Types Of Unit

[pdoyle007]

During the time period we would have found 'groups' or troops growing from company, to battalion, to divison etc.

What will be the standard unit size do you think? If it is a company (say 60-80 men) can you choose what type beyond rifle / musket, perhaps have light company or grenadier companies included which have slightly different skills and stats, however have different recruitment costs and might only be available after some research?

[Polemists]

The unit sizes look similiar to MTW 2, it's hard to tell because not every unit has a flag this time, (or so the videos seem to show.)

I'd say 80-100 for basic infantry, 60 for more specalized, and obviously some uber 40-20 type guys. So I'd assume say your basic infantry would be

100

Then maybe something slightly more specalized, grenadiers,

60

Then maybe a calvary unit, much like MTW2

40


Then maybe some elite unite, Sharpshooters or Elephants or something

20

You'd assume cannon crews would also stay around 20ish range. But I ponder if we will again get 2 seige weapons per unit. I mean one of things I disliked about MTW2 was if I wanted to have 8-10 seige weapons, that was half my unit. Maybe groupings of 4 cannons this time might be better, but then again I don't know how rare cannnons are.

[pdoyle007]

Traditionally a 'light company' or 'grenadier company' would be the same size, but made up of the brightest or strongest men (as a general rule).

I like the idea that with careful research and development you can get advances ahead of their historic occurance, e.g. rifles earlier than normal.

Artillery will obviously play a big part this time round, as you can change between 'shot' types in the naval battle so you think you can here and have roundshot for distance, grapeshot for closer targets and possibly 'scrapnel' casing for the British?

Also has anything been mentioned about horse artillery? Very quick moving but light caliber artillery piece. Basically a gun attacked to the back of a team of horses?

[Sheogorath]

As pdoyle007 said, grenadier, light, and line companies were traditionally the same size in most armies.
Once again, I only know this for certain about the Russian army, but most Grenadier companies essentially WERE Line companies that had performed very well and had been 'promoted' by the Tsar. The same goes for Lifeguard companies, who were basically Grenadiers who had done something above and beyond the call of duty.
I'd say something like this for regular size:
Up to 120 for militia units (especially Russian and Ottoman militia, since they frequently didn't get firearms and, by the Russians at least, tended to be raised in staggeringly huge amounts)

80-100 for most infantry (reduce to 60 or 40 for rifle companies, maybe.)

40 for cavalry and elephants (although elephants would mount 2-3 men per 'mount', which would mean only 20-13 (and one third :P) elephants per unit)

20 for battlefield engineers, sappers, or whatever you want to call them.

For artillery units, lets say five men per gun plus 20-40 men to stand behind them looking like idiots (as is traditional in TW games). This might vary based on the gun, though. If the game is going to feature the Ottomans traditional massively over sized compensation guns, I think they might take more than one man to haul the shot to the barrel.

[rajpoot]

For artillery units, lets say five men per gun plus 20-40 men to stand behind them looking like idiots (as is traditional in TW games).

I never really understood why they incorporated the idiots anyway..........artillery companies weren't meant to take part in melee, and how many men can you lose, that you need 20 men for backup!

[Polemists]

I have to agree on this one

For artillery units, lets say five men per gun plus 20-40 men to stand behind them looking like idiots (as is traditional in TW games).

You can lose them. I've been overwhelmed by crossbolts before. I mean they have uses, it's just they just stand there. I'd rather give them rifles and have them covering the artillery while it fired, or swords to hold off a charge while the guys at the seige weapons run or something. As was previous, they were by far the most useless melee unit ever.

[Tartantyco]

Also has anything been mentioned about horse artillery? Very quick moving but light caliber artillery piece. Basically a gun attacked to the back of a team of horses?

-Yes, horse artillery will be in game. I think it's in the 5th or 6th FAQ, not sure though(Will try to find it).