History Main / OnrushingArmy

* In ''Film/AvengersEndgame'', the combined force of the Avengers, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and an army of Wakandans, Asgardians, and Sorcerers, charge against Thanos and his army in an even and epic clash, breaking down to showcase just about every Avenger in action.

If one side doesn't charge, they will hold any of their ranged firepower until the very last moment (it helps build dramatic tension). Or they will fire exactly ''one'' volley of arrows before charging themselves.

In the history of warfare, generally only the absolutely most unorganized and untrained mobs engaged in this trope. Even ancient barbarians generally knew better than to just gang up and run toward the enemy. This isn't of course to say that charges didn't happen; it's just that a charge at the enemy was one tactic among many, generally incorporated into an overall strategy. Whereas this trope portrays an army's entire plan as beginning and ending with, "Everyone run straight at the enemy."

In the history of warfare, generally only the absolutely most unorganized and untrained mobs engaged in this trope. Even ancient barbarians generally knew better than to just gang up and run toward the enemy. This isn't of course to say that charges in general didn't happen; it's just that a charge at the enemy was one tactic among many, generally incorporated into an overall strategy. Whereas this trope portrays an army's entire plan as beginning and ending with, "Everyone run straight at the enemy."

In the history of warfare, generally only the absolutely most unorganized and untrained mobs engaged in this trope. Even ancient barbarians generally knew better than to just gang up and run toward the enemy. This isn't of course to say that charges in general didn't happen; it's just that a charge at the enemy was one tactic among many, incorporated into a strategy. Whereas this trope portrays an army's entire plan as beginning and ending with, "Everyone run straight at the enemy."

If one side doesn't charge, they will hold any of their potential ranged firepower until the very last moment (it helps build dramatic tension). Or they will fire exactly ''one'' volley of arrows before charging themselves.

If one side doesn't charge, they will hold any of their potential ranged firepower until the very last moment. Or they will fire exactly ''one'' volley of arrows before charging themselves.

If one side doesn't charge, they will hold any potential ranged firepower until the very last moment. Or they will fire exactly ''one'' volley of arrows before charging themselves.

If one side doesn't charge, they will hold their fire until the very last moment. Or they will fire exactly ''one'' volley of arrows before charging themselves.

Before firearms, this tactic was rare, the "shield wall" being a much more common tactic. Even ancient barbarians generally knew better than to just gang up and run toward the enemy. Actually, the advent of firearms temporarily ''increased'' the use of this tactic, the goal being to close within melee range before the enemy could fire a second volley (this tactic being used by Scottish Highlanders), but even then, soldiers still maintained formation rather than charging in a formless mass. Ever increasing range, accuracy, and speed of firearms finally rendered this tactic suicidal in the First World War, both sides relying on suppressive fire from artillery to enable the attack to close on its target, with horrible consequences if the barrage was insufficient or badly handled.

* In the age of firearms, is the basic concept behind a [[BayonetYa bayonet charge]], although such attacks are rare (and functionally similar to pike rushes, mentioned above), and typically only done if ammo is short and the enemy near. While bayonets are usually considered AwesomeButImpractical at best (even if the enemy is arm's reach from you, [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim you can still just shoot him]]), they are also viscerally intimidating, and often result in a total rout as the enemy flees rather than risk getting stabbed to death by a berserking soldier. The most recent bayonet charges by modern military forces were both courtesy of the British military, with Scotts from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders routing a larger force of Iraqi militiamen near Al Amara in 2004, and a squad of soldiers from the Prince of Wales Royal Regiment caught in a Taliban ambush forcing the enemy to retreat by immediately launching a counter-assault.

->''" A line of dust floats at the base of the Red Mountains. A thin brown line, growing larger and larger. Specks appear in the haze. A noise rises up, like a hundred roaring engines. A thousand thundering hooves. Ten thousand uplifted voices. Thread's eyes widen. "Form Up!" he screams. "Form up!" But it's too late. The Anasazi have come. They come on foot, they come on mules, they come on horses, they come in vehicles older than the Dark Days. They come with homemade slingshots and stolen firearms. They come in a ramshackle cavalry charge that whips the desert into a sandstorm. At the center of the charge is a old, battered truck. On the roof of the cab stands the Victor, grey hair whipping in the wind, nightgown flapping against her bony legs, a pitchfork in one hand and a pistol in the other, shrieking a war cry that reaches the eagles in the sky."''

[[folder:Film]]

Before firearms, this tactic was rare, the "shield wall" being a much more common tactic. Even ancient barbarians generally knew better than to just gang up and run toward the enemy. Actually, the advent of firearms temporarily ''increased'' the use of this tactic, the goal being to close within melee range before the enemy could fire a second volley (this tactic being used by Scottish Highlanders), but even then, soldiers still maintained formation rather than charging in a formless mass. Ever increasing range, accuracy, and speed of firearms finally rendered this tactic suicidal in the First World War. A casual glance at the mortality figures of UsefulNotes/WorldWarI (~9 million) will show you how well it worked against advanced firearms.

A popular subset of HollywoodTactics. Opposing armies will not engage in tactics or maneuvers of any kind. Instead, they simply form up into two opposing masses and charge straight at each other across a flat field. Afterwards, even this rudimentary formation will be lost as soldiers break up into a series of individual duels. If there are any cavalry, they will not work as a separate unit or form up together; rather they will just be scattered in amongst the infantry.

Before firearms this tactic was rare, the "Shield Wall" being a much more common tactic. Even ancient barbarians generally knew better than to just gang up and run toward the enemy. Actually the advent of firearms temporarily ''increased'' the use of this tactic, the goal being to close within melee range before the enemy could fire a second volley (this tactic being used by Scottish Highlanders). However even then soldiers still maintained formation rather than charging in a formless mass. However ever increasing range, accuracy, and speed of firearms finally rendered this tactic suicidal in the First World War. A casual glance at the mortality figures of UsefulNotes/WorldWarI (~9 million) will show you how well it worked against advanced firearms.

* Less professional and/or poorly led armies often turn to this strategy. The typical result is a bloodbath if their enemy does the same, or a one-sided massacre if he doesn't - their enemy would have to be very very worse in either or both regards for it to work.
** Of course, it makes slightly more sense when there's no cover to speak of and the other side has superior artillery support, but a sensible commander avoids getting into such a situation in the first place.
* This is a surprisingly effective tactic when the best weapons around are pikes and your troops are more disciplined. The Swiss used it for centuries.
** Except they made sure to be slow enough to stay in formation. Unlike some weapons there is absolutely no way to use a pike except in a tight, arrayed formation.
*** Some scholars also believe the Swiss' secret was averting this trope and advancing swiftly, efficiently, and in bone-chilling silence. Reenactors tried fighting as tight pike blocks. Everyone in the first few ranks "died" within seconds, a thing most soldiers aren't thrilled to do. Pike-pike combat may have been largely a game of chicken. Imagine playing that game with against a group with a famous reputation who are silently and with great discipline marching right at you with no signs of slowing down.
** More generally, most ancient and medieval battles had relatively light casualties until a rout started. Soldiers would usually panic long before they would be wiped out. The point of charging is to hope to break your enemy's resolve with a sudden onslaught. If that fails, the charge is of little benefit.
* This might have been a fairly good description of ancient Greek phalanxes. Since they were [[MildlyMilitary rather poorly trained and disciplined]], plenty of battles had the attacking hoplites charge the enemy head-on in a fairly loose formation in spite of their spears and heavy shields. Poorly-disciplined troops are also not unlikely to suddenly charge without orders...

* Something approximating this was used to substantial effect by Highlanders against Hanoverian armies during the Stuart rebellions, particularly the '45 and its aftermath - although it should be noted that it was used as part of a wider strategic system with more professional troops. The Highland charge was a tactic of sprinting into an enemy's musket lines and hacking at them with broadswords while they're still struggling to fix their bayonets. Later in the war, though, the redcoats developed tactics to defend against such charges and won a horribly one-sided victory at Culloden which ended the rebellion at a stroke.

* The real-life Battle of Agincourt was lost by the French deciding to employ this trope at exactly the wrong time. At the time of Agincourt, conventional wisdom held that the shield/pike wall would defeat a headlong charge; thus the army that attacked first would lose. The French, holding home terrain, superior numbers and not crippled by disease and logistical issues, thus decided to hold and wait for the English to make a desperation charge that the French could crush with their cavalry and men-at-arms. Thus, as the English advanced their longbows into firing range and put down a wall of stakes, the French did not respond. The end result: The English began bombarding the French with arrows and the French, instead of giving ground, decided to charge the English lines ''en masse''. The outcome, exactly in accordance with conventional wisdom, was a devastating French defeat.

* ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' [[PlayedForLaughs plays this for laughs]], as King Arthur and his knights (and later his entire army) ''always'' attack by charging. The trope is pushed UpToEleven on two occasions, when they charge at an enemy ''castle''. Notably, they never win a single fight.

* ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail'' [[PlayedForLaughs plays this for laughs, as King Arthur and his knights (and later his entire army) ''always'' attack by charging. The trope is pushed UpToEleven on two occasions, when they charge at an enemy ''castle''. Notably, they never win a single fight.