Chasseurs Britanniques (ETW Unit)
Chasseurs Britanniques
Overview
Expatriate infantry are exiles in another nation's service: men with nothing left to lose but their lives.
Europe is awash with exiles, the dispossessed that have taken up arms thanks to war, religious persecution and politics. Some fight to free thier homelands, and some because home is gone. A few fight for the romance of it all, and for glory and riches. All serve because it is a better choice than starving. Whatever their motives, expatriates are a useful source of men. If someone can carry a musket there is a place in the ranks. There is always the suspicion that individuals who have turned their coats once will do the same again, even though this is unfair to many. As a result, it is unusual for expatriates to serve under their own officers.
Despite the fact that many in the ranks are intelligent enough to act as skirmishers, expatriate infantry carry smoothbore, muzzle-loading muskets and usually fight as line infantry. It is easier to maintain discipline in such units.
Historically, expatriate infantry varied in quality. The Irish Catholic "Wild Geese" in French service fought well, especially against the British. The French Royalist "Chasseurs Britanniques" in the British army, did not relish battle and often deserted at the first opportunity.