How did French use of skirmishers change battlefield tactics during the Revolutionary wars?

During the French Revolutionary wars, the French military transformed battlefield tactics by significantly increasing reliance on skirmishers.1

Prior to this period, armies typically utilized irregular troops—such as Austrian Pandours—for skirmishing duties. However, because post-1793 French armies faced fewer issues with desertion than their predecessors, they were able to employ regular soldiers in this role. These skirmishers eventually comprised as much as one-third of the infantry.1

Tactically, this shift allowed French commanders to open battles by deploying skirmishers without organized formations. These troops were permitted to move independently, alternately firing and taking cover to harass the enemy. This approach served as a precursor to the main assault, where the bulk of the infantry would form into columns to attack the enemy lines after they had been softened by skirmish fire and artillery. This tactical innovation, which continued to be refined under Napoleon, marked a departure from the rigid, machinelike linear formations that had dominated 18th-century warfare.12