The Highland charge was a battlefield shock tactic used by the clans of the Scottish Highlands which incorporated the use of firearms.
Prior to the 17th Century, Highlanders fought in tight formations, led by a heavily armed warrior elite that carried heavy battle axes or claymores (two-handed broadswords whose name comes from the Scottish Gaelic claidheamh mòr "great sword").
However, with the widespread use of muskets and cannon, such formations became vulnerable. As a result, in the 17th century, Highlander warriors developed a lighter, one-handed basket-hilted broadsword that protected the hand. This was generally used with a shield or targe strapped to the weak arm and a dirk or biotag "long knife" held in the other hand.
The Scottish and Irish warrior Alasdair Mac Colla is sometimes credited with inventing the Highland charge during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms to meet a particular set of battlefield challenges. The use of the charge greatly resembled older Celtic fighting styles of battle where one side would rush at the other in an attempt to break the line of battle.
