Editing Army

{{short description|Military branch for ground warfare}}
{{Redirect|Land Army|Women's Land Armies|Women's Land Army (disambiguation)}}
{{About|ground-warfare militaries|the large military formation|Field army|other uses|Army (disambiguation)}}
[[File:Army Corps at the Victory parade.jpg|thumb|[[Azerbaijan Army]] soldiers at a 2020 parade]]
[[File:The Gorkha Regiment marching contingent passes through the Rajpath during the 65th Republic Day Parade 2014, in New Delhi on January 26, 2014.jpg|thumb|[[Indian Army]] soldiers on parade in 2014]]
{{army units}}

An '''army''',<ref>(from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons")</ref> '''ground force''' or '''land force''' is an armed force that fights primarily on [[Ground warfare|land]]. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based [[military branch]], service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by possessing an [[army aviation]] component. Within a national [[military]] force, the word army may also mean a [[field army]].

==Definition==
In some countries, such as [[France]] and [[China]], the term "army", especially in its plural form "armies", has the broader meaning of [[armed forces]] as a whole, while retaining the colloquial sense of land forces. To differentiate the colloquial army from the formal concept of military force, the term is qualified, for example in France the land force is called {{Lang|fr|[[French Army|Armée de terre]]}}, meaning '''Land Army''', and the air and space force is called {{lang|fr|[[French Air and Space Force|Armée de l'Air et de l’Espace]]}}, meaning '''Air and Space Army'''. The naval force, although not using the term "army", is also included in the broad sense of the term "armies" — thus the [[French Navy]] is an integral component of the collective French Armies ([[French Armed Forces]]) under the [[Ministry of the Armies (France)|Ministry of the Armies]]. A similar pattern is seen in China, with the [[People's Liberation Army]] (PLA) being the overall military, the land force being the [[People's Liberation Army Ground Force|PLA Ground Force]], and so forth for the [[People's Liberation Army Air Force|PLA Air Force]], the [[People's Liberation Army Navy|PLA Navy]], and other branches.

Though by convention, [[irregular military]] is understood in contrast to [[regular army|regular armies]] which grew slowly from personal bodyguards or elite [[militia]]. Regular in this case refers to standardized doctrines, uniforms, organizations, etc. Regular military can also refer to full-time status ([[standing army]]), versus [[Military reserve force|reserve]] or part-time personnel. Other distinctions may separate statutory forces (established under laws such as the [[National Defence Act]]), from de facto "non-statutory" forces such as some guerrilla and revolutionary armies.

==Structure==
Armies are always divided into various specialties, according to the mission, role, and training of individual units, and sometimes individual soldiers within a unit. 

Some of the groupings common to all armies include the following:
*[[Infantry]]
*[[Armoured corps]]
*[[Artillery corps]]
*[[Signal corps]]
*[[Special forces]]
*[[Military police]]
*[[Medical corps]]

==History==
{{redirect|Army history|the magazine|Army History{{!}}''Army History''}}
{{See also|History of physical training and fitness}}

===India===
The [[Battle of the Ten Kings]], a [[Indo-Aryan peoples|Hindu Aryan]] king named [[Sudas]] defeated an alliance of ten kings and their supportive chieftains. During the [[Iron Age]], the [[Maurya Empire|Maurya]] and [[Nanda Empire|Nanda]] Empires had one of the largest armies in the world, the peak being approximately over 600,000 Infantry, 30,000 Cavalry, 8,000 [[Ratha|War-Chariots]] and 9,000 War Elephants not including [[tributary state]] allies.<ref>{{citation |last=Majumdar |first=Ramesh Chandra |author-link=R. C. Majumdar |title=Ancient India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XNxiN5tzKOgC |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |date=2003 |orig-year=1952 |isbn=81-208-0436-8|page=107}}</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?idbMg-DAAAQBAJ&pg=PA84&dq=mauryan+army&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiQ99nQ967WAhXHJJQKHX_YDhI4ChDoAQgnMAE#v=onepage&q=mauryan%20army&f=false ''History of India''] by Malti Malik, p.84</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=y1ngxn_xTOIC&dq=mauryan+army&pg=PA218 ''The Great Armies of Antiquity''] by Richard A. Gabriel p.218</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jpXijlqeRpIC|title=India's Historic Battles: From Alexander the Great to Kargil|last=Roy|first=Kaushik|date=2004-01-01|publisher=Orient Blackswan|isbn=9788178241098|language=en|pages=28–31}}</ref> In the [[Gupta Empire|Gupta]] age, large armies of [[longbow]]men were recruited to fight off invading horse archer armies. [[War elephant|Elephants]], [[Pike (weapon)|pike]]men, and [[cavalry]] were other featured troops.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.worldhistory.org/Indian_Warfare/ | title=Ancient Indian Warfare }}</ref>

===China===
[[File:Warring States or Western Han crossbow.jpg|thumb|A bronze crossbow trigger mechanism and butt plate that were mass-produced in the [[Warring States period]] (475-221 BCE)]]
The states of China raised armies for at least 1000 years before the [[Spring and Autumn Annals]].<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Ebrey |first1=Patricia Buckley |title=East Asia: A Cultural, Social, and Political History |last2=Walthall |first2=Anne |last3=Palais |first3=James |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Company |year=2006 |isbn=0-618-13384-4 |location=Boston |pages=10}}</ref> By the [[Warring States period]], the crossbow had been perfected enough to become a military secret, with bronze bolts that could pierce any armor. Thus any political power of a state rested on the armies and their organization. China underwent political consolidation of the states of [[Han (Warring States)|Han (韓)]], [[Wei (state)|Wei (魏)]], [[Chu (state)|Chu (楚)]], [[Yan (state)|Yan (燕)]], [[Zhao (state)|Zhao (趙)]] and [[Qi (Shandong)|Qi (齊)]], until by 221 BCE, [[Qin Shi Huang]] (秦始皇帝), the first emperor of the [[Qin dynasty]], attained absolute power. This first emperor of China could command the creation of a [[Terracotta Army]] to guard his tomb in the city of [[Xi'an]] (西安). in addition to a realignment of the [[Great Wall of China]] to strengthen his empire against insurrection, invasion and incursion.

[[Sun Tzu]]'s ''[[The Art of War]]'' remains one of China's [[Seven Military Classics]], even though it is two thousand years old.<ref>In the twentieth c., [[Mao Zedong]] (People's Republic of China), General [[Võ Nguyên Giáp]] (Viet Nam), General [[Douglas MacArthur]] (United States),  and in medieval Japan, [[Takeda Shingen]] (1521–1573) have drawn inspiration from the work</ref> Since no political figure could exist without an army, measures were taken to ensure only the most capable leaders could control the armies.<ref>"who wishes to fight must first count the cost" —[[Sun Tzu]], ''[[The Art of War]]''</ref> [[Scholar-bureaucrat|Civil bureaucracies (士大夫)]] arose to control the productive power of the states, and their military power.<ref>"You conquered the empire on horseback, but from horseback, you will never succeed in ruling it." —Lu Chia, as quoted by [[Joseph Needham]], ''[[Science and Civilisation in China]]''. vol 7, part II.</ref>

===Sparta===
[[File: Riace bronzes - Statue A- Ancient Greek warrior.jpg|thumb|upright|An Ancient Greek warrior in bronze, [[Riace bronzes]], {{Circa|450 BCE}}.]]
The [[Spartan Army]] was one of the earliest known professional armies. Boys were sent to a [[barracks]] at the age of seven or eight to train for becoming a soldier. At the age of thirty, they were released from the barracks and allowed to marry and have a family. After that, men devoted their lives to war until their retirement at the age of 60. The Spartan Army was largely composed of [[hoplite]]s, equipped with arms and armor nearly identical to each other. Each hoplite bore the Spartan emblem and a scarlet uniform. The main pieces of this armor were a round shield, a spear and a helmet.

===Ancient Rome===
[[File:Relief Kolumna Trajana2.jpg|thumb|A 2nd-century depiction of Roman soldiers on [[Trajan's column]]]]

The [[Roman Army]] had its origins in the citizen army of the [[Roman Republic|Republic]], which was staffed by citizens serving mandatory duty for Rome. Conscription remained the main method through which Rome mustered forces until the end of the Republic.<ref>
* {{Cite book |last=Lintott |first=Andrew |title=The last age of the Roman republic |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3yUkzNLiY4oC |series=Cambridge Ancient History |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=1994 |isbn=0-521-25603-8 |editor-last=Crook |editor-first=J A |edition=2nd |volume=9 |chapter=Political history, 149–95 BC |display-editors=etal|page=92|quote=The Romans continued to levy regularly by conscription.}}
* {{Cite book |last=Gruen |first=Erich |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8a4wDwAAQBAJ |title=The last generation of the Roman republic |year=1995 |isbn=0-520-02238-6 |location=Berkeley |publisher=University of California Press|page=367|quote=And the Marian reforms... did not abolish the levy. Conscription continued... to the end of the republic.}}</ref> The army eventually became a professional organization largely of citizens, who would [[career soldier|served continuously]] for 25 years before being discharged.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Knighton |first1=Andrew |title=The Roman Army – The Development Of One Of The Most Powerful Military Forces In The Ancient World |url=https://www.warhistoryonline.com/ancient-history/roman-army-development-military.html |website=War History Online |access-date=4 September 2018 |date=May 7, 2018}}</ref>

The Romans were also noted for making use of [[Auxiliary (Roman military)|auxiliary troops]], non-Romans who served with the [[Roman legion|legion]]s and filled roles that the traditional Roman military could not fill effectively, such as [[skirmisher|light skirmish troops]] and [[heavy cavalry]]. After their service in the army they were made citizens of Rome and then their children were citizens also. They were also given land and money to settle in Rome. In the [[Late Roman Empire]], these auxiliary troops, along with foreign mercenaries, became the core of the Roman Army; moreover, by the time of the Late Roman Empire tribes such as the [[Visigoths]] were paid to serve as [[Mercenary|mercenaries]].

===Medieval Europe===
[[File:Belagerung von Calais 1346-1347.JPG|thumb|Armies of the Middle Ages consisted of noble knights, rendering service to their [[suzerain]], and hired footsoldiers]]
In the earliest [[Middle Ages]] it was the obligation of every [[Aristocracy (class)|aristocrat]] to respond to the call to battle with his own equipment, archers, and infantry. This decentralized system was necessary due to the social order of the time, but could lead to motley forces with variable training, equipment and abilities. The more resources the noble had access to, the better his troops would be.

Initially, the words "knight" and "noble" were used interchangeably as there was not generally a distinction between them. While the nobility did fight upon horseback, they were also supported by lower class citizens – and mercenaries and criminals – whose only purpose was participating in warfare because, most often than not, they held brief employment during their lord's engagement.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Strong of Body, Brave and Noble: Chivalry and Society in Medieval France|last=Bouchard|first=Constance Brittain|publisher=Cornell University Press|year=1998|isbn=0801430976|location=Ithaca|pages=13}}</ref> As the Middle Ages progressed and [[feudalism]] developed in a legitimate social and economic system, knights started to develop into their own class with a minor caveat: they were still in debt to their lord. No longer primarily driven by economic need, the newly established vassal class were, instead, driven by fealty and [[chivalry]].

As central governments grew in power, a return to the citizen armies of the classical period also began, as central levies of the [[peasantry]] began to be the central recruiting tool. England was one of the most centralized states in the Middle Ages, and the armies that fought in the [[Hundred Years' War]] were, predominantly, composed of paid professionals.

In theory, every Englishman had an obligation to serve for forty days. Forty days was not long enough for a campaign, especially one on the continent.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Carruthers|first1=Bob|title=Medieval Warfare|date=2013|publisher=Pen and Sword|isbn=9781781592243|page=10}}</ref>

Thus the [[scutage]] was introduced, whereby most Englishmen paid to escape their service and this money was used to create a permanent army. However, almost all high medieval armies in Europe were composed of a great deal of paid core troops, and there was a large [[mercenary]] market in Europe from at least the early 12th century.

As the Middle Ages progressed in Italy, Italian cities began to rely mostly on mercenaries to do their fighting rather than the militias that had dominated the early and high medieval period in this region. These would be groups of career soldiers who would be paid a set rate. Mercenaries tended to be effective soldiers, especially in combination with standing forces, but in Italy they came to dominate the armies of the city states. This made them considerably less reliable than a standing army. Mercenary-on-mercenary warfare in Italy also led to relatively bloodless campaigns which relied as much on maneuver as on battles.

In 1439 the French legislature, known as the  [[Estates General (France)|Estates General]] (French: ''états généraux''), passed laws that restricted military recruitment and training to the king alone. There was a new tax to be raised known as the ''[[taille]]'' that was to provide funding for a new Royal army. The mercenary companies were given a choice of either joining the Royal army as ''[[Compagnie d'ordonnance|compagnies d'ordonnance]]'' on a permanent basis, or being hunted down and destroyed if they refused. France gained a total standing army of around 6,000 men, which was sent out to gradually eliminate the remaining mercenaries who insisted on operating on their own. The new standing army had a more disciplined and professional approach to warfare than its predecessors. The reforms of the 1440s,  eventually led to the [[Battle of Castillon|French victory at Castillon]] in 1453, and the conclusion of the [[Hundred Years' War]]. By 1450 the companies were divided into the field army, known as the ''grande ordonnance'' and the garrison force known as the ''petite ordonnance''.<ref>Vale, M.G.A. (1992). ''Charles VII''. Berkeley: University of California Press.</ref>

===Early modern===
[[File:Marignano.jpg|thumb|[[Swiss mercenaries]] and German [[Landsknechts]] fighting for glory, fame and money at the [[Battle of Marignan]] (1515). The bulk of the [[Renaissance]] armies was composed of mercenaries.]]

First [[nation state]]s lacked the funds needed to maintain standing forces, so they tended to hire [[Mercenary|mercenaries]] to serve in their armies during wartime. Such mercenaries typically formed at the ends of periods of conflict, when men-at-arms were no longer needed by their respective governments.

The [[veteran]] soldiers thus looked for other forms of employment, often becoming mercenaries. Free Companies would often specialize in forms of combat that required longer periods of training that was not available in the form of a mobilized militia.

As late as the 1650s, most troops were mercenaries. However, after the 17th century, most states invested in better disciplined and more politically reliable permanent troops. For a time mercenaries became important as trainers and administrators, but soon these tasks were also taken by the state. The massive size of these armies required a large supporting force of administrators.

The newly centralized states were forced to set up vast organized bureaucracies to manage these armies, which some historians argue is the basis of the modern bureaucratic state. The combination of increased taxes and increased centralization of government functions caused a series of revolts across Europe such as the [[Fronde]] in France and the [[English Civil War]].

In many countries, the resolution of this conflict was the rise of [[absolute monarchy]]. Only in England and the Netherlands did representative government evolve as an alternative. From the late 17th century, states learned how to finance wars through long term low interest loans from national banking institutions. The first state to master this process was the [[Dutch Republic]]. This transformation in the armies of Europe had great social impact. The defense of the state now rested on the commoners, not on the aristocrats. However, aristocrats continued to monopolize the officer corps of almost all early modern armies, including their high command. Moreover, popular revolts almost always failed unless they had the support and patronage of the noble or gentry classes. The new armies, because of their vast expense, were also dependent on taxation and the commercial classes who also began to demand a greater role in society. The great commercial powers of the Dutch and English matched much larger states in military might.

As any man could be quickly trained in the use of a musket, it became far easier to form massive armies. The inaccuracy of the weapons necessitated large groups of massed soldiers. This led to a rapid swelling of the size of armies. For the first time huge masses of the population could enter combat, rather than just the highly skilled professionals.

[[File:Battle-of-Fontenoy.jpg|thumb|The colonels of the [[Gardes françaises|French Guards]] and [[Grenadier Guards|British guard]]s politely discussing who should fire first at the [[Battle of Fontenoy]] (1745).<ref>Mackinnon, Daniel. [https://archive.org/details/originandservic03mackgoog Origin and services of the Coldstream Guards], London 1883, Vol. 1, p. 368, note 2</ref> An example of "lace war".]]

It has been argued that the drawing of men from across the nation into an organized corps helped breed national unity and patriotism, and during this period the modern notion of the [[nation state]] was born. However, this would only become apparent after the [[French Revolutionary Wars]]. At this time, the ''[[levée en masse]]'' and [[conscription]] would become the defining paradigm of [[modern warfare]].

Before then, however, most national armies were in fact composed of many nationalities. In Spain armies were recruited from all the Spanish European territories including Spain, Italy, [[Wallonia]] ([[Walloon Guards]]) and Germany. The French recruited some soldiers from Germany, Switzerland as well as from [[Piedmont]]. Britain recruited [[Hesse|Hessian]] and [[Electorate of Hanover|Hanovrian]] troops until the late 18th century. Irish Catholics made careers for themselves in the armies of many Catholic European states.

Prior to the [[English Civil War]] in England, the monarch maintained a personal bodyguard of [[Yeomen of the Guard]] and the [[Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms]], or "gentlemen pensioners", and a few locally raised companies to garrison important places such as [[Berwick on Tweed]] or [[Portsmouth]] (or [[Calais]] before it was [[Siege of Calais (1558)|recaptured]] by France in 1558).

Troops for foreign expeditions were raised upon an ''ad hoc'' basis. [[Noblemen]] and professional regular [[soldier]]s were commissioned by the monarch to supply troops, raising their quotas by [[indenture]] from a variety of sources. On January 26, 1661 [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] issued the Royal Warrant that created the genesis of what would become the [[British Army]], although the [[Scots Army]] and [[English Army]] would remain two separate organizations until the [[Acts of Union 1707|unification of England and Scotland in 1707]]. The small force was represented by only a few regiments.

After the [[American Revolutionary War]] the [[Continental Army]] was quickly disbanded as part of the Americans' distrust of standing armies, and irregular state militias became the sole ground army of the United States, with the exception of one battery of artillery guarding [[West Point]]'s arsenal. Then [[First American Regiment]] was established in 1784. However, because of continuing conflict with [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]], it was soon realized that it was necessary to field a trained standing army. The first of these, the [[Legion of the United States]], was established in 1791.

Until 1733 the common soldiers of [[Prussian Army]] consisted largely of [[peasantry]] recruited or impressed from [[Brandenburg]]–[[Prussia]], leading many to flee to neighboring countries.<ref>{{cite book|last=Clark|first=Christopher|author-link=Christopher Clark|title=Iron Kingdom: The Rise and Downfall of Prussia 1600–1947|year=2006|publisher=Belknap Press of Harvard|location=Cambridge|page=[https://archive.org/details/ironkingdomrised00chri/page/97 97]|isbn=0-674-02385-4|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/ironkingdomrised00chri/page/97}}</ref> To halt this trend, [[Frederick William I of Prussia|Frederick William I]] divided Prussia into [[Cantonist (Prussia)|regimental cantons]]. Every youth was required to serve as a soldier in these recruitment districts for three months each year; this met agrarian needs and added extra troops to bolster the regular ranks.<ref name="Koch88">{{cite book | last= Koch |first= H. W. |title = A History of Prussia | publisher = Barnes & Noble Books | location = New York | year = 1978 | page = 88 | isbn =0-88029-158-3 }}</ref>

[[File:MoshkovVI SrazhLeypcigomGRM.jpg|thumb|The [[Battle of Leipzig|battle of the Nations]] (1813), marked the transition between aristocratic armies and national armies.<ref>[http://www.lecavalierbleu.com/images/30/extrait_81.pdf Napoléon a réinventé l’art de la guerre] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303230720/http://www.lecavalierbleu.com/images/30/extrait_81.pdf |date=2016-03-03 }}. lecavalierbleu.com</ref> [[Conscription|Masses]] replace hired professionals and national hatred overrides dynastic conflicts. An early example of [[total war]]s.]]

[[Russian tsar]]s before [[Peter the Great|Peter I of Russia]] maintained professional hereditary musketeer corps ([[streltsy]] in Russian) that were highly unreliable and undisciplined. In times of war the armed forces were augmented by peasants. Peter I introduced a [[Imperial Russian Army|modern regular army]] built on German model, but with a new aspect: officers not necessarily from [[nobility]], as talented commoners were given promotions that eventually included a noble title at the attainment of an officer's rank. Conscription of peasants and townspeople was based on quota system, per settlement. Initially it was based on the number of households, later it was based on the population numbers.<ref name=blum>[[Jerome Blum]] (1971) "[[Lord and Peasant in Russia from the Ninth to the Nineteenth Century]]", {{ISBN|0-691-00764-0}}, pp. 465, 466</ref> The term of service in the 18th century was for life. In 1793 it was reduced to 25 years. In 1834 it was reduced to 20 years plus 5 years in reserve and in 1855 to 12 years plus 3 years of reserve.<ref name=blum/>{{Chronology citation needed|date=November 2010}}<!-- I have seen different dates for these changes -->

The first [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] [[standing army]] were [[Janissaries]]. They replaced forces that mostly comprised tribal warriors (''[[Ghazw|ghazi]]s'') whose loyalty and morale could not always be trusted. The first Janissary units were formed from prisoners of war and slaves, probably as a result of the sultan taking his traditional one-fifth share of his army's treasure they looted in kind rather than cash.

From the 1380s onwards, their ranks were filled under the ''[[devşirme]]'' system, where feudal dues were paid by service to the sultan. The "recruits" were mostly Christian youths, reminiscent of [[mamluk]]s.

China organized the [[Manchu people]] into the [[Eight Banner system]] in the early 17th century. Defected [[Ming dynasty|Ming]] armies formed the [[Green Standard Army]]. These troops enlisted voluntarily and for long terms of service.

===Late modern===
[[File:Operation Crusader.jpg|thumb|British Indian Army personnel during [[Operation Crusader]] in Egypt, 1941]]

[[Conscription]] allowed the [[French First Republic|French Republic]] to form the ''[[Grande Armée]]'', what [[Napoleon|Napoleon Bonaparte]] called "the nation in arms", which successfully battled European professional armies.

Conscription, particularly when the conscripts are being sent to foreign wars that do not directly affect the security of the nation, has historically been highly politically contentious in democracies.

In developed nations, the increasing emphasis on technological firepower and better-trained fighting forces, make mass conscription unlikely in the foreseeable future.

Russia, as well as many other nations, retains mainly a conscript army. There is also a very rare ''citizen army'' as used in Switzerland (see [[Military of Switzerland]]).

==Field army==
{{Main|Field army}}

[[File:Italian Army 7th Army Aviation Regiment "Vega" NH90 transport helicopters.png|thumb|An army can also feature specialized units to give air or sea support. This image depicts the [[Italian Army]] [[7th Army Aviation Regiment "Vega"]] transporting troops with [[NHIndustries NH90|NH90]] helicopters.]]
A particular army can be named or numbered to distinguish it from military land forces in general. For example, the [[First United States Army]] and the [[Army of Northern Virginia]]. In the [[British Army]] it is normal to spell out the ordinal number of an army (e.g. First Army), whereas lower formations use figures (e.g. 1st Division).

Armies (as well as [[army group]]s and [[Theater (military)|theater]]s) are large formations which vary significantly between armed forces in size, composition, and scope of responsibility.

In the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] [[Red Army]] and the [[Soviet Air Force]], "Armies" could vary in size, but were subordinate to an [[Army Group]]-sized "[[Front (Soviet Army)|front]]" in wartime. In peacetime, a [[Army (Soviet Army)|Soviet army]] was usually subordinate to a [[military district]]. [[Viktor Suvorov]]'s ''Inside the Soviet Army'' describes how [[Cold War]] era Soviet military districts were actually composed of a front headquarters and a military district headquarters co-located for administration and [[Military deception|deception]] ('maskirovika') reasons.

===Formations===
<!-- This section is linked from [[2nd Armored Division (United States)]] -->
In many countries, especially in Europe or North America, armies are often subdivided as follows:

{| style="border:1px solid black; background:white;" cellpadding="3"
|-
| [[Image:NATO Map Symbol - Unit Size - Army.svg|80px|  ]]<br/>[[Image:Military Symbol - Friendly Unit (Solid Light 1.5x1 Frame)- Unspecified or Composite All-Arms (NATO APP-6).svg|80px]]||'''[[field army]]''': A field army is composed of a headquarters, army [[troops]], a variable number of [[corps]], typically between three and four, and a variable number of [[Division (military)|divisions]], also between three and four. A battle is influenced at the Field Army level by transferring divisions and reinforcements from one corps to another to increase the pressure on the enemy at a critical point. Field armies are controlled by a general or lieutenant general.
|-
| [[Image:NATO Map Symbol - Unit Size - Corps.svg|80px|  ]]<br/>[[Image:Military Symbol - Friendly Unit (Solid Light 1.5x1 Frame)- Unspecified or Composite All-Arms (NATO APP-6).svg|80px]]||'''[[Corps]]''': A corps usually consists of two or more divisions and is commanded by a [[lieutenant general]].
|-
| [[Image:NATO Map Symbol - Unit Size - Division.svg|80px|  ]]<br/>[[Image:Military Symbol - Friendly Unit (Solid Light 1.5x1 Frame)- Unspecified or Composite All-Arms (NATO APP-6).svg|80px]]||'''[[Division (military)|Division]]''': Each division is commanded by a [[major general]], and usually holds three brigades including infantry, artillery, engineers and communications units in addition to [[logistics]] (supply and service) support to sustain independent action. Except for the divisions operating in the mountains, divisions have at least one armored unit, some have even more depending upon their functionality. The basic building block of all ground force combat formations is the infantry division.
|-
| [[Image:NATO Map Symbol - Unit Size - Brigade.svg|80px|  ]]<br/>[[Image:Military Symbol - Friendly Unit (Solid Light 1.5x1 Frame)- Unspecified or Composite All-Arms (NATO APP-6).svg|80px]]||'''[[Brigade]]''': A brigade is under the command of a [[brigadier]] or [[brigadier general]] and sometimes is commanded by a [[colonel]]. It typically comprises three or more battalions of different units depending on its functionality. An independent brigade would be one that primarily consists of an artillery unit, an infantry unit, an armour unit and logistics to support its actions. Such a brigade is not part of any division and is under direct command of a corps.
|-
| [[Image:NATO Map Symbol - Unit Size - Battalion.svg|80px|  ]]<br/>[[Image:Military Symbol - Friendly Unit (Solid Light 1.5x1 Frame)- Unspecified or Composite All-Arms (NATO APP-6).svg|80px]]||'''[[Battalion]]''': Each battalion is commanded by a [[colonel]] or sometimes by [[lieutenant colonel]] who commands roughly 500 to 750 soldiers. This number varies depending on the functionality of the regiment. A battalion comprises 3–5 [[Company (military unit)|companies]] (3 rifle companies, a fire support company and headquarters company) or its functional equivalent such as batteries (artillery) or squadrons (armour and cavalry), each under the command of a [[Major (rank)|major]]. The company can be divided into platoons, each of which can again be divided into sections or squads. (Terminology is nationality and even unit specific.)<ref name="definitions">{{cite web|url=https://www.fotw.info/flags/pk%5Eard.html |title=Subdivisions of the army |access-date=2007-01-21 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061116031246/https://www.fotw.info/flags/pk%5Eard.html |archive-date=2006-11-16 }}</ref>
|}

==See also==
* [[Lists of armies]]
* [[List of armies by country]]
* [[List of army units called Guards]]
* [[List of numbered armies]]
* [[List of countries by number of military and paramilitary personnel]]
* [[Military organization]]
* [[Paramilitary]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Commons category-inline|Army|army}}

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{{Military branches | state = expanded}}
{{Military and war}}
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[[Category:Armies| ]]
[[Category:Types of military forces]]