Jean-Baptiste Vaquette de Gribeauval (1715–1789):
Modernized French artillery with standardized, mobile cannons (the Gribeauval System).
Introduced interchangeable parts, lighter guns, and improved accuracy.
His reforms laid the groundwork for Napoleon’s artillery dominance.
Napoleonic Wars (1792–1815)
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821):
Began his career as an artillery officer and revolutionized its use in battle.
Famous for his "artillery massing" tactic, concentrating firepower to break enemy lines (e.g., Battle of Austerlitz, 1805).
Officers were trained at elite schools like École Polytechnique, blending science and military strategy.