Ranks, uniform, insignia and types of forces

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Ranks and Insignia

Generals	Capitán General - Captain General	General de Ejército - Army General	Teniente General - Lieutenant General	General de División - Divisional General	General de Brigada - Brigade General
Officers	Coronel - Colonel	Teniente Coronel - Lieutenant Colonel	Comandante - Commandant (lit. Commander), Major	Capitán - Captain	Teniente - Lieutenant	Alférez - lit. Knight, (Ensign)	Caballero Alférez Cadete - lit. Gentleman/Knight Knight Cadet
Sub-Officers	Suboficial Mayor - Sub-officer Major	Subteniente- Sublieutenant	Brigada - Brigadier
Non-Officers	Sargento Primero - First Sergeant	Sargento - Sergeant	Cabo Mayor - Corporal Major	Cabo Primero - First Corporal	Cabo - Corporal	Soldado de Primera - Soldier First Class	Soldado - Soldier

Types of forces and uniform

Royal Guard
Reales Guardias Alabarderos – Royal halberdier guards
(2 companies)


The Real y Laureado Cuerpo de Reales Guardias Alabarderos was created in 1506 and is the oldest units of the Royal Household. Its duty is to protect the King and royal family, and to guard the interior of the royal palace.

Escuadrón de Escolta Real – Royal escort
(1 squadron)


The Escort was the cavalry element of the Royal guard, and accompanied the King whenever he left the Palace. They were traditionally uniformed and equipped as cuirassiers.

Line infantry

Cazadores – light infantry



Like other European armies of the time, Spain had dedicated light infantry units called cazadores (which, as you guessed, means "hunter" like most other light infantry in Europe). The cazadores were effectively considered an elite as their training and selection was much superior to that of the line infantry. Combat-wise there was little difference between the two types of units however, as tactics and usage between line and light infantry had become muddled by the beginning of the 20th century.

Cazadores de montaña – mountain infantry

The first mountain battalions were created in 1899, but were disbanded again five years later. The necessity to have elite specialised units who new the terrain and could develop tactics specific to the mountains was evident though. In 1918 fourteen battalions of cazadores de montaña were thus raised, some from disbanded light infantry units.

Batallones de Segunda Reserva - Second Reserve Battalions

The second reserve battalions were in theory recruited from conscripts who had finished their three years of active service and who would be recalled in time of war. They were organised on a regional basis, with each battalion carrying the name of the locality it would recruit from. In peacetime only a cadre of officers was maintained, with the rest of the effectives to be completed from recalling reservists. In effect this never happened and those battalions were finally dissolved in 1919.

Colonial line infantry


Prior to the creation of the regular forces, the Spanish army in Morocco had used a number of native irregular units at given times, disbanding them once the mission they were hired for was completed. The new permanent native forces were thus called "regulars" to distinguish them.
As a completely professional force of volunteers the regulares would quickly become elite high-profile units. They proved their worth during the Rif wars, and later were the shock troops of the Spanish nationalists alongside the Legion in the civil war.
They possessed natural bravery forged by their Berber tribal culture, and unquestioned discipline and loyalty. Those tabores that were mounted also provided excellent natural horsemen.

Cavalry

Lanceros – lancers


Cazadores de caballeria – Mounted rifles


Dragones – Dragoons


Húsares – Hussars


King Alfonso XIII was particularly fond of these two regiments, the Húsares de Pavia and Húsares de la Princessa, and it is no surprise that his portraits often shown him wearing their gala uniforms. Despite their gaudy parade uniforms, these were fully combat-ready units who saw action in Cuba in 1898 and later in Morocco during the Rif Wars.

Artillery