Jalutustuged

Jalutustuged is an Estonian term that literally translates to “marching troops” and is used to refer to soldiers who fight on foot. In this sense, jalutustuged are infantry units, as opposed to mounted forces such as cavalry. The word appears chiefly in historical and descriptive contexts, and it can be used to describe the foot soldiers of an army across different periods.

Historically, jalutustuged formed the core of most armies. They typically fought in formation, carried weapons appropriate to their era, such as spears, swords, pikes, and later muskets, and were trained for marching long distances, discipline in drill, and close-quarters combat. Their effectiveness depended on mobility, cohesion, and the ability to hold ground under pressure.

In modern defence discourse, the concept of jalutustuged corresponds to contemporary infantry within a country’s land forces. Today, Estonian defense terminology more commonly uses terms like maavägi (land forces) and jalavägi (infantry) to describe foot soldiers and their units. The notion of foot infantry continues to be relevant in describing dismounted combat tasks, urban operations, and integration with mechanized and armored elements as part of a combined-arms approach.

Overall, jalutustuged highlights the long-standing distinction between foot soldiers and mounted or mechanized troops, reflecting the evolving technologies and tactics of warfare. In current usage, the term is more often found in historical writing or linguistic contexts, while official military language tends to prefer modern equivalents such as jalavägi or infanteri within the maavägi.