Desertion was a common occurrence in the armies of the 18th century and sometimes even happened on a large scale. This has often been attributed to conscription or the moral shortcomings of the recruits, but it has hardly been researched. Were the armies really not the great engines of general discipline that they were always thought to be? What did desertion mean in a time when many princes mobilized increasing numbers of people for their wars? These questions are at the center of the investigation, which, in the spirit of "New Military History," sheds light on the structural problems and contradictions of military affairs in the tension between princely statehood and the population. The book first unfolds the concrete impacts of desertion. The discussion of the background then gradually starts from the everyday living conditions and organizational aspects.