I've heard that at the Battle of the Frontiers, French field tactics looked like something from the Franco-Prussian war and cost them staggering casualties as a result. Is this accurate?
^ These past answers I've given should answer your question. The infantry tactics laid down in the French Field Service Regulations of 1913 emphasized dispersed formation and the importance of reconnaissance and secure flanks prior to attack. Unfortunately, these were adopted so late that they had little effect on the French Army, which was poorly trained anyways. As a result, soldiers tended to bunch together, or were easily ambushed when advancing in marching columns, with the result that it often appeared that they were utilizing 18th century line formations.