problem with missile units

[Abokasee]

Ahh thats because your using them wrong my friend

Crossbows (MTW2) Have a very long range and can take out many enemy infantry in short amount of time, against unarmoured cavalry they can butcher them at range when there going into there missles!

Hand gunners... well primitive technogly, thus dont expect much from them, the only use I see for them is ranged heavy infantry with there nice armour, of coures, if your venice they completely obsolute, aqubeisers are highly effective providing you use them right (I find spreading them thin does more damage since more people can fire) and musket are the same just even more effective (Cossacks, Musketeers, Jannisary the like will massacre enemies if used correctly, especially Cossack and Jannisarries)

Fast cavalry are perfect counter XBow and Powder units, its only fair to have a counter to something, which is why you should always bring some people with long sticks with a metal bit at the end, even if its pike militia (Taking away there sword weapon is a good idea, most mods do this)

As for units already being loaded up and ready to go, this wouldnt of been pratical for a long march as "black powder" was generally hard to maintain and could have the bad habit of ripping off your limbs if the worst case scenerio happened, and it was useless if it was wet so it needed to be kept in a dry enviroment, witch are usually quite hot, and gun powder REALLY likes those places and will explode with joy, as for normal bows, well it would be quite difficult to keep your arrow all the way back for that long march as well as that quick jolt fowards to fire off your load before your cut down by a man with a lance that broke in your face before he whips out his sword cuts your mates head off, and im quite sure that running with a crossbow would make bolt fall out (I am not sure of this)