The netyagi proved themselves to be an admirable force. Their bravery and fighting spirit compensated for their lack of armor. While a pistol salvo at close range often guarantees their success, the netyagi can be easily trampled by cavalry. Naval campaigns, which were in essence pirate raids, were not unusual for Cossacks, and such sea voyages called for a new type of troops. Landing on an enemy shore was not always a bloodless affair, and merchant vessels were hardly defenseless either. The netyagi were first used on such sea raids. They would suffer heavy casualties as they leapt from the deck onto dry land or enemy ships, with no heavy armor to protect them or time to regroup and launch an attack. Netyagi were likewise employed in strictly land-based warfare, where they served as shock troops, the first to make contact with the enemy and to withstand the initial onslaught.
