Tactics At the time of the Scanian War Sweden's armed forces were oriented around cavalry as the main assault force with infantry filling a defensive role supported by cavalry units. Being on the offensive was preferred in a battle. In a set of regulations written in 1676 by
Rutger von Ascheberg, the cavalry were to rush the enemy and get in so close that they could see the whites of their eyes before firing their pistols at the enemy. After that swords were to be drawn and the attack pressed.
In Northern Germany Swedish–Brandenburger War : Brandenburg assault on the Swedish army crossing the
Rhin and its adjacent marshes (
Rhinluch) on a causeway north of
Fehrbellin. A minor defeat in military terms, it cost Sweden her reputation and prompted
Denmark-Norway to enter the war. When the
United Provinces initially asked for Danish–Norway support against the French and their allies in the
Franco-Dutch War, Danish–Norwegian King
Christian V wanted to join them, and go to war with
Sweden immediately to recapture the historically Danish provinces of
Scania and
Halland. Count
Peder Griffenfeld, an influential royal adviser, advised against it, and instead advocated a more pro-France policy. But when the numerically superior Swedes lost the
Battle of Fehrbellin on 28 June 1675, it was the first such defeat of Swedish forces since the
Thirty Years' War. Christian V saw his chance, and overcoming Griffenfeld's opposition, attacked. was rendered inoperative by the annihilation of Sweden's sea-power, the
Battle of Öland, 17 June 1676;
Battle of Fehmarn, June 1677, and the difficulties of the Polish king.
Danish–Norwegian reconquest of Scania The Danish–Norway recapture of
Scania (which had been captured by Sweden in 1658) started with the seizure of
Helsingborg on 29 June 1676. Danish king
Christian V brought 15,000 troops against a defending Swedish army of 5,000 men, who spread out over the province. Initially the operation was a great success. Large parts of the local peasantry sided with Denmark and the outnumbered Swedish troops were in bad shape. Town after town fell into the hands of the Danes–Norwegian and the Swedes had to retreat north to
Sweden proper. In a month's time only the fortified town of
Malmö remained under Swedish control.
The Gyldenløve War Norwegian history records the campaigns in Norway (or in formerly Norwegian provinces) as the Gyldenløve War; it was named after
Governor-General Ulrik Frederick Gyldenløve, who as commander-in-chief directed the Norwegian offensive. The Norwegian offensives were generally successful, but served only to offset the Danish setbacks elsewhere.
1675 stalemate Simultaneously with the Danish invasion, Norway's forces were marshaled along the border to force the Swedes to deal with the prospect of fighting a two-front war. A force of 4,000 Norwegians was concentrated at
Fredrikshald under the command of General
Russenstein, both protecting against any Swedish attempts to invade and threatening to retake the formerly Norwegian province of
Bohuslän. The Swedish General
Ascheberg took position at
Svarteborg with 2,000 men. Operations along the Norwegian–Swedish border during 1675 were largely skirmishes to test strength, as mountain passes were well guarded. Gyldenløve then directed 1,000 men in galleys to proceed down the coast and cut off Ascheberg's supply route; as Ascheberg had intelligence of the effort, it was unsuccessful. Both armies went into winter quarters in the border districts. == War at sea ==