What is Line (formation)?
[[Image:Hohenfriedeberg - Attack of Prussian Infantry - 1745.jpg|thumb|right|300px|{{center|Prussian Infantry attacking in lines during the [[Battle of Hohenfriedberg]]}}]] The '''line formation''' is a standard [[Military tactics|tactical formation]] which was used by [[infantry]] in early modern [[war]]fare. It continued the [[phalanx formation]] or [[shield]] wall of infantry armed with [[polearm]]s in use during [[Ancient history|antiquity]] and the [[Middle Ages]]. The line formation used [[soldiers]] standing or moving side by side forming a line.<ref name=Bosyer118>Richard Bowyer, ''Dictionary of Military Terms'' (Chicago; London: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, 1999), p. 118</ref> == Frederick the Great == The line formation provided the best [[wikt:front|front]] for [[Volley fire (infantry tactic)|volley fire]]. However the line could not change direction easily and was open to attack by [[cavalry]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.napolun.com/mirror/napoleonistyka.atspace.com/infantry_tactics_4.htm#infantrycombatlines |title=Infantry Tactics and Combat during the Napoleonic Wars |publisher=napolun.com |access-date=1 June 2016}}</ref> [[Frederick the Great]] used the line formation, or “march by lines” as a part of his [[oblique order]] to fix this problem.<ref name=WHN>{{cite web |url=http://warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/military-history/frederick-the-great-at-leuthen-the-oblique-order/ |title=Frederick the Great at Leuthen: The Oblique Order |author=James Hart |date=18 January 2016 |publisher=Warfare History Network |access-date=1 June 2016 |archive-date=10 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160510112514/http://warfarehistorynetwork.com/daily/military-history/frederick-the-great-at-leuthen-the-oblique-order/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The other part of the oblique order was the “attack in echelon” (change to [[Column (formation)|column formation]] and angle slightly towards the [[enemy]]). This way his line of soldiers, usually two ranks deep, could easily change the direction they fa