Missile units and "friendly fire"?

I've been too busy in campaign battles to really test this or notice the effect, so what's the common wisdom on placing "flat trajectory" missile units like crossbows and handheld guns?

Do you need to place them on the wings of your army to avoid firing through your own front ranks (except when uphill) to avoid friendly fire? I remember we had to be careful with units like slingers in RTW that way. Or does the game just penalize the damage on enemy units by assuming an upward firing arc instead of flat trajectory?

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Originally Posted by Zenicetus

I've been too busy in campaign battles to really test this or notice the effect, so what's the common wisdom on placing "flat trajectory" missile units like crossbows and handheld guns?

Do you need to place them on the wings of your army to avoid firing through your own front ranks (except when uphill) to avoid friendly fire? I remember we had to be careful with units like slingers in RTW that way. Or does the game just penalize the damage on enemy units by assuming an upward firing arc instead of flat trajectory?

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I have no clue on the presence or effect of friendly fire

I'm not certain, but I think my crossbowmen seem to go for an arched trajectory when they're in the rear or my army. They seem to be less accurate that way, but I'd rather have them miss then make my men in front of them into pin cushions.

With regards to the "flat trajectory" missile weapons, I can't help you. I'm still playing my first campaign, as Byzantium; no crossbows, no arquebusiers, no muskets, no cannons except bombards. Bombards WILL fire through friendly units if things are in the way. From being on the receiving end of crossbows a lot, it looks like the game has them fire in a more arched trajectory, similar to bows.

If xbows arc their shots, they lose a huge amount of damage. Even regular archer units benefit greatly from being out front. So put your archers just ahead of battle lines and retreat when threatened. It's more micro but it's more efficient.

As for flanking with missiles, it can be useful at times. Often arcing fire arrows in concert with flanking infantry and cav is more than enough to break the enemy. If they still last though, pouring missile fire into their back can be amazing especially with javs or gunpowder units. Also note that missiles often fall short so you may want to target the middling units in an enemy formation instead of frontmost.

Friendly AI is alot smarter in M2TW, in the sense that if archers or crossbowmen are lined up behind your foot soldiers, they will usually shoot upwards. Haven't tested gunpower units seeing as I just got the ability to build them but I'm assuming they may act more like cannons do and take out friendly soldiers.

I do know that if you have soldiers charging the enemy and friendly archers firing at the enemys your own units will usually get caught in the storm of arrows which can be devestating, especially if they are fire arrows.

It seems like your gunpowder units dosn't shoot at all when cowering behind your men.

Thoose in an unit that have a clear line of fire, will shoot. But thoose who can't see their enemies won't shoot through their comrades.
I have tried this several times in custom battles.