For the Empire: Total War unit, see Garde du Corp (Empire: Total War).
Garde du Corp are a type of heavy cavalry in Napoleon: Total War.
Description[]
These royal guard cavalrymen are gentlemen, hand picked to protect the person of the sovereign.
The Garde du Corp are elite cavalry, but they are also a court regiment where appearance is as important as fighting ability. As gentlemen they are hardly expected to associate with the common sort of soldier, and this attitude makes them unpopular with the rest of the army. However, regardless of the way they are perceived, only the best and toughest can enter the Corp, and many an enemy has met their maker at the end of their heavy swords or beneath the hooves of their thunderous charging steeds.
Historically, the Garde du Corp was the royal household cavalry, charged with the protection of the king and his household. During Napoleon’s reign as Emperor they were disbanded, although Napoleon did have an equivalent unit within his Imperial Guard. As with the Household Cavalry in Britain, household guard regiments did not, and do not, have sergeants: they have a “corporal of horse” or the equivalent. The word “sergeant” has the same origins as “servant”, and no gentleman, no matter what his rank, is ever a servant.
General Information[]
The Garde du Corp are the elite cavalry of Hessen, Saxony, and Westphalia. They are statistically the weakest elite cavalry, tied with Guards of Honour and the Republican version of Horse Guards. Nonetheless, they are formidable heavy cavalry, capable of smashing through infantry and staying in prolonged fights. In addition like most elite cavalry, they inspire nearby troops, making them indispensable for stabilizing wavering units.