited the shock of a mounted attack, whether by armored knights or lighter horsemen. Historian John Keegan showed that if infantry prepared properly—by improvising fortifications and standing firm—cavalry charges often failed, as horses refused to gallop into dense enemy masses or the charging unit broke apart. Success came when the defending formation panicked and scattered, allowing the cavalry to hunt them down. While charging unbroken infantry was not recommended, it remained a real threat to heavy infantry. Parthian lancers needed dense Roman legionary formations to stop, and Frankish knights were reportedly even harder to halt, according to Anna Komnene. Only highly trained
- field
- Military tactics
- known_for
- Dominant shock attack in battle; key tactic in ancient, medieval, and modern warfare
- types
- Infantry charges (Highland, Banzai, bayonet), cavalry charges
Lore & Background
The charge was likely used in prehistoric warfare, but clear evidence comes only with later literate societies. The classical Greek phalanx included an ordered approach march with a final charge to contact. In response to firearms, Irish and Scottish troops developed a tactic combining a volley of musketry with rapid hand-to-hand combat using melee weapons, initially successful but countered by discipline and bayonet tactics. The Banzai charge, a term used by Allied forces, referred to Japanese human wave attacks with bayonets and swords, named after the battle cry 'Tennōheika Banzai.' The bayonet charge became the main infantry charge tactic from the late 17th century through the first half of the 20th century, though most did not result in close combat—one side usually fled before actual bayonet fighting. The Battle of Hastings in 1066 is often cited as an early instance of the familiar medieval cavalry charge, rather than the Battle of Dyrrhachium in 1081, which featured a Norman cavalry charge but is not typically recorded as the 'early instance' in the same way.
Reader's Guide
The cavalry charge exploited shock value, especially with armored knights and lighter mounted troops. Historians such as John Keegan showed that when correctly prepared against—by improvising fortifications and standing firm—cavalry charges often failed, with horses refusing to gallop into dense masses. Success usually came when the defending formation broke up in fear. Only highly trained horses would voluntarily charge dense, unbroken enemy formations directly, requiring high morale, excellent training, quality equipment, and collective discipline. In the Middle Ages, the cavalry charge became significant after the adoption of the frame saddle, stirrups, and couching the lance under the arm, combined to full effect by the 11th century. However, from the Hundred Years' War onward, professional pikemen and longbowmen with high morale could stave off all but the best charges. In the 20th century, cavalry charges were seldom used but enjoyed sporadic success, such as the Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade's charge at Beersheba in 1917 and the Jodhpur and Mysore Lancers' charge at Haifa in 1918. The last recorded charge by a British horsed cavalry regiment occurred in 1919, and the last great mounted charge in Western Europe was during the Spanish Civil War in 1938.
Did You Know?
- Most bayonet charges did not result in close combat; one side usually fled before actual bayonet fighting ensued.
- The Banzai charge was named after the Japanese battle cry 'Tennōheika Banzai,' meaning 'Long live His Majesty the Emperor.'
- The Battle of Dyrrhachium (1081) was an early instance of the familiar medieval cavalry charge, recorded as devastating by both Norman and Byzantine chroniclers.
- The Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade charged across two miles of open terrain under artillery and machine gun fire to capture Beersheba in 1917.
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