The National Guard are a type of militia in Napoleon: Total War.
Description[]
The National Guard is a militia armed with muskets and bayonets, and relatively cheap to recruit.
When considered against other militias, the National Guard is clearly a superior force. However, they should not be expected to stand against regular military units; they are an armed police force, intended to keep order. In battle, they lack confidence, and may run. They are, however, useful garrison troops, can maintain public order, and are inexpensive to recruit and pay.
The French National Guard was formed in 1789, a result of “la Grande Peur”, or the “Great Fear”. Failed harvests led to unrest and the National Assembly needed a police force. The Troupes Provinciales were unreliable because they were recruited, by lottery, from the peasantry who were the source of the unrest. The National Guard, on the other hand, attracted the middle classes to its ranks, if only because guardsmen were expected to pay for their own uniforms and equipment. That social difference made them a more reliable force.
General Information[]
The National Guard are better than generic French militia, but are correspondingly a little more expensive to train and maintain. They are still no match for dedicated line infantry, though, and are best suited to garrison duty (where they have a bonus just like other militia units).
National Guard are unavailable for recruiting in the Europe Campaign, though France starts with five of them. They are available in the Italian campaign, however. In the early game, where funds can be short, National Guard can be crucial for maintaining the line of battle thanks to their better than average morale relative to other militia.
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