Upon Grenades

[Moldplayer]

Hello folks. I have been trying to do a bit of research concerning the Seven Years War as of late. When I was searching up the uniforms I wondered if the grenadiers still used grenades in this conflict. A internet search did not help me as all of them said roughly that they were abolished early in the 18th century, however it does not give even the slightest of a time frame.

If any of you fellows out there could help me out with this I would be much appreciated!

[Audiate]

It was by the 19th century that grenades were no longer used, not the 18th. They came back into play for the 20th century, of course.

[Turin Turambar]

It was by the 19th century that grenades were no longer used, not the 18th. They came back into play for the 20th century, of course.

Yep. They found that the grenades were not practicable any more in the long range linebattles.
In the trenches of the 1st World War the found use again. But at this time the grenades were used by all the infantry and the "grenadiers" were just stormtroopers, no special troops with grenades.

[Duuring]

Battles in the late 18th century were scarely more 'long ranged' then those in the early 18th or the 17th. Pikes had been largely abandoned by the 1700s, though the emphasis on big, tight formations stayed a lot longer. The thing with grenades was that they were dangerous as hell, and lighting and throwing one in the heat of battle wasn't really...effective. . I believe they were still used at sieges and naval warfare, though not much.

The status of grenadiers stayed a lot longer, of course. Even in the early Napoleonics, many grenadiers, especially from the HRE or Italian nations, still wore the lighter on their crossbelt.

[Riddlez]

Well, isn't a grenadier still a troop 'class'?

[Duuring]

Grenadiers in the modern Armed Forces still hold the status of being elite, if that's what you mean. The Grenadier Guards of the UK, or the Regiment Grenadiers en Jagers of the Netherlands, for example.

[Riddlez]

Grenadiers in the modern Armed Forces still hold the status of being elite, if that's what you mean. The Grenadier Guards of the UK, or the Regiment Grenadiers en Jagers of the Netherlands, for example.

I meant a single soldier...

I thought a grenadier was a regular infantryman who carries a grenade launcher under his barrel...

FN SCAR with grenade modification

[close]

[Duuring]

Never heard of such a thing. Then again, I'm no expert on the modern military.

[Connzcdf]

Grenadiers in the modern Armed Forces still hold the status of being elite, if that's what you mean. The Grenadier Guards of the UK, or the Regiment Grenadiers en Jagers of the Netherlands, for example.

I meant a single soldier...

I thought a grenadier was a regular infantryman who carries a grenade launcher under his barrel...

FN SCAR with grenade modification

[close]

Yeah there are Grenadiers who usually have Grenade Launchers, but it's more of a designation than a whole rank/class of it's own.
In the British Army, a grenade launcher in just under slung on the SA80:

[Riddlez]

Grenadiers in the modern Armed Forces still hold the status of being elite, if that's what you mean. The Grenadier Guards of the UK, or the Regiment Grenadiers en Jagers of the Netherlands, for example.

I meant a single soldier...

I thought a grenadier was a regular infantryman who carries a grenade launcher under his barrel...

FN SCAR with grenade modification

[close]

Yeah there are Grenadiers who usually have Grenade Launchers, but it's more of a designation

That was the word I was looking for.