Effects of experience

[The Storyteller]

In Empire, it would be nice to see experience affect something other than just morale, attack and defence ratings - speed of fire. Since loading and reloading was a complicated affair, it would be realistic to have more experienced units be able to fire and reload faster.

Moving between formations also seemed to require a lot of drilling. It would be nice if experience affected the speed at which units could move from column to line to square. In the ETW era, a unit forming up slowly could result in total annihilation by cannon fire, so the stakes are pretty high.

[Sheogorath]

In addition to what was previously mentioned, the timing of troops volley fire should be affected as well. Everybody firing at once was the sign of a disciplined unit, and would be much more intimidating than ragged, piecemeal fire. Not that it would necessarily do more physical damage, since, last I checked, musketballs werent generally magnetic. But a more experienced unit should do more 'morale damage' with each volley. And look nicer when firing ;)
Also, units with experience should march better. You sort of already covered that, but a unit with more practice would be able to hold its formation on the move. Marching in a line is a lot harder than it looks, especially on anything more uneven than a parking lot :P

[Mailman653]

Don't forget higher morale, where a fresh unit might break after the first volley if the odds are against them, an elite unit would hold their ground and provide cover for retreating units.

[anders]

agreed 100% with the storyteller, rate of fire and manouver quality should, togehther with cohesion/morale under fire, be the qualities benefitting most from experience. I dont think close-combat skill increased all that much from experience, and accuracy of fire were so low anyway for musket troops it shouldnt increase much.

rate of fire were also, together with the ability to stand and hold ranks of course, about the most vital quality of line infantry.

[Martok]

Well unless I'm completely off my rocker, I do believe that Lusted or one of the other CA folks has said that more experienced units will be more accurate, as well as shoot/reload quicker.

I'd be somewhat surprised if experience also affected marching/formation abilities (as CA has thus far made no mention of it), but it would be neat if it did.

[The Storyteller]

Oh, that's nice to know. Thanks for mentioning it!

[Sheogorath]

agreed 100% with the storyteller, rate of fire and manouver quality should, togehther with cohesion/morale under fire, be the qualities benefitting most from experience. I dont think close-combat skill increased all that much from experience, and accuracy of fire were so low anyway for musket troops it shouldnt increase much.

rate of fire were also, together with the ability to stand and hold ranks of course, about the most vital quality of line infantry.

I believe melee skill would be strongly effected. I haven't read much on the subject, but I do recall that inexperienced troops would tend to simply use their muskets as a club and swing wildly, whereas a well drilled soldier would know how to employ his bayonet and the butt of his gun in combination and to best effect.

[Megas Methuselah]

...Tend to simply use their muskets as a club and swing wildly....

Oh, that is so brutally primitive. Awesome... *drools*

[anders]

I believe melee skill would be strongly effected. I haven't read much on the subject, but I do recall that inexperienced troops would tend to simply use their muskets as a club and swing wildly, whereas a well drilled soldier would know how to employ his bayonet and the butt of his gun in combination and to best effect.

that sounds sensible, think I read somewhere that the natural reflex so to say is to wield the musket/rifle as a club. still, effective bayonet fighting would probably be as well obtained in specific drill as in a short, sharp charge.