Introduction
In a Russian military history the name of Aleksandar Vasilevich Suvorov takes an
outstanding place. In the duration of 50 years almost constant warfare A.V. Suvorov did not
meet a single defeat. The best armies of Europe were crushed by the Russian army under the
command of the great military leader. The Suvorov’s art of war is famous far out of the national
borders by its scale and by its significance.
But at the same time the military genius Suvorov is belonging primarily to the Russian
people.
Military tactics of Suvorov are based on its predecessors Pyotr I (Peter the Great) and
Rumyancev and they have flourished upon the best elements of the Russian people: patriotism,
belief in the motherland, courage, perseverance, endurance, natural intelligence and wit.
Being a sincere and undeniable patriot, Suvorov was first and foremost fighting for the
development of the independent system of military strategy and tactics, and not for the
adoption of the foreign system without consideration of the native characteristics.
A.V. Suvorov has left rich theoretical heritage in different written orders, instructions,
dispositions, as well as the different communications with other people.
The central and highest place among the written works of Suvorov for sure belongs to “Art
of Victory”
“Art of victory” is essentially the military training manual by its purpose and form.
It consists of two parts:
1. Manoeuvring and line-up,
2. Training the soldiers in the knowledge they need.
First part presents the typical line-up, marching and military drill for the battalions, divisions and
higher military units and it is aimed primarily for the unit commanders.
The second part, which is also the most famous, is the tactical manual for the soldiers on the
battlefield itself. But the second part also presents the rules for the soldier’s behaviour, the way
of fighting and the moral code of the soldiers.
The whole “Art of Victory” in its original form presents the essence of the Suvorov’s tactics and
its way of troop deployment, training and education.
The Suvorov’s tactics are derived from its strategic views on the general principles of the
warfare. Suvorov was the most active supporter of the offensive strategy, more than any
Russian military commander of the past.
Suvorov has put the destruction of the enemy forces as the main purpose of war, and a battle
as the main means for fulfilling this purpose.
Accordingly, the tactics of Suvorov was overwhelmed with the spirit of the decisive attack. The
rapid onset of the attack, strike with hostility, persecution - these are forms of combat, which
are mainly recognized and applied by Suvorov.
Offensive tactics are not in fact the “discovery” of Suvorov. For instance P.A. Ryumyancev has
presented the brilliant examples of offensive action and pointed to the benefits of attack in
relation to defence.
However, only Suvorov could venture into the nature of the contemporary battlefield,
theoretically justify the benefits of offensive tactics and to develop its basic principles and
techniques of conducting offensive combat.
As the basis of its tactical teachings Suvorov has presented the adequate combination and
interconnection of two elements of the battle: man and its weapons.
Suvorov gives preference to the firs (the man-the SOLDIER), which is a main characteristic of its
progressive view.
The teachings are based on its in-depth knowledge of the characteristics of the Russian military
of the time.
As Suvorov has started his long year service as a common soldier he managed to realise the
hearts and minds of the Russian soldiers. The experience he gained from the Seven Years War,
as his first combat experience, Suvorov could study the strongest of the European armies of the
time: Russian, Prussian and Austrian, and also have the first hand experience of the way the
Russian soldier is dealing with the difficulties and cruelties of war.
On the basis of this Suvorov developed a conclusion that served him to create his own tactical
and military-educational school.
Suvorov has explained that the national armies, as Russian was at the time, based on
conscription and endowed with a high moral and patriotic feelings present the highest
advantage for its commanders, compared to the mercenary armies of the Europe of the time.
Low moral values (they were fighting for money) of the west European armies, especially
Prussian army, have influenced the inevitable development of the linear tactics towards those
ugly forms, which acted on the army as a "straitjacket".
The mercenaries were difficult to bring to condition where he would fight due to his moral urge,
and was rather fighting only because of the “Sergeants’ baton” (fear of punishment).
In these conditions the only battle formation were the long linear formations in the flat and
open land and the main way of fighting, direct fire in attack as well as defence.
Training of troops was aimed at to achieve flawless alignment when marching, fast loading and
firing a shot.
Same tactics and training of the troops had a significant influence in the Russian army in the
middle of the XVIII century and found its supporters among the generals and officers.
The Suvorov’s views were totally opposite. Building on the national feelings of the Russian
soldier, raising its awareness of military duty, Suvorov sought to develop the subordinate
soldiers and officers with such qualities as initiative, resourcefulness, ingenuity, and honour.
Suvorov’s proverb “Each soldier must know his manoeuvre” is widely known.
“Art of victory” is built on the training of the combat soldier, rather than the endless automated
drills (creating a soldier not a killing machine). The soldier should know why and how to fight,
instead of being a mindless instrument for a general to kill the enemy.
Suvorov explains in which case and why to adopt different manoeuvres, (i.e.: “the attack in the
middle is not favourable”, “the attack from the rear is good only for smaller units”), also when to
apply different battle formations: linear, kare, column.
All weaknesses, which are not in line with the Suvorov’s view of the soldier and officer: stupidity,
lack of initiative, fear of responsibility, indifference, a state-owned attitudes. Suvorov puts in the
group of “I cannot know how”.
Suvorov considered “God dam I cannot know how” people as more dangerous to the army than
the enemy itself. It presented it like the malign cancer compared to the benign one.
High moral qualities of the soldier gave Suvorov the basis for the creation of his “brave attack
tactics”. This tactics gives the enormous moral advantage to the offence rather than defence.
Basic principles of the Suvorov tactics are given in the following principles:
 Field analysis and initiative, (one word in Russian lit: measuring with your eyes-adopting
to situation)
 Speed,
 Onslaught.
Field analysis and initiative: “where and how to place your camp, how to move the unit, where
to attack, chase the enemy and where to fight”. In the literal interpretation, this means
assessing the situation on the ground based on personal experience and initiative.
Suvorov’s tactics counted on the independence and initiative of junior officers. And in any
action, including rough and closed areas required them to master the art of assessment of the
terrain and the enemy.
According to Suvorov, the general is nothing else but a fourth sergeant (corporal) in a unit.
Speed: most important and most characteristic element of the Suvorov’s tactics. Suvorov, like
nobody else at the time, understood and appreciated the time as a factor in warfare. “Money is
important, life is important, but the time is the most important”.
Speed of action is only possible if the high mobility of troops. Mobility of Suvorov’s troops was
marvellous. It has exceeded any mobility norms of the time. The marching speed was
accomplished on one side with the training of soldiers, and on the other side by the organization
of the march itself. Suvorov’s scheme of marching presented in the “Art of Victory” provided
speed but also preserved the soldier’s strength (“with all the speed people did not get tired”).
In cases where it was important to reach the field of battle as soon as possible (i.e. Battle of
Trebbia), Suvorov would demand maximum effort and did not consider the alignment of troops
but wanted to throw into battle at least one part of his troops, and the rest would follow.
Suvorov needed speed as a means of forestalling the enemy, as a means of tactical surprise and
seizing the initiative in the battle. Tactical surprise, as it has enormous effect on soldiers morale,
Suvorov considered as prerequisite of success, which can counter the numerical inferiority that
was almost always against Suvorov (in almost every battle his forces were outnumbered by the
enemy).
In the “Art of Victory” Suvorov clearly and vividly explains the meaning of surprise:
The enemy does not expect us; he believes that we are far, far away. Suddenly we attack out of
the blue. His head will spin. Attack, with what you have, what God has granted us!
Cavalry, charge, cut, route the enemy, do not let him regroup.
Speed and surprise, are the prerequisites of onslaught. Onslaught, or swift, crushing blow of
infantry and cavalry, that crushes the enemy lines and routes the enemy is the battle’s endgame
and decides the battle outcome.
In trying to explain onslaught, Suvorov inputs the element of moral-unstoppable and irresistible
impulse forward, faith of the soldiers in the power of their weapons, a sense of belonging to
collective (one foot supports the other, one hand helps the other) and element of tactics and
techniques: technique of “cold weapon” attack. In the Suvorov’s tactics of “courageous offensive
tactics” the core of the tactics is onslaught.
Further elaborating the idea of onslaught in the “Art of Victory” and other documents Suvorov
presents a detailed comparative assessment of infantry weapons.
The infantry is conducting a fight with two types of weapons: firearms and cold weapons, bullet
and bayonet.
Main infantry weapon was considered to be firepower of the infantry unit.
All military planning was focused on the firepower, fire management and achieving greater
platoon shot or wider front.
The first who traced the road for the bayonet use was Peter I, but the role of the bayonet at the
time was not significant. After the reign of Peter I the active role of the bayonet was
abandoned.
The main focus was on firepower, and this was the case with the most of the Suvorov’s
contemporaries.
But traditions of the Peter’s reign could not be forgotten, considering the national characteristics
of the Russian military.
During the Seven Years War bayonets of the Russian military have determined the outcome of
the battle in many occasions.
Suvorov did not only re-introduce those traditions, he was the first and only in Europe to put the
main focus on the fight with the cold weapons, to address it as the main military and training
asset, and brought the bayonet attack almost to perfection. He himself firmly believed and tried
to embed into his subordinates the faith in the force of the bayonet, Russian superiority over
any enemy soldier in bayonet battle. (“There are no enemy hands that do not know the Russian
bayonet”).
Comparing the two types of weapons, Suvorov emphasised all the advantages of the bayonet
(Fire scarcely, use bayonet, bullet can miss, bayonet would not do this, bullet is a full, bayonet a
hero).
Such a view finds its grounds in a real assessment of the tactical and technical characteristics of
infantry weapons at the time.
The weapons used in the time of Suvorov, as it did not change since the Peter’s time provided
an effective range of 60 steps. On greater distances the only effect could be achieved if firing in
large clustered numbers of infantry. This distance an infantryman could cross in 20 seconds. In
this time the best marksmen could not fire more than one round, as loading rifle from the
muzzle was not easy and, in any case, not a quick process.
In the order at the year of 1794 Suvorov clearly expressed the truth: “In any case fight with a
cold weapon. Effective range of the rifle is from 60 to 80 steps; if the battle line or its part is
already moving on this distance, then the firing would be in vain, and therefore right away
attack with bayonet”.
From this it can be derived that the advantage in the fight is on the side that is more
determined in close combat (hand to hand fighting) and it is better trained in the use of
bayonet. These advantages were on the side of the Russian soldier.
The preference of bayonet did not mean that the Suvorov has neglected the firepower. “Art of
Victory” shows how seriously Suvorov considered the firepower in the battle, as he recognised
the importance of marksmanship of all the people rather that the designated sharpshooters.
“If we all aim at one target we have wasted 30 bullets”.
Even when a battalion is firing (platoon firing) it is needed to determine the practical targets and
“each soldier should find his own target, so it can destroy it”.
The wasting of bullets just for the demonstration of firepower Suvorov strictly forbid and
demanded austerity:” Take care of the bullet for three days, and sometimes for a whole
campaign, when there is no place to take”.
Frankly speaking, Suvorov recognised the importance of the firepower, and considered it as a
means for preparing the adequate bayonet attack “infantry prepares victory with its firepower”
and as the means of close combat and the add-on to the cold weapons:”Mind the bullet in the
muzzle, if there are three opponents, first one slay with the bayonet, gun down the second one
and the third one hit with the gunstock”
A distinctive feature of the tactics of Suvorov - types of manoeuvres, battle formations,
combinations of different military branches etc. –is it’s adaptation to the environment and
situation, without any firm templates and schemes, considering of all elements of the situation,
in the first place the enemy.
“Art of Victory” embedding all the elements of the experience gained during many years of
fighting with different enemies, and teaches the essence of adapting to situation (“linear against
the regular...”).
In this manner the Suvorov tactics are very much different than the rigid linear tactics of
Prussian and Austrian armies.
Simplicity and adoptability are characteristic for the choice of manoeuvre. The basic that the “Art
of Victory” teaches is the selection of the weakest point in the enemy and attack on it (“On the
week flank”). Basically, there is no given template; the attack can go at any flank, or centre
depending on the situation.
Right tactics and the high moral of the soldiers is not sufficient to provide victory, the
appropriate training of troops is also of outmost importance. Suvorov put a high emphasis on
the training of soldiers. Even in the year 1770 he said: “Although the bravery, valour and
courage are always needed, they can create more harm than benefit if they are not derived
from experience, which comes from training at the soldiers and commanders duties at difficult
circumstances”.
Suvorov built his training system. General principles and methods of training and education of
the troops are in full compliance with the tactical views Suvorov and form one harmonious
whole. “Art of Victory” presents the full specks of suvorovian principles and methods of army
training and education.
In the part of “Manoeuvring and line-up” all the elements of battle orders and tactical
preparations are presented: rifle management techniques, realignment, deployment from
marching in battle array and back, shooting, and finally, two-way manoeuvre – attack.
All the elements of training are interconnected into harmonious symphony of military tactics
which ends up in a glorious finale: train your soldiers for what they will need in war.
The central point of the training is two-way-through attack which presented not only the
technique, but rather educational and moral meaning.
This method has broth the soldier to the stance as close as possible to the real battle and
embedded in him the urge to go forward, created a the desire to destroy the enemy in close
hand-to-hand combat.
Suvorov carefully expelled from the training everything that can in any degree lower the morale
of the soldiers, to humiliate or degrade him and to remove the false sense self-preservation.
In the two-way-through attack training, one side (the defending side), as Suvorov calls it “Firmly
standing side”, is suppressing the attack by firing, and when the attacking side approaches to 30
steps distance, itself attacks with bayonet. Even the taught about the retreat is forbidden,
directly opposing the people natural urge to run away from the danger.
On the contrary, everything that contributes in raising the spirits of soldiers is skilfully used by
Suvorov. Suvorov tried to get into the hearts and minds of his soldiers the faith in their own
power, skill and invincibility, when compared to the enemy (“My knights, the enemy is afraid of
you!”)
Suvorovian soldier had to firmly believe that for him there are no insurmountable obstacles,
“There is no trench deep enough, there is no wall high enough”). Woodlands, mud and rain
cannot hold the attack, trough the river is difficult but not impossible to attack. The cavalry must
pass through all the fields the infantry can pass, except maybe the marshes, but Cossacks can
pass anywhere.
In the words of Suvorov, when he was addressing his soldiers one could not find any sign of
vanity or demagogy; there was only a faith in his wonder-knights, and this faith was transferred
into the solders. The references to the glorious traditions, and the recent achievements like
Ismail and Prague provided the historical basis for the arguments.
The influence of Suvorov’s personality on the soldier was enormous. The soldiers had limitless
faith into their commander and they absorbed his every word. And Suvorov could speak with his
soldiers; he knew the value of the human word said at the right time and place.
Suvorov could ask and get from his soldiers enormous endurance of physical and mental
hardship, as he did not allow the soldiers to focus on the hardship and get overwhelmed by it.
In Suvorovian terminology of “Art of Victory” the heavy backpack is not a backpack but the
wind-or better yet the wing; platoon is not “rising” from their trenches, but blasting off,
spreading the wings (putting the backpack on) and thundering forward, Columns are flying
through the walls of the ramparts, and the soldiers are storming over the walls.
The language of “Art of Victory” is sharp, to the point, the true Russian people language- fully
consistent with the objective and spirit of this remarkable work of A. V. Suvorov.
“Art of Victory” is deeply patriotic. The work is full of faith into the common Russian people,
faith of their ability to overcome the biggest obstacles and bear the greatest burdens, faith into
their love for the motherland.
Suvorov has not been valued by the official military science in Russia and in Western Europe.
Suvorov philosophy of tactics as well as his military education system was opposed to the
existing norms, where meritocracy was not viewed as beneficial, in fact it was viewed as
dangerous, and therefore it was not well accepted in the official military doctrine of Russia in
XIX century.
But his work was far from forgotten, as his students and associates like: Kutuzov, Bagration,
Miloradovich, Platov, Raevskiy, Kuljnev and others, have accepted and continued his theories
and saved the suvorovian principles for the later Russian armies.
All the best practices that have been introduced into the Russian army in the former times are in
one way or another just testament of suvorovian “Art of Victory”.
Historical significance of the Suvorov in the development of Russian art of war, and his
experiences from the end of XVIII century were only recognised during the soviet times.
It was interesting that the actual time that it was recognised fully was only when the Russian
armies were on the brink of collapse before the German armies in WWII.
Although the modern warfare relays heavily on the use of machines (technical elements) the
basic principles of Moral Law, Adaptation to terrain and situation, Training, Meritocracy, speed
and onslaught remain the same trough the whole history of warfare and it will remain for whole
eternity.
Because these principles are not much different from the principles described in Sun Tzu “Art of
War” from the V century BC; principles of the Mongols when they built the largest land empire in
XII century AD and similar successful campaigns.
Suvorov is often compared to Napoleon, although they have never actually met in battle, but a
few comparisons are in order just to present why the Napoleon has finally failed and lost several
wars and battles, while Suvorov has never lost a battle.
Napoleon started his campaign in Russia based on a lie, naming the campaign Second Polish
War, and claiming that the purpose of the campaign is liberation of Poland, therefore not
complying with the first principle of warfare-Moral law.
Napoleon proclaimed himself Emperor, and focused on keeping his power, rather than
preserving the country, he said “Power is my mistress. I have worked too hard at her conquest
to allow anyone to take her away from me”, and when pulling back from the Russian campaign
he in early November 1812 abandoned the army and returned home on a sleigh, leaving Marshal
Joachim Murat in charge. Murat later deserted to save his kingdom of Naples, leaving Napoleon's
former stepson Eugène de Beauharnais in command.
Suvorov, on the other hand, when while on a campaign lived as a private soldier, sleeping on
straw and contenting himself with the humblest fare.
“ART OF VICTORY”
THE CREATION
OF THE GLORIOUS, ALWAYS VICTORIOUS
GENERALISSIMO
OF RUSSIAN ARMY
PRINCE OF ITALY, COUNT OF RYMNIK
MANEUVERING AND LINEUP
Manoeuvring-the main element of training
Learning starts
Attention, fall in, training will start-moves and turns on command, issued by the move of the flag
or the drum beat.
Fire
Prepare to fire! Ready your weapons!-fire platoon, company, battalion. While loading weapon do
not put the gunstock on the ground, as the ramrod will bounce and the charge will not be
properly loaded.
Aim down the barrel, put the gunstock firmly at your right shoulder and support the rifle with
your left hand-the bullet will hit at the half of the man’s body.
Take care of your bullets, clean your weapons between the target practices, and other
shootouts, save ammunition-do not waste it.
Platoon fire! No retreat. On the signal of the drums for advance, fire one to two bullets towards
the enemy.
Linear attack on enemy lines
Attack on the first enemy line! Use bayonet, Hurrah! Platoon commanders: yell hit them hard,
soldiers yell at the top of your voice: Hurrah! Detach shortly from the enemy (to load and
regroup swiftly).
Fighting off the cavalry attack
Enemy cavalry rides to the rescue of his infantry: Attack them! Place your bayonet at the height
of the rider’s belly; the bayonet will hit the face, neck or the chest of the horses. Detach shortly
from the enemy (to load and regroup swiftly).
Attack the second enemy line or enemy reserves. Detach shortly from the enemy (to load and
regroup swiftly).
The third attack. Instantly form the line. Forward! Let no one dare to move back, not a step
back. Forward, March! Platoons, companies, battalions! While marching platoons form into
companies or companies break into platoons. Soldiers at the end of the line march one step,
soldiers in the beginning of the line half a step. Drums start, and beat for three times (until the
soldiers align), and then it is replaced by music, which plays the whole command, pack the
drums. Music and drums replace each other in a row. Beat must be fast, to induce the fast step
of soldiers marching. Observe the intervals between platoons, so that when issuing command
STOP! All the platoons form a line.
First and second part of the line, from left and right; March, march into attack-Forward march!
And the drums sound the fast march.
If the enemy is firing canister shots, stop and hold your ground, and then march forward, with
the drums sounding slow march.
When at 80 meters from the enemy, you are at 10 to 15 steps inside the range of the large field
artillery cannons canister fire, at 60 meters you are in the range of canister fire of smaller
cannons and when at 60 steps from the enemy, you are at range of the muskets.
Charge, charge, use bayonet, Hurrah!-the enemy will fire for the last time, and prepare for the
bayonet battle when at 30 steps distance. Both sides will go into penetrating attack.
The second line will follow the first in the same manner, Attack! Both lines attack at the same
place. Deploy into columns and try to surround the enemy, if there is a space.
Attack by column
Both lines to form one or two columns; depending on the number of people.
Prepare for attack by column! Forward march! – The drum beats the slow march 60 steps from
one another.
Charge! Charge!! Attack with bayonets! Hurrah! - Place muskets in the right hand, columns
strike trough fast, while hitting the enemy. Columns, form kare! Prepare to fire! Fire platoon!
Kare is already in place. Soldiers shoot at the fleeing enemy, aim at the officers, and fire at the
crowds.
Fire must be short and accurate, use canister shot.
Then spring into onslaught.
Charge, charge, attack, use bayonet, Hurrah! – Start the strike trough with kare.
Fire, finish them off, and destroy the remaining between kares. Drum sounds the short regroup.
Attack by kare
Columns, form kare! Kare forward march! Charge, charge, attack! Use bayonets! Hurrah! - do
not shoot, just attack with bayonets.
Kare, form a line! The soldiers are swinging into the line or if the situation requires into a
column or four by four. Form a line! Forward march! –As the drum beats.
Note: all the basic maneuvers and lineups are the same for the battalions, brigades
and higher units.
The following are the thoughts about the additional training introduced by some of the
commanders:
Commander can request for battalion fire?
And therefore create confusion, as it is hasted request; it is better to have a single shot fire,
which will come to a platoon fire on itself, and for the sake of the ammunition economy at every
shot a soldier should aim at his own opponent and hit it.
Salve (volley)? - Only prior to cleaning weapons, and while forming ranks. Against the enemy it
does not work, as he can be driven out by bayonet and then charged.
Platoon fire while chasing the enemy? – If the enemy is routed and dispersed it will not have big
effect, especially against the cavalry.
Platoon fire while retreating? – It is better even not to think about them, as well as it is better
not to think about retreating at all.
This is because soldier should not be trained to think about the retreat, but rather attack, as he
should always believe that he is better than his enemy. In battle the commander decides on
attack or retreat, but when the enemy is gaining then the best solution is to hold your ground,
as this is the only way you can hope to overcome the danger-by seeing it.
Training the soldiers in the knowledge they
need for war
After the MANEUVERING AND LINEUP training, and after the rest period, at dawn the officers
should wake up their soldiers and command attention.
The soldiers should stand in line like an arrow; officer can see the forth in line but not the fifth.
Soldiers step while marching is meter long, while swinging half a meter.
Each soldier should have his shoulder aligned with the shoulder of the next one. Lines should be
three steps apart while standing, and two steps while marching. Drums must not confuse.
Attack
Take enough ammunition for three days, never for the whole campaign, as it will burden you. Do
not fire in vain, count your bullets, use bayonet viciously. Bullet can misfire, bayonet cannot
misfire, and bullet is a full bayonet is a hero.
Hit with bayonet only one time at one opponent. Throw the body away with a bayonet. If he
tries to hit you with a saber, jump back a step hit him again! Hit the second one, the third one!
True hero can kill half a dozen, but I have seen even better.
Save the bullet in a barrel! If attacked by three - first one slay with the bayonet, gun down the
second one and the third one hit with the gunstock.
Do not be sluggish in attack! Fire when certain to hit. Be sure to aim and do not waste
ammunition. If not aiming the company will waste 30 bullets in a volley and the field artillery will
waste even more.
When enemy fires canister shot-lay down, it will fly over your head! Jump up, shoot directly at
artillery, storm them and hit with bayonet! When they surrender do not kill an unarmed man. It
is a sin to kill needlessly, they are also humans.
Give your life for the love of the God, for your family, for your home, for the country! Prey for
the people who gave their life. Who stays alive he will get the honor and glory.
Barracks and camps
Do not hurt or dishonor the locals, they are providing us with food and water. Soldiers are not
robbers.
Divide the conquered wealth among the soldiers, if they storm the enemy camp all what they
capture is theirs, if they storm the fortress, all what they capture is theirs. At Ismail we gave
soldiers handfuls of silver and gold. But do not allow looting; only organized division is allowed.
The battle and attack on the walls or trenches
In the battle in the field there are three ways to attack: at the week flank. But if the stronger
flank is concealed by forest this is not a wise attack.
The soldier will overcome the mud; over the river it is difficult, without the bridge you will not
cross. Any trench or a wall can be stormed.
To attack at the centre is not recommended, except if the cavalry can provide good support.
Attack at the back is excellent, but up to unit size of brigade, as it is difficult to go around an
army.
When fighting in the fields, use the linear formation against the regular armies, use kare against
the infidels, and do not use columns. I can happen that against the Turks that you can break
their ranks of five to seven thousand by flanking them with kares, then fly into column. But until
now there were no chances to do this.
There are godless, windy, extravagant Frenchmen that are fighting the Germans and other in
columns. If it happened that we need to fight against them, then we ought to beat them as
columns.
Battle on the trenches is the same as the field one, trench is not deep, wall is not high. Jump
into the trench, storm over the wall, hit them with bayonet, destroy, rout them, and take
prisoners. Remember to cut. Use cavalry, in Prague the infantry has built a whole fortress, attack
in columns.
Onslaught
Brake trough, cover the wolf traps, and storm them!
Jump over the palisades, pour into the trench, and put the ladders! Sharpshooters, fire on the
retreating columns of the enemy, aim the commanders. Columns fly over the walls, create a
human scaffold if needed, and form the line on the wall!
Take the ammunition and weapons depot, open the gates for cavalry! If the enemy is fleeing
into the city, shoot at them, fire trough the streets, and throw grenades viciously! No time to
waste, command to enter the city and slay the enemy in the streets! Cavalry, crush the enemy!
Do not enter houses; destroy the enemy at the open ground! Storm the enemy strongpoint!
Occupy and area-place the guards!
Instantly put pickets at the gate, cellars, and shops! The enemy surrendered – show him mercy!
The stronghold is taken- extraction!
Art of war
There are three elements of the art of war:
First one: Asses and adapt to situation: where to make the camp, where and how to move,
where to attack, charge and fight.
Marching against the enemy
Second: speed. Move half a kilometer to a kilometer in advance of the field artillery, so the
terrain would not interfere. When columns get closer the artillery will again have its influence.
On narrow roads, bridges, streets, marshes go by two or by four in lines, and only when
attacking the enemy form ranks and platoons.
Do not stop, push forward, dance, sing, beat the drum, let the music play!
When you cross 10 km, first platoon get your backpacks off, take some rest! Then the second
platoon, third and so on and so forth. The first ones should not wait for the last ones; line should
form into column on the go, two-by-two in the move form four-by-four.
That is why the first platoons would wait for the last ones for half an hour in vain.
After the first ten kilometers have an hour rest. The first platoon jumps up and puts its wings
(backpacks) on, and moves forward. When traversing the narrow pass, form line ten to fifty
steps after the pass. Every next platoon does the same until the last one, so that the last ones
can have their time to rest.
After crossing another 10 kilometers-have some rest. You can have rest for more than one hour.
If the third part of the march is shorter than 10km, then divide the distance in a half, and after
the first half have at least a half an hour rest so that you can have some food. This is for the
infantry.
Cavalry, march for 10km and dismount so that the horses can have rest.
The supply wagons should form into a camp. The brothers have come and the food should be
served. Artillery commander organize the meal.
At breakfast stay for four hours, sleeping for six to eight hours, depending on the road. When
getting close to the enemy the supply wagons should always be ready for the fast move.
With this speed people will not get tired, and while the enemy thinks we are far away, we poor
on him like the snow, so that his head will spin. Attack, attack, and whit whatever God has
granted us! Cavalry, charge! Crush, break trough, destroy, and do not stall! Hurrah! Soldiers, my
brothers, are making wonders!
Attack
Third element: onslaught. One foot supports the other, one hand helps the other. Our fire kills a
lot of enemies, and there is no enemy that does not fear the Russian bayonets.
Stretch the line, attack with a bayonet! No time to spread the line, charge with bayonets! Here
comes the cavalry. If there field is flat for one kilometer or more, when the enemy is firing
canister shots get down, fire.
Usually the cavalry will charge in front and the infantry will follow the cavalry. But never break
the ranks!
Cavalry must be able to fight on any ground, same as infantry, except trough the deep mud.
At this ground dismount and pull your horses’ trough. Kazaks will push trough anything. In the
final attack to victory cavalry should pursuit the enemy and destroy it! Infantry should not lag
behind the cavalry.
In two lines is the hitting power, in the third is the half of the hitting power: first line is fighting,
second line is breaking trough, and the third line is pursuing and destroying.
Infirmary
Beware, you poor souls! German medicines that we get are rotten, inadequate and with limited
effect. Russian soldiers are not fit for those medicines.
We have our own herbal medicines, but before everything else preserve your health while on the
road. Do not allow your stomach to be clogged. Sometimes the hunger is the best medicine. If
the senior officer does not take care of his people put him to jail. If the junior officer does not
take care of his soldiers beat him with a stick, if the soldier does not take care of himself beat
him with a stick.
Soft stomach would want bread and a soup; hardened stomach should get an herbal soup.
Remember gentleman, the words of the doctor. If heaving a fever do not eat up to twelve days,
except soups and medicine. And do not use anything that you are not sure it will help you.
If the first day puts a man into a soft bed, second day provides French bread, on the third day
he will end up in a casket.
If a soldier dies his death will influence a ten of his friends.
If a camp is dirtier than a village a disease will come.
Do not save money on providing appropriate medicine.
But all of this is unimportant if you know how to protect yourself from disease, eat and drink
healthy and maintain your personal hygiene.
Knights! Enemy is afraid of you. But there are enemies that are also amongst our ranks, the god
dam “I cannot know how” are the worst of all. They are cunning, sweat talking, two faced
lowlifes; I cannot even find proper words, but beware: “I cannot know how” brings a lot of
misery and misfortune!
Soldier needs to be healthy, courageous, hard, determined, and just, with high moral. Pray to
God! He is granting us victory. My wonder knights! The God leads you; he must be your general.
If a senior officer is “I cannot know how” put him to jail, if a member of general staff is “I cannot
know how” than confine him to his quarters.
Knowledge is light, ignorance is darkness! The art is just a work of a master. And if the farmer
does not know how to plow - the bread will not be made.
For the one who has the knowledge I give three ignorant. And even this would not be enough,
give six, and give ten even. The knowledgeable will beat them all.
In the last campaign the enemy lost 75 000, maybe even a full 100 00 of his soldiers, we did not
lose 500.
That, my friends, is military training! My fellow officers - what a delight!
Note: After the end of the training day the general himself assumes command. He lines up his
army and praises the accomplishment or blasts the wrongdoing.
And in the end the whole army must repeat the following at the top of the voice:
Subordination
Practice
Obedience
Discipline
Military order
Hygiene
Health
Courage
Valor
Tidiness
Strong hart
Victory!
Glory, glory, glory
Comments
1. The time for the training was short and therefore the training started as soon as
the soldiers were accepted into ranks and got their weapons.
2. The initial training was the shooting in platoons, with emphasis on coordinated fire
in battalion and between battalions to provide for continuous volleys.
3. The Suvorov realised the problem with loading a rifle while the gunstock is on the
ground as it would often lead to misfire, and therefore he went directly against the
rules of the time and ordered loading rifle not put to the ground. This kind of
conclusion actually required knowledge of ballistics.
4. Suvorov only valued direct shots as the practice of the time to raise the rifle in
order to get longer range was most of the time just wasting bullets and had more
of the moral effect than it did a real damage to the enemy lines.
5. Suvorov requested his soldiers to fire up to two times at the enemy and then load
the weapons and charge at the enemy with bayonets, as at the time most of the
rifles would actually not fire after fourth shot.
6. The attack was the main element of Suvorov tactics, either used in offence or in
defence. Suvorov also trained his soldiers to stand ground against the cavalry as
the cavalry charge would not have effect against the firmly standing, organised
unit of infantry, but only against dispersed soldiers. The cavalry charge of the time
actually had first moral effect, the soldiers would encounter a pouring avalanche of
horses running towards them and this usually created effect that the soldiers tried
to run away, as the infantry is slower than the cavalry they would be chased by
the cavalry and cut down while their backs were turned towards the enemy, that is
why Suvorov demanded that the soldier is always standing firm and facing the
danger, as he realised that the greatest enemy is the fear and that turning your
back at your fear meant almost certain death, thus a certain defeat.
7. Suvorov emphasised the push forward and trained his soldiers to be able to form
different ranks while moving forward, thus heaving crushing effect on enemy
morale, as the opponent just keeps pushing forward, also on the enemy
organisation as the Suvorov’s units would very fast come close to the rear and the
artillery and supply would be in a range of Suvorov’s attack, and also, as Alexander
the Great at the battle at Gaugamela he would be able to attack at the enemy
general.
8. The soldiers were trained to change their line-up while marching, to avoid
confusion at the battlefield and also to maintain the speed which was crucial for
Suvorov. Even the swinging movement was done while continuing to march.
9. Suvorov knew exactly the effective range of all the weapons used and tailored his
training accordingly. In his trainings both the attacking and defending units were
trained, attacking to know the effective range of the weapons and hot to counter
it, defending how to stand their ground and counterattack when appropriate. The
training also included cavalry, and other military branches, whatever was available
at the time, to make the training as close to the actual battle situation as possible.
10. The attacking and defending units would change sides, so that all soldiers would
go through the whole process.
11. The training was repeated in all formations, as different formations were used
against different enemies.
12. The best sharpshooters had the right to shoot on their own command and to
choose the targets themselves, apart from the rest of the unit.
13. The columns were trained to form kare in the move and vice versa, as this would
be required when going trough rough terrain, and also avoiding the possibility for
cavalry to break through the kare.
14. Suvorov had only one requirement for shooting, its accuracy. He emphasised the
ammunition economy to the highest. Also the weapons of the time created large
smoke clouds and therefore Suvorov does not recommend the consecutive fire as
this could create a smoke cloud that can be used by enemy cavalry to get close to
the ranks and perform a surprise attack.
15. The drums were used to mark the pace, Suvorov emphasized the need for steady
fast pace in the battle.
16. Economy of ammunition was emphasized by Suvorov time and again, as he would
even forbid firing for the sake of firing.
17. Fire management was also quite important for Suvorov, and therefore he would
train his soldiers to choose their targets wisely and to avoid overlapping of targets
as in that case, according to his own words for one target you can waste 30
bullets.
18. Suvorov trained his soldiers to realise the artillery fire, especially with canister
shoots and to get to cover as soon as it would fire, and then push forward fast, as
it needed the time to reload.
19. Suvorov also respected the soldier’s right to gain the benefit from victory. But he
forbids any kind of looting and robbery.
20. Suvorov also trained soldier to understand not only his role in the battle, but also
the role of other military branches as they would benefit from this in the battle.
21. Suvorov emphasised the need to know the tactics of your enemy and to adapt to
them, not just to practice for the sake of practice, but to bring to the point of
automatism forming of the appropriate battle formation as soon as you encounter
the enemy.
22. In the attack Suvorov introduced advanced sharpshooters that would open an
attack with their shots at the enemy, basically having again the double effect, both
on the enemy morale, as they would be afraid to rise from the trenches seeing
that the enemy is using sharpshooters and also provide a simple covering fire fir
his own advancing troops.
23. Suvorov does not allow for long firing against the fleeing enemy, as the important
thing is to reach your goal and also not to allow the fleeing enemy to detach from
pursuing forces, but also emphasizes the outmost importance of not breaking your
own ranks in pursuit as the enemy could easily lead you in a trap.
24. Suvorov presents his teachings trough the examples of the real battles and also
takes learning from previous battles to improve the training.
25. Suvorov also considers the effect of the music on the people while marching, as it
should serve to boost morale.
26. The speed of Suvorov’s marches was incredible, and even not marched in the
modern times.
27. The marching formation was determined based on the need to form ranks and
attack.
28. Suvorov is against any needles bureaucracy and corruption, and he sees these
things as even more dangerous than the enemy itself.
29. Suvorov also considers people who are ready to give up without trying as the
severe danger.
30. Suvorov cares dearly about his soldiers, as the purpose of his training is not only to
win, but to gain decisive victory with minimal losses (if possible no loses).
31. Suvorov also introduces positive elements of foreign training as he recognises the
importance of modernising an army.