▁ 1 6 ▁companies . ▁The ▁formation ▁of ▁this ▁regiment ▁began ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁Jan ▁ 1 8 1 6 . ▁By ▁contrast ▁with ▁the ▁J äger ▁troops ▁of ▁Old ▁Austria ▁that ▁were ▁organized ▁into ▁independent ▁Feld j äger ▁batt al ions ▁( k . u . k . ▁Feld j äger ), ▁this ▁new ▁regiment ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁( Im per ial ▁and ▁Royal ) ▁J äger ▁regiment ▁of ▁the ▁Empire ▁of ▁Austria ▁until ▁ 1 8 9 5 ▁( when ▁the ▁" Gre at ▁Regiment ▁of ▁Ty role an ▁Emperor ▁R if les ", ▁or ▁Gro ßen ▁Reg iments ▁der ▁T iro ler ▁Kaiser j äger , ▁was ▁split ▁up . ▁ ▁The ▁soldiers ▁of ▁this ▁regiment , ▁whose ▁strength ▁was ▁ 5 , 0 0 0 ▁men , ▁were ▁rec ru ited ▁by ▁state ▁cons cription ▁( K ons cription ) ▁- ▁until ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁general ▁cons cription ▁( We hr pf licht ) ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 8 , ▁their ▁posts ▁were ▁determined ▁by ▁lot ▁- ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁absor ption ▁of ▁ 1 , 4 0 0 ▁men ▁from ▁the ▁former ▁Fen ner j äger kor ps ▁and ▁of ▁ 6 0 0 ▁Ty role an ▁soldiers ▁who ▁returned ▁to ▁their ▁hom eland ▁after ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Napole onic ▁Wars . ▁Initial ly ▁cons cription ▁service ▁was ▁for ▁ 1 2 ▁years ; ▁later , ▁this ▁was ▁reduced ▁to ▁ 8 ▁years ▁and ▁then ▁ 6 ▁years , ▁the ▁pay ▁of ▁the ▁soldiers ▁being