for: Infantry (computer game)

The Infantry is the oldest and most numerous of the Combat Arms in the armed forces, and consists of soldiers who predominantly fight on foot; an infantry soldier is an infantryman. Infantry units are the only types of land forces that can occupy and hold positions, and therefore have the most physically demanding training in the army, emphasizing physical fitness, physical strength, and aggressive character due to non-reliance on technology that augments marching all of which are required due to the primary role of the infantry to engage in ground combat.

Infantry can be distinguished from other types of soldiers: cavalry, tanks, technicians such as armourer and signaller. Nonetheless basic infantry skills are fundamental to the training of any soldier, and soldiers of any branch of an army are expected to serve as auxiliary infantry (i.e. patrol and fight on foot) when necessary.

Although the term infantry dates from the 15th century, the foot troops of the previous eras in history who fought with a variety of weapons before the introduction of the firearms are also referred to as infantry. During the Ancient and Middle Ages Infantry were categorized by the types of weapons and armour they used, such as heavy, medium, and light infantry. Since the introduction of firearms classifications have changed initially to reflect their formations on the battlefield as line infantry, and later to reflect modes of transport and type of tactics used by specific units as Mechanized infantry or airborne infantry.

Since the end of the Second World War infantry became a minority in armies of the Western world, constituting typically between 10% and 30% . This reflects the greatly increased requirement for technical and logistical specialists in Western armies, resulting from the increasing complexity of military technology and equipment and an increased recognition of the importance of logistics in warfare. In the Third world armies, infantry still accounts for a majority of the soldiers.

Infantry is arguably the most flexible of the Combat Arms, able to manoeuvre in terrain inaccessible to cavalry or armour, and employing infantry support weapons that can provide impromptu substitute for the artillery. However, the other Combat Arms are unable to operate without infantry support which ensures that any Combined Arms formation includes an infantry unit.

History

The word infantry was borrowed into other Romance languages from the Latin infantem, originally "a youth" who as an infante "foot soldier" served in groups composed of those who were too inexperienced or low in rank for cavalry. As a meaning for an organised type of combat troops the word dates to 1579 in the French infantrie and Spanish infanteria. However, in military history it has become a common English term to apply to troops from earlier historical periods.