Guardias de Infanteria (ETW Unit)
The elite foot guards are charged with protecting the persons of the monarch and the royal family.
Overview
These troops are equipped in much the same way as line infantrymen, and carry smoothbore muskets as their primary weapons. There, however, the similarities end. Their uniforms are altogether more splendid, marking them out as a superior force, in arrogance if nothing else. This attitude can serve them well in battle, as the guard can hardly be seen to be cutting and running, no matter how hot the enemy fire. They are also expected to do a good job as garrison troops, keeping the royal family safe no matter what the locals might think or be tempted to do by some foolish revolutionary fervour.
Historically, the French Maison du Roi (literally “house of the king”) were the epitome of household troops. They provided a ceremonial guard at every state occasion, and Louis XIV picked them from candidates sent in by each regiment; inappropriate candidates brought punishment on the officers who had sent them! The Prussian “Potsdam Giants” were a quirky household guard, the product of Frederick I’s obsession with very, very tall men and military pomp. Oddly, he wasn’t a very warlike chap at all.
Details
Available only to Spain the Guardias de Infanteria are a unique line infantry. They possess significantly higher statistics than their Line Infantry counterparts and so can be relied upon in the heat of battle. Elite units such as the Guardias de Infanteria should be made best use of by positioning them in the middle of the line in order to maximise the effectiveness of their morale boost.