Irregular Troops

troops without a stable and permanent organization or notably distinguished from regular troops in the manner of recruitment, service, training, or uniforming.

After the formation of a regular army in Russia (at the start of the 18th century), the irregular troops consisted of light cavalry units (in the 18th century) and the cossack troops of the Don, Black Sea, Astrakhan, and other hosts. Russian irregular troops at the start of the 20th century also included the Dagestan and Kuban militia, the Dagestan Mounted Regiment, and the Turkestan Mounted Battalion.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Austria also had irregular troops (including Croatian units and pandours), as did Turkey (bashi-bazouks and Circassian, Kurdish, and other units). In the early 20th century, irregular troops were found in the British and French colonies (made up of various native forces), Turkey (irregular cavalry, including Kurds and Circassians), Iran (troops from nomadic tribes), and Afghanistan (irregular units of the home guard. After World War I irregular troops were abolished in all states.