Back Infantry Mounted Troops Artillery THE FRENCH ARMY OF THE WAR OF THE SEVEN YEARS WAR Dave Strebe By the Seven Years War the French army was no longer the major force it had been half a century earlier. At the start of the Seven Years War in 1762 the line regiments numbered 88 regiments with 187 battalions consisting of 17 companies (15 fusilier, 1 chasseur and 1 grenadier). The companies were 40 to 45 men strong The senior regiments had more than 1 battalion but most had only one. Although the army itself was not of the highest calibre the primary reason for its poor performance seems to have more to do with no clear idea of what the war was about or what the main objectives were, court intrigue and a series of truly woeful commanders. When well led the French army was still capable of a creditable performance. Interestingly the French army was one of the great innovators of the SYW at the tactical and strategic level. Skirmishing line infantry companies, attack columns and a true corps level organisation were amongst the French army’s new developments.