How to use grenadiers?

[ollicompolli]

I tried experimenting with them a lot...not very succesfull in the centre, but very useful at the flanks - grenades plus horse was quite effective.

How do you guys use grenadiers?

[PBI]

I tend to keep my grenadiers behind the line as a tactical reserve; in the heat of battle between the two bodies of line infantry I like to sneak them through to lob grenades on any dense concentration of enemy troops. They can also plug the line in the event that a line unit breaks (I find the AI does tend to try to concentrate its fire on a single unit rather than spreading it along the line).

Otherwise I find they work quite well on the flanks to guard the cannons from cavalry; the small unit size is actually an advantage in a way against cav, since they can turn and form up quicker than line infantry to catch out annoying cavalry units trying to nip around the flanks.

Incidentally, when using grenades a little micromanagement is in order; after they throw their bombs, I find it best to immediately have them run forwards or backwards to avoid the bombs that some of your guys will have dropped at their feet.

[Dead Guy]

Usually put them on the flanks, hidden. Then they can surprise cavalry sometimes, or otherwise wrap around the flank when shooting commences. I usually have them in two ranks, let both fire then switch to grenades and run up and throw them then charge. This was you avoid having to reload and get maximum efficiency out of them.

[Tsavong]

If I use them I have one or two units of them behind my pain line with fire at will off so they don't shoot my line in the back and once the enemy line and my line are shooting each other I will run them up to lob some grenades at a enemy unit and run them back behind my line to safety.

[A1_Unit]

There is no way to tell whether your grenadiers will throw their grenades correctly - it's a risk but if they do it well it pays off.:yes:

[Hermann the Lombard]

There is no way to tell whether your grenadiers will throw their grenades correctly - it's a risk but if they do it well it pays off.:yes:
Just assume that they WON'T and manually step back after the throw.

[crazyviking03]

when I play vanilla, i used my grenadiers to assault troops that are hiding behind walls. It is MUCH more effective than trying to shoot at them, and usually blows a big enough hole in their ranks and their moral that the smaller grenadier unit can usually hop over and route them

[Sheogorath]

IS grenadiers are basically superior line infantry...and that's how I use 'em.

Vanilla grenadiers are good shock troops. In some situations you could employ two of them together to stand in the line if you need to. Mostly they're good as flankers. Get behind an already engaged enemy and charge 'em.

[Servius]

The only situation where I've found Grenadiers to be worth thier slot is as assault troops to storm fort walls. The grenades hurt morale a lot, and kill a decent number, especially when the AI's troops are bunched up on the walls. It takes them half as long to get their entire unit on the rampart as a unit of Line Infantry, and they have superior melee and morale once they're up there.

In every other situation I've found a unit of Line Infantry or a unit of cavalry to be a better use of the slot.

[Hermann the Lombard]

Pretty good for clearing buildings, too.

[Fisherking]

They are the elite of the line but they can't form square. They shoot better, reload faster, melee better, and have special abilities, but they can't stand up to a cavalry charge, though they can stand for a time. Just the same they need line infantry or cavalry support.

Most factions have nothing better for clearing buildings or to bring home a devastating charge. Their one other drawback is that they are a half company so they are in small numbers.

I seldom use more than two of them in any stack.