Musket Volleys

**Nelson** · 02-06-2009, 22:49

It could be exceedingly difficult for officers to prevent the men from firing once they had a mind to shoot. Unless a charge was conducted without flints it was all too tempting to fire at the enemy as soon as you could. When defending the temptation was to fire early and often because the men would become frightened or impatient. Good discipline was not unknown of course but more rare than many would believe.

One theory in the 18th century advocated free for all firing because it would lead to more shots. Waiting for others slowed the faster men. Regardless of the technique espoused by the generals, the men were still very hard to control.

**Durango** · 02-06-2009, 23:16

Originally Posted by Nelson

It could be exceedingly difficult for officers to prevent the men from firing once they had a mind to shoot. Unless a charge was conducted without flints it was all too tempting to fire at the enemy as soon as you could. When defending the temptation was to fire early and often because the men would become frightened or impatient. Good discipline was not unknown of course but more rare than many would believe.

Ah, I see good Sir... but may I politely remind Sir that whilst thou was referring to mere unwashed scum and rabble, my humble self had the King's Royal Redcoats in mind.... It is as they say back home at my cottage in Essex, only....*hrmm*... less gentlemanly brawlers who stand shaking in the face of four aimed shots a minute.

Huzzah!

**KozaK13** · 02-06-2009, 23:58

Discipline is something fairly overlooked i think. It is what made the roman army the way it was. It is what helped alexander conquer persis. It is what aided prussia to acendance. It is what helped Napolean conquer europe (de facto). With out discipline noe of this would have happened...

I hope that is is somehow implimented...like there comes a point when you can no longer control your men's rate of fire.

**Polemists** · 02-07-2009, 07:33

They have mentioned that drilling is a tech, so I think discipline is part of the technology tree.

So like I said, if you want to focus on infantry, your units may fire in unison. Keep in mind even if they don't, you can select 4, 8, or however many units and just click fire button, so you don't have to click on each unit indivdually and give the command. Also you can hit P for pause and then click it.

So yes, you can focus on discipline rather then infrastructure or education, just don't be surprised when your men are very organized but don't know which way to point the musket :)

**USS Providence 1972** · 02-08-2009, 05:22

Originally Posted by Polemists

They have mentioned that drilling is a tech, so I think discipline is part of the technology tree.

So like I said, if you want to focus on infantry, your units may fire in unison. Keep in mind even if they don't, you can select 4, 8, or however many units and just click fire button, so you don't have to click on each unit indivdually and give the command. Also you can hit P for pause and then click it.

So yes, you can focus on discipline rather then infrastructure or education, just don't be surprised when your men are very organized but don't know which way to point the musket :)

That's interesting. I'm guessing you develop drilling as a discipline and then your troops are able to fire by rank. I would also guess that the ability to form squares has to be drilled. Experience probably then makes them more accurate and speeds up the reload time, as well as better at hand to hand.

I wonder if there will also be drills for the iron men on the wooden ships.

**Fisherking** · 02-08-2009, 11:13

Originally Posted by USS Providence 1972

That's interesting. I'm guessing you develop drilling as a discipline and then your troops are able to fire by rank. I would also guess that the ability to form squares has to be drilled. Experience probably then makes them more accurate and speeds up the reload time, as well as better at hand to hand.

I wonder if there will also be drills for the iron men on the wooden ships.

One of the things I saw in a review was that the starting cartridge boxes held twenty rounds and it was hinted that that could go up.

It seems a strange tech to me.

Not like the commander says, alright boys, this could be a long day. I want each man carrying 60 rounds into battle.

I could understand if it was loading buck and ball in the cartridges or other special shot, but the number of rounds?

Ship technologies I hope will prove to be more substantial. Copper bottoms comes to mind…a long held British Military Secret.

**Polemists** · 02-08-2009, 15:03

Okay guys, again this from another forum, you should thank me for hoping forums so much :).

So straight from a CA dev's mouth again

here's the link

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...46#post4407246

Entitled: Entire units of infantry firing at once

We had a bug in some of the videos where all men fired. We have men firing in different ways with a different depth of ranks depending on the firing drill.

So there you go, further confirmation, it's all about the drill :)

and another firing comment regarding multiple ranks firing.

Please don't misquote me. It's not a feature that ALL ranks can fire. What is true is that improved firing drills let MORE ranks fire than just the first rank.