Tidbits & Tactics:

Empire is going to be a slightly different beast than what has gone before.

Here are a few things to remember. Some we know and some may be new to some of us.

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If the enemy is in range, so are you

If your attack is going well, you have walked into an ambush

The enemy invariably attacks on one of two occasions
a. When you're ready for them.
b. When you're not ready for them.

If you find yourself in a fair fight, you didn't plan your mission properly

No plan ever survives first contact with the enemy.

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Use available cover and concealment

Use movement by bounds when practical to close with the enemy. Use stationary unit in overwatch position to engage the enemy.(one unit engage the enemy while the other moves)

Skirmishers should have a ready reserve (deploy them two deep)

Keep a reserve when possible. It allow greater flexibility.

A charge is used to brake the enemy, if this is not working you my want to review your options.

If you are in a safe or hidden position, there is the ever popular; don’t shoot until you see the whites of their eyes.

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Feel free to share!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fisherking

If you find yourself in a fair fight, you didn't plan your mission properly

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I think this one is my favorite. :laugh4:

I'll have a go at adding in a few helpful hints.

*Warning: Any and all advice contained within this post is used on the battlefield at your own risk. Sir Beane will not be held responsible for loss of limb, life or overseas colonies as a result of this advice.*

Campaign Map Strategy

*When in India, do as the Mughal's do. Load your armies so full of elephants with various artillery pieces strapped to them that the passing of your force causes the ground to crack and buckle, and all that is left after you pass is a new, rather pungent, mountain.

*When in a long-term alliance with a trusted ally be sure to attack them as soon as possible. Do you really think the A.I won't go for you at some point? It's a Total War game!

*The most strategically important location on the map is always Iceland. Take it and fillt it full of every man you have. I personally gurantee you will never lose a fight. Indeed you will probably never even take part in a fight, or even see any enemy soldiers.

*Contrary to popular belief you cannot identify a french spy by the fact that he carries around garlic and wears a beret. Do not rely on this as a way to background check your King's servants.

*When playing as the British don't wait for those Yanks to get uppity. Torch the whole place and go and take somewhere less ungrateful, like Norway.

Land Battle Tactics

*When marching into position on the battlemap make sure that your formation resembles a comical image, such as a duck. The enemy commander will be so busy laughing he won't notice you just took the one and only hill on the map and filled it full of cannon.

*When fighting the French don't expect them to run away or surrender when you yell at them loudly. Actual french soldiers are much less stereotypical and a lot more bloodthirsty.

*When playing Empire do not attempt to set up your forces like you saw in the promotional screenshot. The men in the first two rows will really appreciate not having the back of their head ventilated by an ally in row four.

*If the enemy is fielding elephants and you don't have any you have already lost, so why not have fun? Use your artillery to shoot your own men in creative ways, try and get the bodies to spell out a humorous word or phrase. Bonus points if you spell it in the enemies native language.

Naval Tactics

*For the duration of the battle make sure that you talk in a steretypical pirate accent.
"Trust me, me hearties! It'll improve your fightin' and drinkin' skill better 'n fancy landlubber things like 'tactics' and 'not fighting drunk'.

*Rum!

*More of the above!

*If you followed the previous two tips correctly then you shouldn't actually be able to read this.

*Endeavor to have your ships located on top of rather than below the water.

*Make sure you point all the cannons outwards, rather than inwards.

*Do not under any circumstances walk into the magazine room 'for a quick smoke'.

*If there is water on the inside of your boat then you are doing it wrong.

*During a boarding action do not swing from ship to ship with your cutlass held in your mouth. I knew a man who did this once, we called him headless Jerry.

*Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! (More rum)

I have a fine selection of Suvorov quotes for you :P

"The bullet's an idiot, the bayonet's a fine chap."

"Win with ability, not with numbers" (This guy was a Russian? :laugh4:)

"Accustom yourself to tireless activity..."

"When the enemy is driven back, we have failed, and when he is cut off,
encircled and dispersed, we have succeeded."

"He who is afraid is half beaten."

"Train hard, fight easy."


In terms of tactics, I personally prefer to keep an elite reserve back. Just two or three units. Once the grunts have worn the enemy down, these guys can charge in and route the enemy with minimal casualties and maximum effect.

If your opponent is so foolish as to allow you to turn his flanks, by all means, do so. Forcing some of your opponents men to turn sidelong to your own means more casualties for him.

One of my favorite tactics in NTW is to fire THROUGH an enemies front line into the unit BEHIND the one you're targeting. This means that BOTH units take fire, the rear unit absorbing much of the shots that miss the front one.

The same goes with artillery, but in reverse. Shoot at a unit IN FRONT of the one you want to hit. The ball will roll into the enemy most of the time, and you get bonus casualties in the first unit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sir Beane

I'll have a go at adding in a few helpful hints.

[

*Endeavor to have your ships located on top of rather than below the water.



*If there is water on the inside of your boat then you are doing it wrong.

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These two were my favorites. I'll try to remember them when I be keelhaulin' the lot o' them scalawags, yarr! :laugh4:

Kill or be killed.

Some slightly more useful tips.

Land Battles

* If you can shoot the enemy, then they can certainly shoot you. Sitting back and exchanging shots won't win you the battle unless you have superior numbers.

* Cavalry is no longer the wrecking ball it once was. A foolish charge will be cut down from range. Use them to flank and to launch lightning attacks on weak points.

* Big blocks of troops look impressive. They also have the effect of making your men feel more secure and scaring the enemy. To an enemy with cannons though they just look like a big fat target.

* If the battlefield doesn't suit you, then force it to. Change the situation. If you need a defendable position construct one with lines of hardy men and earthwork fortifications.

* Let the enemy waste their shots on the green recruits, no one will miss them. Save your elite veterans for when the battle gets really bloody.

* Your general is no longer a superhero, he can't take on the enemy singlehandedly. It is unwise to let him try. On the front line he is an easily killed soldier, behind the lines he is the heart of your army.

* Artillery is faster now. Don't give the enemy the chance to whip their horse artillery around behind your lines.

* Horse archers aren't so hot anymore, sorry for those who liked them.

Friendly fire - isn't.

Suppressive fires - won't.

A sucking chest wound is Nature's way of telling you to slow down.

Try to look unimportant; the enemy may be low on ammo and not want to waste a bullet on you.

If at first you don't succeed, call for artillery.

If you are forward of your position, your artillery will fall short

Never forget that your weapon was made by the lowest bidder

The enemy diversion you're ignoring is their main attack

The important things are always simple; the simple are always hard

The easy way is always an ambush

Teamwork is essential; it gives the enemy other people to shoot at

Never draw fire; it irritates everyone around you

The only thing more accurate than incoming enemy fire is incoming friendly fire

Anything you do can get you killed, including nothing

Professional soldiers are predictable; the world is full of dangerous amateurs

Success occurs when no one is looking, failure occurs when the General is watching

No matter which way you have to march, its always uphill

Whenever you lose contact with the enemy, look behind you

The fastest way out of the army is via graves registration

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Placing your artillery on the flanks is an invitation to a flanking attack.

Generals sometimes loose their heads in combat, particularly when standing in front of your artillery.

If it looks like an easy victory, be very careful.

Some really great stuff guys, really great, I enjoyed all of the above :yes:

I trot this out every era as my contribution.
They were written for Shogun Total War and Medieval Total War.
They still applied in Rome Total War, and Medieval II Total War.
Possibly they will now apply to Empire Total War also?


The Ten “Always” Basics For Team Multiplayers

There are exceptions to every rule. Discuss the exceptions in deployment, but other than these temporary agreements, consider the rules as Always being understood.

As much as possible:

..1. Always stick together.
Move to link up, then move together as one coordinated killing machine.

..2. Always search for your enemies weakness.
Be ready to take advantage of their over confidence, latency, or forgetfulness. Given enough time in the battle, everyone is subject to these errors. Be on guard for yourself and your team mates.

..3. Always take the high ground first.
The “number one” objective is to provide this base of operations for the team. If there is a highest hill, you must have it, victory will follow.

..4. Always protect your generals.
Keep them out of the action. The loss of your armys leader lowers your whole army’s morale for the rest of the battle. For lack of a general an army was lost, for lack of an army a battle was lost. Keep him safe.

..5. Always look to double team a single, or triple a double.
The old hammer and anvil. One or two armys fix the enemies attention, while the others out flank and smash them.

..6. Always leave the isolated enemy army until last.
This is pure logic, go after the most of them with the most of your own. The straggling enemy army presents a juicy target but don’t be fooled. The battle is where the majority of the enemy is.

..7. Always remember that you may have to become the rear guard for the group.
Moving to link up always leaves a part of the front empty. The army on the most exposed flank will be at risk of being out flanked. If that should happen, it could mean disaster for the whole team. Be ready to fulfill the rear guard roll should it fall to you. Consider it in your deployment, and stand ready to move to face the flanking enemy as the others move forward.

..8. Always regroup before entering another phase of the battle.
Don’t get carried away with small victories. Whatever kills might be earned in chasing are offset by the fatigue it cost you. If you get a moment to breath, take it and regroup.

..9. Always keep some units ready to help a team mate if needed.
Be ready and looking for the need long before it happens. It will take you time to get there.

..10. Always consider that the battle will be long and difficult.
Keep an eye on your energy bars, and always consider fatigue a major factor in your plans. And never underestimate your enemy, no matter who they are. Consider all who oppose you, heavily armed, and extremely dangerous......

:knight:

On the subject of formations...

There are three 'main' formations which were made use of in this period. Of course, each of these formations was more of a 'category' than a general 'rule', which is to say that there was variation, both between nations and between commanders.

First, and most famous, was the line. Virtually every image of warfare from this period shows men standing in the line, typically three men deep, with bayonets fixed.
While the three-man deep line was quite common, it was, by no means, the ONLY depth used. The famous 'thin red line' at the Battle of Balaclava' was an example of a two-man deep line. Four-man deep lines were possible, but there were reports of casualties resulting from men being shot in the back by the rear rank. However, deeper lines than this were possible, where the rear ranks acted as a reserve and did not fire.
However, this negated two of the better points of the line formation. Firstly, it rendered the line vulnerable to cannon fire. In a 2-3 man deep line, a cannonball could only kill three men at most, or maybe wound six with a very lucky shot (discounting bouncing off of curved rocks, strong winds, and magic). The deeper the line, the more men a single cannonball can take out.
Secondly, and probably more importantly, a lines main advantage is that it allows more men to fire, giving you a greater 'surface area'.
The lines main disadvantage was poor mobility. It is VERY difficult to turn and maintain a line formation. Only veteran, well disciplined troops could turn in line without breaking formation. Lines were also slow, since marching in formation across anything other than a smooth, flat, surface is quite hard.

The column was favored by the Russians, mainly for the obvious reason that it gave both strong mobility and more 'punch' in bayonet combat, allowing more weight to be put on a single point. Since the Russian army favored the bayonet over the bullet (as noted in the previous Suvurov quotes), they generally sought to get into melee as soon as possible, allowing their artillery to do the 'softening up' in place of muskets.
The column formation has, as mentioned, two big advantages. Soldiers can move a lot faster in column, and maintain their formation as well. It also gives more weight to a charge.
The problems of columns come in the shape of cannons and muskets. Columns are not firepower-type formations, since only the first few ranks can fire. They are also very vulnerable to cannon fire, since a single cannonball, bouncing down the length of a column, can take out a whole row of soldiers.

The square is a typical defensive formation, best used to ward off cavalry. Often I hear it quoted that 'a square has only been broken by cavalry twice' or some other such nonsense. This is, of course, quite silly, but some have imbued the square with legendary cavalry-stopping abilities. While no doubt advantageous to the infantry in that it is impossible to flank a complete square, it is also essentially composed of four lines of infantry. Thus, if a charge takes place, it cannot be to the rear or flanks, which would probably lead to some casualties amoung the horses, but, in the end, a determined cavalry (with sufficient numbers) should be quite capable of destroying a square.
As mentioned, a square's advantage lies in its lack of flanks. All charges and attacks must be made to the 'front' of the formation.
However, a square is both totally immobile, and vulnerable to artillery, since artillery fire will pass through at least two lines of soldiers no matter the direction. Musket fire also presents an issue, since a square is typically even tighter than a line, and moving your men closer together makes them easier to hit.

Very good points Tomisama. Especially the last half, which are skipped more often then not. I know winning as the Celts or Pontus vs your cookie cutter Roman army was really only possible because they would completely underestimate me.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sheogorath

On the subject of formations...
...
The square is a typical defensive formation, best used to ward off cavalry. Often I hear it quoted that 'a square has only been broken by cavalry twice' or some other such nonsense. This is, of course, quite silly, but some have imbued the square with legendary cavalry-stopping abilities. While no doubt advantageous to the infantry in that it is impossible to flank a complete square, it is also essentially composed of four lines of infantry. Thus, if a charge takes place, it cannot be to the rear or flanks, which would probably lead to some casualties amoung the horses, but, in the end, a determined cavalry (with sufficient numbers) should be quite capable of destroying a square.
As mentioned, a square's advantage lies in its lack of flanks. All charges and attacks must be made to the 'front' of the formation.
However, a square is both totally immobile, and vulnerable to artillery, since artillery fire will pass through at least two lines of soldiers no matter the direction. Musket fire also presents an issue, since a square is typically even tighter than a line, and moving your men closer together makes them easier to hit.

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This paragraph especially rings true. Just look at Waterloo, and the cavalry charge that cost Napolean big-time, although I think the command was given by a subordinate.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sheogorath

The column was favored by the Russians, mainly for the obvious reason that it gave both strong mobility and more 'punch' in bayonet combat, allowing more weight to be put on a single point. Since the Russian army favored the bayonet over the bullet (as noted in the previous Suvurov quotes), they generally sought to get into melee as soon as possible, allowing their artillery to do the 'softening up' in place of muskets.

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Remember this is the ETW era which is the 18th century. There was really no use of columns as seen during the Revolutionary/Napoleonic Wars.

The basic fighting formation was the line and the whole army was deployed from large march columns quite some distance from the enemy. Just look at Frederick the Great and his maneuvers in his SYW battles.

The concept of attack columns(or perhaps it should be termed "maneuver columns" as the word attack implies they were meant purely for charging) was introduced in mid 18th century but rarely used. It was not forgotten though and was the basis of French discussion and reforms just before the revolution.

Suvurov actually used battalions in line formation and his basic tactics still used multiple platoon firings before advancing closer. His army did run out of ammo on a few occasions during his Italy/Switzerland campaign so it was not all about the bayonet.

But it is all pretty moot. Army/unit movement in Total War has never been realistic anyway, so there is little need to worry about columns except for some special uber attack formation, if that is included in ETW at all.


CBR

Didn't the French deploy in columns on the fields of Abraham? :inquisitive:

I was also under the impression that the 'monster column' used by the French (essentially forming your troops into a giant column with the intention of punching through enemy lines with one big effort) was in use for some time, even during the 1600's.

Quote:

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The square is a typical defensive formation, best used to ward off cavalry. Often I hear it quoted that 'a square has only been broken by cavalry twice' or some other such nonsense. This is, of course, quite silly, but some have imbued the square with legendary cavalry-stopping abilities. While no doubt advantageous to the infantry in that it is impossible to flank a complete square, it is also essentially composed of four lines of infantry. Thus, if a charge takes place, it cannot be to the rear or flanks, which would probably lead to some casualties amoung the horses, but, in the end, a determined cavalry (with sufficient numbers) should be quite capable of destroying a square.
As mentioned, a square's advantage lies in its lack of flanks. All charges and attacks must be made to the 'front' of the formation.
However, a square is both totally immobile, and vulnerable to artillery, since artillery fire will pass through at least two lines of soldiers no matter the direction. Musket fire also presents an issue, since a square is typically even tighter than a line, and moving your men closer together makes them easier to hit.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by ConnMon

This paragraph especially rings true. Just look at Waterloo, and the cavalry charge that cost Napolean big-time, although I think the command was given by a subordinate.

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The idea behind the square with two rows (one man kneeling and a man behind) is that a horse is twice as wide as a man, so the horse is running at 4 bayonets. You can keep one row loaded and the other simply as a deterant, meaning you can pick off anyone riding past and still have the safety that no horse will commit suicide into the bayonets.

The squares could shuffle but not march properly as the cavalry would have to stay outside musket range. However the square would be vulnerable to artillery, musket fire or carbines from the cavalry.

The French did destroy their cavalry at Waterloo, they were commanded by Marshal Ney, who was high ranking but a cavalryman by trade. He thought the British were retreating (they were hidden by a ridge), attacked and found instead they were in squares and the French were mauled by the fire from the squares as they rode past. Sources vary but some say the French charged the squares up to 12 times and didn't break one.

The best tidbits any TW player can take to heart, and these apply to all TW games, is strike hard and go for the kill. Don't play to "not lose", play to win. If you see a solid chance to knock out a major enemy army, even if you risk one of yours in the process, take it. Who dares, wins.

You can't demand tribute payments from factions you've destroyed.

Take your defeats graciously, from the agony of a loss could spring anew the determination needed for a victorious campaign. Not all battles must end in victory for the war to be won.

Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. It's not always a good idea to surrender the initiative to your foes, there are situations where you'll need to decide if you want the enemy to shoot you to pieces with their superior artillery or move into the attack!

In a Total War game, peace is a technicality. :beam:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Monk

In a Total War game, peace is a technicality. :beam:

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I love this. Definetely should be added to empire total war for their "loading screen quotes". By the way, pdoyle 007, thanks for clearing up my information about waterloo :2thumbsup:.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Methuselah

Didn't the French deploy in columns on the fields of Abraham? :inquisitive:

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Some seems to think the two center battalions formed up in columns but I have not seen any clear sources for it really. One eyewitness account specifically talks about the French advancing with platoon fire and that implies, at least on the part of battle that he could see, that the French had formed up in line.

What I do know is that the French introduced some type of column in their regulations from IIRC 1754(before that some officers had experimented with it). But they seems to have been very narrow and deep columns and more meant for simply rushing the enemy. They were not the same as the columns of the Revolutionary/Napoleonic Wars.

But again it seems it was more of a French experiment and apparently not something they used much either. And after the SYW most wanted to copy the Prussians anyway.


CBR

On the campaign map, this applies to both human player and AI:

Never fight a battle unless you are almost certain to win.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Fisherking

...
Never forget that your weapon was made by the lowest bidder.
...

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I like this the most. :laugh4:

What Sheogorath said about squares is really true imho. There is a long list of squares broken by cavalry and a long list of squares which succeeded against cavalry. Squares should not be taken as the magical weapon against cavalry. Afaik the building of squares to deter cavalry was forbidden in the Prussian army of Frederic II., instead the battalions normaly fought cavalry in line.

I hope there is no extreme sps in E:TW. Nevertheless I will try to play it as realistically as possible. If there will be an ubar formation I will try to avoid its use.